Posted: 10/14/2013 5:53:04 PM EDT
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I have been playing with LF again (listening to WWVB, Beacons etc). You can buy a Simple converter that works well Here.
I built up a Voltage probe type antenna and have had mixed results (I need to put it back up) I had it in my back yard and it worked OK, moved it to the side yard and all I got was noise. I did watch a video and it appeared that if you mounted it Low to the ground the noise dropped significantly. Is anyone else here playing around with this (and these type antennas) and if so how do you have your mounted? (or is there something better that is simple and non directional I can build up) |
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While I find the topic interesting, I can't really address your question - my only real experience with LF/VLF was at a friend's house - he had an unusually good radio location (island off the coast of Maine) and an unusually good long-wire Beverage antenna, and his reception was unbelievably good, with European broadcasters and beacons from all over everywhere (and a couple of Middle East and African stations too, IIRC), with the broadcast stations loud and clear starting around sunset (it was during September a year or so ago).
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Mr Harry,
No extensive experience with LF but did build this receive antenna a few years back - http://dl1dbc.net/SAQ/miniwhip.html Full PDF via footnote #2 at the end of the page. It works VERY well for me. At that time had a full sized 80m dipole and this 'shorty' easily performed far better - on LF bamd. Did notice the further I got from the house, the better signals were. Did try it inside and the article is correct, noise covers every signal. On LF RG58 is 'Low Loss' 
As with every antenna YMMV, good luck. |
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Quoted:
I have always been fascinated by ELF and submarine communication. someday when I have room I would like to travel down this road too. The kit I listed in my original post is under $20 and actually works pretty well. I have an old one of theirs (10 years or so) and it works well, they redesigned the input low-pass filter for better performance so I recently got that one (I still need to build it). I also tried just a 500 Khz low-pass filter with my Flex-1500 but the converter worked better. |
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Quoted:
I have always been fascinated by ELF and submarine communication. someday when I have room I would like to travel down this road too. My dad does it with a magnetic loop and a set of wellbrook antennas. I've heard some sub coms a few times, but a lot more noise than interesting stuff. And even the interesting stuff is encrypted so it could be anything from a launch code, to a menu change 
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Quoted:
My dad does it with a magnetic loop and a set of wellbrook antennas. I've heard some sub coms a few times, but a lot more noise than interesting stuff. And even the interesting stuff is encrypted so it could be anything from a launch code, to a menu change Quoted:
Quoted:
I have always been fascinated by ELF and submarine communication. someday when I have room I would like to travel down this road too. My dad does it with a magnetic loop and a set of wellbrook antennas. I've heard some sub coms a few times, but a lot more noise than interesting stuff. And even the interesting stuff is encrypted so it could be anything from a launch code, to a menu change With about all ham radio, its not the content that interest me it's the delivery method
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I used to play with VLF. I had a big loop antenna I made with 500 feet of wire on a PVC box frame. I connected it directly to a USB sound card and used spectran to "tune" it by blanking out the portions of the spectrum I didn't care about. Found some digital signals here and there 
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My favorite winter hobby, the colder and clearer, the better the reception.
I have several Rycomm selective level meter recievers, think I like the 6041 the best, razor sharp tuning. Antennas? VLF is still an experimenters antenna paradise. Super long wire connected to a large base loading coil with variable taps. Will have to find the one that worked nice, was a 4" pvc, maybe 2 ' tall wound with magnet wire. And, the more and better ground wires you have is everything. |
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Quoted:
My favorite winter hobby, the colder and clearer, the better the reception. I have several Rycomm selective level meter recievers, think I like the 6041 the best, razor sharp tuning. Antennas? VLF is still an experimenters antenna paradise. Super long wire connected to a large base loading coil with variable taps. Will have to find the one that worked nice, was a 4" pvc, maybe 2 ' tall wound with magnet wire. And, the more and better ground wires you have is everything. I've been using my 31 foot whip and I've been surprised that it is working good but would like something better |