Radio propagation beacon

A radio propagation beacon is a radio beacon, whose purpose is the investigation of the propagation of radio signals. Most radio propagation beacons use amateur radio frequencies. They can be found on HF, VHF, UHF, and microwave frequencies. Microwave beacons are also used as signal sources to test and calibrate antennas and receivers. [cite journal | author=Andy Talbot, G4JNT| title=Amateur Beacons | journal=Radio User| issn=1748-8117 | month=May | year=2008 | volume=3 | issue=5 | pages=56–58 The article includes the following definition for beacons licensed in the Amateur Radio service: "A station in the Amateur Service or Amateur Satellite Service that autonomously transmits in a fixed format, which may include repeated data or information, for the study of propagation, determination of frequency or bearing, or for other experimental purposes".] [cite journal | author=Andy Talbot, G4JNT| title=Amateur Beacons | journal=Radio User| issn=1748-8117 | month=August | year=2008 | volume=3 | issue=8 | pages=30-33 ]

Transmission characteristics

Most beacons operate in continuous wave (A1A) and transmit their identification (call sign and location). Some of them send long dashes to facilitate signal stength measurement. A small number of beacons transmit Morse code by frequency modulation (F1A). A few beacons transmit signals in digital modulation modes, like radioteletype (F1B) and PSK31 (G1B).

160 meters beacons

The International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 (North and South America) bandplan reserves the range 1999 kHz to 2000 kHz for propagation beacons.

10 meters beacons

Most high frequency radio propagation beacons are found in the 10 meters (28 MHz) frequency band, where they are good indicators of Sporadic E ionospheric propagation. According to IARU bandplans, the following 28 MHz frequencies are allocated to radio propagation beacons:

6 meters beacons

In the 6 meters (50 MHz) band, beacons operate in the lower part of the band, in the range 50000 kHz to 50080 kHz. The American Radio Relay League bandplan recommends 50060 to 50080 kHz for beacons in the United States. Due to unpredictable and intermittent long distance propagation, usually achieved by a combination of ionospheric conditions, beacons are very important in providing early warning for 50 MHz openings.

VHF/UHF beacons

Beacons on 144 MHz and higher frequencies are mainly used to identify tropospheric radio propagation openings. It is not uncommon for VHF and UHF beacons to use directional antennas. Frequency allocations for beacons on VHF and UHF bands vary widely in different IARU regions and countries. The current allocation in the United Kingdom, which also reflects IARU Region 1 recommendations, is the following: [cite web | url=http://www.qsl.net/g3yrc/Bandplans/UK%20VHF.htm | title=Amateur Radio UK VHF Bandplan | accessdate=2008-04-27 | publisher=Great Yarmouth Radio Club]

Beacon projects

Most radio propagation beacons are operated by individual radio amateurs or amateur radio societies and clubs. As a result, there are frequent additions and deletions to the lists of beacons. There are, however a few major projects coordinated by organizations like the International Telecommunications Union and the International Amateur Radio Union.

IARU Beacon Project

The International Beacon Project (IBP), which is coordinated by the Northern California DX Foundation and the International Amateur Radio Union, consists of 18 HF propagation beacons worldwide, which transmit in turns on 14100 kHz, 18110 kHz, 21150 kHz, 24930 kHz, and 28200 kHz.cite web
publisher=Northern California DX Foundation
year=2008
url=http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html
title=International Beacon Project
accessdate=2008-02-27 ]

ITU sponsored beacons

As part of an International Telecommunications Union-funded project, radio propagation beacons were installed by national authorities at Sveio, Norway (callsign LN2A, Coor Maidenhead|59.6042|5.29167|yes) and at Darwin, Australia (callsign VL8IPS, Coor Maidenhead|-12.6042|131.292|yes). The beacons operated on frequencies 5471.5 kHz, 7871.5 kHz, 10408.5 kHz, 14396.5 kHz, and 20948.5 kHz.cite web
url=http://www.ham-radio.nl/bakenshf/baken0-20mhz.htm
title=HF 0-20 MHz
accessdate=2008-03-14] . Since 2002, there have been no reception reports for these beacons and the relevant ITU web pages have been removed.cite web | format=PDF | url=http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/opb/res/R-RES-R.27-1993-PDF-E.pdf| title=Resolution ITU-R 27: HF Field-strength measurement campaign | year=1993 | accessdate=2008-03-12]

DARC beacon project

The Deutscher Amateur-Radio-Club sponsors two beacons which transmit from Scheggerott, near Kiel (Coor Maidenhead|54.6875|9.79167|yes). [cite web | title=Aurora beacon DKØWCY | url=http://www.dk0wcy.de/ | publisher=Deutscher Amateur-Radio-Club e.V.(DARC)| accessdate=2008-05-03 | year=2004] These beacons are DRA5 on 5195 kHz and DK0WCY on 10144 kHz. In addition to identification and location, every 10 minutes thesebeacons transmit solar and geomagnetic bulletins. Transmissions are in Morse code for aural reception, RTTY and PSK31. [DK0WCY operates also a limited service beacon on 3579 kHzat 0720-0900 and 1600-1900 local time] [cite book | title=Technical Topics Scrapbook - All 50 years | chapter=The DK0WCY/DRA5 Propagation Beacons | pages=98 | author=Pat Hawker, G3VA | publisher=Radio Society of Great Britain | year=2008 | isbn=9781-9050-8639-9 | locatio=Potters Bar, UK ]

RSGB 5 MHz beacon project

The Radio Society of Great Britain operates three radio propagation beacons on 5290 kHz, which transmit in sequence, for one minute each, every 15 minutes. The project includes GB3RAL near Didcot (Coor Maidenhead|51.5625|-1.29167|yes), GB3WES in Cumbria (Coor Maidenhead|54.5625|-2.625|yes) and GB3ORK in the Orkney Islands (Coor Maidenhead|59.0208|-3.20833|yes). GB3RAL, which is located at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, also transmits continuously on 28215 kHz and on a number of low VHF frequencies (40050, 50053, 60053 and 70053 kHz). [cite journal
journal=RadCom
publisher=Radio Society of Great Britain
pages=65–69
title=The GB3RAL VHF Beacon cluster
author=Mike Willis, G0MJW
volume=84
issue=04
year=2008
month=April ]

Notes and References

See also

* Ionosonde
* Electric beacon

Further reading

* [http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html IARU/NDXF International Beacon Project]

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*cite web | url=http://freenet-homepage.de/troesne/Beacons.html | title=The DL8AAM QSL Collection: QSLs from Radio Beacons | accessdate=2008-01-05 | author= Thomas M. Rösner, DL8AAM | date=2005

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*cite web | url=http://www.scrbg.org/g4jnt/5MHzBcnsWeb.pdf | accessdate=2008-02-13 | title=Design and building of the 5 MHz beacons, GB3RAL, GB3WES and GB3ORK | author=Andrew Talbot, G4JNT | type=PDF

*cite web | url = http://www.scrbg.org/g4jnt/BeaconPres.ppt | accessdate=2008-03-16 | title=The Next Generation of Beacons for the 21st century | author=Andy Talbot, G4JNT | type = ppt

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