SB QST @ ARL $ARLB026
ARLB026 Amateur LF signal spans the Pacific!

ZCZC AG26
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 26  ARLB026
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  July 5, 2001
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB026
ARLB026 Amateur LF signal spans the Pacific!

A signal transmitted on 184 kHz from ZL6QH--the Wellington, New
Zealand, Amateur Radio Club's Quartz Hill station--has spanned the
Pacific. The transmission, part of a series of announced
transpacific tests, was received on June 30 by Steve McDonald,
VE7SL, of British Columbia, Canada.

''A claim is made for the confirmed reception of ZL6QH by VE7SL, on
184.4 kHz, over a path of 11,709 km,'' said Bob Vernall ZL2CA, who
organized the transpacific tests. ''This is a one-way confirmation,
as VE7SL does not have transmitting capability.'' Vernall said that
on June 30, seven New Zealand stations--including ZL6QH--and one
Australian transmitted test signals in the 160-190 kHz band for the
transpacific tests. Amateurs in New Zealand have access to that
band.

McDonald used Argo software to capture the ZL6QH signal and very
likely that of ZL4OL, although no claim was being made for the
latter. The reception occurred right around the time of sunrise in
British Columbia.

ZL6QH was transmitting dual-frequency CW with two-minute elements,
one frequency representing dits, the other dahs. The ZL6QH station
was running approximately 100 W into a longwire antenna.

Amateurs spanned the Atlantic in both directions earlier this year
on 136 kHz. Efforts to make it across the Pacific have been under
way during the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere.

The ARRL has petitioned the FCC to authorize Amateur Radio
allocations at 136 kHz and in the 160-190 kHz band. The petition is
pending.  
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/EX