Lo-MedFER "NC" Beacon
510.510 KHz
This beacon is operated per FCC Part 15 rules with a maximum input power of 0.1 watt and a maximum antenna length of 3 meters.
1st Reception report for this beacon was made by Mitch Powell, VE3OT, London Ontario 537 Miles
Best DX Reception for this beacon is from Lyle Koehler, KØLR, Aitkin, Minnesota 1035 miles
Confirmed reception of this beacon has been made by:
|
27 Jan 2001 |
Mitch Powell | London, Ontario, Canada | 537 Miles | 1st Reception on 1st day | |
| 17 Nov 2001 | Paul Stroud | Raleigh, North Carolina | 104 Miles | ||
| 08 Dec 2001 | Larry Putman | Pasadena, Maryland | 339 Miles | ||
| 09 Dec 2001 | Bob Riese | York, Pennsylvania | 380 Miles | ||
| 09 Dec 2001 | Bill Farmer | Rockville, Maryland | 323 Miles | ||
| 09 Dec 2001 | Lloyd Chastant | Marriottsville, Maryland | 337 Miles | ||
| 10 Dec 2001 | Lyle Koehler | Aitkin, Minnesota | 1035 Miles | Best DX | |
| 10 Dec 2001 | Jim Shaffer | Normal, Illinois | 309 Miles | ||
| 12 Dec 2003 | Lloyd Chastant | Marriottsville, Maryland | 337 Miles | (Screen capt) (16 Dec 03) | |
| 15 Dec 2003 | Larry Putnam | Pasadena, Maryland | 339 Miles | (Screen capt) (10 Jan 04) | |
| 16 Dec 2003 | Steve Dove | Elm, Pennsylvania | 405 Miles | (Screen capt) | |
| 16 Dec 2003 | Jay Rusgrove | Burlington, Connecticut | 603 Miles | (Screen capt) | |
| 14 Jan 2004 | Roger Thompson | Smithville, Mississippi | 463 Miles | (Screen capt) | |
| 20 Jan 2004 | Mitch Powell | London, Ontario, Canada | 537 Miles | (Screen capt) | |
The MedFER "NC" beacon antenna is a 9 foot section of 2 inch ID aluminum conduit. The top hat is an old UHF TV parabolic reflector grid that is covered with window screen. The window screen probably wasn't necessary but this once TV antenna was modified for a microwave antenna by adding the window screen. Now in it's third life it serves as a top hat. The conduit is supported by a section of fiberglass which once was the shell of a commercial VHF "Stationmaster" type antenna.
This view shows the loading coil with the cover lifted. The coil base is made of 1/4 inch Plexiglas. Holes were drilled into the base to support the 1/4 inch diameter fiberglass rods that form the basket weave form. The rods were cut from old bicycle flags. The coil is wound with 18 gauge silver plated Teflon insulated wire. A copper ground strap connected to the metal building provides a good ground for the transmitter feed point. The transmitter final amplifier, a BS170 FET, is located under the building roof. The present exciter is an oven controlled signal generator capable of 0.1 Hz frequency increments.