04-10-2014, 09:57 PM
From the ARRL's April 10th ARRL Letter:
Technology: WWV's 25 MHz Signal Back on the Air
WWV silenced its 25 MHz signal in 1977, but it's back on the air "for old times' sake" -- on an "experimental basis." Resurrecting the long-dormant standard time outlet operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was Matt Deutch, N0RGT, the lead electrical engineer at WWV.
It all came about after Dean Lewis, W9WGV, lamented the loss of the 25 MHz signal in an e-mail to Deutch, who surprised him by subsequently putting the signal back on the air on April 4 for about 3-1/2 hours. A listener in Scotland posted a reception report of the WWV 25 MHz signal on YouTube. WWV ran another 25 MHz test starting on April 7. Initially it was only to stay up for 24 hours or so, but Deutch told ARRL that WWV will remain on the air probably for the rest of the week. "So hopefully a few more people will hear it," he said.
Lewis said he'd told Deutch last week that 10 meter propagation has been very good at this point in Cycle 24, and he uses the various WWV frequencies as propagation beacons every day. "He responded that 'for old times' sake,' they'd put the signal back on the air for a while. I assumed, of course, that he was kidding, and so I didn't check. Matt wasn't kidding!"
NIST said the 25 MHz broadcast consists of the normal WWV signal heard on all other WWV frequencies, at the same level of accuracy. The transmitter in Fort Collins, Colorado, can deliver 2500 W into its "broadband monopole" antenna, although Deutch told ARRL that he is running it at 1200 W. WWV has invited listeners' comments and signal reports.
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Comments here and reports here wwv@nist.gov
Technology: WWV's 25 MHz Signal Back on the Air
WWV silenced its 25 MHz signal in 1977, but it's back on the air "for old times' sake" -- on an "experimental basis." Resurrecting the long-dormant standard time outlet operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was Matt Deutch, N0RGT, the lead electrical engineer at WWV.
It all came about after Dean Lewis, W9WGV, lamented the loss of the 25 MHz signal in an e-mail to Deutch, who surprised him by subsequently putting the signal back on the air on April 4 for about 3-1/2 hours. A listener in Scotland posted a reception report of the WWV 25 MHz signal on YouTube. WWV ran another 25 MHz test starting on April 7. Initially it was only to stay up for 24 hours or so, but Deutch told ARRL that WWV will remain on the air probably for the rest of the week. "So hopefully a few more people will hear it," he said.
Lewis said he'd told Deutch last week that 10 meter propagation has been very good at this point in Cycle 24, and he uses the various WWV frequencies as propagation beacons every day. "He responded that 'for old times' sake,' they'd put the signal back on the air for a while. I assumed, of course, that he was kidding, and so I didn't check. Matt wasn't kidding!"
NIST said the 25 MHz broadcast consists of the normal WWV signal heard on all other WWV frequencies, at the same level of accuracy. The transmitter in Fort Collins, Colorado, can deliver 2500 W into its "broadband monopole" antenna, although Deutch told ARRL that he is running it at 1200 W. WWV has invited listeners' comments and signal reports.
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Comments here and reports here wwv@nist.gov