Beacons for DX on the Amateur Bands

18-International Amateur Radio Network

Maintained By

 

Northern California  DX Beacon Foundation (NCDXF) and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)

This page was last updated on: 19 August 2008Beacon schedules change - sometimes often. If the displayed date is older than three months, please send the Webmaster an email to advise him that the posted schedule needs confirmation.

One of the functions that the Webmaster hopes this website serves is to help readers find the data that they need to do their own propagation nowcasting and forecasting. Another function is to share the tips, tricks, shortcuts, and tools used at the KC4COP radio station with anyone interested.

Stan Huntting, KW7KW, wrote, "There are at least two possible explanations for an apparently dead band: 1) propagation is poor, or 2) no one is transmitting. Listening for beacon activity is not a 100%  correct solution to determine which case is true - but it beats just about anything else, Dick Zseltvay, KC4COP.

The Northern California DX foundation, Inc. (NCDXF), and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) maintain 18 beacons worldwide on the amateur radio DX bands. The beacons can be a major aid in propagation nowcasting (also spelled now-casting). If one can hear a beacon on one or more bands that is a good indication that propagation to that area of the world is open. Listening to beacons transmit at varying power levels helps one establishes a signal-to-noise ratio.

Changed status involves New Zealand, ZL6B. Status changed from OK to OFF due to hardware problems. VK6RBP, Australia, and LU4AA, Argentina remain OFF

18 August 2008    credit: ChangeDetection

The data reproduced on this page may come from from more than one source. It is published after careful checking by the Webmaster - but it may still contain errors. Individuals responsible for maintaining the original sources of the data as asked to contact the Webmaster to report further changes or errors. KC4COP

Call   Location 14.100 18.110 21.150 24.930 28.200 Operator Status
19 Aug 2008
4U1UN United Nations 00:00 00:10 00:20 00:30 00:40 UNRC OK
VE8AT Canada 00:10 00:20 00:30 00:40 00:50 RAC/NARC OK1
W6WX United States 00:20 00:30 00:40 00:50 01:00 NCDXF OK
KH6WO Hawaii 00:30 00:40 00:50 01:00 01:10 KH6BYU OK
ZL6B New Zealand 00:40 00:50 01:00 01:10 01:20 NZART OFF5
VK6RBP Australia 00:50 01:00 01:10 01:20 01:30 WIA OFF5
JA2IGY Japan 01:00 01:10 01:20 01:30 01:40 JARL OK
RR9O Russia 01:10 01:20 01:30 01:40 01:50 SRR OK
VR2B Hong Kong 01:20 01:30 01:40 01:50 02:00 HARTS OK
4S7B Sri Lanka 01:30 01:40 01:50 02:00 02:10 RSSL OK
ZS6DN South Africa 01:40 01:50 02:00 02:10 02:20 ZS6DN OK
5Z4B Kenya 01:50 02:00 02:10 02:20 02:30 ARSK OK
4X6TU Israel 02:00 02:10 02:20 02:30 02:40 IARC OK3
OH2B Finland 02:10 02:20 02:30 02:40 02:50 SRAL OK
CS3B Madeira 02:20 02:30 02:40 02:50 00:00 ARRM OK
LU4AA Argentina 02:30 02:40 02:50 00:00 00:10 RCA OFF2
OA4B Peru 02:40 02:50 00:00 00:10 00:20 RCP OK
YV5B Venezuela 02:50 00:00 00:10 00:20 00:30 RCV OK

The above table and its associated data is published by NCDXF and IARU. It is reproduced on this Website by permission of these organizations

The schedule reproduced above and the notes published immediately below are updated frequently. KC4COP is immediately notified by email when either are changed. Changes will be updated by the Webmaster as soon as it is reasonably possible. The schedule and notes were confirmed as being current on 19 Aug 2008

1 - Operation may be intermittent due to local conditions.

2 - Moving to a new location.

3 - Building renovations are causing prolonged power outages.

4 - Off for unknown reasons. We are attempting to contact the operators.

5 - Off due to hardware problems. Repairs are underway.

6 - Operation will be intermittent due to civil unrest in Kenya.

7 - Off due to direct lightning strike. New antenna on order.

The Identification and Use of Beacons at the KC4COP Radio Station.

In the KC4COP ham shack we monitor an assortment of propagation beacons. In addition to the DX beacons mentioned above, we monitor Clear Channel AM broadcast stations, and known shortwave broadcast stations located around the world.

Identification of some of the beacons is relatively easy. We know the exact frequencies of all of the broadcast stations monitored. On numerous occasions we have matched the frequency set with the station's broadcasted identification. At the present time, we are monitoring approximately 30 different broadcast stations. These stations are continually scanned using a Yaesu VX-5 and a Yaesu VX-6 radio. In times of heavy QRN, we will further check some of these stations using a FT-1000. The antennas used for this monitoring is usually an exterior random length wire antenna.

Identification of the DX beacons on the amateur bands is accomplished using a highly accurate UTC clock and a known transmission schedule published by the NCDXF and the IARU. Approximately 3 months ago, the mechanics of this identification changed. Now instead of all the steps being done manually we now use a single software program interfaced with the stations personal computer. The program is Faros v. 1.3. This elegant program monitors and logs beacon activity. Using the word logs is a gross understatement. We will give a more complete description of the Faros program at a later date.

Faros v.1.3, was written by, Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA. Ales is also the author of many other excellent amateur radio programs such as DX Atlas, Ionoprobe, Ham Cap, and the free ware program Omni-rig.

The Faros program can be purchased online from the DX Atlas website for $25 US.

Webmaster's note: The Webmaster is not connected to the sale of the Faros amateur radio program, to the free ware Omni-Rig program, or any other program or product. The names of software and hardware products may be published on the Website from time-to-time in the interest of making amateur radio operators aware of  products that the Webmaster feels would be of high interest to the readership. Only the names of products that have been tested and are in regular use at the station are published.

The Omni-Rig amateur radio program written and distributed by Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA, deserves special mention. A note on this software will be published at the bottom of the page. Omni-Rig is freeware.