Subject: OZ7IGY 40 MHz Beacon Shifts to Next Generation Beacons Platform
@VIA: WLARB
@MSGID: <58D94BCC.2733.dove-ham@wd1cks.org>
03/27/2017

The 40 MHz OZ7IGY beacon[1] was migrated to the Next Generation Beacons[2] platform on March 25. The beacon was activated during a 60th anniversary event for OZ7IGY, making it the oldest ham radio beacon still on the air. The beacon was inaugurated at the start of the International Geophysical Year (IGY[3]). The nominal frequency is 40.071 MHz. The beacon's output power is 20 W into an omnidirectional halo antenna. The OZ7IGY beacon is now frequency- and time-locked to GPS.

The sequence is programmed to send PI4[4] (a digital mode specifically designed for beacons and propagation studies), followed by a short pause, and then the call sign and grid locator sent in CW, then a pause, and a carrier until start of the next cycle. To decode PI4, tune 800 Hz below the nominal frequency. PI4 is similar to JT4, JT9, and WSPR.

This completes the upgrading of the 12 beacons at OZ7IGY transmitting from 28 MHz to 24 GHz. - Thanks to Southgate Amateur Radio News via Bo Hansen, OZ2M


[1] http://www.oz7igy.dk/
[2] http://www.rudius.net/oz2m/ngnb/
[3] http://www.nas.edu/history/igy/
[4] http://www.rudius.net/oz2m/software/pi-rx

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