ARRLWeb: 500 kHz Distance Record Set

The transmission from the 500 kHz experimental station was heard on Roi-Namur, an island in the Kwajalein atoll. Look closely at the bottom of this picture. The lowest line is WD2XSH/20's transmission to Neil Schwanitz, V73NS/WD8CRT, on Roi-Namur. Schwanitz also heard from a non-directional beacon in Russia at 505 kHz, as shown in the line above this.

This map represents the signals heard on Roi-Namur (shown by the red icon on the map). The WD2XSH/20 station in Oregon is indicated by the blue icon; the green icon represents the non-directional beacon from the airport in Khomutovo, located on the island of Sakhalin in Russia.

On January 17, Neil Schwanitz, V73NS/WD8CRT, on Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands, received a signal from experimental station WD2XSH/20. This experimental station, operated by Rudy Severns N6LF, is located in Cottage Grove, Oregon -- 4737 miles away from the island in the Kwajalein atoll.

The 13 words-per-minute CW transmission was copyable by ear and also appeared in the Spectran capture; "SL" in the capture is from a non-directional beacon on 505 kHz located in Khomotovo, Russia.

During this same week, the Belgian BIPT (the equivalent of the FCC) granted Belgian amateurs with full licenses access to 501-504 kHz with up to 5 W ERP.

This is the first general amateur allocation at 500 kHz. The ARRL 500 kHz experimental license, WD2XSH, was issued in September 2006 and has 20 active stations. Fritz Raab, W1FR, of Vermont, serves as experimental project manager for The 500 KC Experimental Group for Amateur Radio.

Additional information can be found at the experiment's Web site and also in the July/August 2007 issue of QEX. -- Information provided by Fritz Raab, W1FR