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On November 16, 2005 at 9:45 PM EST, W1AW transmitted an audio tone of known frequency on three (3) amateur bands. The event did not give out the exact tone frequency W1AW was transmitting. The purpose of this "test" was for amateurs to measure as close as possible the transmitted tone frequency. One of the goals was not only to exercise the capabilities of amateurs to properly measure frequency, but also to measure (if you will) their understanding of the characteristics of a signal.
(For more information on this, please see The 2005 ARRL Frequency Measuring Test, November 2005 QST, page 54, or the ARRL web page.) Additional information can also be found here.
Participants have already received their initial letter with the results. The Certificate of Participation will soon follow.
How were the transmissions performed?
For the test, W1AW used three (3) Harris RF-3200 exciters and Harris RF-3230 power amplifiers. Each amplifier was running approximately 1kW. The exciters were keyed simultaneously using the standard W1AW bulletin/code practice program and keyer matrixes. The audio tone was fed into an AMR-64 6-channel mixing board. The board fed the signal into the Audio Matrix, which also simultaneously fed each exciter. The test consisted of three 60-second key-down (tonal) transmissions, followed by station identification.
The tone frequency was measured using a Hewlett Packard 5345A Frequency Counter, with a 10 MHz signal reference supplied by a Hewlett Packard Z3801 GPS/Frequency Standard. The Audio Signal Generator was a Heathkit IG-5218 Sine/Square Signal Generator
The antennas consisted of a dipole for 160-meters, a cage dipole for 80-meters and two (2) 40-meter yagis fed in parallel. In the case of the 40s, one antenna was pointed towards the NNW and the other towards the SSW. The complete W1AW antenna list can be found here.
The frequencies (suppressed carrier) on which W1AW was transmitting were as follows:
160 meters: 1855000 Hz LSB
80 meters: 3990000 Hz LSB
40 meters: 7290000 Hz LSB
The audio frequencies measured (calculated) at W1AW for each band were as
follows:
160 meters: 1050.92 Hz (signal measured at 1853949.08
Hz)
80 meters: 1047.19 Hz (signal measured at 3988952.81 Hz)
40 meters: 1056.81 Hz (signal measured at 7288943.19 Hz)
A single audio tone (measured at 1057.3 Hz) was fed simultaneously into each Harris exciter throughout the course of the FMT. However, the exciters are separate units, and do not share a single local reference frequency (oscillator). Therefore, slight variations with the transmitted signals would naturally exist, causing the measured signals to vary as well. This is why the above listed frequencies are not the same across the bands.
With the exception of when the Harris exciters were used for the morning code practice transmission that day, and the regularly scheduled transmissions that began at 4 PM EST as well, the exciters were left to idle throughout the day. (In other words, they were not shut down any time between scheduled transmissions). The measuring equipment, GPS frequency reference and signal generator were left on (idling) the start of that week (Monday, November 14).
Throughout the day, the exciters were tested to determine drift (stability-short and long-term). The drift was negligible. However, throughout the course of the FMT, W1AW also measured the signals (using Indirect Measurement) during each transmission, just to be sure.
There were 146 submissions. This is up approximately 12% from 2004 (with 130). As always, propagation had played a role. Entries came from 36 states (as well as some Canadian provinces and one SWL from Mexico).
The breakdown of State by Band can be seen in Chart A. The breakdown by State can be seen in Chart B. And the breakdown by Call Area is in Chart C.
There were 79 on 160 meters, 140 entries on 80 meters and 86 on 40 meters.
Out of the 146 entries, there were 56 amateurs with submissions on all three bands. There were 77 submissions on 160 and 80 meters; 60 submissions on 160 and 40 meters; and 81 submissions on 80 and 40 meters. These are the reasons why callsigns may be listed on more than one band.
Callsign Lists
The calls are listed (by band) by how close the measurements came (+/- in Hertz). The listings are as follows:
160 meters (Less than 1 Hz):
AA4RP, AA9DH, AB1DO, AC8Y, AD5T, AF9A, K1EP, K1GGI, K1JE, K2LZG, K5CM, K8ZEC, K9PS, KA7OEI, KA8LGI, KD2BD, KF9D, KG4QWC, KV5R, N4TVC, N5DM, N5PWG, N6TP, N8OB, N8UR, VE2IQ, VE2ZAZ, VE3OAT, W1EO, W3FAY, W3JW, W3NF, W8DL, WA1MIK, WA1RAJ, WA2DVU, WA2NBT, WA7IRW, WD4KDN, WJ2B, WK4U, W0BR/3, W0HBK
160 meters (1 Hz to 5 Hz):
AA6E, AC5CV, K1WW, K2SAU, KB8MOU, KC4FAN, KD5HIP, KF9LS, KK8O, KV4R, N1GEX, N2CKH, N5JOA, NY7T, VE2TSO, W1BYH, W2VQS, W3BC, W3MDM, W4JLE, W4OOY, W4RBO, W7ISD
160 meters (5 Hz to 10 Hz):
AB8OU, K4DXU, N1QY
160 meters (Over 10 Hz):
K1TVV, KD8ANL, N4TUA, VA3RMW, W2EB, W4DGE, W8KGR, W9ZJX, WA4FJC, WB9NOO
80 meters (Less than 1 Hz):
AA6E, AA6LK, AB8OU, AC5CV, AC8Y, AD5T, AF9A, K1EP, K1JE, K2LZG, K5CM, K6OQK, K6YAZ, K7HP, K9PS, KA7OEI, KA7UKN, KA8LGI, KB8TMG, KD2BD, KE9Y, KF9D, KG4QWC, KI0LS, KV5R, KW5I, N1GEX, N4TVC, N5DM, N5DZ, N5JOA, N5PWG, N6TP, N6TTO, N8OB, N8PXW, N8UR, NY7T, VE2AZX, VE2IQ, VE2ZAZ, W1BYH, W3CSW, W3FAY, W3JW, W3NF, W4TVI, W4WJ, W7LUX, W8DL, W9GXJ, W9HG, WA1RAJ, WA2DVU, WA3GOS, WA7IRW, WA7MXZ, WA9PYH, WB6VRN, WB9FIP, WB0VGI, WD4KDN, WJ2B, W0BR/3, W0PHD
80 meters (1 Hz to 5 Hz):
AA4RP, AA9DH, AB1DO, AE5V, K1TVV, K1WW, K2SAU, K5RUS, K7JL, K8ZEC, KB8MOU, KD5HIP, KF9LS, KK8O, K0FNI, KV4R, N1QY, N2CKH, N8BHU, VE2TSO, VE3OAT, W1EO, W1LE, W2VQS, W3BC, W3MDM, W4NUS, W4OOY, W6OQI, W7ISD, W8NNX, WA1MIK, WA9ZPM, WB2CPN, WB9NOO, WF0P, WK4U, W0HBK
80 meters (5 Hz to 10 Hz):
AA5VU, AA6PY, K4DXU, KC4FAN, KW0U, N5OHL, W4JLE, W4RBO, W7GDU, WA4FJC, WA6JGM, WB0AEA, WI7B, WM5Z
80 meters (Over 10 Hz):
K5JMP, K7OVG, K8YN, KA5N, KB1JEY, KB7NIE, KD6HXQ, KD8ANL, KF4MH, K0RTB, N4TUA, N9CYL, VA3RMW, W2EB, W4DGE, W4MUR, W4VFJ, W8KGR, W9RJF, W9ZJX, WA2USJ, WB5EXI, W0ZW, XE-30-001
40 meters (Less than 1 Hz):
AA4RP, AA6E, AA6LK, AC5CV, AD5T, AF9A, K1JE, K5CM, K9PS, KA7OEI, KA7UKN, KA8LGI, KC4FAN, KF9D, KK8O, KV5R, KW5I, N1GEX, N4TVC, N5DM, N5DZ, N5JOA, N5LBZ, N5PWG, N6TP, N8OB, N8UR, NY7T, VE2IQ, VE2ZAZ, W1EO, W3FAY, W3JW, W3NF, W4TVI, W8NNX, WA1MIK, WA2NBT, WA7IRW, WB2CPN, WB9FIP, W0BR/3, W0HBK
40 meters (1 Hz to 5 Hz):
AB1DO, AE5V, K1WW, K4DXU, K5RUS, K7JL, K8ZEC, KB8MOU, KF4MH, KG4QWC, K0FNI, N2CKH, VA3RMW, VE3OAT, W2VQS, W3BC, W4OOY, W4RBO, W7ISD, WK4U
40 meters (5 Hz to 10 Hz):
AB8OU, KD5HIP, VE2TSO, WA7MXZ, WJ2B
40 meters (Over 10 Hz):
AA5VU, AA6PY, AB2IO, K5JMP, KA5N, KB7NIE, N4TUA, N5OHL, W2EB, W4DGE, W4JLE, W7PMD, W8KGR, W9ZJX, WA3GOS, WA4FJC, WB5EXI, W0WGZ, XE-30-001
Will there be additional Frequency Measuring Tests?
Amateurs might expect another FMT in late 2006. (That is the current plan as of this writing.) It may be similar to the 2005 FMT in that amateurs will have to measure a tone frequency. Or, it may be something completely different. There is the possibility of an FMT from the West Coast. Given current propagation factors, having a Test run from the West Coast will give amateurs in that part of the world an opportunity to participate in this event. It may not necessarily be coordinated by the ARRL, however.
As always, details will always appear in upcoming issues of QST magazine, and also on the W1AW FMT web page.
Other...
John Ackermann, N8UR has expressed an interest in how individuals measured these frequencies and what methods were used. If you would like to supply John with this information, please feel free to email him at jra@febo.com.