ARLA/CLUSTER: GB3WGI - Beacon Transatlantico britanico em 144, 487 MHz com 100 W em CW e JT65b

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

New GB3WGI 144MHz transatlantic beacon goes live with G2FKZ legacy funding

The GB3WGI Transatlantic 144MHz amateur radio beacon went live at 1600
GMT on the 4th of June in time for the peak of the 2013 Sporadic E
season.

The beacon runs 100 Watts EIRP in CW and JT65b modes on 144.487MHz and
is located in the West of Northern Ireland (IO64bl). The plan is to
apply for an increase in EIRP in due course.

The beacon's function is to provide an early warning of 144MHz
Transatlantic propagation on the Europe to USA path as a complement to
the existing 144MHz Transatlantic beacon network in the USA which
provides alerts on the USA to Europe path.

It also aims to encourage participation in the IRTS Brendan Trophy and
to further study the propagation path using weak signal digital modes
(WSJT) developed by Nobel Laureate Professor Joe Taylor K1JT.

It is hoped that the project will benefit radio amateurs interested in
144MHz long distance weak signal working as well as those generally
interested in digital modes, and could provide the first real evidence
of transatlantic propagation from the US to North West Europe.

Current 144MHz European transatlantic beacons are much further to the
South and/or East in Cornwall, France and the Azores. GB3WGI has a
clear sea takeoff to the eastern seaboard of the USA.

The beacon was supported by a number of amateur donations including
The City of Belfast Radio Amateur Society, but the major donation of
£500 was made by the RSBG Propagation Studies Committee from the
legacy left by the late Charlie Newton G2FKZ. The bulk of this went on
the beacon, the remainder to fund beacon driver development for future
beacons. Charlie Newton, wrote the definitive book on radio auroras,
and was acknowledged as one of the leading experts on the topic of VHF
propagation. He was for many years a leading light in the Radio
Society of Great Britain (RSGB) Propagation Studies Committee.

Acknowledgements also go to Brian WA1ZMS who inspired the concept of
GB3WGI, Andy G4JNT who designed and built the driver, Powabeam
Antennas and The DX Shop who supplied parts for the antenna system, to
James G3RUH who provided a GPSDO reference, to Murray G6JYB for Ofcom
liaison, to John GI4BWM and Dave GI4SNA and of course to beacon keeper
and site manager Gordon Curry GI6ATZ who really drove the project
through to completion.

John Worsnop G4BAO