Beacons

For a number of years, the club has operated CW propagation beacons to help DXers discover band openings on 10 and 6 meters. They can be used locally to check your receiver, but they are really meant for DX stations to see if there is any propagation into Chicago from where they are. Each of these bands have a CW beacon allocation, on 10 meters it is 28.200-28.300 MHz and on 6 meters it is 50.060-50.080 MHz. Checking these sub-bands will quickly tell you if the band is open.

10M Propagation Beacon

The club 10-meter beacon operates on 28.297 MHz and consists of a Radio Shack HTX-100 running 5 watts to a Cushcraft AR-10 half wave vertical at the Heller Nature Center. The club has received signal reports for the 10 meter beacon from over 30 countries and every continent except Antarctica.

Please email or send your report to NS9RC, PO Box 1066, Highland Park IL 60035.

6M Propagation Beacon

The club operates a 6-meter beacon on 50.072 MHz using the callsign NS9RC/B. It normally runs 24/7 with about 8 watts ERP from Heller Nature Center, 2821 Ridge Road, Highland Park, IL 60035. The beacon was built by AA7DJ in Utah and is connected to a halo antenna at 20 ft.

The 6 meter beacon transmits on 50.072 MHz and was built by AA7DJ that runs 6 watts to a halo also located at Heller.

The club we welcome reception reports and will gladly QSL. Please email your reports to KK9H or mail them to NSRC, P.O. Box 1066, Highland Park, IL  60035.