My current setup remains mostly unchanged since 2010. I continue to use a Microtelecom Perseus SDR with V5 software on a dedicated MSI Wind U100 Atom netbook. Now considered horribly outdated, the old Wind still serves its purpose just fine for me, even when recording at 2000 kS/s. I have the Wind modded with firmware that allows me to overclock it when running off the battery (Turbo mode). I’ve also added a larger capacity battery for extended recording times. I record to an external WD Elements 1TB USB drive. Recording with the old netbook works fine for me with V5, no stuttering at 2000 kS/s, but playback is a different story. I often record with the netbook (low noise when running off the battery) and playback/analysis on my main desktop rig. I’ve become so fond of the old Wind that I’ve purchased two more from eBay for very cheap prices just to have as backups. I’ve been using the MSI Wind for seven years now with no hardware issues whatsoever.
Antennas used with the Perseus include a pair of phased BOGs aimed roughly Northeast-Southwest which are phased using a DX Tools Quantum Phaser. The BOG wires are about 450 FT and 500 FT and run parallel to each other and are spaced apart by about a foot or two. The wires have been deployed for several years now and have taken on “stealth status” as they are now completely covered by growth, leaves, and underbrush in the woods which they traverse through. The phased BOGs work excellent for MW DX and are highly directional. In fact, they are so directional that it proved difficult to add new stations from the South to my log book. I added a reversible D-KAZ loop a couple of years ago to the mix and aimed it due South to help bag stations in the Southern US and further. This helped tremendously and I added several hundred more new MW stations to my logbook. The big D-KAZ also proved to be a winner on shortwave and I now use it exclusively to chase DX and pirates on the shortwave bands. Please refer to Mark Durenberger’s excellent paper on D-KAZ design, theory, and construction techniques. My D-KAZ is about 117 FT long and still performs well despite being a little smaller than the recommended size.
Nice site because it shows real logging and even some audio.
I have logged almost 700 NDB and always find myself going down…. during the winter. ;o)
My regular Low Freq beacon stations are CLB (Carolina Beach 420miles) and DIW (Dixon, NC).
I use these guys throught the day to monitor propagation and general band conditions.
CLB is the strongest at over 10 uVolts during the day on my Excalibur and 196 foot LW with 9:1 Xmfr.
You do very nicely with AM band pirates and makes me envious as I’ve heard not even
one on the AM bands.
Thanks for your continued support of HFU- The Best Website- Bar None!
Peace! weaksigs
Hi Dave, thanks for the nice comments. Congrats on 700 NBDs – wow!
Is the BOG terminated like a classic “beverage” is? I’ve never considered on on the ground, but since most antennas at MW are essentially on the ground electrically anyway (because they’re so electrically low) it kind of makes sense. Interesting concept I might have to experiment with. Not familiar with a two wire configuration.
Hey John, I actually started using a two-wire BOG array of different lengths (450′ & 500′) and used a DX Tools Quantum phaser to provide forward/reverse directivity. In a phased array, the ends of the BOG wires are left unterminated. The phaser provides a means of reversing the pattern, and to fine tune the nulls off the back end of the antenna. Intended mostly for MW DXing, but I did make some good catches on SW using that setup. I use terminated delta loops these days. A bit more complex to build and deploy but they take up less space and nulls are broadband. No more twiddling knobs on a phaser to achieve good nulls. They work great for the SW bands too. Google “DKAZ loop” for more info. Overall just a better antenna for my purposes.