New multimode Beacon Network for South Africa
/Following the successful launch of the 2 metre Bethlehem beacon in December 2019, the VHF Working Group has been investigating digital options so that a reverse beacon network could be established to monitor the various propagation modes, such as tropospheric propagation and others. The reverse beacon network will be able to send SMS alerts when an opening occurs. The current CW signal is not suitable for reverse beacon monitoring.
At its monthly meeting this past week, the group agreed to develop a multimode beacon network with next-generation beacons in Cape Town, the Karoo, and at the current Bethlehem site. The new beacons will transmit a digital signal, a Morse code signal, and a continuous tone that can be used for frequency calibration.
The estimated cost of the three beacons will be around R60 000 which will have to be collected through crowdfunding and donations. AMSAT SA, whose interest beside satellites, is also weak signal communication, has started the fund with a donation of R5 000.
Support the future of amateur radio technology by contributing to the project. Donations can be made by EFT. The account is SARL, ABSA Account No: 407 158 8849, Branch code 632 005. The reference must be Beacon and your call sign or surname. Please send a copy of the EFT to admin@sarl.org.za. Donations will be acknowledged weekly on the SARL website. A special beacon project page will be created.
Over the next few weeks more details will be included in SARL News on the web and in Brian Jacobs' "Focus on VHF and above" broadcast in Amateur Radio Today.
