W8EDU runs several beacon stations and a WSPR transmitter. They are all in grid EN91mm.
We transmit WSPR on 160, 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10, and 6 meters. They run about 100 mW into inefficient but high antennas.
The Federal Communications Commission regulations 47§97.203 regulates amateur beacon transmitters.
On 10 meters, unattended beacons of less than 100 watts are permitted on 28.20-28.30 MHz and are permitted to transmit one-way communications. W8EDU/B is currently transmitting 10 watts on 28.240 MHz, CW at 12 WPM. The signal is sent now with an ICOM IC-7610 frequency-disciplined with a Leo Bodnar mini-GPSDO. The antenna is a dipole at roughly 30 meters AGL. Future plans include construction of a standalone transmitter for this that will be both frequency-accurate and will be sending coherent CW (CCW will be noted in the beacon identification), GPS-timed.
A second beacon is on the 2-meter APRS frequency, 144.390 MHz. Look for our digipeater, beacon, and i-Gate there under W8EDU-10. The transceiver is a Kenwood D-710G, 50 watts to a J-pole antenna at roughly 30 meters AGL. Our beacon includes analog repeater information for both 2-meter repeaters owned by Lake Erie Amateur Radio Association, LEARA.
On 10 GHz, W8EDU/B has been off the air since before COVID but will be reinstalled this spring. It is a DB6NT Kuhne 200 milliwatt exciter into a vertical slot antenna. Our improvement plan before reinstallation includes frequency stability and CCW, similar to the 10 meter beacon. The beacon was up for about ten years and had a signal report from Chicago.
————————–
We will respond to signal reports and beacon listener QSL cards. Please mail them to
Case Amateur Radio Club,
10900 Euclid Avenue
Glennan 321
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
or email to w8edu@case.edu
W8EDU 