Beacon HB4FV/B

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Yesterday, while tuning around the 30m band, I ran across the transmissions of this interesting beacon from Switzerland. It's operated by the Swiss Army amateur radio group HB4FV of the Vaud section of the Federal Association of the Swiss Signal Troops (FASST).

The beacon transmitter, a solar powered QRP Labs Ultimate3S, is located in the Swiss mountains at 1200 m a.s.l. inside a former Cold War shelter. The shelter was designed to withstand a nuclear explosion and to protect communications equipment from being damaged by strong nuclear electromagnetic pulses. Today, the shelter is used by HB4FV for experimental amateur radio activity.

According to official info from the HB4FV group, the beacon is transmitting on 10.1335 MHz. I caught the beacon 100 Hz higher, on 10.1336 MHz.

Below you can listen to a recording I made of the transmissions. The transmitted text reads:

VVV DE HB4FV/B
TEST BEACON
PWR 500 MW
SOLAR POWER
QTH JN36EQ
1200MASL
INFO WWW QRZ COM

All photos from qrz.com.
 

Entrance to the shelter, pole with VHF antenna and solar panels.

Inside the shelter.

Ultimate3S transmitter.

See also:

http://www.aftt-vd.ch/
http://www.aftt.ch/