[time-nuts] Reminder: MVUS Frequency Measuring Test -- April 19, 2008

[John Ackermann N8UR]

The Midwest VHF/UHF Society (located in Southwest Ohio) is pleased to
announce that our second MVUS Frequency Measuring Test will be held on
Saturday, April 19, 2008. There will be two transmission periods, each
on a single band: the first at 16:30 EDT (2030 UTC) on 20M, and the
second at 17:30 EDT (2130 UTC) on 40M. Transmissions will be from W8KSE
in Dayton, Ohio (grid square EM79).

Here are more details:

    * Two runs: 1630 EDT (2030 UTC) on 20M, and 1730 EDT (2130 UTC) on 40M.

    * Nominal frequencies: 14055 and 7055 KHz, plus or minus QRM.  NOTE:
check the FMT URL (shown below) for any last minute frequency adjustments!

    * Power: about 100 watts.  (Our plans for an amplifier fell through,
so we'll be running barefoot this time.)

    * Antenna: 3 element yagi at about 90 feet, aimed west, on 20
meters, and an inverted vee broadside east/west on 40 meters.

    * Format: Each run will start with a ~5 minute callup, followed by
three key-down periods of just under 10 minutes each, with an ID and
callup message in between.

    * To make things more interesting, there will be a small (<100 Hz)
frequency change between each of the three key-down periods.

    * A "complete" entry will therefore include 6 measurements -- three
measurements on each of two bands. However, don't let that daunt you --
we'll accept anything from one measurement on up.

    * Submit entries by May 1, 2008 using the new, improved submission
form at http://www.febo.com/pages/mvus-fmt/entry_form.html.

    * If you have any questions, please send them to fmt at mvus.org. We
will publish the official frequencies shortly after the submission
deadline to time-nuts and fmt-nuts, and will make the full results
available at the MVUS FMT web page as soon as we can.

    * At this time, prizes for the winners (beyond hearty
congratulations) are not yet finalized. But we hope to have some goodies
to give away.

Our goal is to transmit a signal known in frequency to parts in 10e-12
(i.e., less than 0.0001 Hz error at 10 MHz) and stable to a similar
level during the course of the transmission. Frequencies will be
measured at the transmitter site with a system capable of microHertz
resolution referenced to a GPS disciplined oscillator, and will also be
monitored by another station in groundwave range that can measure the
frequencies with similar accuracy.

The MVUS Frequency Measuring Test is intended to supplement, not
replace, the ARRL FMT.

Further information will be posted at http://www.febo.com/time-freq/FMT.

For discussion about off-air frequency measurement, we suggest you check
out the FMT-nuts mailing list, sponsored by Connie Marshall, K5CM. For
details, go to http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/FMT-nuts.

73,
John N8UR