Description
The Horsham Rural City Council
has re-established the HORSHAM NDB
a radio navigation beacon.
Callsign XHSM
FREQUENCY 401.000 KHz
Mode A2 MCW
The previous beacon was removed from service along with many others as a rationalisation project by Air Services.
Project..
Obtain a replacement Antenna System.
The Marconi Tee top loaded vertical had been cut from between the two 25 meter towers.
2022....The old PORTLAND antenna was acquired.
2023 ....Marconi Tee erected tuned and tested
2024 ....A crystal was ordered from the Ukraine and the old RCA transmitter was tested over a summer but found to be too old to provide reliable service.
2025....A Spilsbury HTX-110 Canadian NDB transmitter was located.
A second crystal ordered this time from Russia.
June 2025 Licensed and switched on 24/7
This transmitter as you will see when you tune it in Beats a Lower SB 400 KHz signal against the 401 KHz Carrier Crystal to produce a 1020HZ Audio Ident in the airborne NDB receivers so the pilot can (Tune, Identify and Test).
It is a unique and efficient method of generating the desired signal not seen in other NDB signals that are DSB High level modulated with two side bands.
The Spillsbury Unit acquired from Tailem Bend, was rated at 100 watts, and was retuned and re-commissioned on June 1st with a power derated to 10 watts Carrier.
So far so good sitting in a concrete pit at an exposed aerodrome site.
The de rated power settings of 28 vdc and 1/10 rated power should keep the heat sinks cool.
Summer will tell all with sun temps recorded at 45 degrees.
reports and videos welcome
and confirm your frequency readout
The ground wave daytime rated dx is 50 nmiles or 120 km.
Unsure of D layer or VIR as the antenna is basically a top loaded vertical.
The 1020 hz tone is deliberate so as to discriminate it against the other beacons that run at 600 hz.
Pilots should realise it is different and by regulations, It signs XHSM to signify to any pilot that is its experimental
It can only be used under daylight training with an approved ATO as PIC.
It is for homing training only DAYLIGHT VMC.
There is no published approach plate (NPA) for seven years so extrapolation to an old plate on an uncalibrated radio beacon is prohibited.
It is there for training tuning tracking above the LSALT in VMC by DAY with a SAFETY PILOT.
REPORTS WELCOME
Frequency readout welcome. +/- 50;hz.
The joke is a russian and ukraine crystal are beating it out lol...
has re-established the HORSHAM NDB
a radio navigation beacon.
Callsign XHSM
FREQUENCY 401.000 KHz
Mode A2 MCW
The previous beacon was removed from service along with many others as a rationalisation project by Air Services.
Project..
Obtain a replacement Antenna System.
The Marconi Tee top loaded vertical had been cut from between the two 25 meter towers.
2022....The old PORTLAND antenna was acquired.
2023 ....Marconi Tee erected tuned and tested
2024 ....A crystal was ordered from the Ukraine and the old RCA transmitter was tested over a summer but found to be too old to provide reliable service.
2025....A Spilsbury HTX-110 Canadian NDB transmitter was located.
A second crystal ordered this time from Russia.
June 2025 Licensed and switched on 24/7
This transmitter as you will see when you tune it in Beats a Lower SB 400 KHz signal against the 401 KHz Carrier Crystal to produce a 1020HZ Audio Ident in the airborne NDB receivers so the pilot can (Tune, Identify and Test).
It is a unique and efficient method of generating the desired signal not seen in other NDB signals that are DSB High level modulated with two side bands.
The Spillsbury Unit acquired from Tailem Bend, was rated at 100 watts, and was retuned and re-commissioned on June 1st with a power derated to 10 watts Carrier.
So far so good sitting in a concrete pit at an exposed aerodrome site.
The de rated power settings of 28 vdc and 1/10 rated power should keep the heat sinks cool.
Summer will tell all with sun temps recorded at 45 degrees.
reports and videos welcome
and confirm your frequency readout
The ground wave daytime rated dx is 50 nmiles or 120 km.
Unsure of D layer or VIR as the antenna is basically a top loaded vertical.
The 1020 hz tone is deliberate so as to discriminate it against the other beacons that run at 600 hz.
Pilots should realise it is different and by regulations, It signs XHSM to signify to any pilot that is its experimental
It can only be used under daylight training with an approved ATO as PIC.
It is for homing training only DAYLIGHT VMC.
There is no published approach plate (NPA) for seven years so extrapolation to an old plate on an uncalibrated radio beacon is prohibited.
It is there for training tuning tracking above the LSALT in VMC by DAY with a SAFETY PILOT.
REPORTS WELCOME
Frequency readout welcome. +/- 50;hz.
The joke is a russian and ukraine crystal are beating it out lol...
| Licence Number | 12735122/1 |
| Client | Horsham Rural City Council |
| Status | Granted |
| Category | Apparatus Licence |
| Service | Radiodetermination |
| Sub Service | Radiodetermination |
| Callsign(s) | HSM (X for Xptl) |
| Date of Effect | 16/May/2025 |
| Date of Expiry | 19/Jul/2026 |
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3 hours ago
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