Beta

Beta

Frequencies	20.5 kHz,23 kHz,25 kHz,25.1 kHz,25.5 kHz
Frequency Range	20.5 kHz - 25.5 kHz
Mode	USB
Modulation	CW,OOK
ACF	—
Emission Designator	—
Bandwidth	200 Hz
Location	Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Worldwide
Short Description	Beta is the designation of a time signal service which is transmitted from multiple Russian VLF stations.
I/Q Raw Recording	—
Audio Sample

Beta is the designation of a Russian VLFVery Low Frequency (3-30 kHz) time signal service, controlled by All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Physical-Engineering and Radiotechnical Metrology, and operated by Russian Navy. It is transmitted several times per day from 6 transmitter stations which take turns transmitting the signal and only one station transmits at a time.

The six Beta transmitters are:

• RJH63, Krasnodar, Russia
  
• RJH69, Vilyeyka, near Molodechno, Belarus
  
• RJH77, Archangelsk, Russia
  
• RJH86, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
  
• RJH90, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
  
• RAB99, Khabarovsk, Russia
  

Transmitter output power has been estimated to be 1000 kW but due to the low efficiency of electrically short antennas, transmitted power may be around 30 to 50 kW EIRPpower transmitted from an antenna.EIRP=Power +Antenna Gain. EIRP and Power is expressed in dBW, but Gain in dBi..

Transmission schedule

Beta transmissions start on the hour and 8 transmissions should happen every day. RJH63 and RAB99 use slightly different schedule compared to the other stations.

Beta hourly transmission schedule of RJH69, RJH77, RJH86 and RJH90

Frequency	Minutes		Signal
	Start	Duration
25.0 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:00	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:01	5	Unmodulated carrier
	:06	1	Morse code call sign, on-off keying
	:07	3	Unmodulated carrier
	:10	3	On-off modulated with 40 HzHertz (Hz), unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second (1 Hz). square wave
	:13	9	Time code, on-off modulation
	:22	3	On-off modulated with 40 HzHertz (Hz), unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second (1 Hz). square wave
25.1 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:25	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:26	4	Unmodulated carrier
25.5 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:30	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:31	4	Unmodulated carrier
23.0 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:35	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:36	5	Unmodulated carrier
20.5 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:41	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:42	5	Unmodulated carrier
Off	:47		Transmission ends

Beta hourly transmission schedule of RJH63 and RAB99

Frequency	Minutes		Signal
	Start	Duration
25.0 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:00	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:01	5	Unmodulated carrier
	:06	1	Morse code call sign, on-off keying
	:07	2	Unmodulated carrier
	:09	2	On-off modulated with 40 HzHertz (Hz), unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second (1 Hz). square wave
	:11	9	Time code, on-off modulation
25.1 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:20	2	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:22	1	Unmodulated carrier
25.5 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:23	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:24	2	Unmodulated carrier
23.0 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:26	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:27	4	Unmodulated carrier
20.5 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz	:31	1	Transmitter tune-up, low-power unmodulated carrier
	:32	4	Unmodulated carrier
	:36	4	(RJH63 only) Digital data, ±50 HzHertz (Hz), unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second (1 Hz). frequency-shift keying, 50 baudBaud (unit symbol Bd) is the unit for symbol rate or modulation rate in symbols per second.
Off	:40		Transmission ends

Time code format

The actual time code is transmitted using the following format:

• Each 100 msmilliseconds (.001 of a second), a 25 msmilliseconds (.001 of a second) burst of carrier is transmitted
• Each second, a 100 msmilliseconds (.001 of a second) burst of carrier is transmitted
• Each 10 s, a 1 s burst of carrier is transmitted
• Each minute, a 10 s burst of carrier is transmitted

Samples

The showcase sample is the actual time code.

RJH63 transmits its callsign	40 HzHertz (Hz), unit of frequency, defined as one cycle per second (1 Hz). on-off modulation

Video Examples

• Beta time signal
• Beta / Бета "RJH90" time signal from Nizhny Novgorod VLF transmitter - CW 25 kHz
• VLF Time Signals Sound on 25.0 kHz

Additional Links

• The Russian VLF time-signal stations, “Beta” by Trond Jacobsen at ALFLAB, Halden in Norway

Additional Images

Longer marker is transmitted every minute in the time code Transmission frequency is changed from 25.1 to 25.5 kHzKiloHertz (kHz) 10^3 Hz Transmission starts with low power and power is slowly increased as correct antenna tuning is ensured