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Receiver station for WSRP (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter)
The receiver uses an active dipole antenna with two short horizontal whips as the dipole "arms"

Scientific objectives

The receiver for the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network monitors transmissions in the radio amateur bands. It uses a protocol designed for probing propagation paths from a world-wide distribution of transmitters. The receiver monitors 9 shortwave frequencies from 3.5 MHz to 28 MHz and each frequency is received every 20 minutes in a band-hopping configuration. The receiver is part of a 24/7 network of similar receivers (and transmitters) in the WSPR Beacon Project. The station in Svalbard is of particular interest due to the special atmospheric condition near the pole. Its reception reports can be identified by the amateur radio callsign JW1ITS.

This is an effort in a citizen science - professional scientist collaboration. The station will be used for outreach. An entry-level amateur radio licence is being established in Norway with a view to use in schools and generally to recruit young people into a science-related activity. It can be motivating for them to see their transmitter being received at Norwegian outposts, and this will be part of activity proposals for the schools.

Citizen science is further described here: Frissell, Nathaniel A., et al., "Heliophysics and amateur radio: citizen science collaborations for atmospheric, ionospheric, and space physics research and operations", Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 10 (2023).

Recent reception reports can be found by entering the receiver (RX) call sign JW1ITS in:

Owner: University of Oslo
Contacts
PI: Sverre Holm
Address:Department of Physics, University of Oslo. P.O. Box 1048, Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
E-mail:Sverre.holm@fys.uio.no

Co-PI:Torbjørn Skauli
Address: Department of Technology Systems,University of Oslo, P.O. Box 70, N-2027 Kjeller, Norway
E-mail:Torbjorn.Skauli@its.uio.no

Instrument specifications