Re: Topband: 3B9EME
We worked quite a lot of Stateside on 160 from 3B9C (2004). On the way back we met up with Jacky in Port Louis and talked to him about 160 (I had worked Jacky on topband from home back in the 80's, like Frank). Jacky explained that he used to run his topband antenna onto some wasteland adjacent to his home. By the time we saw him in 2004 that wasteland had been built on so that he could no longer take advantage of it. Don G3XTT On 10 September 2013 14:15, donov...@starpower.net wrote: I worked and received a QSL from Jackie for a Topband QSO on 13 Nov 1987. A long time ago! 73 Frank W3LPL - Original Message - From: Garry Shapiro ga...@ni6t.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 8:05:32 AM Subject: Re: Topband: 3B9EME You did not say exactly how many years ago you worked Jacky on 160. In 1999, after a DXpedition to 3B9 in which Jacky was a participant, the homeward-bound DXpeditioners (including myself) were at Jacky's house in Mauritius, standing on his roof and enjoying a beer. Jacky pointed to the house and lot next door and related how, before the lot was developed, he had used it for 160m. I don't think he has replaced that long-last antenna. I, already a rabid topbander, was of course disappointed by that turn of events. As 3B9R, we had erected a Titanex with 60 radials on a soccer pitch and had a kW. We worked lots of Europe, but only a handful of NA stations on the east coast, on one evening. No west coast at all. Garry, NI6T On 9/9/2013 6:39 PM, Charlie Cunningham wrote: Wow! That's a good one!! I worked Jacky, 3B8CF many years ago on 160, but never 3B9! Lowest bands I've ever worked 3B9 were 40 and 30 m. I worked Jacky just before sunset here in Raleigh NC! Worked him with the FT-757 GX that I had back then, with a GG 4-400A afterburner doing the best it could - about 450 W to my inverted L with the submerged radials in the lake! :-) Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike Waters Sent: Monday, September 09, 2013 9:30 PM To: topband Subject: Topband: 3B9EME 3B9EME has been calling CQ (listening up ~1) on 1822 for over an hour. But they can't seem to hear very well. At one time, they were S7 here in SW Missouri. Someone tell them to put up a Beverage antenna. :-) 73, Mike www.w0btu.com _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
Forwarded from W0YR: The FCC is going forward with its plan to allow the r.f. noise floor to rise to unprecedented levels which will, of course adversely affect our hobby. Another effect is to eventually drown out AM stations. Here is an article on the subject. http://nyti.ms/1aX6J4Y Mike Lonneke W0YR ww0...@gmail.com _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 3B9EME
No copy here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The noise and static were not too horrible. I fell asleep while under the cans. :- I will be there again tonight as well. -Original Message- From: Mike Waters mikew...@gmail.com Sent: Sep 9, 2013 8:29 PM To: topband topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: 3B9EME 3B9EME has been calling CQ (listening up ~1) on 1822 for over an hour. But they can't seem to hear very well. At one time, they were S7 here in SW Missouri. Someone tell them to put up a Beverage antenna. :-) 73, Mike www.w0btu.com _ Topband Reflector 73 Best DX Charlie WD5BJT See September 2006 CQ Magazine for a published work. www.qsl.net/wd5bjt _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: FW: 3B9EME
Regarding 3B8CF, I had a confirmed 160 CW Q with him on 31 Jan 2009 but have not heard him on 160 in subsequent years. 73 Charlie N8RR From: charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 09:31:34 -0400 Subject: Topband: FW: 3B9EME -Original Message- From: Charlie Cunningham [mailto:charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 9:24 AM To: 'ga...@ni6t.com' Subject: RE: Topband: 3B9EME Hi, Garry Well, your e-mail prompted me to look up the QSO with Jacky. It was January, 1, 1987, according to my log. The call that I had at that time was N4BZX, but I later recovered my old K4OTV call via the vanity call system. I remember working 3B9R - but not on 160. 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Garry Shapiro Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 3:06 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: 3B9EME You did not say exactly how many years ago you worked Jacky on 160. In 1999, after a DXpedition to 3B9 in which Jacky was a participant, the homeward-bound DXpeditioners (including myself) were at Jacky's house in Mauritius, standing on his roof and enjoying a beer. Jacky pointed to the house and lot next door and related how, before the lot was developed, he had used it for 160m. I don't think he has replaced that long-last antenna. I, already a rabid topbander, was of course disappointed by that turn of events. As 3B9R, we had erected a Titanex with 60 radials on a soccer pitch and had a kW. We worked lots of Europe, but only a handful of NA stations on the east coast, on one evening. No west coast at all. Garry, NI6T On 9/9/2013 6:39 PM, Charlie Cunningham wrote: Wow! That's a good one!! I worked Jacky, 3B8CF many years ago on 160, but never 3B9! Lowest bands I've ever worked 3B9 were 40 and 30 m. I worked Jacky just before sunset here in Raleigh NC! Worked him with the FT-757 GX that I had back then, with a GG 4-400A afterburner doing the best it could - about 450 W to my inverted L with the submerged radials in the lake! :-) Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike Waters Sent: Monday, September 09, 2013 9:30 PM To: topband Subject: Topband: 3B9EME 3B9EME has been calling CQ (listening up ~1) on 1822 for over an hour. But they can't seem to hear very well. At one time, they were S7 here in SW Missouri. Someone tell them to put up a Beverage antenna. :-) 73, Mike www.w0btu.com _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
The FCC is going forward with its plan to allow the r.f. noise floor to rise to unprecedented levels which will, of course adversely affect our hobby. Mike, I didn't see anything in the article that suggested a rise in the RF noise floor. Current FCC regulations are pretty much in line with international requirements for unintended emissions from electrical and electronic gear. When we have noise emissions problems, they're usually caused by poor enforcement. The article is mainly concerned about the demise of AM radio because of falling revenues and competition from other media, namely FM and the Internet. 73, Brad KV5V _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 3B9EME
The FO0AAA 160 RX antenna was put together for the operation by Earl Cunningham (SK) K6SE. Earl even wrote a detailed article on the design for QST. Herb, KV4FZ On 9/10/2013 10:24 AM, n0...@juno.com wrote: On Mon, 9 Sep 2013 22:44:45 -0400 Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com writes: Valid points, Keith. I think the boys that went to FO0AAA did good to hang up that KAZ terminated Loop that John, ON4UN, put together for them! snip And FYIthere was no receiving amplifier used with that antenna on Clipperton. 73, Charlie, N0TT 1 of 12 FO0AAA Oprs. _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: W0MLY Switch
Most of you on this reflector are old enough to remember these built-like-a-tank switches. I have what is probably the 5th generation of Dick's original design. It was built by Antenna Mart and has the Globe/Collins-Radio gear reduction drive system, and the heavy-duty RSC #86 ceramic switch. If interested, see my ad, Listing #1086238, on QTH.com. To contact me, please follow the instructions in the ad. Thanks! Jim, WS6X _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 3B9EME
Hi, Herb I went off and read from Earl's K6SE's writings about the FO0AAA low-band RX antenna. The following is an excerpt from those writings: It is a close relative of the Pennant and Flag antennas, which are ground-independent relatives of the Ewe. The Delta is a modification of the delta-shaped Ewe loop shown in figure 7-66 on page 7-51 of ON4UN's new Low-Band DXing book. I took John's Delta-Ewe and, with the feedpoint and termination located at the bottom corners of the triangle, I used EZNEC to optimize the design for best F/B and zero reactance at 1.830 mHz. This is the design that was built by ON4UN for use by FO0AAA. I guess that explains why, in my mind and memory, I had associated the antenna with John, ON4UN. 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Herb Schoenbohm Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 1:04 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: 3B9EME The FO0AAA 160 RX antenna was put together for the operation by Earl Cunningham (SK) K6SE. Earl even wrote a detailed article on the design for QST. Herb, KV4FZ On 9/10/2013 10:24 AM, n0...@juno.com wrote: On Mon, 9 Sep 2013 22:44:45 -0400 Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com writes: Valid points, Keith. I think the boys that went to FO0AAA did good to hang up that KAZ terminated Loop that John, ON4UN, put together for them! snip And FYIthere was no receiving amplifier used with that antenna on Clipperton. 73, Charlie, N0TT 1 of 12 FO0AAA Oprs. _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
On 09/10/2013 02:57 PM, Mike Armstrong wrote: Brad, *I* say GOOD, let them kill AM broadcast and give the band to US. we will put it to good use he he he he. Plus, since so many people have AM broadcast receivers, it will be like automatic advertising for Amateur Radio.. and that rumors of ham radio's demise, as a hobby, were a bit premature. LOL LOL. Mike A AB7ZU (as opposed to the Mike you were referring to below... Mike L) :) :) Kuhi no ka lima, hele no ka maka On Sep 10, 2013, at 9:47, Brad Rehm bradr...@gmail.com wrote: So... Topband would extend from about 500 kc to 2 mc. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: and KDKA
I haven't heard the farmer story, but in the 60's lived 1000yds from the KDKA radio tower in Allison Park, PA. That area is rough up and down small hills, not much farming. KDKA/Westinghouse did experiment with 400kw short wave at the old Saxonburg site. We didn't have any RF problems, but I was QRT at that home. My uncle George Saviers(SK), last call W2NPR, was an RF engineer at KDKA in the 1930's. KDKA moved the transmitter to a site in Saxonburg and began construction of a 718' Franklin antenna, center fed, 135deg per side. That tower collapsed under construction due to the failure of a guy end potting (molten zinc poured around flayed out wires into a reverse taper cavity according to George). This tower was rebuilt by American Bridge on the same site, but poor coverage caused them to dismantle it and move it in 1939 to Allison Park, north of Pittsburgh, east of Rt 8. In 1994, after 55 years service, the tower was replaced with a new 718' radiator fed as 90deg bottom and 180deg top. Pieces of the 1939 tower were sold to benefit local charities. I collect KDKA radio stuff, so let me know if you have some looking for a new home. My dad was also a briefly KDKA employee on the studio side pre WWII and the two brothers roomed with Dave Garroway who started his broadcasting career at KDKA. Grant Saviers KZ1W On 9/10/2013 12:32 PM, Herb Schoenbohm wrote: There is an old story about KDKA's antenna system that was told to be a long time ago. During WWII KDKA along with a frew other stations was allowed to operate with 250,000 watts to the antenna system. A farmer across from the KDKA's arrays was plagued by RF on everything including hearing the station in his kitchen sink. A friend of his was a ham and came up with the idea of tuning all the lamps in the barn and house into a tuned circuit to resonate and provide a means of lighting for free. It work so well that the farmer would brag about it at a local tavern and was overheard by one of KDKA's engineers who told the management who called the FCC Field offices. So the dispute insued that the farmer claimed the radiation was on his land without permission and he had rights to it no matter what. The whole matter ended up in the DC Circuit with KDKA claiming it could not comply with its required radiation pattern because the farmer was distorting their pattern. The court came up with an unusual conclusion that there was merit to both arguments. But since the station was required to have a precise RF level at a measuring point the court offer the farmer the option of leaving his lights on all the time or completely turning the lights off permanently. Since the lights were constantly flickering with modulation he chose the later solution if KDKA agreed to pay for his lawyer. I would be interested if anyone else has heard this story before and if there is any veracity to it. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/10/2013 1:34 PM, Bill Cromwell wrote: Hi Ed, The engineer at WTIC responded. That station does not have a Franklin antenna but has series fed halfwave during the day and switches in a second one at night, phased to change the radiation pattern. He also told me that their 'sister station', KDKA in Pittsburgh, does use a Franklin antenna. Some members near Pittsburgh may want to roll by for a peek at it. 73, Bill KU8H On 09/06/2013 04:13 PM, Edwin Karl wrote: There are several interesting articles if you Google Franklin Antenna they are mechanically BIG and require feeding ingenuity (hams are known for this feature ...) but are stacked verticals, note- phase the top element to avoid cancellation. If memory serves me right WTIC in Hartford phased two of these puppies, but it's been a long time ... 73! ed k0kl _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
Mike, et al., I wasn't aware of the FCC inquiry, but I'll do some checking on line. I'll also talk with the compliance rules guru at the EMC lab where I was an engineer for some years. But we should clear up a potential for misunderstanding here. When we talk about allowing the noise floor noise to rise, this suggests broadband noise emissions limits would be raised. Typical sources of this kind of noise are switching power supplies, digital devices, and UWB communications devices. Last time I checked, Ultra-WideBand systems are required to be bandwidth-limited (using simple filters), and they typically raise the noise floor in the UHF and higher parts of the spectrum. So power supplies and digital devices (computers, routers, etc.) would be the main culprits, but I don't understand how you could exempt ham receivers from a rule concerning them. Nothing can be exempted from noise that covers up everything. We should also wonder how manufacturers might build a more robust receiver. When the noise floor rises, weak signals are covered up. Yes, you can narrow the channel bandwidth, but this typically reduces audio quality. If ham radio receivers were big broadband emitters, they would certainly reduce their own weak signal sensitivity. This is the reason that in our compliance testing we rarely saw broadband emissions, conducted or radiated, in receivers of any kind, much less ham radio receivers or transceivers. Their most common problem was radiated narrowband emissions, and we wouldn't want to see the FCC granting any exemptions from NB requirements. So here's the question: What kind of exemption has been floated? Just curious. And BTW, I wouldn't want to see AM radio go away. Just drive through the high country of west Texas and you'll see how important low-cost, low-power AM radio is to the folks who live there. Satellite radio isn't going to be interested in broadcasting the daily price for pork bellies or the traders' show for Dalton, Texas or for any of the other small towns that rely on AM radio. Brad KV5V On Tue, Sep 10, 2013 at 3:49 PM, Bill Cromwell wrcromw...@gmail.com wrote: On 09/10/2013 02:57 PM, Mike Armstrong wrote: Brad, *I* say GOOD, let them kill AM broadcast and give the band to US. we will put it to good use he he he he. Plus, since so many people have AM broadcast receivers, it will be like automatic advertising for Amateur Radio.. and that rumors of ham radio's demise, as a hobby, were a bit premature. LOL LOL. Mike A AB7ZU (as opposed to the Mike you were referring to below... Mike L) :) :) Kuhi no ka lima, hele no ka maka On Sep 10, 2013, at 9:47, Brad Rehm bradr...@gmail.com wrote: So... Topband would extend from about 500 kc to 2 mc. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Delta RX Antenna @ FO0AAA
Thanks, Doug I guess that explains why I had, in my mind, and memory, associated the FO0AAA antenna, with John, ON4UN. I do know that Earl, K6SE was an authority on those types of antennas! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Doug Scribner Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 2:03 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Delta RX Antenna @ FO0AAA Here's a few notes from Earl, K6SE about the antenna... http://www.eham.net/articles/806 He states that ON4UN built the antenna using the K6SE design. He also references the QST article he wrote which appeared in the July 2000 issue. Doug - K1ZO _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
But we should clear up a potential for misunderstanding here. When we talk about allowing the noise floor noise to rise, this suggests broadband noise emissions limits would be raised. Typical sources of this kind of noise are switching power supplies, digital devices, and UWB communications devices. Last time I checked, Ultra-WideBand systems are required to be bandwidth-limited (using simple filters), and they typically raise the noise floor in the UHF and higher parts of the spectrum. So power supplies and digital devices (computers, routers, etc.) would be the main culprits, but I don't understand how you could exempt ham receivers from a rule concerning them. Nothing can be exempted from noise that covers up everything. The linked article does not make much sense to me in perspective of HF down to the AM band and lower. The most common sources of noise, by far, are switching power supplies. A distant second are digital devices connected to long cables or large wiring systems. Of all the devices that cannot bother 160 or HF, or especially AM BC, smart phones and other digital handheld devices are near the very top. They are so small and have such low power they would not likely be noticed if hanging right on our antennas. I agree with other comments that the real issue, and it has been an issue since the 1980's, is lack of enforcement. We wanted deregulation and the Government out of our business, and certainly we got what we wanted with the FCC. :-) 73 Tom _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: and KDKA
My uncle W2NPR George Saviers(SK) was an RF engineer at KDKA radio in the 1930's when the original Saxonburg, PA 718' tower collapsed due to a guy failure while under construction in 1936. As he told the story the guy cable ends were flayed out and potted with molten zinc into a reverse tapered internally end fitting. One not correctly potted failed. A second tower of the same design was built at the Saxonburg site in 1937. It was a symmetrical center fed antenna, 135deg per leg. In 1939 the antenna was dismantled and moved for better coverage to Allison Park, PA. That tower was 1000yds from my back yard. The moved 718' Franklin was replaced in 1994 due to age (55 years) and tower parts were sold to benefit charities. The present 718' Franklin is an unsymmetrical design, 90deg base, 180deg top sections. See http://www.fybush.com/sites/2010/site-100326.html I collect older KDKA radio memorabilia and would appreciate any. I guess is possible there is some substance to the farmer story, but the Allison Park WWII tower location north of Pittsburgh is pretty rough up and down small hill country, not much farming. I've not heard it before. At the Saxonburg site KDKA/Westinghouse experimented with MW 400kw transmissions. Grant Saviers KZ1W On 9/10/2013 12:32 PM, Herb Schoenbohm wrote: There is an old story about KDKA's antenna system that was told to be a long time ago. During WWII KDKA along with a frew other stations was allowed to operate with 250,000 watts to the antenna system. A farmer across from the KDKA's arrays was plagued by RF on everything including hearing the station in his kitchen sink. A friend of his was a ham and came up with the idea of tuning all the lamps in the barn and house into a tuned circuit to resonate and provide a means of lighting for free. It work so well that the farmer would brag about it at a local tavern and was overheard by one of KDKA's engineers who told the management who called the FCC Field offices. So the dispute insued that the farmer claimed the radiation was on his land without permission and he had rights to it no matter what. The whole matter ended up in the DC Circuit with KDKA claiming it could not comply with its required radiation pattern because the farmer was distorting their pattern. The court came up with an unusual conclusion that there was merit to both arguments. But since the station was required to have a precise RF level at a measuring point the court offer the farmer the option of leaving his lights on all the time or completely turning the lights off permanently. Since the lights were constantly flickering with modulation he chose the later solution if KDKA agreed to pay for his lawyer. I would be interested if anyone else has heard this story before and if there is any veracity to it. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/10/2013 1:34 PM, Bill Cromwell wrote: Hi Ed, The engineer at WTIC responded. That station does not have a Franklin antenna but has series fed halfwave during the day and switches in a second one at night, phased to change the radiation pattern. He also told me that their 'sister station', KDKA in Pittsburgh, does use a Franklin antenna. Some members near Pittsburgh may want to roll by for a peek at it. 73, Bill KU8H On 09/06/2013 04:13 PM, Edwin Karl wrote: There are several interesting articles if you Google Franklin Antenna they are mechanically BIG and require feeding ingenuity (hams are known for this feature ...) but are stacked verticals, note- phase the top element to avoid cancellation. If memory serves me right WTIC in Hartford phased two of these puppies, but it's been a long time ... 73! ed k0kl _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
On 9/10/2013 4:40 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: I agree with other comments that the real issue, and it has been an issue since the 1980's, is lack of enforcement. We wanted deregulation and the Government out of our business, and certainly we got what we wanted with the FCC. Exactly right. Isn't small government wonderful? 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector
