Topband: V84SAA 160m Report 14 Feb 2019 0430z
Hi Gang Last night we got out to the beach CW site an hour or so before SS. We tried hard for the east coast, but I believe all that we worked were stations West of the Mississippi river. Some high points were these: 1) We picked up 25 more NA stations during our SS opening 2) Interesting catches were KH7XS, AH6QM, D4C, XX9X, 3) Our new DHDL, aimed at 150 degrees, paid off in spades - as we strung together about 8 VK stations - many whom had advised us earlier in the week that they were copying us and calling - but despite hearing them - copying their calls was very difficult until last night when it was far easier to hear them - so that worked. 3) I think we worked something like 150 stations overall bringing our 160m total to about 3,600 Topband qso's. I should point out that our DUPE percentage is HIGH - something like 365 dupes as I recall. 4) I tried at our SR this morning and heard nothing at all from NA - although I had a sked with VO1HP but did not hear Frank - having heard him well two days ago and he has heard us at least twice so far. 5) The Topband pileups have slowed down now and we seem to be left with callers out of EU who really want to work us but probably have lesser equipped stations and perhaps lower power. I say this because it often takes me 3 minutes to copy and confirm a callsign now - which makes the rate quite slow. No matter - We know many want their chance to work V8 on 160m and we will keep at it for as long as we can to please as many as we possibly can on Topband. 6 The ARRL CW DX Contest is this weekend and I have not heard from K1LZ how we wishes to structure our operations. Our choices might be to work PHONE and FT8 only - and limit our CW activity recognizing the global impacts of the contest. On Topband - personally I might favor coming on at both our Grayline periods (SR and SS) and staying on 1805.5 qsx up 3 - since only a small amount of contest activity on CW ever occurs below 1810khz. No promises on this one - but that makes sense to me. A number of us visited the home of V85A yesterday - I did not myself - but I know many did and ADI S55M managed to fix V85A's amplifier which had been down. I did hear talk of perhaps doing some of the contest from there by some of our ops - but this is a rumor at this point It is now around12:30PM local time and I am gonna catch some ZZZ's and head out to the beach to work our SS opening in a few hours - I surely hope we have some conditions to the East of the Mississippi river then - I missed perhaps the best night two days ago - and I know there are many who still want to work us in W2/W3/W4. - I did not mention W1 - but that too - it is just so hard to work that region - it is far easier on our morning LP route - but even this path is totally variable. It only opens well once in awhile but we will be there trying rest assured! GL to all - we hope to log more of you in the coming days. We are nearing the end of this soon! 73 JEFF K1ZM/VY2ZM Jeff BriggsDXing on the Edge: The Thrill of 160 Meters Available worldwide through BookBaby, Array Solutions, DX Engineering, Radio Society of Great Britain, & Amazon _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: LACK OF ACTIVITY
KH7XS have you tried FT-8 on 160. Plenty of activity at your sunset and beyond. Herb, KV4FZ On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 6:02 PM cqtestk4xs--- via Topband < topband@contesting.com> wrote: > I also have found the lack of activity frustrating. I'll call CQ and RBN > says I'm hitting the mainland with a good sig. I call CQ for maybe ten > minutes and either one reply or none. > Look for KH7XS tonight after my sunset..around 0500Z. > KH7XS > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CW operators - do you prefer QSK?
Please vote in this new poll. http://www.strawpoll.me/17426016 Many thanks! 73, Martin, OK1RR _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Quick question.
Hi Iain, Simply use a relay at the base of your inverted-L to disconnect or detune the antenna when you're receiving 73 Frank W3LPL - Original Message - From: g4...@justfans.co.uk To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 4:40:05 PM Subject: Topband: Quick question. Hi, I have limited real estate. I can put up an RX antenna either: 1. Away from the inverted-L vertical section to reduce re-radiation to the Rx antenna. or 2. Away from the END of the inverted-L to reduce re-radiation to the RX antenna. Not both unfortunately. So should I site the Rx delta shaped loop for 160M away from the vertical high current or the high voltage end of the inverted-L? Iain G4SGX _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
Roger, On Monday night I worked about 50 EU station from C6AGU. There was good activity all around. Last night (Tue) was very noisy here (and probably most of the SE US) with nasty lightning crashes. It is somewhat similar tonight. Starting about 2 hours before my sunset, I heard dozens of EU stations calling the V8. C6AGU will be on 160 most of the night (both CW and FT8) and we welcome signal reports as we are testing some new equipment. CU on 160! 73, George AA7JV/C6AGU On Wed, 13 Feb 2019 20:17:14 - "Roger Kennedy" wrote: I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but started coming back on 160m . . . But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky to have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but then silence the rest of the time ! And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot more activity. I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when RBN shows there's good propagation) So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: LACK OF ACTIVITY
I also have found the lack of activity frustrating. I'll call CQ and RBN says I'm hitting the mainland with a good sig. I call CQ for maybe ten minutes and either one reply or none. Look for KH7XS tonight after my sunset..around 0500Z. KH7XS _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
I will also be on tonite. Not sure if it will be HQ9X or W1UE/HR9, but I’ll be on. And I doubt I’ll be on as early as 2330z! Dennis W1UE On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 14:25 Roger Kennedy wrote: > > I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but > started coming back on 160m . . . > > But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North > American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky > to > have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! > > I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . > but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the > band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it > makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. > > The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but > then > silence the rest of the time ! > > And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on > are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot > more activity. > > I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX > Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations > actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) > > Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX > contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when > RBN shows there's good propagation) > > So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . > . . > > Roger G3YRO > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
Roger. . .the Wednesday activity night is a good idea. I will be on tonight CQing as I frequently do. Sadly, some evenings that efforts yields zero QSOs.73. . . Dave, W0FLS -Original Message- From: Roger Kennedy Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 2:17 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Lack of Activity I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but started coming back on 160m . . . But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky to have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but then silence the rest of the time ! And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot more activity. I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when RBN shows there's good propagation) So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Lack of Activity
I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but started coming back on 160m . . . But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky to have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but then silence the rest of the time ! And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot more activity. I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when RBN shows there's good propagation) So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Quick question.
What is ‘’away’’. If only a few meters it will not work. My inverted L still influences the beverage that runs away from it and starts 40 meter from its base. Best thing to do is to detune the TX antenna, simply by disconnecting it with a relay during reception. Kees, PE5T Verzonden vanuit Mail voor Windows 10 Van: g4...@justfans.co.uk Verzonden: woensdag 13 februari 2019 17:50 Aan: topband@contesting.com Onderwerp: Topband: Quick question. Hi, I have limited real estate. I can put up an RX antenna either: 1. Away from the inverted-L vertical section to reduce re-radiation to the Rx antenna. or 2. Away from the END of the inverted-L to reduce re-radiation to the RX antenna. Not both unfortunately. So should I site the Rx delta shaped loop for 160M away from the vertical high current or the high voltage end of the inverted-L? Iain G4SGX _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Quick question.
Hi, I have limited real estate. I can put up an RX antenna either: 1. Away from the inverted-L vertical section to reduce re-radiation to the Rx antenna. or 2. Away from the END of the inverted-L to reduce re-radiation to the RX antenna. Not both unfortunately. So should I site the Rx delta shaped loop for 160M away from the vertical high current or the high voltage end of the inverted-L? Iain G4SGX _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: DXCC 160 Meters - 13 Feb 2019
Hello All OK1YQ disappeared somewhere :-)) http://www.arrl.org/system/dxcc/view/DXCC-160M-20190213-USLetter.pdf 347 OK1RD 344 W8LRL 340 K1ZM 338 W4ZV 337 EA8AK 335 W4DR 334 VE1ZZ* 332 N4WW R7LV 330 OH2BU UR0MC 329 HA0DU UA4HBW 328 AA1K LZ2DF UT7QF -- Nick, UY0ZG _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
