Re: Topband: CQ 160M SSB CONTEST
I enjoyed my first 160M contest. I was a slow grind but I had some interesting results. For those trying to work Hawaii. It looks like our propagation out was pretty difficult. It was for me and a few of the big operators. It looks like only KH7X and myself stuck around for both nights. I felt small compared to KH7X, but had fun bouncing around working the same calls when I was able to. I'm not use to not being able to work calls that are so strong. My RX was way better than I imagined it would be. I could hear all the way into the east coast most of the time and barely needed the beverage. My TX was difficult though, but I did have 3 countries and about 6 east coast states. My Canadian contact was probably the furthest - PEI. I could hear Europe at times but not well enough to make them out. Perhaps 1 German. I was hearing calls struggling to work each other and they were 5-7 out in the pacific, and all I could do was listen. Calling CQ was very slow and not really worth the effort.. I was just too weak to get any attention. Earlier in the year would have worked better for us in Hawaii I'm told - this particular contest is always weak compared to other times. I was surprised I only heard one Russian and no VK, ZL, JA, and it wasn't just me. Hardly any spotted if at all. I was counting on those. Had a lot of fun regardless. Hearing is better than nothing! 73, WH7DX _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 3Y0IOF
Sending this again just in case. I didn't write the hilarious post below. That was from the link below. I've tried to post source twice before.. must be getting old. http://dx-world.net/2012/3y0iof-bouvet-well-not-really-but-read-on/ Bryan, WH7DX _ From: Bryan Buck [mailto:wh...@hawaii.rr.com] Sent: Monday, December 03, 2012 1:27 PM To: 'topband@contesting.com' Subject: re: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 3Y0IOF HAHAHAHAHAH FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE After a lot of negotiation we are pleased to announce a multinational team of twelve is to undertake a Dxpedition to Bouvet Island from 25 March 2013 to 5 April 2013 using the callsign 3Y0IOF. We will be operating 24/7 with five stations covering all bands 160m-10m. We understand that Dxpeditions are all about you - the DX operator - therefore we are pleased to announce some exciting new innovations. We appreciate many of you feel you should not have to make any effort to work us. Accordingly, we are offering you the chance to call us on the telephone when you are ready for a QSO. That's right, we will give you a phone number and when you are ready you can ring us and we will immediately cease to work the pile up and call you on a frequency of your choice. Not only that, we will also ensure an email is sent to you directly after the QSO to confirm you are in the log. Furthermore, we are organizing a team of experts who, if you wish, will fly in and set up your rig on the required frequency, connect the antenna for you and make sure the heating or ventilation is on so it is nice and warm or cool in your shack as the case requires. Don't worry about propagation. We will make sure there is some between us as we understand that is our responsibility and it's our fault if there isn't. If that is not for you then don't worry we are just as happy to work you in a pile up. We realize that we will need to operate in accordance with your operating habits so therefore we will understand if you call over the top of another station we are trying to work, or when we are specifically calling a part of the world you do not reside in, or if you are simply calling aimlessly or while we are transmitting, or even if you call when you cannot hear us. We will do our best to work you despite all this and yes we know it's our fault if you do not make it into the log. We wish to acknowledge the value Frequency Cops bring to a Dxpedition so to recognize this we are going to specifically publicize some times when we will arrange for some operators to deliberately call us on our frequency instead of split. Frequency Cops can even register their availability with us to help us ensure these periods get maximum uptake by the Frequency Cop community. During these periods the Frequency Cops will be able to say or send up up! to their hearts content. (Note: we will make sure we tell the pile up to listen up and not down as the recent PT0S Dxpedition has taught us that Frequency Cops don't know how to send down in CW). We also don't want the tuner uppers to feel left out and like them we feel dummy loads are completely overrated. So when we are ready to transmit on a band we will give them the opportunity to tune up on our frequency before we start working the pile up. Each period will start with us sending our callsign and QDL (Quick Dummy Loaders) so they will know when to commence tuning up on us. We will allow for at least five minutes for this as we know how important it is for the tuner uppers to make sure their finals are good and ready. We acknowledge if they go bang it's our fault. Depending on demand we will every now and then send QDL while working a pile up so any tuner uppers late to the party can tune up on us as well. Unfortunately we will not have cluster access while we are on Bouvet but we know this will not stop you posting announcements and comments on the cluster about our Dxpedition. Some suggestions for you to try include saying what band you want us to QSY to or mode to operate on, the quality of our ops and the usual loud, can't hear them here, thanks for 7th band or yee hah comments. Likewise as we noted above we understand it's our fault if you cannot work us and therefore we accept in that case you will post on the cluster calling us the worst Dxpedition ever. We can't wait to be of service to you. The 3Y0IOF Team ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 3Y0IOF
HAHAHAHAHAH FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE After a lot of negotiation we are pleased to announce a multinational team of twelve is to undertake a Dxpedition to Bouvet Island from 25 March 2013 to 5 April 2013 using the callsign 3Y0IOF. We will be operating 24/7 with five stations covering all bands 160m-10m. We understand that Dxpeditions are all about you - the DX operator - therefore we are pleased to announce some exciting new innovations. We appreciate many of you feel you should not have to make any effort to work us. Accordingly, we are offering you the chance to call us on the telephone when you are ready for a QSO. That's right, we will give you a phone number and when you are ready you can ring us and we will immediately cease to work the pile up and call you on a frequency of your choice. Not only that, we will also ensure an email is sent to you directly after the QSO to confirm you are in the log. Furthermore, we are organizing a team of experts who, if you wish, will fly in and set up your rig on the required frequency, connect the antenna for you and make sure the heating or ventilation is on so it is nice and warm or cool in your shack as the case requires. Don't worry about propagation. We will make sure there is some between us as we understand that is our responsibility and it's our fault if there isn't. If that is not for you then don't worry we are just as happy to work you in a pile up. We realize that we will need to operate in accordance with your operating habits so therefore we will understand if you call over the top of another station we are trying to work, or when we are specifically calling a part of the world you do not reside in, or if you are simply calling aimlessly or while we are transmitting, or even if you call when you cannot hear us. We will do our best to work you despite all this and yes we know it's our fault if you do not make it into the log. We wish to acknowledge the value Frequency Cops bring to a Dxpedition so to recognize this we are going to specifically publicize some times when we will arrange for some operators to deliberately call us on our frequency instead of split. Frequency Cops can even register their availability with us to help us ensure these periods get maximum uptake by the Frequency Cop community. During these periods the Frequency Cops will be able to say or send up up! to their hearts content. (Note: we will make sure we tell the pile up to listen up and not down as the recent PT0S Dxpedition has taught us that Frequency Cops don't know how to send down in CW). We also don't want the tuner uppers to feel left out and like them we feel dummy loads are completely overrated. So when we are ready to transmit on a band we will give them the opportunity to tune up on our frequency before we start working the pile up. Each period will start with us sending our callsign and QDL (Quick Dummy Loaders) so they will know when to commence tuning up on us. We will allow for at least five minutes for this as we know how important it is for the tuner uppers to make sure their finals are good and ready. We acknowledge if they go bang it's our fault. Depending on demand we will every now and then send QDL while working a pile up so any tuner uppers late to the party can tune up on us as well. Unfortunately we will not have cluster access while we are on Bouvet but we know this will not stop you posting announcements and comments on the cluster about our Dxpedition. Some suggestions for you to try include saying what band you want us to QSY to or mode to operate on, the quality of our ops and the usual loud, can't hear them here, thanks for 7th band or yee hah comments. Likewise as we noted above we understand it's our fault if you cannot work us and therefore we accept in that case you will post on the cluster calling us the worst Dxpedition ever. We can't wait to be of service to you. The 3Y0IOF Team ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Remote SDR Receive only setup
Nice job Mack. The W4AX is very simple and easy to use. Just wanted to drop you a note of appreciation. For me in Hawaii it's interesting to hear what's happening on 160m and 80M. I can use your site to give me an idea of who's out there and to see if I can pick them up from 2000-4500 miles away. Bryan WH7DX ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
