Topband: ZD9W
Looking at DX Summit it looks like FT* will be his preferred mode of operation. Not on digital. Any information on possible CW operation? Craig Clark K1QX 603-520-6577 cell 603-899-6103 home Sent from my iPad _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 237, Issue 7
Thunderstorms were across the East last night and this morning. Craig Clark K1QX 603-520-6577 cell 603-899-6103 home Sent from my iPad > On Sep 22, 2022, at 12:01, topband-requ...@contesting.com wrote: > > Send Topband mailing list submissions to >topband@contesting.com > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >topband-requ...@contesting.com > > You can reach the person managing the list at >topband-ow...@contesting.com > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. 160m CW Activity (Roger Kennedy) > > > -- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2022 12:02:47 +0100 > From: "Roger Kennedy" > To: > Subject: Topband: 160m CW Activity > Message-ID: <677CC79BB6E1463A8CC52DBF73450421@Packard> > Content-Type: text/plain;charset="us-ascii" > > > Having received a couple of emails, I thought it would be worth coming on > last night. . . . > > I was doing a gig in town, so didn't get home until nearly 2.30am (01.30 > GMT). I put out a CQ DX call, and had a call from Jon AA1K. > > Put out a few more calls, but couldn't hear anyone else calling me. RBN > reports weren't very good, so went to bed. > > But good to see some NA stations coming back on the band, so will start > coming on more often during the night. > > 73 Roger G3YRO > > > > > -- > > Subject: Digest Footer > > ___ > Topband mailing list > Topband@contesting.com > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband > > > -- > > End of Topband Digest, Vol 237, Issue 7 > *** > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: RG6 coax
Jeff, I have been using Satellite TV RG6 for years with my different RX antenna schemes. It has a solid copper center conductor and is swept to 3 GHz not that it matters for low band reception. I also have been using compression connectors which are far better than the crimps I used well over 40 years ago. Craig Clark K1QX 603-520-6577 cell 603-899-6103 home Sent from my iPad _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: . Field telephone wire for radials
Gene, The outer coating is polyethylene. The inner conductors are four tinned copper and three tinned steel wires. Personally I wouldn’t waste time trying to split the two conductors. I bought five mile spools from military surplus band much was sold for KD9SV’s reversible Beverage antennas. Some was also used on my 160 vertical. Craig Clark K1QX 603-520-6577 cell 603-899-6103 home Sent from my iPad > > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2020 18:25:41 -0500 > From: "Gene Smar" > To: > Subject: Topband: Field telephone wire for radials > Message-ID: <00ba01d6b0a6$5179ba00$f46d2e00$@verizon.net> > Content-Type: text/plain;charset="us-ascii" > > Gents: > > I recently purchased a quantity - actually, a kilometer - of > two-conductor telephone wire. I intend to use some/much of this wire to > augment the half-dozen radial wires I now have surrounding my shunt-fed > tower for 160M. > > In your experience, would it be better to split the cable into two > conductors (it's thin wire, maybe 22 AWG) and lay each in a slit in the > grass separately, or should I keep the conductors intact, lay them as a > single radial, then solder the wires together at the ends? I have plenty of > wire to do either. > > Thanks for your advice. > > 73 de > Gene Smar AD3F > > > > > > > -- > > Subject: Digest Footer > > ___ > Topband mailing list > Topband@contesting.com > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband > > > -- > > End of Topband Digest, Vol 215, Issue 1 > *** > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Sherwood article on ground screen
>May 1977 Ham Radio Magazine >http://www.sherweng.com/documents/GroundScreen-sm.pdf Thanks for the link, Craig. While I agree with the author's premise that the ground screen provides capacitive coupling to the earth, I do NOT agree that the capacitive connection is what makes the antenna work better. Rather, the screen is simply a practical equivalent/alternative to ground-mounted radials and providing a lot of conductive metal close to the feedpoint. Indeed, the author has accidentally discovered what N6LF and others have long been saying -- radials on the ground do not need to be resonant, they simply need to provide a lower resistance path than the earth, and that copper near the antenna is far more important than at a greater distance from the tower. 73, Jim Brown K9YC Craig Clark K1QX 603-520-6577 cell 603-899-6103 home Sent from my iPad _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: T & B connectors for RG6
Thomas and Betts just in case anyone is curious. Craig Clark K1QX 603-520-6577 cell 603-899-6103 home Sent from my iPad _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: FT8
2. Re: FT8 vs other modes This discussion has been fascinating for the breadth and depth of opinions. The fundamental fact however is that this is a hobby with a wide range of options. FT8 will not be the end of CW operation. It is just another mode. Life is change. We cannot "live" in the past. Quoting Sgt Highway from "Heartbreak Ridge," "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome." Quoting my SGM from college, "Lead, follow, or get out of the way." Will I get on FT8? Maybe. I have not done RTTY since being in the Army. Craig Craig Clark K1QX PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6103 office (603) 520 6577 cell _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Adding chicken wire or mesh on top of radial field
Today's Topics: 1. Re: Adding chicken wire or mesh on top of radial field (Peter Bertini) 2. Re: Adding chicken wire or mesh on top of radial field (Raymond Benny) 3. Re: Adding chicken wire or mesh on top of radial field (n...@n4is.com) -- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 16:14:45 -0400 From: Peter Bertini To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Adding chicken wire or mesh on top of radial field Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Why would bonding the added matting be required if it is laid over or beneath an existing radial field? It reduces ground losses regardless. Peter All, Forgive me if this has already been posted. I have not been following TB as well as I normally do. http://www.sherweng.com/documents/GroundScreen-sm.pdf Sherwood's article from HR Magazine. Craig Clark K1QX _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Propagation
So, what IS going on? Why has propagation on Top Band (and other bands) been so poor? An inquiring mind would like some "ed-u-macation." I missed K9LA's presentation at W9DXCC this year. Craig Clark K1QX _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: coax soldering
Message: 1 Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2016 14:50:55 -0500 From: Larry <pace...@aol.com> To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: coax soldering Message-ID: <158cb63a7fa-2fd9-5...@webprd-m107.mail.aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 hi guys, planning on installing some more beverages. i have a roll of CATV 75 ohm cable. it is the kind with a double shield. aluminum wrap over tinned copper shield. there is some kind of sticky on the shield and i dont think that i can solder efficiently to it. what is the best way to clean the "sticky" off the shield so that i can solder to it for PL259's? thanks, larry n7dd Hi Larry, I highly recommend you use RG6 F-type compression connectors as opposed to trying to make a soldered UHF male connection. Then get F female to UHF male adapters for your radio, or whatever, connection. Loss is not worth worrying about. You will save yourself a lot of gnashing of teeth. I learned the hard way may years ago. As was mentioned by someone else, the goop is a flooding material to protect the coax if nicked. Good luck. Craig Craig Clark K1QX PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 165, Issue 21
> Gary KD9SV and I did a lot of work helping Jo get a better receiving setup > for his home and remote site QTHs. I enjoyed working with him and sorry we > never got a chance to work each other on Top Band. Good DX to you Jo! 73 my > friend K1QX _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Maunder Minimum
> Here are just two references http://www.livescience.com/51597-maunder-minimum-mini-ice-age.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulhudson/entries/6d50a6bd-779a-32d6-bfca-06e4484d6835 Craig K1QX _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Under the FWIW
In 1974, I was commissioned as a US Army 2Lt and assigned to the Signal Corps. After summer break, I reported to Ft Gordon for Signal Basic training. Among the many disciplines we covered was how to teach a class. I decided to do a class on radio waves and how they propagate. After a Chalkboard presentation describing propagation, I used a small HF transmitter and fluorescent light To prove the existence of "radio waves" to the class. I was the only one in the class with a ham license and one of two who knew and could use Morse code to communicate. The second class I did was demonstrate "binary communications" with a older LT from Cambodia. Enough of my nostalgia. Craig K1QX PS For those who were in the Army, the TAMMS 38-750, The Army Maintenance Management System, was the most BORING class at Gordon _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: direct buried beverage coaxial
I have been buying my coax from Satellite TV/Internet suppliers. The brands I have been buying have a solid copper center, not Cu clad steel, which is better when feeding voltage down the line. The outer cover is Polyethylene not PVC which is a softer plastic. It comes either as a single cable which I use to feed my Hi-Z array or dual which I have been using for My KD9SV bi-directional Beverages. 73 Craig K1QX _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: 160m Antenna advice
Bob: I built my shunt feed wire cage based on the design in Jeff Bigg's K1ZM book "DXing on the Edge..." I bought it from the ARRL bookstore but you might be able to find it on Amazon, etc. I used two widely-spaced wires whereas he used three in a triangular form held off the side of his tower with PVC pipe. I was surprised at how well it seems to work for me ( I always get through and receive good reports.) Good luck. 73 de Gene Smar AD3F Bob and Gene, Seasons Greetings Over the years there have been a number of articles on using a cage to feed a vertical antenna. Some of the ideas came from Laport's Antenna Engineering book as well as in amateur radio magazines; DeMaw in QST in the early 70's to name one. I have been using the unipole design here in NH since 1979. I have a 12" wire triangle 3' from the tower using 2x4"s as standoffs. Since this is around a 200 ohm antenna, I use a step-up L network to feed the antenna. Bottom line is it works. Here are some references: http://www.jmu.edu/wmra-eng/archive/mullaney-be.pdf Oct 1975 QST page 25-26 by DeMaw (design I used) >From Ham Radio Magazine Shunt-fed tower (HN)N6HZ74 Nov 79 + Shunt-feed systems for grounded vertical radiators, how to design W4OQ 34 May 75 *many consider this article by John True a classic Hope this helps Craig Craig Clark K1QX PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6103 office (603) 520 6577 cell _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: HVDC
-- Message: 5 Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 13:06:10 -0500 From: Tom W8JI w...@w8ji.com To: topband@contesting.com, Ws9v w...@royell.net Subject: Re: Topband: HVDC Message-ID: 211423F3EBEA4A55869EB37C0B05EA04@MAIN Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=UTF-8; reply-type=original Through the center part of Illinois they have begun work at the government level to install a 690,000 VDC power line As with all this there is huge amount of opposition an even groups trying to ban it Does anyone have any experience with a line of such high VDC as a noise source ? It will pass within 3/4 of a mile south of my QTH I am really concerned my only hope if this goes thru is to pull up stakes an move rather than attempt to fight its noise Any thoughts I think people are being silly. Not only has there never been any evidence (beyond some fraudulent thing that created hysteria) that power lines ever cause health problems, a dc line has much less radiation. As far as Ham radio, a dc is far less problematic for noise. 690 kV dc is like 487 kV ac, except the line doesn't have the charging and discharging issues that generate a lot of noise in bad connections. The only possible issues would be noise at the dc-to-ac converters, but they might be miles from you. I wouldn't worry, and I would not support those who worry about other issues like safety or health. 73 Tom Tom is referring to a book published in 1976 by Paul Brodeur titled The Zapping of America. The subject was bio-effects of AC powerlines. He also wrote several articles for the New Yorker which is a well known scientific journal. Most of the objections are from environmental issues. We have the Northern Pass project in NH that is driving the Sierra Club and many others nuts over despoiling the natural beauty of NH. Craig K1QX _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Recommended Antennas for 160M/80M Receiving
My two cents: This thread is one of the BEST we have every had on Topband. Very informative. Thanks to everyone who took time to post. I started with Beverages in 1980 shortly after moving to my current QTH in NH. I had five and they were pointed NE, E, S, W and NW. I used the single wire design and all ran through my woods. They came to a central point and were switched with home brewed relays (from Meshna and came from pinball machines) and a 600-75 ohm matching transformer. Over the years, I found that trees, limbs, moose and deer would take out at least one antenna per season. If I caught it quickly, I could repair them by knotting the wire and soldering. I also found the insulation would deteriorate and weaken the antenna. I would replace the wire every two to four years depending on where it ran. Then we logged the woods and everything had to come down. After the logging was completed, a 12 month process, it was time to rebuild my receiving array. My good friend Gary, KD9SV, had designed the WD1A bi-directional antenna and this seemed to both simplify installation, two wires equals four directions, and with the open woods, might survive longer. They worked well but fell prey to the same problem, deer, moose and trees falling. Repair was slightly more difficult as WD1A has seven wires, four are tinned copper and three are galvanized steel. Luckily, I was a Signal Corps guy and had training on how splice WD1 and it carried over to the new wire. FWIW, WD1 was the larger, twisted telephone wire that was used in the old tip and ring phone systems. The new WD1A was designed to be used with the digitally switched phone systems that came on line around the time I left active duty. Around this time, I had a long conversation with John W1FV, who designed a nine element array that was published in NCJ and shared at YCCC meetings. Like me, John had issues with Beverages just like mine. They were a pain to keep up. DX Engineering and Hi-Z were marketing receiving arrays in several iterations. I chose the 4 element Hi-Z and located it in one of my hay fields. It goes up in an afternoon after our last cutting of hay and comes down in April. Overall, I have found the array to as good as, if not better than the Beverages. That said, it has been stated by a number of Top Notch 160 DX'ers, you can never have enough receiving antennas. Long term, I need to find a place on my property to install either an 8 element array or Kaufman's nine element iteration. I also will reinstall a NW-SE and NE-SW WD1A Beverages. All it takes is time. All the best during this wonderful Holiday Season. Merry Christmas, Chanukah, Festivus, Kwanza and Solstace. May 2015 be a good year on Topband for us all! 73 Craig K1QX _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Unknown Pulse Signal Wiping out 1900-1925 kHz
At 2000 and 0200 noting here in SW NH Craig Clark K1QX PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6103 office (603) 520 6577 cell _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: WD1 and WD1A wire
These are two different kinds of wire. WD1 is designed for the old tip and ring phone systems of the 40's-60's and consists of two twisted seven conductor wires, three galvanized steel and four tinned copper conductors. WD1A came out in the 70's and is smaller and joined together like zip cord. It has the same conductor combination as WD1. They also have different impedances so their feedline matching is different. Craig Craig Clark K1QX QX Electronics PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6103 office (603) 520 6577 cell _ Topband Reflector
Topband: PE coated RG6
I would like to thank everyone who replied to my question both in PMs and in the respective forums. As many of you know, I have been making cables for years professionally but this one, like connectorizing RG174, stumped me. The issue is getting compression F connectors on the PE coated RG6 I am using to feed my K7TJR four square receive array. I have never had a problem putting F connectors on my PVC coated RG6. The problem is getting the PE to expand enough to accept the ground innards of the F connector and properly seat the center conductor of the coax with the foam at the end of the opening. I have tried heating the PE and that works, kinda. Doing it in the field far from the house, on a cold winters day, means you have to judiciously use a torch to warm the PE. One suggestion was to use hot water. I will give that a try later today. The suggestion that has worked on three test connections came from Joel at the RFC, another cable manufacturer. He suggested doing the standard cable prep as you would do for PVC. He then suggested two ½ lateral cuts in to the PE at the 12 and 6 positions and then push the connector on to the cable. Eureka! Joel also suggested using the older crimp F connectors in lieu of compression fittings. I have done both in my testing and am able to get a good connection with both. Using Joels suggestion, Ill be remaking the splice where the coax was crushed hopefully this afternoon before the snow comes. I did speak to Lee at Hi-Z yesterday and he warned me about substandard quality F double females. He has had terrible problems with them. Special thanks to you all for helping me especially Joel, W3RFC and Roger, N1RJ who sent me data sheets for F connectors. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the best for 2013 Craig Clark K1QX QX Electronics PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6959 office (603) 520 6577 cell ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Topband: PE Coated RG6
Pete Lateral or along the axis of the coax. I was confused too at first when Joel told me what to do. Craig Craig Clark K1QX QX Electronics PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6959 office (603) 520 6577 cell ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Topband: WD1A
There are no perfect solutions for Beverage wire and all have problems. Military commo wire is normally used in short term tactical telephone systems and sees usage from a few days to a few weeks. As units move, the wire is recovered and reused. For longer term strategic installations multi-connector wire is used and it is much more robust. The WD1A we can currently get was designed for the newer digital telephone systems that came on line in the late 70's and 80's. It replaced the older more robust WD1 tip and ring phone systems. For bi-directional Beverage antenna systems, WD1A works well but as Paul has described. BUT there are issues in the NE with trees and limbs falling, moose and deer crossing not to mention vandalism from hunters and other wood walkers. Trying to mitigate damage from a falling branch using his strain relief is a great idea. I do the same when I attach the antenna to the trees on insulators by a very loose slip knot. You have to remember however that WD1A is not designed for long term installations. The PE and steel wire have strength but not enough to survive direct impact from trees, humans or animals. Craig K1QX ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: ARRL CW DX test
I should have asked this question during the contest but was a bit busy. Did anyone try to work us at PJ4X and not get through? Our 160 station was on 160 and 15 and both bands had receiving problems. Additionally, we don't think our US Beverage was working very well. West of the Mississippi, we had major problems. To our European friends, we had no Eu rx antenna. To our JA friends, I was there Friday starting at 1000z and heard nothing. PM me at k1qx@arrl dot net with reports or complaints of about how deaf we were. We know it is a problem and we want to get some help figuring out what we can do. Craig Clark K1QX Radioware PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6957 ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: Xtal Filter
Message: 3 Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 09:38:35 +0800 (SGT) From: Anton Moehammad moehan...@yahoo.com Subject: Topband: Xtal Filter To: topband@contesting.com topband@contesting.com Message-ID: 1325641115.89785.yahoomail...@web190006.mail.sg3.yahoo.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Hi everybody, I believe there is a 1825 KHZ xtal filter sell somewhere, can any body share their experience about put a narrow XTAL filter in front of their recv ? (CW works only) ? Ir Moeh AntonHendra Jambon Tengah no 290 RT1/RW3 Magelang 56121 Indonesia Mobile : +6285292611160 email?? : moehan...@yahoo.com Get a signature like this. CLICK HERE. ? Tim and others, What about the filter Sherwood sold for the old DX window 1825-1830?? Craig Craig Clark K1QX Radioware PO Box 209 107 Fitzgerald Rd Rindge NH 03461 (603) 899-6957 ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: DX Window No Long Relevant
As a courtesy, last weekend our Multi operation, as a courtesy, refrained from calling CQ in what some still consider the DX Window (1830 - 1835). BUT lets be realistic here, this is 2011, not 1961. Split operation, a necessary operating technique of the W1BB era is no longer necessary. Frequency allocations between ITU regions and individual countries have become more aligned. All world class radios have narrow filtering capability, etc. fully capable of handling the worst pileups. Not all of us can afford or own world class radios, John. It isn't true in North America and it certainly isn't true in the rest of the world. -- In defense of what John said, the biggest difference today is you will find DX all over the band. Thirty years ago with LORAN restrictions, clumping DX in a window made sense. Rarely in a contest will you find a DX station working split. Yes there are exceptions but it is rare. DX'ing is a different world. The key is selectivity and it does not require a world class radio however that is defined. Good DX Craig K1QX Radioware ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
