Re: Topband: Spam:************, Re: Deployable radials for 80/160M
Wish we had a Lowes here in the VI but I will look and see if Home Depot has a solid wire equivalent. They have THHN is stranded but I am not sure about solid insulated #14 as i have not ever seen that. Herb, KV4FZ On 6/26/2014 8:17 AM, Dave Heil wrote: That seems a little too much work when Lowe's sells 500 foot spools of insulated #14 for $45. 73, Dave K8MN On 6/24/2014 19 46, Herb Schoenbohm wrote: I found a great source for radial wire at home Depot where they have 100' rolls of 14-2 packaged for under $40. Two conductors are insulated and one of course is not after the easy job of striping them across a bench jig or simple having a second person hold a pocket knife while you pull the conductors apart you end up with 300 feet of higher quality ground radial material. 2 each 100 foot insulated radials due to the VF are very close to 1/4 wave consideration and the the shorter 100 foot bare doesn't hurt either. This of course brings up the issue of mixing bare and insulated wire in any ground system so I use the bare conductor for other 80 and 40 verticals. Yet the sum of the three wires is cheaper than buying them individually it seems. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Deployable radials for 80/160M
I found a great source for radial wire at home Depot where they have 100' rolls of 14-2 packaged for under $40. Two conductors are insulated and one of course is not after the easy job of striping them across a bench jig or simple having a second person hold a pocket knife while you pull the conductors apart you end up with 300 feet of higher quality ground radial material. 2 each 100 foot insulated radials due to the VF are very close to 1/4 wave consideration and the the shorter 100 foot bare doesn't hurt either. This of course brings up the issue of mixing bare and insulated wire in any ground system so I use the bare conductor for other 80 and 40 verticals. Yet the sum of the three wires is cheaper than buying them individually it seems. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 6/24/2014 2:57 PM, Jeff Woods via Topband wrote: I've been doing the same thing with similar wire for several years. It works. Some of my radials are even salvaged from Cat 5 cable - pretty thin, but they do the job. I've found they are much more rugged when deployed as twisted pairs though. Lately, I've been supplementing the radials with rolls of 2 to 3 ft. wide by 50 ft long chicken wire. The stuff is about $5 a roll at the farm supply store. I'll be trying it out on 80m for field day next weekend - just 6 to 8 rolls as a radial system for an HF6V multi-band vertical. It deploys easily and rolls up quickly. -Jeff / W0ODS From: rich kennedy via Topband topband@contesting.com To: topband@contesting.com topband@contesting.com Sent: Monday, June 23, 2014 11:23 AM Subject: Topband: Deployable radials for 80/160M Hello, I'm now able to use a couple acre parcel for a new 80/160M shorty vertical (80'); however, I can use this land only between Nov and May. For radials I'm intending on using a #22 stranded hookup wire, 300v and wondering if this particular wire would be suitable for spooling out the ~90 foot radials then respooling them up several months later. Expected power = 1KW; Number of radial ~ 40. Any hints appreciated. 73, Rich, K3VAT _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Rig Question
On 6/19/2014 1:30 PM, Carl wrote: ** Perceptions, pressure, freebies all play into the picture. I wont disagree the K3 has a good receiver, especially for CW but GOOD DXpedition/contest ops have contended with worse for decades and set new records I remember when Chip, K7JA, paid me a visit in the early 80's carrying along a new Yaesu FT-101EE and broke all records in the ARRL SS by winning for the first time won both the Phone and the CW in the same year as first place high scorer. Much of this can be chalked up to a very good operator, second to a good location and rare multiplier, and lastly to the radio. The purists at the time teased Chip's use of an inexpensive rice box as the FT-101 was called back then. Few would even list today such a radio as something they used. Herb Schoenbohm., KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Rig Question
Trent, I have a TS-2000 here which is used almost exclusively for Remote rig contest operation of NP2P. I would never use it for a main station radio because of the difficulty of the man menus and sub menus that one must navigate through. I would highly recommend the Icom IC-7410 (a step up from the IC-746 Pro) that although it does not have provisions for a separate antenna input for RX like the TS-2000, it is a much easier radio to operate with excellent front end and DSP performance along with an ATU built in. For RX antennas I used the DX-Engineering RTR-1 which allows me to switch in a bank of 12 Beverages via an old Palomar pre-amp. The RTR-1 also provides an interlock for amplifier keying for additional front end protection of the external antenna input. Last month I purchased a new Yaesu FT-450D for SO2R applications but that radio did not have front end protection of any sort. It was render useless during the first few minutes of the CW WPX contest. Although the TS-2000 has 2 meters and 70cm capabilities, I still would not want it in front of me in a contest on 160 or any other HF band. There are way to many buttons to press to get some changes to the parameters in the heat of a contest. Press the wrong key sequence and your amplifier stops keying and you spend a half an hour trying to figure out why. The concept of learning what to press and what not to press by trial and error is not my idea of a user friendly radio. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 6/14/2014 5:51 PM, Trent Fleming wrote: One of the reasons I belong to this group is the experience and expertise of the operators on here. I have a question about my next step, in terms of radios. This is not necessarily a 160m question, but it does affect Topband. I currently have FT-950 Yaesu. Upgraded through some horse trading from TS-690s. Love the DSP and having 100w on 6m. I need better coverage on VHF, so am considering older ICom (746 non-pro) or TS-2000. Have even looked a the Icom 9100 though it is a bit pricey. If I replace the FT-950 with one of these rigs (I'm leaning TS-2000) I would have these criteria. 1) Maintain or improve DX capabilities on HF 160-10m 2) Add separate receive antenna jack for receiving loop or beverage 3) Add 2m and 432 with a transverter friendly rig. If I can't get decent DX coverage with one of these, I'd have the option of keeping the FT-950 and getting the 746 or a used TS-2000 Here's my main question . . . are any of you TopBanders using TS-2000 as your primary HF Dxing rig? Thanks in advance, and 73, Trent N4DTF _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: AM broadcast tower and 160m dxpedition
A Delta Loop is probably the least noisy of anything you can hang off an AM tower. I tired both slopers and a Delta Loop here (corner fed) and there and the noise was significantly lower on the Delta Loop for weak signal reception. The Delta Loop here had a slight total slope to it to try and minimize inter-coupling to a 300 foot insulated AM tower. Herb, KV4FZ On 6/10/2014 12:17 PM, Mike Furrey wrote: I would hang a delta loop off of that tower very easy to tune and match with a 1/4 wave length 75 ohm coax. You don't have to worry about complex matching systems or ground. BUT it is noisy on receive. 73, Mike WA5POK On Tuesday, June 10, 2014 9:25 AM, DALE LONG dale.l...@prodigy.net wrote: Hi Dado: I agree with you. Thanks to advice from AA1K, I built a sloping dipole at 200 feet for 80m in HH7-land. I was really loud into EU and USA with only a borrowed TS-50. We are still looking for operators for the HH2 160m dxpedition Dec1-Dec8. 73 Dale - N3BNA P.S. I am forever sad about the time that I tried a sloping dipole on 160m from HH7. It was the last day of my trip. We finished the antenna after dusk and put it up. It was my chance to be loud on 160 and make many people happy (I even had an argument that i should not do this because it was in a remote area and we had to fly at 6:30 AM). So it was Friday night and I tuned around 1812 and there I heard SSB signals..then all the band was full of SSB signals. W1 stations working W2 stations and W3 stations working W4 stations. I could not break the pileups. I could not get any answers to my CQ calls. My one night to be on 160 with good antenna was lost because of the SSB contest! From: Dragoslav Balaban d...@prijedor.com To: 'Carl' k...@jeremy.mv.com; g...@ka1j.com; Topband@contesting.com Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2014 7:02 AM Subject: Re: Topband: AM broadcast tower and 160m dxpedition hi all, As I can can see in EZNEC, simple model, Tower 2 Ft over average ground, 242 Ft high, best and simplest solution is to put sloping Dipole, K8UR style, Arch shape, from top of the Tower, Gain in dipole direction can be as much as 3.84 dBi at 17 degrees Vertical angle, one Dipole toward EU 60-90 degrees, and maybe other to west 270-300 degrees, that would cover all 360 degrees , with F-S 90 degrees less then 3 dB difference, but 90 degrees from HH north is NA, south SA, and thats close-almost local, so should be no problem... 73 gl,looking forward HH , would be new one 160m hi dado E74AW -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Carl Sent: Wednesday, 26 February, 2014 01:44 To: g...@ka1j.com; Topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: AM broadcast tower and 160m dxpedition Make them shorter and they will often do well over tidal marshes but not over open water. For a 240' tower Id suggest gamma feeding it up at the 1/4 wave point and use 4 elevated radials. It the AM BCB radials are installed they will make an excellent ground screen but do not connect them to the 160M feedline. Carl KM1H - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: g...@ka1j.com; Topband@contesting.com Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 5:24 PM Subject: Re: Topband: AM broadcast tower and 160m dxpedition That's not so surprising Gary !! te Way the Beverages and similar slow-wave antennas work is that they depend on the lossy GND underneath for their operation, so a salt marsh would not be a very beneficial GND structure under a Beverage! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Gary Smith Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 5:09 PM To: Topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: AM broadcast tower and 160m dxpedition My Inv-L is on a salt marsh on Long Island Sound in Connecticut I ran two bidirectional 860' beverages over the salt marsh. I had terrible results with the beverages, very noisy and hardly any improvement over the Inv-L, much of the time the Inv-L was more effective on Rx. With that, my experience of beverages salt marshes says to avoid this route. I ended up with a HI-Z Triangular array for Rx and it works very well at the same location. Gary KA1J No, I don't believe 240' is too high - especially if the tower has a base insulator! It would be so close to 1/2 wave on 160, that it could be fed very well as a 1/2 wave radiator on 160, either via a parallel tuned tank or a 1/4 wave of perhaps 450 oh ladder line. A 1/2 wave radiator wis an excellent transmit antenna, and, because of the high feed-point impedance can be driven against a very modest ground arrangement Like you, though, I believe they would do well to put up some terminated loops, or perhaps a Beverage (or 3?) for receive antennas! A 240' vertical would, I think, be a VERY noisy receive antenna. If they put up a KAZ terminated loop that only
Re: Topband: How Increase 160m power on FL2100z
Is the input circuit properly matched? Herb Schenbohm, KV4FZ On 4/19/2014 7:47 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: I think we must do something on the anode coil for better Q or add some length, change diameter?.. or other things ..?! The only real tank circuit issue is range of the tank components used to adjust the matching. Some amplifiers run outside optimum capacitor adjustment ranges. Are any of the capacitors bottomed out? Is the load all the way at full mesh? What is the grid and plate current compared to other bands? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: A35
Jim, What Alexey was referring to was DX-peditions in the Pacific (FT5ZM was the Indian Ocean and produce some interesting antipodal paths favoring the Midwest ) and I would agree with Alexey that most operations in the Pacific have been very hard to work or even hear on TopBand from this area. There were some exceptions perhaps due to serious dedication to locating near the beach with excellent RX antennas as well. They would include K9W and T33A. Also W8A made some effort to make the ellusive American Samoa possible to work for me for a new one. One of the classic mistakes with many of the Pacific DX-peditions is repeated my some over and over and that is the look at the darn Grey Line tool on their laptops to decided for them when they fire up on Top Band for East Coast stations. This is normally 1 hours after my Sunrise here in the Eastern Caribbean at 64.7 degrees WL so a contact is not possible. More recently TX6G by coming on at his sunset, by design for *all* of NA resulted in many contacts. Even though I can work across the Pacific to ZL3IX (14,000 km) with ease any morning we try, anything in between at half the distance is a totally different story. At least by Pacific DX-peditions coming on Top Band at *their* sunset IMHO it is more NA QSO productive plus they have propagation to Western Europe often for well equipped stations who are often waiting and hoping to get in their log for a new one. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 4/13/2014 3:04 AM, Jim Brown wrote: On 4/12/2014 4:29 PM, ALEXEY OGORODOV wrote: BTW pretty much every single pedition to the Pacific recently have not performed well on low bands. You must have slept through FT5ZM. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Antenna question
Floating the shield may even make it work better? Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 3/28/2014 9:23 AM, Tom W8JI wrote: Has anyone on the reflector ACTUALLY tried two wire audio twisted pair for a 2 wire, two direction Beverage antenna. If yes, how did it work ? Notice any added directional properties? There is no reason why it won't work or why shielded wire won't work with proper transformers and wiring. The only potential issues are losses as a transmission mode and the impedance change in transmission line mode when wet. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: A CFL Bulb Issue
With the utility rates in the Virgin islands now at .52 per KWh I have started to use candles for dinner and its nice. Out side on the house and even on beverage supports, so I can find them at night, I used the solar powered single self contained unit 3 and 8 white light led rechargables. I have the even detachable so when I want more light in the house I just bring a few in. On eBay they sell out of China (where else?) for about $20 for a pack of four but they really work. Here in the VI so many people are leaving the grid, especially businesses so they can afford to stay open. All major hotels produce their own power on St. Croix and hundreds of homes are using solar panels and some wind turbines, either full time or part time.However the government owned power system is now proposing to support the imposition of an off the grid tax for previous customers that leave the grid the depleting their revenues stream to pay for bonds which paid for past profligate spending. It is sort of strange but the same government that runs spots on the radio the tell consumers to conserve energy now wants to charge you a tax for doing so. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 3/25/2014 3:48 PM, Barry N1EU wrote: Google seems to indicate that they don't ban CFL bulbs in Green Banks WV, but maybe they should. 73, Barry N1EU On Wed, Mar 26, 2014 at 6:34 AM, Bruce k...@myfairpoint.net wrote: Had originally installed 26 watt CFL's to replace 100 watt filament type. Many noise problems as time passed. Have now replaced all with Halogen 72 watt soft white. Still have some power saving, but no noise from them, so far. 73 Bruce-K1FZ www.qsl.net/k1fz/beveragenotes.html When a CFL fails it is invariably the electronic ballast that goes - often breaking down (arcing internally) under the high voltage. ... Joe, W4TV On 3/25/2014 1:37 PM, Steve wrote: these CFL bulbs can generate some strong RF noise just before going out. Mack - had a similar issue here several years ago...s9+ buzz throughout the longwave band for a month. Steve / VE7SL Mayne Island, BC WEB - The VE7SL Radio Notebook: http://members.shaw.ca/ve7sl _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Need some 450 ohm ladder line
James, Did you check with Wireman as they sell by the foot for reasonable prices? Herb, KV4FZ On 3/19/2014 9:13 AM, James Rodenkirch wrote: Does aanyone have a roll/spool of 450 ohm ladder line they could unroll 20' of and send to me? I jist don't want to have to order 20' of the stuff and pay the high price! I'd certainly reimburse you for the cost and shipping..reply off line if you can help..tnx. 72/83 Jim R. K9JWV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Legality of Circumventing Commercial Maritime ISP Services??
Mike, That is correct about shutting down your radio in foreign ports where permission to operate has not be granted. In some countries they will cease the boat and thrown you in jail. Also you may wish to address the proliferation of bogus call signs on sailboats such as this case EL0 and the ham bands are full of ZB2, ZD9, VS6, ZC4 VP2E calls signs used on U.S. flag vessels. Unless international maritime law has change recently, such usage is clearly in violation of International Law. Doesn't the law on the vessel follow the flag? Most amateur should know this rather than being enablers for the MM scofflaws. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 3/17/2014 10:09 AM, mstang...@comcast.net wrote: Herb, I agree that one should obey the rules but you should not chastize all users because of the offenses of some. I used to cruise in the Bahamas in the late 1980's. The incidence of illegial opertion witnessed by me was rather low. You infer that so many are not even legally licensed. Maybe the percentage went up but I am suprised this is so with the advent of satellite services. The subject of the original post concerned the Legality of Circumventing Commercial Maritime ISP Services by using Amamteur radio. The offenses you mention are in territorial waters. You cannot use Amateur radio in territorial waters unless you have a reciprocal license from that country. Is it legal to use Commerical Maritime ISP Services in territorial waters? I believe you have to use local land or cellular based services for communications from thes waters. Mike N2MS - Original Message - From: Herbert Schonbohm herbert.schoenb...@gmail.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 21:48:08 - (UTC) Subject: Re: Topband: Legality of Circumventing Commercial Maritime ISP Services?? Mike, The issue with cruisers using the ham bands is that so many are not even legally licensed or if they are have no permit to operate in the ports and harbors where they are visiting. Most of the islands in the Eastern Caribbean do not permit third party traffic of any kind. So the cruiser scofflaws falsely claim they are Micky Mouse to avoid suspicion. Across the Caribbean island you can leave the territorial waters of one country and cross into the territorial waters of another. When you hear amateurs in the states running a marine radio service on any band you normally hear a litany of illegal practices. Just listen to the content of the phone patches and you will quickly see this is true. When you follow the narrative on the link below you see that EL0BF is not a valid amateur license but rather a pirate call. This raises another issue as the sale boat Fiesty Lady is a U.S. Registered vessel under the flag and laws of the U.S. The mere idea of just self assigning an amateur sounding call for your sailing experiences is wrong. But in this case we have someone who is not by his own admission in immediate danger but rather chooses to use amateur radio as his communications for a trans-Atlantic crossing. This not only places him in peril for not having the proper communications equipment for such a journey but deprives him of a vast world wide system of marine communications on frequencies that are monitor by other boats that may be only a hour away. IMHO amateur respecting their hobby must not be enablers of this nonsense. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: EZnec - 4nec2 - MODELING THE 1/4 SLOPERS.
IMHO a wire 1/4 wave length long wire should preferably be electrically connected to the tower and fed from the bottom of the slope against a good ground system. AM stations that have done this in emergencies report good results.In fact some consulting engineers were so impressed after making F/S measurements they have tried to get this method approved as a simple way to take advantage of the directional qualities in the direction of the slope instead of the expense of a two tower array and phasers. These stations needed only a few db's of cancellation of the rear side of the tower. Of course the FCC said not because this method was too unorthodox for them to deal with. But the concept does work with a slight bump in favor of the slope direction. This is merely a way of shunt feeding a grounded tower that can allow for the slant to be brought close to the ham shack where an ATU or matching network can be placed. Herb, KV4FZ On 3/8/2014 10:41 AM, Tom W8JI wrote: Has anyone modeled the 1/4 slopers? Perhaps the Alpha Delta DXA? The pattern and performance of a 1/4 wave sloper is extremely dependent on the tower and what is on the tower, the guy lines (if uninsulated), and even how the tower is grounded. There are very common cases where it won't work at all, cases where it works fairly well, and everything between the two extremes. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: EZnec - 4nec2 - MODELING THE 1/4 SLOPERS.
Jim.You hit on a good point with a 1/4 sloper that it should be some distance, in your case 5 feet, from the tower at the top or high voltage end. Having the top right at the tower seems to deteriorate the performance overall as many who have tried this seem to underscore. What you have presumably are two verticals with an a periodic reflector which is your tower. Having switchable gain both on RX and TX and some F/B is great. I am glad you confirmed this with both NEC and on the air tests. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 3/8/2014 2:38 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 3/8/2014 9:08 AM, Herb Schoenbohm wrote: IMHO a wire 1/4 wave length long wire should preferably be electrically connected to the tower and fed from the bottom of the slope against a good ground system. Herb, That depends on the height of the tower. I have two sloping wires on opposite sides of my 110 ft tower (with SteppIR and 2M long Yagi on top) that are INSULATED from the tower and each fed from the bottom against four radials elevated about 20 ft. The tower is grounded and has a dozen or so quarter wave radials. The wires are held 5 ft away from the tower at the top by a 10 ft section of 4-in PVC conduit. One faces to 70 degrees, the other to 270 degrees. NEC predicts the same gain of 2-3 dB with F/B of about 6 dB, and that's about the way they hear. I feed one or the other, with a stub in the shack that opens the feed of the antenna not being driven. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: AM broadcast tower and 160m dxpedition
Half wave verticals have been very disappointing to me over the years when I had the tall BC towers in my backyard to play with after midnight on 160. I have had much better result in hanging 1/2 wave center fed slopers of of high towers. Radio stations seem to prefer if they have extermely high towers like KSTP in St. Paul to split them with an insulated section and feed them as a Franklin design and pick up some additional gain along the ground. Some designs do not required two stacked half waves but achieve significant height by folding back the top and bottom sections with a cage or in fact using a top hat and an equivalent on the bottom. The proper phasing section is mounted in a box at the center split and the feedline is inside the tower. Why this should work any better than a straight 1/2 wave, as it seems to is available perhaps in those who can model and compare the two. It seems however that topbanders who expect good results with a bottom fed 1/2 over a traditional 1/4 wave over a good ground, seem to come away disappointed like myself. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 3/25/2014 3:56 PM, Charlie Cunningham wrote: No, I don't believe 240' is too high - especially if the tower has a base insulator! It would be so close to 1/2 wave on 160, that it could be fed very well as a 1/2 wave radiator on 160, either via a parallel tuned tank or a 1/4 wave of perhaps 450 oh ladder line. A 1/2 wave radiator wis an excellent transmit antenna, and, because of the high feed-point impedance can be driven against a very modest ground arrangement Like you, though, I believe they would do well to put up some terminated loops, or perhaps a Beverage (or 3?) for receive antennas! A 240' vertical would, I think, be a VERY noisy receive antenna. If they put up a KAZ terminated loop that only requires one overhead support, they could steer it around with ropes and weights on the ground. The KAZ is like ON4UN's FO0AAA 160 receive loop. 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Richard Karlquist Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 3:38 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: AM broadcast tower and 160m dxpedition Congratulations on your adventure. In the past, I have seen some of these AM tower efforts ruined by lousy receive conditions. I suggest you get an advance team out to the site to check out the noise level etc. and maybe put up some temporary beverages, loops, whatever and LISTEN on them. Use WWV and WWVH on 2.5 MHz as a beacon. Others can comment on whether 240 feet is too high. Rick N6RK _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Low band noise
Bruce, I can't answer your wind turbine noise question on TB but while we are on the subject and a bit off topicin the 70's a 250KW wind turbine with metal blades was installed on the island of Culebra midway between Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. As the blades were rotating they would shock modulate the TV signal reception of WAPA-TV and WKAQ on channels 2 and 4 causing what appeared to be hum bars rolling across the screen. I ironically on a calm day the interference would disappear. It was also determined that aircraft radar from the naval station Roosevelt Roads using the El Yunque Mtn installation and USN installation on Crown Mountain in St. often complained of refracted blips caused by the leading edge of the blades...at least that is what I was told by hams that worked their. I think today and for that reason non metallic blades made from composite resins are required for the larger systems. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 2/11/2014 6:33 PM, Mike Waters wrote: Does it sound like an internal combustion engine idling, with little change in sound or frequency over time? I hear that from time to time and have no explanation for it. 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Tue, Feb 11, 2014 at 2:58 PM, Bruce k...@myfairpoint.net wrote: At times it seems to have a rhythm like a motor. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: DX Summit connection problems
I use DX-Summit at times to monitor topand activity. But for some reason the connection is rejected via my normal ISP. However when I use by Android on ATT there is no problem connection. The same ability to connect is via another computer hooked to a different IP address. One local ISP is blocked and the other isn't. I just hope someone can help me with this as there must be some simple solution. On the DX Summit site I can not find a help or contact person to send my problem to. Thanks, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Pixel Technologies BevPro-1 Beverage antenna
I would sure like to know the evaluation of the team at FT5ZM of this coaxial cable antenna by Pixel. At first there were reports of not hearing good on the low bands. Several posted remarks that different RX antennas were being constructed for better reception on the low bands. I would like to know what works and what doesn't before I buy it and FT5ZM would be a good test drive. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 2/5/2014 1:00 PM, Tracey Gardner wrote: ? I am considering the purchase of a Pixel Technologies BevPro-1 Beverage antenna and wondered if anyone on the list has used one? http://www.pixelsatradio.com/product/the-ultimate-reversible-beverage-antenna-system/ There are a couple of good reviews on eham.net, but I'd welcome some more feedback before making a decision. Many thanks Tracey G5VU _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Pixel Technologies BevPro-1 Beverage antenna
I would sure like to know the evaluation of the team at FT5ZM of this coaxial cable antenna by Pixel. At first there were reports of not hearing good on the low bands. Several posted remarks that different RX antennas were being constructed for better reception on the low bands. I would like to know what works and what doesn't before I buy it and FT5ZM would be a good test drive. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 2/5/2014 1:00 PM, Tracey Gardner wrote: ? I am considering the purchase of a Pixel Technologies BevPro-1 Beverage antenna and wondered if anyone on the list has used one? http://www.pixelsatradio.com/product/the-ultimate-reversible-beverage-antenna-system/ There are a couple of good reviews on eham.net, but I'd welcome some more feedback before making a decision. Many thanks Tracey G5VU _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: circular polarization on 160m
Is there not a built in loss of 3db on both TX and RX with a CP antenna compared to an Axial mode antenna? Not that it makes that much difference on RX but 3db is 3db. Another issue with CP I understand is the difference between LHCP and RHCP for space communications is supposed to be infinity for space communications. I do not know if the same rules apply for HF with skip involved. Although I have seen this on terrestrial UHF paths when the screw sense is reversed and a complete loss of signal results. I would also presume that the construction of a good CP antenna for 160 would be very difficult to perfect. I have seen some antennas for AMSAT work attempting to produce a CP type antenna by have two interlaced yagis, one vertical and the other horizontal, one space 1/4 wave in front of the other, and with a quarter wave delay line at the feed point separating each. If this could be replicated between a TB horizontal vertical and a horizontal dipole some distance away...I just don't know if this would even end up providing a CP wave front. If they were far enough apart maybe there would be some diversity gain./ Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 2/4/2014 1:03 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: Circular polarization cannot have an advantage on average, or over time. The problem with circular polarization on skywave is the wave has no set rotation, level, or phase. The circular antenna would be fine combining two phase-quadrature fields with a certain lead or lag (depending on rotation or sense), but the arriving signals at HF would be random. They would be just as likely to subtract as to add. Worse, the noise from both systems sums. If you use circular polarization, you are guaranteed a reduction in signal-to-noise the vast majority of time for a small improvement a fraction of the time. This is why microwave links and HF links that have random paths or multiple paths vote with signal-to-noise detectors to pick a single polarization that is optimal at any moment of time. With line-of-sight the signal could have a set, known, repeatable, rotation. With things multi-pathing and bouncing all around, there is no phase or rotation consistency, so they have to vote to the best polarization and ignore the other at any instant. There could also be a system that detects phase and corrects phase to add, but it would have to be a smart system with signal phase correction. In the systems we have, the only practical combining is through stereo diversity. Your brain has to learn to process independent identical phase-locked channels from two different antennas. It does not even have to be polarization differences, spatial differences alone will be enough on HF and MF. For example, two identical Beverage antenna systems here separated maybe 3 wavelengths or more will have entirely different fade times. Signals can be completely out on one, and still workable on the other. Your brain can then learn to sum the independent signals in each ear (if they are phase locked) and make maybe 3-6 dB improvement when both ears have signal, and not be distracted by the left ear noise if only the right ear has signal. Phase coherence is not critical, but lock is. This goes partly away if the channels are not locked. Even 0.1 Hz unlock is deleterious. This ALL goes away if the channels are a few Hz or more out of lock. The advantage goes away if channels are combined, except for seconds or minutes of luck followed by equal times of bad luck. I can sit here and flip switches to parallel channels, either into a receiver or on the output, and these results are repeatable. I can combine dipoles (which by the way are only horizontal broadside to the dipole, tilting to vertical off the ends) and verticals, Beverages and loops, Beverages and Beverages, verticals and Beverages, and it all repeats over and over the same way. I can shift phase between channels bringing wide spaced or cross-polarized systems in matched level and phase, and a few seconds to a few minutes later it is back at 180 out or one channel is adding nothing but noise. I'm afraid just like in commercial systems with scattering or multipath propagation, a circular polarized system is a net detriment. 73 Tom - Original Message - From: Carl Luetzelschwab carlluetzelsch...@gmail.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 12:16 PM Subject: Topband: circular polarization on 160m I hope everyone has had a chance to work FT5ZM on topband. With respect to circular polarization on our HF bands (3.5 - 28 MHz) and on 6m, theory says both the ordinary and extraordinary waves propagate thru the ionosphere with pretty much equal ionospheric absorption. Thus circularly polarized antennas can provide an advantage. Some of the real-world examples I'm aware of have been documented by G2HCG on 10m (in the old Communications Quarterly), by the original K6CT on 20m (in the RSGB Bulletin) and by WA3WDR on 75m (a web paper). I'm sure there are others out
Re: Topband: Bad tower shunt capacitor
Wouldn't 1 5/8 hardline make a better HV RF capacitor? Herb, KV4FZ On 1/29/2014 11:34 PM, HAROLD SMITH JR wrote: Jamie, The VSWR would change because the arc would change the impedance at the Arc point. From perhaps several hundred or thousand ohms to near Zero during the Arc.. 73, Price W0RI Thanks Steve: Not bad - I may try that ! :) The question in my mind was if there was an arc outside the caps, why would the SWR change ? Anyway, I may be missing something. I haven't been inside the cap box at the tower for many months so I'll get into it - may be something easy. 73, Jamie WB4YDL Sent from my iPad On Jan 29, 2014, at 7:11 PM, wb6r...@mac.com wrote: Have someone hit the key while you watch which one flashes over. Steve WB6RSE _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160 condx last night
I had a similar experience here with trying to DF a 120 hz noise source on my TB Beverage antennas selector falsely believe the antennas would give some indications where the noise was in relation to the shack. The location was right at the Palomar Pre-amp which allows my Beverages to perform better on higher frequencies. However it was not generated by the pre-amp at all but rather by a switching supply use to power it. (My other model of the same unit has it own internal DC supply and it was clean.) By changing to a small linear DC supply solved the problem. Later by using a small hand help AM radio I was able to zero right down to the unit itself which was ironically clean except under load. Some the tests we worry about about first on noise soures should be the ones we carry out first like powering the RX from a battery and pulling the power to *all* items internal in your house. IMHO ersatz switching DC power supplies are probably the worst low frequency offenders and ironically the easiest to cure. Yes I knowI used to carry a sledge hammer around in the trunk of the car while listening to 1690 AM until one day in the Minnesota winter night a concerned neighbor called the police to report some lunatic was beating on power poles on his street. 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/26/2013 1:22 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 12/26/2013 6:22 AM, Shoppa, Tim wrote: If anyone has any insight for how 120Hz impulse noise can just disappear below a certain frequency, that might help me find it. Several logical reasons that can happen. 1) The antenna radiating it is more effective at higher frequencies. 2) The directivity of your RX antennas with respect to the source is such that they reject the noise on those lower bands. 3) It's not broadband, because it's electronically generated. This is true of virtually all switching power supplies, and many electronic sources. The noise from my SteppIR controller and its switching PSU wipe out some bands and not others. The PSU is worst on 12M, bad on the bands around it, but not so bad lower in frequency. Now that I've replaced it with a linear supply, I hear the controller on the160M that's 25 ft away, so I have to turn it off when I want to work 160M. 4) The source you're hearing on 40M might not have been active when you were on 160 last night. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Insulator problems
My 160 meter ATU uses an old military box with the original behive feed thru insulator that is starting to crumble. I haven't been able to find a pocelin feed thu of that size (about 3'') and the ones on e bay are very small. Any suggestions for a source? Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/17/2013 3:09 PM, w9...@aol.com wrote: When I lost my last set of monster buss bar ceramic insulators to breakage due to a broken guy line on the tower, I replaced them with artificial wood. I used 4 X 4's. It machines easily and works flawlessly wet or dry with full power even in very high voltage conditions. The material is actually made from recycled milk containers, so the factory told me. Anyone who wants a picture, I'll send it to you. 73, Barry W9UCW _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Insulator problems
Thanks Tim. I might try one of these if I can get them to send them in single unit quantities. The one I currently use is a bowl type but about 3 inches on the flange. I guess for a 160 ATU I should be able to punch a new hole through the metal box and get it to work. The one presently there was all that was left of a motorized 2-30 Mhz automatic ATU for which I just retained the Vacuum Cap and put in my own 6 inch flat wound AM coil. It was made in Ft. Lauderdale, FL over 40 years ago but the beehive feed through was made from some glazed bead like material which must soak up water like a sponge although so far has not failed in my tower's wire cage feed tuning box at the base. I had even considered replacing it with a small necked rum bottle glued into the original hole. But the idea of a large porcelain replacement would look so much better. 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/17/2013 3:30 PM, Shoppa, Tim wrote: Some of the old-school ham radio suppliers sell/stock Daburn porcelain insulators, or you can get them direct from Daburn. e.g. Daburn 10-52: http://www.daburn.com/10-58ceramicfeed-thruinsulators.aspx Tim N3QE From: Topband [topband-boun...@contesting.com] on behalf of Herb Schoenbohm [he...@vitelcom.net] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 2:19 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Insulator problems My 160 meter ATU uses an old military box with the original behive feed thru insulator that is starting to crumble. I haven't been able to find a pocelin feed thu of that size (about 3'') and the ones on e bay are very small. Any suggestions for a source? Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/17/2013 3:09 PM, w9...@aol.com wrote: When I lost my last set of monster buss bar ceramic insulators to breakage due to a broken guy line on the tower, I replaced them with artificial wood. I used 4 X 4's. It machines easily and works flawlessly wet or dry with full power even in very high voltage conditions. The material is actually made from recycled milk containers, so the factory told me. Anyone who wants a picture, I'll send it to you. 73, Barry W9UCW _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: KP5 the DXCC
My point David was that precisely the same rule applied to Water Island as to KP5 but without whatever political clout was used to get Desecheo in only a few here did not have the intensity of your efforts as an ARRL insider as SCM for Puerto Rico ringing the bells at Newington. He is another oblique example: When the FCC (a ham decided this) to convert KV4 to KP2 it was strange that all those in KP4 got to keep their calls. Imagine if Johnny Johson (W3BNS) had changed Puerto Rico to KV3 instead. You see the political pressure under such a move would have been awesome. We in the VI got intercoursed, while you in KP4 were specially favored. These things do not happen in a vacuum. Herb, KV4FZ On 11/20/2013 12:39 AM, Dave Novoa W4DN wrote: Herb, who ever told you that *lied*. No one in P.R. intended that. I was the ARRL Section Manager and I would have known. Desecheo made it to the DXCC list under the separate administration clause of the DXCC rules (later deleted), the same rule used to include Kingman Reef, Kure Island, Sable and Saint Paul Islands. All jurisdiction over Desecheo was transferred to the U.S. Navy (and in1976 to Interior) during the WWII, and used as a bombing range. The government of Puerto Rico has no authority over Desecheo. Any crime committed in Desecheo is a federal matter, tried in U.S. Federal Courts. Mona Island is part of the city of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. There was no way it could qualify for DXCC status. If Water Island was considered by the DXAC and not included in the List, was because it failed to pass the test of the rules. Do you think that the DXAC, the HQ's DX Awards Committee and the General Manger (K1ZZ) would accept been blackmailed by me or anyone else in P.R.? Anyone who has any doubt of what I am saying may contact Bob, W9KNI, who was the chairman of the DXAC at the time of Desecheo's inclusion in the DXCC list. Dave _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: DXCC Desk?
Len, Kosovo at least counts in the CQ WW and other contests as a new entity. Z60WW (not Z60W) from the Republic of Kosovo will be 15M single band in the CQWW CW. OH2TA, Pekka, will operate using the Z61DX antennas. Kosovo counts as a separate country multiplier in the CQWW. QSL Z60WW ia OH2BH. It really is just a matter of the DXCC committee giving a wink and a nod on this one. IMHO they must eschew all political considerations and not just some of them. For some strange reason the disputed rocks in the south China Sea are countries and Kosovo is not. This makes no sense at all. It gives the impression to some, every time this happens, that the fix is in and somebody writes the rules to fit the circumstances. Just like in the upcoming ARRL 160 meter contest somebody decided that the Virgin Islands and all the other US territories including K9W are not DX for that contest. So rather than going by logic and fairness these decisions are made for political consideration by the establishment. In the case of the ARRL contest my former neighbor VP2VI was a DX station but me being a few miles away in the USVI have no chance of even being in the top 100. Why did this happen? Bob. VP2VI (W0DX) who lived on Tortolla made sure he was included. He was ARRL president at the time and a big 160 meter DX-er and knew who to talk to at HQ. Unfortunately HQ could not bend their strange exclusionary rules anymore to include all DX but just some while they turned their backs on us in the U.S. Territories. Now in this contest DX is prohibited from working DXjust wait for the bedlam that issues when KH8 comes on during the contest and they have a good opening to Europe and Asia in the middle of the ARRL 160 meter (DX) contest? The ARRL 160 contest rules are just plain dumb. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/18/2013 12:27 PM, Lennart Michaelsson wrote: Hi Herb et al, In Europe Kosovo is considered to be an autonom and independent unit. In fact both the EU and NATO did bring the forces necessary to bring the war to an end. Why, you might ask after all this suffering, is that this nation still is not recognazid as a separate entity to this very small world of the global assembly that Ham radio really is? Len SM7BIC -Ursprungligt meddelande- _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Fw: DXCC Desk?
David, This was the explanation given to me by several reputable KP4's when at the same time KP2A and myself were tryng to get clearly seperate administration status for Water Isand which until recently was not part of the USVI but a solely owned entity under the Navy Department and then Interior. Water Island was given a total lease hold to Mr. Walter Phillps from Interior. Desecheo rather than Mona Island was a political decision and originally and maybe even today all landing permission resided with a FWL person in Mayaguez. The attempts by some PR hams to join the IARU as a voting member oddly enough was withdrawn when Desecheo became a seperate DXCC entity. So yes IMHO originally KP5 was a reserve not for birds alone but for some select amateurs and it appears to me the fix was in. The heavy hand of the PR based FWL came in later. Mona is not a DXCC country but Desecheo is. That is what is so puzzling. Water Island OTOH has been since transferred to the USVI. But all this work took place, as you pointed out, 30 years ago. Strangely enough KP1 and KP5 are two of the rarest DXCC entities. Most likely they are waiting for someone with the right connection with FWL to go there. I have done KP1/KC4 back in the late 60's but KP5 has always been off limits. Just like KP5 is held for some, Aves Island remains the private DX preserve of the Radio Club Venezuelano and it is only 200 miles south of St. Croix. 73 Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/19/2013 10:59 PM, Dave Novoa W4DN wrote: Herb, Where did you get that information: ...hams in Puerto Rico had decided to join the IARU as a distinct and unique entity apart from the U.S. and the creation of a private DXCC location ...? You know that I was the person who brought Desecheo to the DXCC list and led the first legal DXpedition to the Island. Well, that was over 30 years ago, and this is the first time that I hear that statement. Who decided to join the IARU? When? What evidence do you have of that? Dave, W4DN Ex-KP4AM _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: DXCC Desk?
What is the DXCC Desk anyway? It used to be just Bob White W1CW seated at a real oak desk with stacks of cards and papers and Bob's omnipresent huge Sherlock Holmes handy magnifying glass to look for any alterations. Today I understand the DXCC Desk is no longer a desk at all but is comprised of computers, LOTW servers, and a DXCC Committee, which is tasked by another Committee made up primarily by HQ employees and answer, perhaps, to the ARRL Board of Directors. I think the organization flow chart may even be a mystery inside of an enigma. Perhaps a Kafkaesque relic from some other place. That's how they like it. Now new countries are created and approved for political purposes and real ones are refused for political purposes, like Kosovo and Chechnya.Maybe instead of referring to it as the DXCC Desk perhaps the DXCC Regime would be more appropriate. Mis dos centavos Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/18/2013 9:12 AM, James Rodenkirch wrote: Sheesh, Carl!! I doubt if the ARRL desk is gonna, or even should, weigh in on something they'd have no control over OR would have even an inkling of what went on to cause them to question it! First off, last time I looked, the QSL sent and received is between the sender, in this case me, and the receiver/replyee, the DX bubba AND, most importantly, is based on the notion that both are telling the truth How in the hell would/could the DXCC question that??? They gonna think we both are lying??? NOW, in the case of suspected cheating - me submitting a QSL card, as part of my DXCC 160 package submission for a QSO on 160 between K9JWV and PT0S at 1700Z on any day of the year - I could see them saying Prove it! Hi Hi I am FASCINATED by your mention of a Prove it, Dood via requesting an audio tape of a QSO for validation!! Wow!! 72, Jim R. K9JWV From: k...@jeremy.mv.com To: rodenkirch_...@msn.com; ber...@dailydx.com CC: ve...@sasktel.net; topband@contesting.com; he...@vitelcom.net Subject: Re: Topband: Don't give up AND log who worked the DX b4 and after! Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 20:03:05 -0500 I would think that the ultimate decision is up to the ARRL DXCC desk. In the past if it wasnt in the log it didnt countperiod...no matter who was before or after. Expecting an operator to remember a mistake months later...or his QSL manageris a stretch. This brought about many decades ago of making a tape copy (that shows its age) whenever a new one was worked and a few times having to present it to the DXCC desk to obtain credit. Im not saying you both didnt do a full legitimate exchange, dont get me wrong there. Perhaps someone from the DXCC desk can weigh in. Carl KM1H Original Message - From: James Rodenkirch rodenkirch_...@msn.com To: Bernie McClenny, W3UR ber...@dailydx.com; KM1H Carl k...@jeremy.mv.com Cc: Doug Renwick ve...@sasktel.net; Top Band Contesting topband@contesting.com; KV4FZ Herb he...@vitelcom.net Sent: Sunday, November 17, 2013 6:25 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Don't give up AND log who worked the DX b4 and after! As Bernie says, Mistakes happen. Just to re-iterate --- they DID copy my call correctly!! I heard them come back to me with K9JWV 599! THAT's why I put in the log. I wouldn't have logged the QSO if he came back K9JJV 599!!! I'd still be there calling them!! Hi HiI'm ok with the notion it's not a valid QSO IF they got my call wrong in the exchange, which they didn't! Them mucking up my call entry in the log is a different matter. 72, Jim R. K9JWV From: ber...@dailydx.com Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 15:29:18 -0500 To: z...@jeremy.mv.com CC: he...@vitelcom.net; topband@contesting.com; ve...@sasktel.net Subject: Re: Topband: Don't give up AND log who worked the DX b4 and after! Like I said - mistakes happen. If the guy who made the mistake realizes he did so and is will to correct the error that is nothing wrong with that. Bernie Bernie McClenny, W3UR Editor of The Daily DX, The Weekly DX and How's DX? Two week trial - http://www.dailydx.com/trial.htm https://twitter.com/dailydx 410-489-6518 On Nov 16, 2013, at 8:46 AM, ZR z...@jeremy.mv.com wrote: Ive always been under the impression that both calls have to be sent, received, and verified to count for DXCC and other awards. QSO's on 160 are no different than EME when it comes to verification. Unless an audio recording (SSB/CW) is kept to verify a mistake was made in the log the result is still a busted call which also gets deleted during contest log checking. Am I wrong here? Carl KM1H - Original Message - From: Bernie McClenny, W3UR ber...@dailydx.com To: Doug Renwick ve...@sasktel.net Cc: Topband reflector topband@contesting.com; KV4FZ Herb he...@vitelcom.net Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2013 6:08 AM Subject: Re: Topband: Don't give up AND log who worked the DX b4 and after! Ugh - Let me go on the record as saying I don’t like this idea and I wish this can of worms was not opened! Thankfully US stations (and hopefully
Re: Topband: DXCC Desk?
Gents... Amateur radio is supposed to be devoid of politics as much as possible. but the more you dig the worse it gets. I once attended an IARU Region II meeting in Jamaica and was amazed by all the wheeling and dealing going on with DXCC accreditation at the core. That was nearly 50 years ago and it seems not much has changed. I had even heard that the ops at 706T where banned from working any 4X4's but the sharp ops with a wink and a nod just logged VX4*** rather than mentioning anything on the air. Would the ARRL DXCC Desk discredit a single 4X4 in need of this one? I sort of doubt it. At times there are bona fide reasons to make exception. Also the creation of private DX preserves by the ARRL for certain Radio Societies is legend. In fact KP5 (Desecheo) should never have been granted DXCC status when Mona Island which permits visitors was refused. Additionally Water Island, which KP2A fought for for years, was clearly not part of the USVI and until recently administered solely by the U.S. Department of interior. But so the story goes that hams in Puerto Rico had decided to join the IARU as a distinct and unique entity apart from the U.S. and the creation of a private DXCC location was the price the ARRL paid to halt those plans. The DXCC rules have been anything but consistant and have been bent and twisted like a heavily gerrymander congressional district to purposely include or exclude voters of certain just to satisfy some. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/18/2013 3:47 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: Len, Why, you might ask after all this suffering, is that this nation still is not recognazid as a separate entity to this very small world of the global assembly that Ham radio really is? Ask the Serbs and Russians why they blocked Kosovar membership in the UN and prevented ITU from assigning a callsign block, dialing prefix and internet TLD? If the Serbs and Russians recognize the Palestine they could certainly allow Kosovo similar international privileges. Kosovo is recognized by the US as an independent state (see: http://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm) and like the EU the US maintains diplomatic relations with Kosovo. Unfortunately, the DXCC Rules (see: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/DXCC%20Rules.pdf) do not include the US DOS Independent States in the World listing as a qualifying option for a Political (Rule 1) Entity. 73, ... Joe, W4TV _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Don't give up AND log who worked the DX b4 and after!
Great information JimI wish I would have done that many years ago as I worked BS7H in 2007 on 20 CW May 5th, 2007 and the log search shows up nothing. Apart from P5 and Eritrea this is one of three missing ones for DXCC I need. If I had jotted down the proximate contacts I might have been able to have received some help. I know KV4FZ is in the log somewhere but how can I ever get help finding it. I all goes to prove that when working rare DX-peditions there are no rewards by poor record keeping. There hasn't been another operation to Scarborough Reef in nearly a decade and probably won't be for a long time especially with the political battle over disputed islands in the South China Sea. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/15/2013 11:30 AM, James Rodenkirch wrote: JUST received my PT0S QSL (St. Peter and St. Paul rocks) for QRP QSOs on 80 and 40 CW! There is a story behind the 80 meter QSO I want to share... The morning I worked them on 80 I had just had a quick QSO with KN7T about 10 minutes b4 PT0S came on the air. When PT0S came on I callrd them quite a bit. Then, KN7T worked them and I worked them right after him AND I wrote that info in my log...that KN7T worked them just before me. I then went to 40 meters and worked them as well. When I checked their online log I saw the 40 meter QSO but no 80 meter!! I was bummedI sent an e-mail later to one of the team pilots - he checked the log and replied, no K9JWV in the log. A month ago I was checking through my log and noticed that discrepancy and though I'd try again. I e-mailed the QSL manager (fella in Hungary) and one of the team leads (fella in AZ). I went through what happened and told them about KN7T working them just b4 me. They checked, confirmed the KN7T QSO AND found an entry right after with K9JJV They realized the op had made an error and sent me a card for both QSOs!!! So.for those rare ones where you may have only oneor two QSOs...try to keep track of who worked them just prior to OR right after...could make the difference between having the QSL card or not! By the bye: the Operator at the time, a PY fella, sent me an e-mail apologizing for the error...nice of him! 72, Jim Rodenkirch K9JWV _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Blowing diodes on relay switches
On 11/15/2013 2:07 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: Things like this are not rare. Simple circuits can have multiple modes of operation that are hidden from view on a schematic. A page linked on not using MOV's on power lines is similarly narrow focused and tunnel visioned to cure one problem while being completely oblivious to more common issues and new problems created by a solution! Or in the words of H.L. Mencken, For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. Regards, Herb, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Don't give up AND log who worked the DX b4 and after!
Correct Doug, Error creeps in so often with a DX-pedition and so if I did not find my call I would start trying some Russian roulette and plugged in K4VFZ or K4FZ instead, and bingo often there it was. Once from a super rare location I was logged as K44FZ. On CW DXCC K4VFZ has DXCC. (This is not an issued license.) One thing that would be nice would be searches that permit some busted call wildcard searches on the Club Log type data bases at least within a 1/2 hour plus or minus time frame on a specific band an mode. I suggest let the aggrieved amateur do the work rather than the overworked QSL manager. ARRL's LOTW permits this with your uploaded contacts but not the other way primarily to prevent fishing expeditions. Without a doubt there are hundreds upon hundreds of horror stories where a static crash or a tired DX-pedition operator just entered the data incorrectly. The new LOTW upload software even flags mismatch cross band ambiguities that often occur when you are band hoping with some logging programs and the TX and RX frequencies are out of sync and on different bands. I have gone back to 2010 and found nearly 300 errors where the RX frequency and the TX frequency show up on different bands. This is easy to do when you quickly jump bands or modes with a VFO A and B not reset in the software. It might be fine on the radio but the software following is the issue. As a result the QSO apears on your LOTW log but neither you nor the applicant can get LOTW credit for the mismatch. I was able to print out all the mismatched LOTW past uploads and now are re-entering the corrected version at the rate of about 25 per day. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/15/2013 12:52 PM, Doug Renwick wrote: I learned a lesson many years ago where I showed up on a needed band as a NIL. I have more than one callsign and if I need that band contact I will try and work them with both callsigns now. Mistakes happen on the DX end (I know as having been a DXpedition operator) and the contact gets mistyped or accidentally deleted. Simply insurance. Doug Think of all the ways you can hurt yourself laughing. -Original Message- Great information JimI wish I would have done that many years ago as I worked BS7H in 2007 on 20 CW May 5th, 2007 and the log search shows up nothing. Apart from P5 and Eritrea this is one of three missing ones for DXCC I need. If I had jotted down the proximate contacts I might have been able to have received some help. I know KV4FZ is in the log somewhere but how can I ever get help finding it. I all goes to prove that when working rare DX-peditions there are no rewards by poor record keeping. There hasn't been another operation to Scarborough Reef in nearly a decade and probably won't be for a long time especially with the political battle over disputed islands in the South China Sea. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m/80m duoband vertical question
Jim, I have a 80 meter vertical base fed wire T with the top loading provided by a center fed 30 foot horizontal wire to bring the base impedance up a bit. I also support a 40 meter single wire vertical from the same top catenary by fan slopping slightly the 40 meter vertical wire to the top with a dacron rope to reach the top configuration. It works very well and is a super DX antenna on these bands with about 30 60 foot radials laying on the ground. I don't see any reason why a similar configuration would not work on 160/80 meters. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/5/2013 10:27 AM, Jim Garland wrote: My 160m vertical is 79ft high (wire running up a 26m Spiderbeam fiberglass pole), with a capacity hat. Is it workable to put an 80m 1/4 wave wire on the same mast join both antennas at the base, in the same way people make multiband fan dipoles? The idea would be that when operationg on 80m, the 160m antenna would present a high Z, and vice-versa when operating on 160m. I don't have a feeling for how much interaction there would be between the two wires, separated by only a couple of inches. Another option would be to electrically isolate the wires and select one or the other with a relay. If possible, I'd like to avoid matching networks and complicated switching arrangements, because the antenna is 700 ft from my station. Any advice is most welcome. 73, Jim W8ZR _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Nye Viking MB-V-A
What is the model numberthere is not to much that can go wrong with them. You might check at the switches and coil for any bad contacts which normally if not burned can be repaired with a pencil eraser or some very light emery cloth. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/3/2013 11:07 AM, michael kincaid wrote: Got my Inverted L fixed now the tuner has a problem. Anyone around I that works on these tuners? Thanks, Mike w7...@fast.net _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Nye Viking MB-V-A
I had a similar problem with the flat loading capacitors plates burning a hole and failing on my Drake MN-2000 ATU and found some very nice low profile 200pf 10KV mica transmitting capacitors from Bulgaria on eBay for $6.00 each. There seems to be a good supply from the vendor as they are currently listed as: javascript:; * Javascript:; * Javascript:; http://cgi5.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SellLikeItem_trksid=p2047675.l2567rt=ncitem=271275539786 2 200 pF 10kV LOT OF 2 HIGH VOLTAGE CERAMIC DOORKNOB CAPACITORS KVI-3 (???-3) Shipping took only a week and the items fit inside the tuner easily. I used some tinned solder wick to make the connections to the switch as I did not have any tinned braid available. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ. On 11/3/2013 2:16 PM, Charlie Young wrote: I have an MB-V and an MB-IV. The MB-IV experienced a fixed capacitor failure. There is a stacked capacitor bank that was fabricated by Nye using insulating sheet separated by metal plates. One of the insulator sheets broke down. I repaired it myself by unbolting the stack, cleaning up the affected capacitor plates, and replacing the insulator with a piece of teflon sheet that one of my friends happened to have. So far so good on the repair, but I don't need to use the tuners much these days. 73 Charlie N8RR Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2013 13:33:10 -0400 From: he...@vitelcom.net To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Nye Viking MB-V-A What is the model numberthere is not to much that can go wrong with them. You might check at the switches and coil for any bad contacts which normally if not burned can be repaired with a pencil eraser or some very light emery cloth. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/3/2013 11:07 AM, michael kincaid wrote: Got my Inverted L fixed now the tuner has a problem. Anyone around I that works on these tuners? Thanks, Mike w7...@fast.net _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Steady Carrier on 80 CW
From the Virgin Islands they are 59+ on my NW Beverage and weak on my North and West Beverage. I know that is probably not much help but I send the information along for what its worth. Like Merv said the strongest is 3501.6. I am listening to a NA pile up on 3525.5 calling 5J0R and the carrier is equal or better than most of the callers. I would thus assume that these signals are produced by substantial power and good antennas and not some flea powered sea buoy floating around in the Gulf. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/2/2013 12:16 AM, Merv Schweigert wrote: Can hear them here in KH6 land, at least the 3500.9 and 3501.6. the 3503.1 is there also but weak, strongest is 3501.6 antenna to broad to pin point any true direction, but its coming from the east to north east for sure. Merv K9FD/KH6 The signals on 3501.6 and 3503.1 are both SE of me (north Alabama) but I can't locate the direction any closer than that with only a four direction receiving antenna. They are very strong, S9+5 to S9+10, same on either a low dipole or a vertical. They were also that strong even a few hours before sunset. I listened for a while on AM but never heard any modulation. Jerry, K4SAV _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 5/8 wavelength vertical is mo betta than shorterversions??
I learned the hard way with a 5/8 wave insulated self standing tower on to band is basically useless for DX work compared to a standard 1/4 or 3/8 wave vertical radiator. As Tom so knowledgeably pointed sending radiation close to the ground is not helpful except perhaps for a tall tower AM station. If you have this kind of height available for broadcast then a folded Franklin may make more sense. But one of the basic rules of non-Maxwell physics, that so far no one has been able to disprove, and remains an undeniable truth for topbanders: That which work best on 160, works! Now try that one on for size. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 10/1/2013 8:26 AM, Tom W8JI wrote: I certainly agree with Richard Fry from a pattern perspective, although my experience with 5/8th wave antennas and other low angle tall verticals over the past 40 years (and I have had several antennas) is that really low angles on 160 for extended groundwave contacts or DX are utterly useless. If you want a dog of a performer that is good for stuff within 40 miles, use a really low angle radiator on 160, especially one that puts a null at 20-40 degrees. At about 200-220 feet height with flat ground the overall performance of a vertical starts to take a dive. Consequentially, at least on 160 for practical uses, NEC far field is fine. Reaching the ionosphere at a low angle that simply uses up the energy in losses is not a good design goal, especially when the gain is so small and significant energy is removed from more useful angles. Tom - Original Message - From: Richard Fry r...@adams.net To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2013 6:38 AM Subject: Re: Topband: 5/8 wavelength vertical is mo betta than shorterversions?? The radiation toward an elevation angle of 5 degrees shown in the surface wave plot continues in essentially a straight line, to reach the ionosphere. I'm still puzzled by these statements. Its clear that a NEC far-field analysis over a real earth path omits a significant amount of low angle radiation produced by vertical monopoles. Such an analysis always shows zero radiation in the horizontal plane, and not much more than zero at very low elevation angles. But if that pattern was correct, then MW broadcast stations would have no daytime or nighttime groundwave coverage -- which obviously they do. However the NEC near-field analysis used to calculate the surface wave does show that low angle radiation. BOTH the NEC far-field and near-field analyses are required to describe and understand the total radiation envelope of a monopole over real earth. For background, I contacted Gerry Burke in January, 2012 when I was researching the basis for the comments I have been posting here. Probably most will recognize Gerry Burke as the co-author of NEC software, working at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. I sent him the NEC surface wave plots linked below, and asked him, ...would you expect the fields at elevation angles of 1 to 10 degrees in these plots to continue on to the ionosphere, and under the right conditions be reflected back to the earth as skywaves? His reply was (quoted with his permission): The low angle 1/R fields should reach the ionosphere, although perhaps not accurately predicted by NEC, since it does not include the effects of earth curvature and the ionosphere. G. Burke's reply should be conclusive on this subject. BTW, the 2.46 V/m groundwave field shown at 1 km from the WLS tower for 8 mS/m earth in the NEC plots linked below is almost exactly the value measured at 1 km by the newly-retired chief engineer of WLS, who is an acquaintance of mine. http://s10.postimg.org/xq4ngg4hl/WLS_Surface_Wave.jpg RF _ Topband Reflector - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4142 / Virus Database: 3604/6700 - Release Date: 09/26/13 _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 5/8 wavelength vertical is mo betta than shorterversions??
I was very fortunate to have a 308 insulated Blau-Knox self supported tower in my back yard with 120 radials all 250' long, in the later 70's and early 80's and when the radio station was off the air at midnight able to match this monstor well with a tuned circuits at the base. Results were very discouraging as I expected it to rock and roll on top band and it didn't. Instead I hung a 1/2 wave center fed 45 degree sloper from a rope to the top with the tower as an untuned periodic reflector and zounds! Being able to work 10 watt G-stations (I think this was their power limit at that time) and many other Eu stations made me convinced that a 5/8 wave vertical, even over an excellent ground wasted energy at none optimal radiation angels. Their appeared on the books a very high angle lobe which is not useful for DX plus significant radiation below 10 degrees. I am not sure where the too low angle is on 160 but something was definitely wrong. The sloper changed all that. I also believe, and I hope I am right, that an excellent efficient vertical height for top band is a 3/8 wave vertical. It is also very easy to feed with just a series capacitor to tune out the inductive reactance. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/26/2013 10:52 AM, Mike Waters wrote: A lot of hams on 160m have been similarly shocked. :-) 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 9:37 AM, Niko Cimbur ac...@yahoo.com wrote: We were shocked to find that the existing 1/4 wl performed better than the much taller [5/8 wave] Vertical. _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: and KDKA
What some broadcaster won't do to get a signal their market. There is an AM station out on pilings in Biscayne Bay or at least there once was. I don't know how it could have survive Hurricane Andrew if it did. But the station and four tower array was put there to avoid interference to a protected Cuban clear frequency and still be able to blanket Miami. The transmitter room was in a sealed container with positive air pressure to keep out salt air. Engineers would arrive each day my boat to make the require on site inspection. I think the power was brought out from shore with an undersea armored HVAC three phase cable. Remember at the time broadcasting was big business or as some in the industry used to call it a license to steal. But today with all the proliferation of FM and digital services there isn't much left for AM except News, Sports, Talk, and Information on the market price of pork bellies. Today anyone with a computer and an internet connection can be an instant broadcaster and be heard world wide. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/16/2013 7:13 PM, Richard Fry wrote: With respect to U.S. AM broadcast stations, Bob k2euh wrote: Another source of this kind of information is the AM Pattern Book, published by the National Radio Club. They just published a new edition this year. The Check it Out link on the NRC website shows U.S. AM station locations and patterns for 560 kHz. However, the physical location they show for the transmit site of WIND (560 kHz) appears to be in Illinois (see clip below), rather than at the location shown by the FCC for the WIND array -- which is in Indiana, SE of the intersection of I-94 and IN Hwy 912. The FCC coordinates for WIND are 41° 33' 54.00 N Latitude, 87° 25' 11.00 W Longitude (NAD 27). Didn't check for any other errors. http://s13.postimg.org/pcpbguj2b/WIND.gif RF _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: and KDKA
In the 60's I used to do a jazz show on on a 1570 Khz radio daytimer station in Golden Valley, MN which is now KYCR. I remember a station which claimed to be in Del Rio, Texas but actually had a super high power AM station located across the border in Mexico.. I think the call sign was XERF but the studios were located in Del Rio which was later claimed to be a illegal cross boarder operation by the FCC. The frequency 1570 was listed as a Mexico Clear Channel which had an awesome skip signal that would just before sunset wipe out the show I was doing in as close as 5 miles away. I think this was also the station used by the infamous Dr. Brinkley to sell snake oil in the 30's and also the home of Wolfman Jack...I posted a piece from Wiki on this In the 1930s in Villa Acuña https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Acu%C3%B1a, now Ciudad Acuña, the border blaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_blaster XERF-AM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XERF-AM made its home. The radio station was built by Dr. John R. Brinkley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Brinkley from Kansas. Dr. Brinkley claimed to be able to cure male virility deficiency with goat gland transplants. Dr. Brinkley wanted to promote his male enhancement operations and used the radio station for that purpose. Because of the purpose of radio XER and what it promoted the station was closed in 1939 by the Mexican government. In 1947 the government of Mexico licensed XER-AM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XER-AM, the super-power border blaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_blaster run by Ramon D. Bosquez on 100 kW. They used the old XERA facilities and sold its airtime to American Evangelists broadcasting in English to the United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States. In 1959, Ramon D. Bosquez and Arturo Gonzalez formed the Inter-American Radio Advertising, Inc. in Del Rio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Rio,_Texas, Texas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas. They ran the broadcasting in Del Rio while the license rested in the hands of Mexican officials. They boosted the power to 250 kW. This super station was where famous disc jockey Wolfman Jack https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfman_Jack between 1962 and 1964 became known. XERF-AM is currently under control of the Instituto Mexicano de la Radio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instituto_Mexicano_de_la_Radio and plays Spanish-language programs and music. Any corrections on what I remember about XERF would be appreciated. I also remember some old timers in Europe would listen on 1570 to see if the propagation on topband would permit contacts to the Midwest. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/15/2013 9:13 AM, Mike(W5UC) Kathy (K5MWH) wrote: On 9/12/2013 11:48 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 9/12/2013 4:06 PM, Herb Schoenbohm wrote: the nation's station which was WLW for sure Another interesting point -- WLW was a 50kW clear channel station, and one of a handful that had their frequency to themselves at night for all of North America, which is why the Commission might have considered licensing them for 500kW. As I recall, the other might have been WOAI, on 1200 kHz. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Hi Jim: For Years I have believed that WSM, 650, was in that category. Goodness knows, We can't miss the GRAND OLE OPRY 73, Mike, W5UC _ Topband Reflector _ 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: Nested Loops
The concept of exciting a insulated driven element for a split seed like for a 18 and 21 mhz beam has been a successful innovation for many years but I would like to inquire if the same principle will work with delta loops. I have a corner fed inverted Delta Loop for 160 which is used for high angle reception and for those Sunrise and sunset openings where the incoming signal seems to peak better on such antennas. My feed is with RG-8U coax at a corner and the match is excellent on topband. What I would like to attempt is to put an 80 meter full wave closed loop inside the 160 meter loop and not have a feed line connection at all to the 160 loop. I think this maybe very complex to model but perhaps someone has done this before I go through the laborious process of stringing the wire while trying to keep it equidistant from the fed 160 meter antenna. The reason for not wanting just to join the feed points together is that the 160 inverted Delta loop is that it is such a great low noise antenna even though it can't out perform my Beverages during most of the time but I don't want to screw this up. Any thoughts on this? Thanks, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: WD1A wire
Larry try eBay that is where I bought my last 2500 feet for 28 bucks but be sure to not get it tangled as that is a mess or long runs. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 8/28/2013 3:32 PM, Larry Molitor wrote: Anyone know of a good source for WD1A field phone wire these days? Best I've found so far runs abut 60 bux shipped to WA for a 0.5 km spool. Thanks, Larry - W7IUV _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Dual band shunt-feeding tower on 160/80
Jeff, You will have problems with attempting to shunt feed a 100 foot grounded tower on 80 since it approaches a grounded half wave radiator and just to long on 80. The solution for this is to make a decoupling sleeve on the tower by elevating the 80 meter feed up the tower and bring down several skirt wires at the 40 foot level that are a least a 1/4 wave long on 80. You can bring them to the ground and run the extra lengths out parallel and insulated from the ground. This will allow you to shunt feet above the skirt attachment point. The only problem with this is that it will impact the 160 mete feed and you may have to have a HV switch to disconnect the unused band. So report that just connecting the 80 meter coax braid up the tower and fanning out some radials at that point can work. But again why screw up a perfectly good 160 meter vertical when you can hang 80 meter slopers from it with less impact and not so much hassle? Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 8/25/2013 11:43 PM, Jeff Blaine wrote: A buddy of mine has a 100’ 25G tower and wants to run it on both 160/80. I’m thinking a par of shunts will work for that? If you have done this, I would be interested in your comments on the general implementation. Thanks! 73/jeff/ac0c www.ac0c.com alpha-charlie-zero-charlie _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Use of CAT 5 cable to feed a Beverage
I have just been given a 1000' roll of shielded CAT 5 cable of seemingly high grade. I would like to feed a far away start point to a 900 foot Beverage but not exactly sure on how this will work. Do I tie all cross pairs together? I understand there will be a need to have a small toroid to match the Beverage itself and see the advisability of floating the shield there. But do I ground the shield at the station end to try and create a Faraday shield to reduce common mode pick up or does this only work at AC and not at RF? Just curious Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 8/13/2013 3:16 AM, Jim Brown wrote: On 8/12/2013 2:10 PM, JC N4IS wrote: 50/75 BALUN Thanks for the detailed post, Carlos. BUT -- please let's use the right words to describe things so that people understand what you're describing and how it works. I strongly suspect that at least some of those things you are calling a balun are really a simple transformer -- that is, a primary and a secondary with magnetic coupling between them, and probably on a ferrite or powdered iron core. If it's a transformer, let's call it a transformer. Likewise, if we have a common mode choke formed by winding a coil of the transmission line, it is a common mode choke, not a balun. Using the word balun confuses things, because that word is used to describe at least a dozen very different things that I know of. When we use the word balun, it's a magic box that few hams really understand. When we use the right word, most hams have a chance of understanding what it does in a circuit. :) Yes, there are arrays of common mode chokes that can be used to transform impedance, and there are transmission line transformers of various sorts that can do that as well. BTW -- your discussion of phasing between elements of an RX array causes me to add an important post script to my advice that a perfect match is not required. When ANY passive network is used to produce phase shift, the source and termination impedances DO matter. The tricky part, though, is knowing what the input Z of the RX is, and if you're doing something like a phased array using phasing lines that end at the RX input, it might be a good idea to actually measure input Z and the antenna Zs with a VNA. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Vertical vs inverted L question/opinions
Why is an inverted L apparently so popular on 160 when it wastes so much RF as a cloud warmer? It is so easy converting an inverted L into a Marconi T. The flat top can be 130 feet fed exactly in the center by a single drop wire to the ground with the appropriate network. A 65 foot drop wire comes very close to 50 ohms and any reactance can be removed with a series capacitor. Apart for the cancellation of high angle radiation this configuration is some distance away from support structures. So many try to configure an inverted L by using their metal towers as supports for the fed end. This sometimes means you are just shock exciting the metal tower and your feed impedance results may be all over the ball park. I challenge anyone to find a situation where an Inverted L will outperform a properly configured Marconi T with an ample ground system on either. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 8/11/2013 5:48 PM, Don Johnson wrote: I have not seen a length mentioned for the inverted L, so thought I would note that by making the inverted L longer than a quarter wave moves the high current portion up the vertical. I had good luck with an inverted L about 3/8 wave long. By good luck I mean DXCC plus some on 160. I still am trying to improve. In any event feeding the inverted L with a series capacitor made tuning a breeze. By going longer than a quarter wave made the feed point inductive and raised the R value closer to 50. 73, Don N4DJ Sent from my iPhone _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Fwd: Dielectric effect on bare vs. coated wire
Thanks Frank and Uli, Today I was able to remove the insulation of the quad driven element wire(s) and test the results. Zounds! Amazing change as everything came back to normal. The Three element Cubex Quad is now broadbanded ( as when I first installed it with #14 bare before i made the mistake of restringing it with #16 covered solid) with the 1:1 bottom at 14.150 rather than at the lower band edge. You guys were spot on with you observation. It is strange that I have never in all these years seen any reference to this quad building although I have seen this effect mentioned with 160 meter BOG radials. Now I guess I will wait for a long boom bucket truck as stripping the insulation of the outside elements would normally require taking this monster down. I have thought of every possible way to do this by not having the expense of taking everything down and/or a boom truck with a 80 foot reach and spinning the outer elements as the tower climber (my son) spins the boom and I strip the wire. My neighbor even suggested using a propane torch on the end of a pole but that doesn't seem reasonable. Shortening the wires was not an option because they are all strung on pre-set holes in the fiberglass. Perhaps a 3% long reflector loop and director loop might not cause a pattern reversal, which appear to be the case from all the preliminary tests. But i still eventually want to get things correct. 73, Herb, KV4FZ On 7/26/2013 8:13 PM, donov...@starpower.net wrote: Hi Herb, Dielectric loading causes insulated wire to have a lower velocity factor than bare wire. The velocity factor of your particular wire can be determined experimentally. This is exactly the same as the dielectric loading that occurs when ice covers our quads and Yagis (I sure you're forgotten about that in the Virgin Islands!) . Ice increases the VSWR and in extreme cases reverses the directivity of a Yagi. This is exactly the same as what you're experiencing with insulated wire. All of the loops (reflectors, driven elements, directors) in your quad are now resonant at a significantly lower frequency than intended. As far as I know, the only was to solve your problem is to shorten all of the wires or replace them with bare wires. 73 Frank W3LPL _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Wireless Internet RFI Issue
Unfortunately if you have DSL2/2+ the frequencies coincide with the 160 meter band. Even if you have straight DSL you can have problems when you transmit on 160. Tom is right about the ferrite not being a solution as I have wound the incoming lines on many large coils and nothing seemed to worked. I ordered the parts for the DSL filter that is on Tom's wonderful site but I also found on line a filter that killed my DSL problem cold. The Westek Z100B1 inserted in the telco in coming right at the DSL modem for me was the answer. It is available on line by just putting the model number in your search engine. Now when a quest op is using my stations on the highers bands during a contest remotely from the states, my TX on 160 doesn't shut down the Remote Rig set up like before by swamping the DSL or making it slow down on data packets. This is for transmitting RFI issues on 160 but it may also isolate noise from the DSL incoming...if that is an issue apart from switching supplies and even routers themselves. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 7/29/2013 2:11 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: That almost always is a switching power supply issue. The normal mode of excitation is differential between the power mains and other cables. My neighbor's system bothered me. The BEST solution to this is a lightning protection type outlet strip that (if it does not have them) you add capacitors to. I used a system that had F connectors, eithernet, telco, and power. This is thousands of times more effective than throwing beads at it and just hoping common mode impedances are so low the beads do something. 73 Tom I recently had an internet wireless antenna/unit installed as our DSL was painfully slow. Now I notice RFI in the AM broadcast band and into the 160 meter band. There may more RFI issues on other bands however at this point I haven't noticed anything. I see that Fair-Rate makes a series of New Low Frequency Suppression Cable Component ferrites, though I am not sure what I should purchase. It looks like that I should be looking for a certain impedance for a particular frequency. Any help would be appreciated. 73 de Brian, KG8CO _ Topband Reflector - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2013.0.3349 / Virus Database: 3209/6529 - Release Date: 07/29/13 _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: DSL vs Wi-Max
Dave, I also have Wi-Max to run most of the computers but I have found that even though I have 5 meg service the WI-Max is all over the ball park on latency as the sector I am on is over played. During a contest and for remote operation I have found this unacceptable. The DSL I have is 1.5 meg up and down every time and all the time and with Remote Rig allows perfect 35 WPM keying from the remote op on the mainland (in NYC) without the drunken keying syndrome the Wi-Max has. Fortunately I have end to end fiber to NYC from my house. My point here is DSL's have their place if you are running a remote station. The call we have been using was KP2MM which has been recently change to KP2P so as not to confuse ops with KP2M which is on for most of the contests. 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 7/29/2013 1:59 PM, Dave Harmon wrote: Recently I made an improvement at this QTH after having Sprint 3g which was not even a jokein my opinion, those guys should be arrested for false advertising. I got an Apple IPhone5 and use the 'personal hotspot' feature to provide ATT 4G LTE service to my (this) computer. I got rid of all the outside antennas, cables and equipment that captivate me to a desk. NowI am fully portable and it costs less as well. My service with ATT has 10gb of data per monthI do everything and go anywhere with this setup on the internet and I haven't even got close to the 10gb limit. I just tested the speedit is just over 20mbps download. There are no modules or anything else like cables, antennas etc that connect to the computer.the IP5 and the computer talk over the WIFI built into the computer. I'm very happy with its performance and convenience.and there is absolutely no interference from/to this setup on any band or on broadcast AM radio which I listen to a lot. Highly recommended. Dave Harmon K6XYZ[at]sbcglobal[dot]net Sperry, Ok. -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Brian Sarkisian Sent: Monday, July 29, 2013 12:15 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Wireless Internet RFI Issue I recently had an internet wireless antenna/unit installed as our DSL was painfully slow. Now I notice RFI in the AM broadcast band and into the 160 meter band. There may more RFI issues on other bands however at this point I haven't noticed anything. I see that Fair-Rate makes a series of New Low Frequency Suppression Cable Component ferrites, though I am not sure what I should purchase. It looks like that I should be looking for a certain impedance for a particular frequency. Any help would be appreciated. 73 de Brian, KG8CO _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Don W6AM
While I was attending the infamous DX event at Visalia, CA a big convertible rolls into the parking lot a the Holiday Inn. I think it was a Buick or Cadillac, not sure. But I clearly remember the W6AM license plate and a very large whip on the back bumper. I sheepishly introduced myself to the Don and noticed a Vibroplex strapped down in the center counsel but I never had the courage to asked to peak in the trunk or see what the number of alternators on the fan belt. Even on 40 CW from the West Coast as W6AM/m Don was King. The only thing today we have close to that are the feats of another Don (KH6DX) who I understand accomplished a 160 meter DXCC from his car. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Spam:*******, 160M Rhombics
Tim, A Rhombic for 160 meters would need to be at least 250 feet high on all four support structures to avoid it being a big cloud warmer. Plus having 2 wavelengths on each leg makes this taking up a an extraordinary amount of real estate. The other drawback is that it only one direction and it is easier getting the gain in all directions by what you put on the desk. A transmitting 4 square or 8 circle array gives you more plus switchable directivity. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 7/26/2013 11:07 AM, Shoppa, Tim wrote: Anybody on this list have a Rhombic for 160M? W1AW used to use one for bulletins and code practice on 160M but I think it came down years ago (1989?) I seem to recall pics in CQ of a big California desert DX'er who had what was essentially a radial array of rhombics for maybe 160M or 80M. _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Somebody mentioned Quads
I need your help on this: Recently my top mast snapped with the passage of Hurricane Chantal. Amazing the fiberglass three element Tri-band Cubex Quad survived with the spreaders bent like noodle soup into the tower guy wires. I took the quad down and decided to restring it since the #14 bare stranded did not look that good. I replaced all the quad loop wires with exactly the same measurement but used #14 solid insulated wire. Everything remained the same but now the quad has the lowest VSWR at the lower band edge and no longer covers 14 or 21 entirely without a 3:1 VSWR. Ten meters however works fine with a broad dip at 28.3 which is the same as before. I have made four unanswered calls to Cubex's voice mail with no reply. This brings up my question could the velocity factor of bare stranded #14 copper to insulated #14 solid have that much impact on the driven element is frequency and bandwidth. I can probably restring the quad driven element on the tower on each bandorshould I simply feed it with a gamma match on each band. My plan this weekend is to take the MFJ 259B up the tower and measure what is there on each band. I bought a Cubex Quad so the entire bands could be covered without the VSWR default on by Alpha kicking in. On the antenna I use a 3/4 wave RG-11 matching transformer. I had the also a 3/4 wave RG-11 matching piece on 15 but when i went to sa direct 52 ohm coax feed I can operate on CW . However the VSWR shoots up to 2:1 above 21.100. I can not shorten the 15 meter section anymore with out the whole thing looking like a Hex beam. This brings up the question: Can I put in a series capacity (I could start with a variable) small door knob to shorten the self resonant frequency of the loop. I have never seen this done before but if I cancel out the residual inductance and have the impedance near to 50 ohms plus or minus i could reduce the VSWR at least? I know I should have done all this on the ground before raising the monster quadbut I thought if I kept all the measurements the same the antenna would perform the same. Thus your help and suggestions are needed. Thanks, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ P.S. To get this back on Top Band subjectwith the quad I lost nearly 25 per cent of the top loading my A4S provided before on 160 meters. Something to consider when deciding what to buy as my only top loading now is the quad's 18 foot boom. I still have a 30 foot stinger on the top but even connecting the quads feed lines with a ground strap to the boom did not amount to being worth the effort. My tuning box at the base of the cage feed just does a bit more adjustment for a slightly less efficient 160 meter vertical. _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Inv-L joy
On 7/23/2013 4:55 AM, Gary Smith wrote: My Inv-l came down again. Went out to see what happened and another storm weakened tree came down it's upper branches brought my antenna down with it. I really need to use a better wire than 8 strand computer cable for the antenna. This CAT-8 wire comes down at least 2-3 times a year. Since I use a spud gun with fishing reel attached to get the antenna up through the trees I am limited in what wire I can use to get up there. I don't have pulleys available with what I have to do the wire is subject to the constant friction of moving limbs the insulation wears away soon enough. I hesitate to buy expensive wire as once the insulation wears away there will be arcing to a branch. Years ago I used to use old telephone wire, the heavily insulated solid conductor zip cord like drop wire but that's not available to me any more. Any suggestion as to a good rugged wire? 73, Gary KA1J _ Topband Reflector Gary, WD-1A military field phone wire is strong, lightweght and very inexpensive. It is available on E-bay. Be sure to use a spring and a counter weight at one end to absorb the movement of the branches and reduce the friction. This method will also mitigate somewhat the tendency for a tree limb to envelope the wire and cause additional problems with wind and moving branches. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lightning QRN season?
Probably in early September when the frontal systems causing the intense QRN are significantly altered by the polar air masses pushing them south of your QTH by 500 miles or so. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 7/23/2013 12:26 AM, Mike Waters wrote: Anyone have a guesstimate as to when the QRN will begin letting up a little on 160? 73, Mike www.w0btu.com _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: PHASING SHUNT FED TOWERS
Phasing towers and even detuning structures in AM broadcast radio systems is not without a multitude of variables which as Tom points out require so much testing, a good calibrate FSM with reliable check points, cable measurement with expensive equipment, on and on. not taking these steps may be a mistake to assume any benefit. Just phasing two exsiting metal structures in your back yard may make you feel good but not produce the theoretical values by the book of model. So I have suggestion of an old remedy that works well. It is three phased verticals without any phasing coax and switches. it is the classic Bobtailed Curtain which resembles a elongated letter M consisting of three 1/4 wave drop wires from a full wave flat top which is fed by a center drop wire at the ground with a matching network or Hi-Z to Low Z transformer or taped line section. This antenna has a bi-directional broadside pattern with cancellation of high angle radiation from the flat top. The predicted gain is about 6db. Wooden poles are recommended unless of course you could have two insulated steel towers properly spaced for the support. The base voltage at the bottom of the drop wires is very high and not many tower insulators unless kept very clean would be exempt from flashover with high power. Years ago I had one of these hung from tress on 40 meters and it always out performed a two element commercial yagi at 75 feet on 40. You might want to try one on 10 Mhz from a couple of trees or wooden posts and see what the classic Bob-Tailed curtain will do for you. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 5/31/2013 10:12 AM, Tom W8JI wrote: I have a system with two gamma matched towers that works pretty well. I did all I could to make them appear to be similar. The gamma dimensions and capacitance are identical - and I used a loading wire on top of one of them - making it longer and longer until the match was similar. Results are heavily dependent on the particular gamma match system and tower resonance, because the gamma acts not only as a transformer, but as a transmission line. Sometimes, through luck, it works. Sometimes it does not work at all. The key in all of this are current phase and current levels in the towers. All good topband ops know how to put up a beverage at night. _ Topband Reflector All good topband ops know how to put up a beverage at night. _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: New beverage
Good quality flooded RG-6 laying on the ground (BOG) might be an easy install like before contests at some locations. However I have no idea on how this would perform compared to an elevated version. If the directivety is maintained and the S/N ratio is still usable then such a concept would be worth considering. Such an installation might also be considered for DX-peditions where supports for a normal Beverage are just not available. Even for a short term use a normal consumer grade 1000 foot roll of RG-6 is competitive with the same amount of #12 or 14 THNN and certainly more competitive than 1000' of higher grade ladder line. It is nice however having a vendor who offers a unique of the shelf solution and it would nice to get some feedback on A/B checks with the conventional Beverage. Herb, KV4FZ On 5/16/2013 1:57 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: After looking at their literature it appears to me that this is nothing more then two beverages, one in each direction, with the feed unit being, perhaps, a couple relays. I don't see the merit in using RG6 as the beverage wire: its heavy, will need more supports, and compared to other solutions, perhaps more expensive. And the fact that the feed unit can be placed anywhere along the antenna? I must be missing something clever because all that would seem to do is make one direction's wire longer and the other shorter? Since the antenna is a transmission line, with suitable end and center transformers, the feedpoint can be placed anywhere and the full length used. With different transformers, any reasonable type of transmission line can be used. All good topband ops know how to put up a beverage at night. _ Topband Reflector All good topband ops know how to put up a beverage at night. _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: short Elevated Radials for 160m V160HD
Remember Frank that if you would use insulated wire and merely lay it on the earth you may be able to take advantage of the velocity factor which would shorten the need for a longer wire which is elevated. The closer you wire is on top of the earth the more pronounced this effect should be. It may also depend on the ground beneath the wire but some users of this method claim that a 90' wire laying insulated on the ground works as well as a full length quarter wave elevated one. Also you might consider laying down a ground screen of 50' by 50' and measure some base impedance before and after. Of course there may be no advantage to using both as one may defeat the purpose of the other. Again depending on the soil conditions, ground screens are said to be an adequate alternative to full sized ground systems. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 5/9/2013 3:28 PM, dl8yhrfr...@aol.com wrote: Hi all... I do have vy limited Space here on the ground.. My Radialfield now is some 60 to 80 Radials between 5 and 20mmost? of them below 10m? and they are some 2 to 3 cm in the ground.. I can do 3 Elevated Radials some 2m high with a leng of 30 to 40m.to get them in resonanz i can fix them with a ltle coil at the ends maybe... Anny have experence can know whats a better solution? Anny comments are vy welcomeits summertime so time to rebuild the Titanex Vertikal and to improve the setup.. Hw? V 73 Frank DL8YHR.de All good topband ops know how to put up a beverage at night. _ Topband Reflector All good topband ops know how to put up a beverage at night. _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Telephone C-wire for radials and Beverages
I wonder if regular telephone company C-wire would not make great radials either buried or on ground. I do not know the impedance but it would also be a stronger replacement for WD-1A for directional Beverages as well, although I am not sure what the 40% conductivity comment all means, I would think it would be more suitable to resist corrosion and the dissimilar metal issues than any aluminum product. Just curious, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ (800) 238-7514 www.ptsupply.com Drop Distribution Wire Aerial, Self-Supporting C-Wire RUS/RDUP Spec PE-17, IMSA Spec 29-2 For single circuit aerial distribution rural networks. C-Wire is easily installed utilizing standard hardware and installation procedures. Conductors Two 40% conductivity copper-clad steel Insulation/Jacket Black polyolefin compound extruded over the two conductors in parallel to form an integrated oval configuration. A raised rigid tracer on one edge of the jacket provides conductor polarity identification. Part No. AWG Conductor Resistance Ohms/M-ft, 68°F/20°C Breaking Strength Finished Wire (lbs) Standard Outside Diameter (in) Approximate Shipping Weight (lbs/M-ft) Standard Reel Length (ft) 2C14W1I292 14 8.90 1,100 .155 x .283 37 5,000 2C12W1I292 12 5.70 1,800 .17 x .317 _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: tx5k ops
Some of the TX5K operators are indeed the best, especially on 160 being able to dig out so many Europeans in the past nights and even 4Z1 last night. Yet there are a few operators that defy logic like on 75 meters this morning who showed up on 3.785 at 11:00Z where I was waiting for him with excited anticipation of finally being able to add Clipperton on 75 SSB. TX5K was 20 over and I immediately got a reply KV4FZ are you a one? Then after a short lecture the operator proceeded by numbers starting with 1. Unfortunately by the time the operator got to number group four he had dropped into the noise and was impossible to work him. Do I have a legitimate beef? I sure think so. Observation: A good DX-pedition with experienced operators never goes by the numbers! My point here is that the best DX-pedition could have operators that are not knowledgeable and do not realize that propagation does not go by numbers. In so many cases with Pacific island rare operations the also may rely on the wrong information like using the gray line software that shows the opening possibilities to the East Coast as a time to move from 80 to 160 meters. There are some very active DX-ers in the Eastern Caribbean at 64 degrees West longitude that end up in total daylight when that change is made. St. Croix at point Udall near my house is the furthest eastern point of the U.S. North America...the sun will not reach the East Coast U.S. for nearly and hour. So in short there are good reasons for taking along seasoned TB and Low band operators on these Macro-Dx-peditions who know at what time the paths exist. Their skills and abilities are renowned and remembered for years after the QSL card is put in a drawer. These are never ops who feel required to ever use some sort of by the numbers' scheme. Such a process seems always to be counter productive as the numbers roll call runs right through a nice path opening where you are totally precluded from even having a chance to get in the log Chances to work someone on the low bands at time have openings measured in minutes and seconds to some parts of the world. No I am not whining about this operation as had another op been behind the mic on 75 SSB he might have realized that by the time I get down to the number four group the Virgin islands will be in full day light and will not have a chance. Some experienced ops know and sense this and also know that a 1 could be in Alaska and a 5 could be in Rhode Island. In the case this morning the operator when finished with the 5:group just jumped to 8 leaving 6's and 7's, who might been waiting for over an hour, to sit on their hands. Number groups make no sense at all and defy logic and real time propagation. Numbers have nothing to do with either location or propagation. My question does my friend Allan 8P6AH/W4 get three bites from the apple or should I sign KP2/KV4FZ to get double the time at it? Again my pont is that this rolling the numbers game really irks me and I hope other might agree. In short a numbers routine is a horrible way to waste an opening and not a sign of a season operator who can handle a pile up properly. 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On Mar 6, 2013, at 6:58 PM, N7DF wrote: Those guys are great I just worked them on 160 with only 1 watt output! Now I am going to try with 100 milliwatts _ Topband Reflector _ _ Topband Reflector
Topband: How does KP4KE do it with 20 watts?
Really, if his claims are true KP4KE worked 49 countries in two nights during the CQ 160 meter contest running only 20 watts. He claims he is using for the states a double bazooka at 85 feet. His signals on RBN were consistently stronger than my 1.5 KW to a 1/4 wave vertical with 60 radials. In fact he was stronger here than Perdro, NP4A who has an excellent low band setup with ample power output. My point is that if there some sort of magic antenna that can do this I think it would be important to do an forensic analysis of it's structure. As far a I can understand such a feat is unprecedented on 160 meter SSB and TB'ers might be interested in examining such an an antenna that you can hang at 85 feet and be the top dog on the band. Please let me know when you know if there is true RF magic on 160 meters. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ Call: KP4KE Operator(s): KP4KE Station: KP4KE Class: Single Op LP QTH: Puerto Rico Operating Time (hrs): 14 Summary: Total: QSOs = 508 State/Prov = 49 Countries = 49 Total Score = 318,794 Club: Rhein Ruhr DX Association Comments: [log removed from comments] Hello, from Aguadilla PR *Working the contest with 20 watts was fun.* my Antennas are 4 el. vertical beam looking to EU and two inverter L and a double bazooka at 85 feet high to the USA but conditions no good to USA but to EU very good opening both day my goal was 50 countries but only made 49 and 49 State and Canada No activities from central america and a lot of islands in the caribbean with no operators. I receive very good reports from EU station. I think I was the only KP4 Station early on band both days that help a lot Sorry for delay in send this report but no internet in shack. See you in next contest 73 DX and remember put your money in ant. no in power hi hi. Good ham operator no need power. _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Soliciting suggestions on our receive antennas for 5X8C
Dave, You signals are great on 160 night after night with QSB of course. You might wish to try some spider wires hooked to you ground both at the feed point and the termination point. Four or five wires about 60 feet or more fanned out in the RX direction should stabilize the need for a ground. BTW I have two Beverages your way and the 900 foot does very well but the 500 foot is worthless. The same results on 80 meters but not as severe. The spider approach will help in establishing better earthing stability on both ends of the Beverage. any wire will do even pieces of CAT 5 cable with the wires twisted together and laying on the ground. If you have additional ground rods of even pieces of rebar you can add to your ground in a five foot distance from the main termination. Improving the grounding on each end may help your situation. Also make sure your Beverage run is not near any other noise source or vertical antennas. At least a 100-200 foot separation may help in your circumstance. On behalf of all those you have worked and the hopeful still trying, the greatest respect for putting Uganda on the air on TB and concentrating on 160 as you have. So many DX-peditions just give up after the first problem working stations on TB and look for a higher Q-rate on higher bands. Your devotion to 160 is awesome. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 2/10/2013 5:05 AM, Dave wrote: Hi All, My team is currently on DXpedition to Uganda 5X8C We have erected receive antennas here in 5X with very poor success. W e have used the same antennas at other places with great success. Please read below and if you can offer some constructive suggestions please reply to me and copy reflector. davek...@yahoo.com We are experiencing some weird problems with our receive antennas. We have a beverage about 540 feet long, terminated properly about 5 to 6 feet over the ground. I have built plenty of these at my house, they all work. This one here does not. It hears noise but no signals. Once In a while you can hears signals. So put you're receive antenna hat on. We suspect the ground is the problem. We are located on the shore of Victoria Lake at a resort. The soil appears to be sandy but with fresh water lake nearby. 200 feet. The beverage is in the clear away from large metal objects. With a 510 ohm termination we measure about 235 ohms when looking across the termination resistor. Using resistor theory essentially we have two resistances in parallel. The wire , termination transformer, ground rods and ground are about 500 ohms. Having not measured this at home I'm not sure if this is too low or too high of resistance. We erected a Flag 29x14 feet mounted just above the ground. This is purported to be ground independent. Our tests last night indicate this antenna is not hearing very well either. We are soliciting suggestions. We only have a small amount of wire and other antenna stuff, no Home Depot or Radio Shack around. Perhaps we can build a ground independent antenna that does not care what it sits on. We have or can source some wooden poles to make wire radiators. The 5X8C team thanks you in I Thank You in Advance, Dave Anderson, 5X/K4SV Sent from my iPad in Uganda _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Spam:****, Re: 160 knocking out modem
Ken, Some DSL service use frequencies in a higher passband then the standard DSL modem uses. See W8JI's site for a detailed explanation on this. My Westek TC-Z100B1 did virtual miracles for me after trying many other solutions. My system is not a bundled ADSL-2 so the passband and cut off frequencies are most likely different. Herb, KV4FZ On 1/23/2013 8:02 PM, Ken Eigsti wrote: The one major problem with the DSL is that every time I would key on 160 the DSL would just shut down and loose connectivity completely. I tried building filters, toroid wraps and even shielded tel-co wiring but anything over 50 watts on 160 cause a disconnection using the DSL service. I tried four different DSL modems, still no improvement. Then Dan, K3ZXL suggested I try a filter made by Westek Electronics, their type TC-Z100B1 telephone DSL line filter, which I ordered right on line from their website at www.westek.com. The item cost only $8.50 with shipping cost of $5.95. After installation all the interference which used to crash the connection is gone. Shipping cost were $5.95. Now running a full KW on 160 is possible after plugging this filter between the wall jack and the DSL modem. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ __ Hello A word of caution regarding the above solution to 160 getting into and shutting down a modem. I ordered the TC-Z100B1 and put it in line and it does not allow DSL to pass. I called Westek and talked to the head engineer (John Martin) and he verified it would not work as it will not pass DSL. My DSL comes from Century Link (Formerly Quest) over my phone line. 73 Ken W0LSD _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: DSL TB IX Cured
Remember Jeff to put a 2-3 inch toroid (type 31 I believe) ring wound and populated with as many turns of telephone drop cord that will snuggle right up to wall out and put the WESTEK filter between that and the actual DSL with a short lead. My 160 meter vertical is about 60 feet from the telephone pole and slopes down mostly horizontally to the house where the the telco fuse and arrestor are located. For the feeds to telephone instruments past the modem elsewhere in your home you may have to put RFI filters on those so the don't back feed into your modem fugitive RF when you transmit. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 1/16/2013 12:25 PM, Jeff Woods wrote: *Clap clap clap* Thanks, Herb. Just ordered one. I have the same problem, and have attempted the solutions you describe below with respect to 160m interference to our DSL modem. My family will appreciate having internet during CQ160 this year. -Jeff W0ODS *From:* Herb Schoenbohm he...@vitelcom.net *To:* Topband Topband@contesting.com *Sent:* Tuesday, January 15, 2013 1:13 PM *Subject:* Topband: DSL TB IX Cured I pass this information out to those who may have similar problems with DSL crashing while operating on 160 meters. (The DSL service uses frequencies very close to the 160 meter band for which some sort of filtering is required.) Since so many different circumstances of antenna/grounds/ house wiring and positioning of the telephone drop wire can vary, it was hard to find a solution to allow 160 meter operation to co-exist with a functioning DSL. At my shack I have three internet services, two WI-Max and one DSL via the telco company. For remote control operations via either Icom's RS-BA1 or Remote Rig's unit for the TS-2000 the DSL is the most reliable. The WI-MAX units have plenty of bandwidth but the latency is not as good as the DSL which gives me the most superb ability to run a CW paddle from the remote end thousands of miles away with out the drunken CW syndrome that the WI-Max is known for. The one major problem with the DSL is that every time I would key on 160 the DSL would just shut down and loose connectivity completely. I tried building filters, toroid wraps and even shielded tel-co wiring but anything over 50 watts on 160 cause a disconnection using the DSL service. I tried four different DSL modems, still no improvement. Then Dan, K3ZXL suggested I try a filter made by Westek Electronics, their type TC-Z100B1 telephone DSL line filter, which I ordered right on line from their website at www.westek.com. The item cost only $8.50 with shipping cost of $5.95. After installation all the interference which used to crash the connection is gone. Shipping cost were $5.95. Now running a full KW on 160 is possible after plugging this filter between the wall jack and the DSL modem. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Topband: DSL TB IX Cured
I pass this information out to those who may have similar problems with DSL crashing while operating on 160 meters. (The DSL service uses frequencies very close to the 160 meter band for which some sort of filtering is required.) Since so many different circumstances of antenna/grounds/ house wiring and positioning of the telephone drop wire can vary, it was hard to find a solution to allow 160 meter operation to co-exist with a functioning DSL. At my shack I have three internet services, two WI-Max and one DSL via the telco company. For remote control operations via either Icom's RS-BA1 or Remote Rig's unit for the TS-2000 the DSL is the most reliable. The WI-MAX units have plenty of bandwidth but the latency is not as good as the DSL which gives me the most superb ability to run a CW paddle from the remote end thousands of miles away with out the drunken CW syndrome that the WI-Max is known for. The one major problem with the DSL is that every time I would key on 160 the DSL would just shut down and loose connectivity completely. I tried building filters, toroid wraps and even shielded tel-co wiring but anything over 50 watts on 160 cause a disconnection using the DSL service. I tried four different DSL modems, still no improvement. Then Dan, K3ZXL suggested I try a filter made by Westek Electronics, their type TC-Z100B1 telephone DSL line filter, which I ordered right on line from their website at www.westek.com. The item cost only $8.50 with shipping cost of $5.95. After installation all the interference which used to crash the connection is gone. Shipping cost were $5.95. Now running a full KW on 160 is possible after plugging this filter between the wall jack and the DSL modem. Regards, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: LoTW, Ground mounted 1/2 wave etc.
On 12/19/2012 2:50 AM, Raoul Coetzee wrote: Like most of us I have been reading and trying to absorb the excellent technical information in this group, but really, personal attacks and comments should be avoided. Or is this simply normal, a reflection of what is happening on the bands too? I hope this comes to an end, I would hate to unsubscribe. Will the 160m gentlemen please stand up, if there are any left? Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy new Year! Raoul ZS1REC ___ It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatsoever for supposing it is true. - Bertrand Russell Raoul, There is a saying in the islands that you can't put two man crabs in the same hole. 73, Herb, KV4FZ ___ It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatsoever for supposing it is true. - Bertrand Russell
Topband: Is banning really necessary?
In a free society the mere idea of banning people just because we disagree with them goes against our principles of liberty and freedom. As long as there is civil discourse on an issue, how does that not enlighten the debate? Personal attacks are seriously discouraged here and those who engage in it are universally shunned for doing it. Every great thinkers from Galileo, Martin Luther, Nicoli Tesla, even Chicago automotive genius Preston Tucker all offended someone higher up and were subject to banning of their ideas. Hoe did this ever help mankind? Now we are finding the banning in some communities of even Christmas by those who claim it offends them. Even our vocabulary is changed as people are not allowed to talk about problems but the world challenges or issues is considered the PC flavor of the month. Look as Raoul saidit is the Christmas season, a time for reflection, listening to choirs and watching the grand children's eyes all a glow etc. So please enjoy the season, the enhanced DX during the days and months ahead, and for once put the animosity aside. Nobody should be banned from this reflector having contrarian views as long as they are not harmful and deliberately hurtful to others. Remember the truths usually emerges from the crucible of debate. The worst thing is not to have the debate at all so we are just left with preachments that go unchallenged. I sincerely hope that my remarks were taken will out enraging anyone. Feliz Navidade Amigos Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/19/2012 7:00 PM, Dave Harmon wrote: That's right Harold I wish he was banned againand stay gone. I try to learn everything I can from the knowledgeable guys on here. It is difficult enough without having to get mad. Dave Harmon K6XYZ[at]sbcglobal[dot]net Sperry, Ok. ___ It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatsoever for supposing it is true. - Bertrand Russell
Re: Topband: ARRL LOTW and More
Joe, I don't ask for bothjust wish to be treated the same way as another station a few miles north (VP2V) . Actually there is little DX on during this contest compared to the others like CQ and TBDC. The ARRL has a list of DXCC entities which works for all their other contests but for some strange reason disallows U.S. Territories for their 160 meter contest. Makes no sense. Herb, KV4FZ On 12/18/2012 6:08 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: Herb, I complained in past posts about the lack of fairness in the ARRL 160 Meter Contest for not treating the U.S. Territories as DX, no not even KP1 or KP5, none. But with the ARRL 10 Meter contest that followed, stations located in the U.S. Territories are indeed DX as it should be. Why in the world won't anyone on the CAC or at HQ realize that there is no acceptable reason for not correcting this problem. or if there is they aren't saying. Calling KP2 and KP4 DX for the ARRL 160 Meter Contest would mean that you *could not work DX.* You have bitched for years that DX thought the could not work you - I can find the references in the archives going back almost to be beginning of this list) but it would mean that you got to count each QSO with the rest of us on the mainland as 5 points instead of 2 points. Now you want to be able to work DX but count all your QSOs as five points instead of two? Do you want to be DX or work everybody? Take your pick but don't act like a two year old and say both! 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 12/18/2012 3:41 PM, herbs wrote: After several frustrating weeks of trying to figure out why my ARRL LOTW uploads were not registering I decided to contact the company. It seems they are back logged beyond comprehension. Not even the most recent DX-Peditions who have uploaded all there logs are showing up. As a result confirmations will not show either. I certainly hope that some DX-ers don't get bumped from the Honor Roll because of this slow down in accreditation. LOTW used to be very fast and now it is so slow to almost not be worth the money charged for the service. I complained in past posts about the lack of fairness in the ARRL 160 Meter Contest for not treating the U.S. Territories as DX, no not even KP1 or KP5, none. But with the ARRL 10 Meter contest that followed, stations located in the U.S. Territories are indeed DX as it should be. Why in the world won't anyone on the CAC or at HQ realize that there is no acceptable reason for not correcting this problem. or if there is they aren't saying. I struggle to find out who is responsible for prohibiting this correction. HQ tells me to write the CAC members and the CAC members tell me they have no power to do anything unless they are tasked by those in command at HQ. I see how easy it was to give Ontario more sections and even in the ARRL 10 Meter Contest you get multipliers by working Mexican states that nobody knows about, that some how found relevance...I don't know how this is logically done but someone must have the way to make things happen at HQ. I presume that there are some fundemental democratic principles that would allow for debate fo this topic so I can make my case on behalf of the much malighed U.S. Territories in the structure of this contest's rules. If you know what to do. Please let me know. 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatsoever for supposing it is true. - Bertrand Russell ___ It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatsoever for supposing it is true. - Bertrand Russell ___ It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatsoever for supposing it is true. - Bertrand Russell
Re: Topband: ARRL LOTW and More
On 12/18/2012 7:11 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: You have bitched for years that DX thought the could not work you - I can find the references in the archives going back almost to be beginning of this list) but it would mean that you got to count each QSO with the rest of us on the mainland as 5 points instead of 2 points. Now you want to be able to work DX but count all your QSOs as five points instead of two? I may have bitched but who wouldn't after being told and scolded by DX stations no DX no DX QRZ W/VE only Many I guess were as confused as i was in calling them in the first place. Again I only want this contest to show an element of fairness. I guess if I do as you suggested then next time stations will not only miss KP4 which did not show this time but also KP2. So about working ARRL sections and as some insist that it is only a 160 meter version of Sweepstakes, then let it be so and like in the much highly enshrined SS not permit *any* DX. Working DX on 160, not some archaic sections is what I am interest in. If participants were tuned into working DX you would not find the band covered by 100's of incessant CQ machines every few hertz trying to hold on to there spot and not working much of anything. I think next time I will do what I wanted to do this time, just work DX and have my phased Beverages on Europe and Africa selected. Some may say this is poor sportsmanshipbut I have tried to get someone to recognize that changes are important to bring out a better contest product. I understand those in their ivy covered office buildings and who call the shots, really don't care to even entertain change for the better. Herb, KV4FZ ___ It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatsoever for supposing it is true. - Bertrand Russell
Topband: It isn't all about winning
I learned long ago that after winning all bands single and multi and single band phone and CW with a world record on CQ WW (except 40 phone) that these records would all disappear in the following years as they all did. Because of the geographic point advantage to stations 300 miles south of me could easily get a higher score with less Q's and less multipliers.So I have come up with self competition like trying to work WAS on 160 in 10 hours and now I have done that in under 4 hours on 160. Or trying to do DXCC on 160 in one weekend. I think Jeff, VY2ZM does this with ease now. So these little self assigned goals are really exciting especially when you can make your quota. But getting in the top ten with a standard home station is getting more and more difficult with all the super stations all over the world. Contesting is like a war to some but those who take it too seriously I offer this memorable line by General Patton as portrayed by George C. Scott in the movie. For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph - a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown, and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting. Such is contesting and all glory is fleeting. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/7/2012 1:24 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: I would hazard a guess that few of us enter it with an eye purely on score. If folks only entered contests they would win there would only ever be one entrant in each contest, a great loss for us all. I enjoy contest activity even though I've never won any :-) Truer words were never spoken. That's the way it works in all sports, except radio sports. :-) ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Topband: 5T0SP on TB
It appears this will be the last night for 5T0SP. The group is currently on working EU's on 1822.5 but this is before East Coast S/S. I spoke for a moment with one of the ops on 20SSB and he reports that the Beverage they tried did not work well. He complained of severe noise on 160 but will be on most of the night to try and get as many in the log as possible on 160. Please check 1822.5 at where I have a short sked to let him know that there is propagation. Unfortunately they lost several rigs and now are down to only two which has to do band jumping. The op was sincere about making a major effort tonight on 160. Good Luck Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX Window-Redux
I learned long ago that after winning all bands single and multi and single band phone and CW with a world record on CQ WW (except 40 phone) that these records would all disappear in the following years as they all did. Because of the geographic point advantage to stations 300 miles south of me could easily get a higher score with less Q's and less multipliers.So I have come up with self competition like trying to work WAS on 160 in 10 hours and now I have done that in under 4 hours on 160. Or trying to do DXCC on 160 in one weekend. I think Jeff, VY2ZM does this with ease now. So these little self assigned goals are really exciting especially when you can make your quota. But getting in the top ten with a standard home station is getting more and more difficult with all the super stations all over the world. Contesting is like a war to some but those who take it too seriously I offer this memorable line by General Patton as portrayed by George C. Scott in the movie. For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph - a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown, and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting. Such is contesting and all glory is fleeting. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/7/2012 1:24 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: I would hazard a guess that few of us enter it with an eye purely on score. If folks only entered contests they would win there would only ever be one entrant in each contest, a great loss for us all. I enjoy contest activity even though I've never won any :-) Truer words were never spoken. That's the way it works in all sports, except radio sports. :-) ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX Window-Redux
On 12/6/2012 5:23 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: It is more like a sweepstakes contest keyed to sections It seems this was the ratinale Tom but that the ARRL SS allows 160 meters and a single band entry. However there are only a few station I have ever heard calling CQ SS on TB. maybe thats not such a bad thing? Herb, KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX Window-Redux
On 12/6/2012 5:23 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: There isn't any competition in any area can be all things to all people, nor can it be completely fair to everyone everywhere. TBDC comes very close to being just that. You get credit for distances and a nice boost for not being a QRO alligator. I think that this is steadily gaining in popularity over the years as it should. Herb, KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Spam:****, Re: Patience in ARRL 160 Contest -- copying weak ones
Doug, Then my digital recording (Adobe Audition) possesses a similar mental capacity? No! I edit out the prefix and create a loop after deleting the prefix from the recording. There is a noticeable disappearance into the noise after stations, and I have check over 50 so far, have sent there call signs. It is not a mental condition at all. I don't know what causes the phenomenon and once thought that power amplifiers lost efficiency after a few characters were sent, especially with stations without rally stiff power supplies on their PA's losing a bit of a kick they seem to get when first sending their call . it sometimes seems to me the longer they keep sending the weaker they get. Most amps today use voltage double supplies and the voltage regulation has a swing of 300 to 400 volts. however, I don't see how that can make up for 3db or more of signal drop. Also let me assure you that George AA7JV has some of the best trained and keenest ears in the business of weak signal low band reception. So I am looking for other reasons. The solution: when in doubt please send the missing information, first and repeat the whole call in conclusion when in doubt. Thanks, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/5/2012 1:45 PM, Doug Renwick wrote: George, IMO you have solved the problem ... mental. Your last sentence describes the condition exactly ... your brain goes blank or slows as a defence mechanism from all the noise/signals on the band. Doug -Original Message- After spending 12 nights-in-a-row straining to hear and assemble thousands of weak calls, I would cautiously agree with Herb: if the DX clearly has the prefix, just send the missing letters. Maybe it is mental, maybe something else, but time and again I heard clearly (almost loud) the caller's prefix and number, just to experience the rest kind of fizzle into something weak and incoherent ... This happened so many times that I was ready for it, focusing only on the suffix, and still many times I could not copy it, while the prefix came through (almost) loud and clear. It must be that you can hear what you know or expect, while it is much harder to hear and decode something random. But that does not explain the whole thing. How does one get the prefix so many times correctly when the suffix just fizzles into nothing. I have checked with the other operators on PT0S and they had similar experiences. Perhaps there is some hearing mechanism at work, similar to vision; where acuity diminishes with usage... 73, George On Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:54:26 -0400 Herb Schoenbohm he...@vitelcom.net wrote: Doug, So many times I just hear the prefix and the suffix drops out or is covered by noise. It maybe a mental thing as I have no other explanation where the prefix comes through time and time but the suffix is lost. Since I know what the correct suffix is, sending only the missing information make so much sense and saves valuable time. In such cases sending only the missing data is what I would recommend for stations struggling to get in the log as the prefix is already confirmed to both of the stations. So many times DX-peditions will not get my call correctly and butcher a portion of it...like KV4Z ur 5NN to which I immediately reply FZ...FZ...FZ KV4FZ K This procedure works every time especially layers deep in piles up. Thanks for your remarks, Herb, KV4FZ On 12/4/2012 9:51 AM, Doug Renwick wrote: When a cw station asks for a fill I send my COMPLETE callsign. Why? a) My memory keyer or logging program has my full callsign, no partial callsign. I don't use the hand keyer just in case I have 'dead' fingers and make a mistake. b) It allows the other station to focus on my signal when other stations are calling at the same time near or on my frequency. c) It makes sure that the correct suffix is added to the prefix. d) It confirms my prefix if part of it is copied incorrectly. Patience is needed when ones signal is subject to 160m QSB. Sri Herb, I fully disagree. Doug -Original Message- I worked a whole bunch of Europeans in the 160 meter contest along with UA9's and even 4Z1UF who had a good signal. My pet peeve is that when I hear only a weaker stations prefix but miss the suffix and ask for a repeat and request for example HB9 ? AGN all I hear is the prefix before the suffix is in the noise. The station knows i have the correct prefix and number but how do I get them just to send the missing portion which is crucial to completing the QSO? Even if I send HB9??? they return with de HB9### and the process repeats. If in such circumstances once the calling station realizes I have the correct prefix all they need do is send the two or three letters of the suffix several times. Resending the prefix is not helpful in high noise or qrm situation. I have tried SFX? SFX? but many stations are confused by that and keep sending their whole call. So here is my advice in just difficult circumstance
Re: Topband: Spam:****, Re: DX window
On 12/5/2012 4:29 PM, Steve HA0DU wrote: Why can't the mazochists contesting on 160 SSB have the whole band for 6 days in a year? *Well they can **and they do*! It doesn't seem to bother many. My problem is I have to re-peak my ATU at the tower for much over 1855 and there are are stations up to and beyond 1950Khz. I have a 2 RPM gearmotor but have not put in the jog switch yet. Herb KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: RF noise
Jim, It could be a photo cell switch as they are used all over the place now for solar lighting as well as street lights. If the problem as you described occurs with sunset and goes away when the sun comes up, it could give some indication that it is operated by daylight or lack of it. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/3/2012 10:38 PM, Jim F. wrote: Around 5 pm here as it starts getting dark there is some kind of interference and wonder if anyone recognizes it ? It sounds like your mom's first washing machine...Swish Swish Swish etc... at a 2 Swishes in less than 2 seconds rate. It sounds like Swish modulated static but softer sounding than static peaking over S-9 at mid Swish. Thank you, Jim / W1FMR. ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Patience in ARRL 160 Contest
I worked a whole bunch of Europeans in the 160 meter contest along with UA9's and even 4Z1UF who had a good signal. My pet peeve is that when I hear only a weaker stations prefix but miss the suffix and ask for a repeat and request for example HB9 ? AGN all I hear is the prefix before the suffix is in the noise. The station knows i have the correct prefix and number but how do I get them just to send the missing portion which is crucial to completing the QSO? Even if I send HB9??? they return with de HB9### and the process repeats. If in such circumstances once the calling station realizes I have the correct prefix all they need do is send the two or three letters of the suffix several times. Resending the prefix is not helpful in high noise or qrm situation. I have tried SFX? SFX? but many stations are confused by that and keep sending their whole call. So here is my advice in just difficult circumstance: Do *not* repeat your whole call if the other station has the correct prefix and all they need is the remaining portion. I just wish more stations on TB would do this as it would enable them getting in the log correctly and save time. Time length of an opening to some parts of the world is everything in a crowded contest. Why waste it? 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 12/4/2012 7:11 AM, Jim Brown wrote: On 12/3/2012 8:26 PM, Augie Gus Hansen wrote: as in CQ TEST KB0YH, with about a 1-2 second loop delay. I have NEVER found a CQ repeat interfal less than 2.5 seconds to be adequate to actually LISTEN for callers, and I often use 3 seconds. I strongly agree with the need to keep CQs short. I always have three CQs programmed. The shortest, automatic on F1, is TEST K9YC The next is CQ TEST K9YC, and the longest is CQ TEST K9YC K9YC. I start with the shortest, then the middle one, then the longer one when things are slow and I need to beat the bushes. When a QSO is finished, it's TU, a long space so someone could tail end, then K9YC. No 73, GL in the contest, no QSL, CFM,etc. If I think there might be any confusion about callsigns, I'll use F5 (his call) then F3 (TUK9YC) at the end of the QSO. All that extra crap takes time, and when I'm in SP mode, I'll tune past the guy who's wasting my time with it. I can average 80 Qs per hour in SP mode, but not waiting through that blather. :) I've contested with N6RO at his place. He's a top scoring guy (he's won SS nationally, doing it from the west coast), so I have a hard time finding fault with him! What Ken does is send YOUR call at the beginning of an exchange, when in SP mode. That's smart -- it makes sure both guys know who's working who under crowded band conditions when there can often be two stations running a few hundred Hz apart on different coasts, and callers answering both. BTW -- another good way to make sure that the other guy is working YOU, not someone else on your frequency, is to ask for a simple repeat of a short part of the exchange. If he responds, you know he's working you. As to being weak -- I strongly agree with N6RK's advice. I'll add this: never send ANYTHING again that the other guy has copied correctly. If he has your call, don't send it again. If he doesn't have your call, send it until he does. If he needs your report, send ONLY the report, over and over again until he gets it. If he asks for confirmation of something, send R R R R R R, and nothing else. At the end of QSO and I'm the SP guy, I'll send TU TU TU TU if I need to let him know I copied his exchange. When your signal is vapor on the other end, anything beyond the bare minimum confuses things. And QSK is a wonderful thing, especially if you're weak. I don;t use full QSK at 1.5 kW -- the vacuum relays wear out too often -- but I always do at 100w or less. 73, Jim K9YC ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Spam:****, Re: Patience in ARRL 160 Contest
Doung, So many times I just hear the prefix and the suffix drops out or is covered by noise. It maybe a mental thing as I have no other explanation where the prefix comes through time and time but the suffix is lost. Since I know what the correct suffix is, sending only the missing information make so much sense and saves valuable time. In such cases sending only the missing data is what I would recommend for stations struggling to get in the log as the prefix is already confirmed to both of the stations. So many times DX-peditions will not get my call correctly and butcher a portion of it...like KV4Z ur 5NN to which I immediately reply FZ...FZ...FZ KV4FZ K This procedure works every time especially layers deep in piles up. Thanks for your remarks, Herb, KV4FZ On 12/4/2012 9:51 AM, Doug Renwick wrote: When a cw station asks for a fill I send my COMPLETE callsign. Why? a) My memory keyer or logging program has my full callsign, no partial callsign. I don't use the hand keyer just in case I have 'dead' fingers and make a mistake. b) It allows the other station to focus on my signal when other stations are calling at the same time near or on my frequency. c) It makes sure that the correct suffix is added to the prefix. d) It confirms my prefix if part of it is copied incorrectly. Patience is needed when ones signal is subject to 160m QSB. Sri Herb, I fully disagree. Doug -Original Message- I worked a whole bunch of Europeans in the 160 meter contest along with UA9's and even 4Z1UF who had a good signal. My pet peeve is that when I hear only a weaker stations prefix but miss the suffix and ask for a repeat and request for example HB9 ? AGN all I hear is the prefix before the suffix is in the noise. The station knows i have the correct prefix and number but how do I get them just to send the missing portion which is crucial to completing the QSO? Even if I send HB9??? they return with de HB9### and the process repeats. If in such circumstances once the calling station realizes I have the correct prefix all they need do is send the two or three letters of the suffix several times. Resending the prefix is not helpful in high noise or qrm situation. I have tried SFX? SFX? but many stations are confused by that and keep sending their whole call. So here is my advice in just difficult circumstance: Do *not* repeat your whole call if the other station has the correct prefix and all they need is the remaining portion. I just wish more stations on TB would do this as it would enable them getting in the log correctly and save time. Time length of an opening to some parts of the world is everything in a crowded contest. Why waste it? 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: November 30-December 2 -- ARRL 160 Meter Contest
Eddy, I heard back from a few CAC members that said they are only tasked by HQ employees who determine certain issues passed down to the CAC by HQ. Which means that the motto of, for, and by the amateur radio operator may have been replaced as well. They recommended writing the regional directors redress my grievance few if any are active in contests. Herb, KV4FZ On 11/30/2012 10:07 AM, Eddy Swynar wrote: On 2012-11-29, at 6:15 PM, Herb Schoenbohm wrote: Again this weekend the ARRL presents the worst and most unfair 160 meter competition ever devised. I must sound like a broken record on this problem but I have sent letters and e mail to members of the CAC to asked them to allow the US Territories to be what they are DX as it is impossible to even get listed for an effort that if I was treat like VP2V which I can see from my house, I would at least have a chance, in fact i would have come in first lace in the past few years as a DX station. The CAC, the few who will write me back, say that any changes to rectify a totally unfair contest, is out of their hands and decided by a special secretive group inside the ARRL, who are not contesters at all. BTW for the purpose of this contest KP2 is counted the same as Navassa and Puerto Rico counts as Desecheo. Now how is that for a totally nonsensical approach. Maybe you could demand Navassa credit on 160 after working me, but I really doubt that the DX desk will be amused. I n the Pacific, Guam and Hawaii all count the same as KH8 and KH8S in the vast Pacific region thousands of miles apart. None have even a chance to do well with the decks stacked against them. So they just don't participate at all. I had thought that in protest this year I would phase my Beverages on Europe and only listen to help out those who need the Virgin islands on 160. Yet out of my concern for showing good sportsmanship I will work anyone I can hear. But there is a request I have in return: If I work you and give you the rare VI section, please take a few minutes after the contest to send an E mail to your division Director and copy the members of the CAC about fixing this long lingering unfairness. The E mail addresses are available on the ARRL website. The message is simple DX must be counted as DX as the VI, PR and all the other U.S. Territories are in their other DX contests. Also Gary, KD9SV has a great write up in QST but only is given two pages and can't mention the efforts of only a few east coast big guns. No matter how hard I try there is no way a station outside of the 48 states can even get mentioned. ARRL Field Day has a write up that is 13 pages long. So one can think that 160 meters is still an after thought and those I try to reach out to at HQ really don't care. Maybe i should get a bigger thrill out of working someone in SJV or SB or whatever but DX is DX and if the ARRL whats to have a 160 meter DX contest, this is not a good example of one. It never has been. Cheers, Good luck and I will reluctantly see you in the contest. Hi Herb, Your note reminded me of last year, when both you and (I believe) Frank---V01HP---expressed frustration with the Contest Advisory Committee at the ARRL... At that time, I established a dialogue with one of the committee members who was situated in western Canada: as I recall, Frank had success in expressing his concerns to him, but I don't recall the outcome of your efforts. Did you, in fact, make a connection to the CAC through that particular window of opportunity...? If, in fact, you did establish contact with the liaison, it surprises me that the ARRL has been so inactive in addressing your concerns this way...in fact, it is a MAJOR disappointment, in light of past performance on their part years ago. ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ PS: I am wondering now how Frank made-out with his concerns...? Are you reading this, Frank...? ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: ARRL 160 contest
Thanks for the comments Ron. For some reason I just can't think of how in a 160 meter international contest that if you work KH6 you get no additional multiplier for working Guam, Wake Island, Swains, American Samoa, Midway, Johnson, Kingman Reef, Kure Island! These are all separate entities over at the so call ARRL DXCC Desk but apparently not at the Contest Desk. How does this make any sense? As far as fun is concerned, I love to work DX on 160 as we all do..but staying up all night and working more mainland stations and getting more multipliers than any DX station for years during this contest, and then not even showing up in the listing, is not my idea of fun. I know winning isn't everything but having at least a chance to compete is the only thingif I can borrow from Vince Lomabardi's famous quote. The band tonight will be full of a bee's nest of US stations calling CQ incessantly by machine and many without any regard to DX stations. they will cover over 5T0SP, D3AA, 7P8D and others who at least on the gentleman's band deserve some better respect. Those in charge at the ARRL need to start thinking about what is wrong rather than have the ivy covered arrogance that our tradition is never wrong. Just allow the CAC to deal with a revision to more adequately accommodate the rest of the world, outside of this East Coast always runs things at HQ syndrome. Again I will be happy to work anyone I can hear in this hornets nest but am really tempted to use my Eu and African Beverages to work DX. I will however make a special effort for those on the West Coast especially working W7DRA with his 2 stage 6V6 5 watter...To me that would be the ultimate thrill to accomplish in the cacophony of incessant CQ by many 100's that have only a TX antenna and could care less what is on the frequency DX or not. 73, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/30/2012 11:36 AM, Ron Spencer wrote: I don't understand why the ARRL refuses your request which seems quite reasonable to me. But I'd not let it ruin my fun! Good luck and I'm sure I'll hear and work you! 73 Ron N4XD ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: T vs Inverted L over FCP
Charles, I have never heard of any case on TB where a inverted L is superior working DX to a well constructed T. Even if you have a slope to the horizontal portion, remember it does not radiate as much as the vertical portion. One thing, however, to keep in mind that with with the top portion looking sort of like inverted V there will be significant cancellation if the angle is too acute and the wire too long. Here I personally use a 25% rule for sloping top hats as much beyond this does not buy you any enhancement especially as you approach the 45 degree angle cut off. I don't think there will be a problem for you if the angle of declivity is small and if the ground system is adequate. There is nothing wrong with compensating for a shorter horizontal portion, fed exactly in the center, by using a high quality loading coil at the feed point. He using A/C copper tubing is fine, and even better if you silver plate it. You can go to ground with one side of the coil and tap up on it for a good match. This will also provide some degree of lighting protection to the shack . Either way you will need a good ground system or counterpoise in order to perform well on TB. 73 Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 11/30/2012 1:05 PM, Charles Damico wrote: Just wondering... I'm thinking about possibly using a T configuration instead of an Inverted L over an FCP. I just don't have a straight, unobstructed 85' for the horizontal leg of the L. Each leg of the T would not be flat-top, rather would resemble a high angle inverted V (about 150-deg). The FCP was constructed a couple of months ago, but I never got around to installing the radiator portion. Any insight/suggestions would be welcome. Too late for ARRL 160, but maybe CQ??... Thanks, Chuck AJ1E ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Topband: November 30-December 2 -- ARRL 160 Meter Contest
Fellow Topband DX-ers: Again this weekend the ARRL presents the worst and most unfair 160 meter competition ever devised. I must sound like a broken record on this problem but I have sent letters and e mail to members of the CAC to asked them to allow the US Territories to be what they are DX as it is impossible to even get listed for an effort that if I was treat like VP2V which I can see from my house, I would at least have a chance, in fact i would have come in first lace in the past few years as a DX station. The CAC, the few who will write me back, say that any changes to rectify a totally unfair contest, is out of their hands and decided by a special secretive group inside the ARRL, who are not contesters at all. BTW for the purpose of this contest KP2 is counted the same as Navassa and Puerto Rico counts as Desecheo. Now how is that for a totally nonsensical approach. Maybe you could demand Navassa credit on 160 after working me, but I really doubt that the DX desk will be amused. In the Pacific, Guam and Hawaii all count the same as KH8 and KH8S in the vast Pacific region thousands of miles apart. None have even a chance to do well with the decks stacked against them. So they just don't participate at all. I had thought that in protest this year I would phase my Beverages on Europe and only listen to help out those who need the Virgin islands on 160. Yet out of my concern for showing good sportsmanship I will work anyone I can hear. But there is a request I have in return: If I work you and give you the rare VI section, please take a few minutes after the contest to send an E mail to your division Director and copy the members of the CAC about fixing this long lingering unfairness. The E mail addresses are available on the ARRL website. The message is simple DX must be counted as DX as the VI, PR and all the other U.S. Territories are in their other DX contests. Also Gary, KD9SV has a great write up in QST but only is given two pages and can't mention the efforts of only a few east coast big guns. No matter how hard I try there is no way a station outside of the 48 states can even get mentioned. ARRL Field Day has a write up that is 13 pages long. So one can think that 160 meters is still an after thought and those I try to reach out to at HQ really don't care. Maybe i should get a bigger thrill out of working someone in SJV or SB or whatever but DX is DX and if the ARRL whats to have a 160 meter DX contest, this is not a good example of one. It never has been. Cheers, Good luck and I will reluctantly see you in the contest. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: November 30-December 2 -- ARRL 160 Meter Contest
Gary, My mistake it was a different TB Gary K9AY that did the 160 Meter ARRL Contest write up for QST. As they say, I had the right church but the wrong pew! My apologies. Herb, KV4FZ On 11/29/2012 7:43 PM, kd9sv wrote: Herb, you mentioned that I had a write-up in QST...what or when was that? I didn't see it. 73 and good luck with your ARRL battle...de gary, kd9sv Btw, listening to Nodir as I am writing this -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Herb Schoenbohm Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 6:15 PM To: TopBand List Subject: Topband: November 30-December 2 -- ARRL 160 Meter Contest Fellow Topband DX-ers: Again this weekend the ARRL presents the worst and most unfair 160 meter competition ever devised. I must sound like a broken record on this problem but I have sent letters and e mail to members of the CAC to asked them to allow the US Territories to be what they are DX as it is impossible to even get listed for an effort that if I was treat like VP2V which I can see from my house, I would at least have a chance, in fact i would have come in first lace in the past few years as a DX station. The CAC, the few who will write me back, say that any changes to rectify a totally unfair contest, is out of their hands and decided by a special secretive group inside the ARRL, who are not contesters at all. BTW for the purpose of this contest KP2 is counted the same as Navassa and Puerto Rico counts as Desecheo. Now how is that for a totally nonsensical approach. Maybe you could demand Navassa credit on 160 after working me, but I really doubt that the DX desk will be amused. In the Pacific, Guam and Hawaii all count the same as KH8 and KH8S in the vast Pacific region thousands of miles apart. None have even a chance to do well with the decks stacked against them. So they just don't participate at all. I had thought that in protest this year I would phase my Beverages on Europe and only listen to help out those who need the Virgin islands on 160. Yet out of my concern for showing good sportsmanship I will work anyone I can hear. But there is a request I have in return: If I work you and give you the rare VI section, please take a few minutes after the contest to send an E mail to your division Director and copy the members of the CAC about fixing this long lingering unfairness. The E mail addresses are available on the ARRL website. The message is simple DX must be counted as DX as the VI, PR and all the other U.S. Territories are in their other DX contests. Also Gary, KD9SV has a great write up in QST but only is given two pages and can't mention the efforts of only a few east coast big guns. No matter how hard I try there is no way a station outside of the 48 states can even get mentioned. ARRL Field Day has a write up that is 13 pages long. So one can think that 160 meters is still an after thought and those I try to reach out to at HQ really don't care. Maybe i should get a bigger thrill out of working someone in SJV or SB or whatever but DX is DX and if the ARRL whats to have a 160 meter DX contest, this is not a good example of one. It never has been. Cheers, Good luck and I will reluctantly see you in the contest. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: 5T0SP
Super signal on 80 CW last night from 5T0SP and was able to get them on the first call...but disappointed that they logged me as K4FZ (according to Club Log). I have lost so many new ones this way as they send my call and log something else like K4VFZ or K4FZ. The call K4VFZ has not been issued but they have a DXCC by now! Herb, KV4FZ On 11/28/2012 11:00 AM, Shoppa, Tim wrote: They were clear as a bell last night on 80M CW, a very very good sign. I would like to know what sort of low band transmit antennas that 5T0SP and/or C5A are using. Whatever it is, wow it works to NA. I'm guessing that it looks out onto ocean to their NW, but don't know geography that well! Tim N3QE -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Andrzej Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 9:55 AM To: Topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: 5T0SP Hi All, This night 5T0SP will be active 160/cw, 80/ssb News from Wlodek SP6EQZ, he will be on TB cw. Andy SP6AEG ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Spam:*******, PT0S
Steve, I don't know what is going on with ARRL-LOTW as they have not uploaded a single file from me since November 5, 2012. All my contacts are OK with ClubLog and the PT0S site. Chris HA5X said all uploads have been going out but for some reason nothing appears on LOTW from any of my uploads. I sent them an e mail today and it appears everyone is gone for the holiday. So no joy here with LOTW at all! Do you know if others are experiencing the same problem? Herb, KV4FZ On 11/23/2012 6:29 PM, wb6r...@mac.com wrote: PT0S is QRT. OQRS is up and running. LOTW credits are already posted. Harry and Tomi are known for their low band DXpeditions and this one yielded another impressive low band total. Considering the great many obstacles, their success is a tribute to planning, resourcefulness and tenacity. We are all suffering from a lack of sleep. It is no longer just me, others are starting to fall asleep at the key. The entire crew is to be congratulated. If not a new DXCC overall, certainly most of us added a new mode or band. Now is the time to consider some extra support when requesting your QSLs. They don't require it, but they'll certainly appreciate it. http://pt0s.com/qsl.html 73 - Steve WB6RSE ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Spam:*******, PT0S
Gary, I ran the tables on PT0S including 160 SSB. Nothing I have sent to LOTW is posted by the ARRL even where I look up the sent in QSO's. The last confirmation was listed as November 5, 2012. All the QSO's check with ClubLog. On the PT0S last day i put together a 3 element 6 meter beam and heard them calling CQ (I think via machine) both NP4A and i called them for a half an hour but no contact. Poor thinking and planning on my part as I could have done 6 meters as well if i would have planned for it. Worked TR8CA tonight and he was 599 in here on 50.110. I should write an article on how to make a three element 6 meter beam with PVC and cable ties in 1 hour! Thanks for the advice Herb, KV4FZ On 11/23/2012 7:53 PM, Gary Smith wrote: Herb, I managed to work them on 5 bands according to their search page http://pt0s.com/search.html (My log jives except for a 20M SSB in my log that did not win, place or show). LOTW only reflects the 160 80 contacts, both of which I placed on the 12th. I wouldn't be concerned about it yet. Gary KA1J Yeah I know, easier for me to say that with my 160 in there but still... Steve, I don't know what is going on with ARRL-LOTW as they have not uploaded a single file from me since November 5, 2012. All my contacts are OK with ClubLog and the PT0S site. Chris HA5X said all uploads have been going out but for some reason nothing appears on LOTW from any of my uploads. I sent them an e mail today and it appears everyone is gone for the holiday. So no joy here with LOTW at all! Do you know if others are experiencing the same problem? Herb, KV4FZ On 11/23/2012 6:29 PM, wb6r...@mac.com wrote: PT0S is QRT. OQRS is up and running. LOTW credits are already posted. Harry and Tomi are known for their low band DXpeditions and this one yielded another impressive low band total. Considering the great many obstacles, their success is a tribute to planning, resourcefulness and tenacity. We are all suffering from a lack of sleep. It is no longer just me, others are starting to fall asleep at the key. The entire crew is to be congratulated. If not a new DXCC overall, certainly most of us added a new mode or band. Now is the time to consider some extra support when requesting your QSLs. They don't require it, but they'll certainly appreciate it. http://pt0s.com/qsl.html 73 - Steve WB6RSE ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Spam:*******, PT0S
Lloyd, Perhaps some LOTW users have vanished from their system after their crash and their contacts are out in cyberspace somewhere. I think if their inbound does not see a valid code serial number it just refuses them without an error message. So as LOTW users with the same issue, I would presume, just keep loading and reloading. Therein the problem on their end just gets worse with more backlogs. Imagine what it will be after the CQ WW CW contest which end before anyone gets back to HQ.I always thought the inbound was handled without human interface. If that is not the case then it will be a long time before this gets resolved, maybe after Christmas causing some to miss Honor Roll listings. I think only one or two people are working in LOTW. Hopefully I can find where to send the OQRS Pay Pal. I know the general donation goes to George and I will send that too. But the OQRS information is not yet posted as far as I can determine. On 11/23/2012 8:02 PM, Lloyd Berg - N9LB wrote: Same here, LOTW has not ingested any of my uploaded logs since it blew Up after the CQWW-SSB and CW-Sweeps. -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Herb Schoenbohm Sent: Friday, November 23, 2012 5:39 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Spam:***, PT0S Steve, I don't know what is going on with ARRL-LOTW as they have not uploaded a single file from me since November 5, 2012. All my contacts are OK with ClubLog and the PT0S site. Chris HA5X said all uploads have been going out but for some reason nothing appears on LOTW from any of my uploads. I sent them an e mail today and it appears everyone is gone for the holiday. So no joy here with LOTW at all! Do you know if others are experiencing the same problem? Herb, KV4FZ On 11/23/2012 6:29 PM, wb6r...@mac.com wrote: PT0S is QRT. OQRS is up and running. LOTW credits are already posted. Harry and Tomi are known for their low band DXpeditions and this one yielded another impressive low band total. Considering the great many obstacles, their success is a tribute to planning, resourcefulness and tenacity. We are all suffering from a lack of sleep. It is no longer just me, others are starting to fall asleep at the key. The entire crew is to be congratulated. If not a new DXCC overall, certainly most of us added a new mode or band. Now is the time to consider some extra support when requesting your QSLs. They don't require it, but they'll certainly appreciate it. http://pt0s.com/qsl.html 73 - Steve WB6RSE ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: phasing line lengths for phased verticals
Just double the length of the phasing lines and then they will reach. Herb, KV4FZ On 11/17/2012 10:42 PM, DALE LONG wrote: Joe...I was wrong in my post. My verticals are 1/2 wave apart on 80m, which is the same as 1/4 wave on 160. After writing my message, I went back and added the 66' for clarity, and should have been 132' You are correct, using RG8X with velocity factor of .78, the phasing lines are about 53.5' and there are two of them, making them a too short to reach the 132' I really DO have 80m verticals that are 1/2 wave apart. (incidentally I share the radial fields with the 160m antennas which are 1/4 wave apart) So the question remains, how to properly feed phased verticals that are physically 1/2 wave apart 73 Dale From: Joe Subich, W4TV li...@subich.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2012 7:18 PM Subject: Re: Topband: phasing line lengths for phased verticals 1. for 80m phased verticals that are 1/2 wave apart (66 feet), That is 1/4 wave separation - not half-wave. One half wave on 80 is roughly 139 feet (984/3.55/2 = 138.6 feet). Since you are using 1/4 wave spacing and a PVS-2 (which is a quadrature device if I remember correctly), two /14 wave cables (about 54' each when the velocity factor for foam is included) should *easily* reach the midpoint of the array. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 11/17/2012 6:56 PM, DALE LONG wrote: Until recently, I had phased verticals on both 80m and 160m and lots of beverages. (this was in a woods, and not my property) Then the loggers came and destroyed all. In addition to the antennas, the phasing lines were torn up, and broken and needed replacement. For 160m I use the Christman method with .71 and .84 wavelength lines. For 80m I use a Comtek PVS-2 controller. In replacing the 80m phasing lines today I made a stupid mistake, I dont know what I was thinking, but I carefully measured and soldered two identical 1/4 wave lengths of new coax. I tested them on my AIM 4170 and they were nearly identical, exactly on the design frequency. Then I went to install them and guess what...of course they were too short. I have worked with phased verticals before and I know that you often need to use 3/4 wave phasing lines, but I was too intent on measuring and soldering and making the repairs. So now I have two questions. 1. for 80m phased verticals that are 1/2 wave apart (66 feet), what will be the pattern? It's not the same as 1/4 wave spacing, so what really is happening? 2. what is the best length of phasing line to use. Should I use 3/4 wave phasing lines? Should I avoid using 1/2 wave phasing lines? Thanks Dale - N3BNA ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Monopole Elev Pattern w.r.t. Earth Conductivity
Qualitative or Quantitative...Let me get this straight. If I call CQ and the band is open to Europe on 160 and nobody replies after a couple of hours with my TX antenna #1 with no replies and after switching to antenna #2 I work a dozen stations in rapid succession, that should tell me something. A good way to test a TX antenna is to listen to one of the many SDR receivers available on line and you can her the A/B results for yourself without the G5RV effect. But again is all relative. For example after calling TT8TT on 80 CW night after night without a reply (a total of 14 nights without a contact) using full power and a 1/4 vertical with radials, I decide to listen to the up frequencies to see if there was an EU wall were I could find a hole to call on. Amazing there I was, as strong as the Eu's calling TT8TT with a Eu SDR online RX located in Europe. But why could the TT8TT op not here me after calling him from 2300 till 0245 (his SR)? Here are some options to consider: (1) His RX antenna was so directional that the Caribbean and SA were not favored on RX as we were in the null. (2) He was just ignoring me for calling him on the same frequency of the station he just worked. (3) he was playing Russian Roulette after each contact. (4) Like the ST0R TB operation, 160 was really an after thought drive by consideration, where quantity of contacts was more important than the fine wine quality of working the deserving on TB. (IMHO one West coast contact on TB from Africa is worth 100 East coast big guns QSO's) (5) He refused to give directional calls QRZ NA for fear of making his Euro buddies upset even if it was only for.a few minutes. Any ideas? Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ Why we are talking about A B test knowing that the ionospheric signal is fading up and down at least 10dB!? This can be verified by anybody having a stable carrier as a receiving signal and monitor it for few minutes... For a proper A B test one should switch A B very fast and record synchronously the amplitude! This is the only A B test that can be made (with low cost setups). This way, could be helpful a read of Dike receiver (radio astronomy). The above discussion is valid if we are talking about quantitative measurement, not qualitative. Every time we ask the DX station operator to read his/her S-meter in an A B test, we will have at best a qualitative result, doesn't matter how fast we'll do it. 73 de YO3FFF Cristi ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Best angle of radiation ?
On 10/25/2012 1:46 PM, Bruce wrote: AM broadcast band antennas 5/8 1/2 wave tall are rarely used any more. I noticed a reduction of the tall AM towers starting about the 1960's. 73 Bruce-K1FZ Bruce, I would add one exception to that and that would be the use by some broadcasters of Franklin or folded Franklin design antennas which still are in use, especially by stations 50 KW clear channel stations near the high end of the AM band. With the AM band expansion such an antenna, even in its folded configuration theroretically gives you nearly a 3db increase on the ground-wave and without the nasty high angle lobe of a 5/8 wave. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to build a Franklin antenna on TB? Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Monopole Elev Pattern w.r.t. Earth Conductivity
On 10/25/2012 11:51 AM, Tom W8JI wrote: Qualitative or Quantitative...Let me get this straight. If I call CQ and the band is open to Europe on 160 and nobody replies after a couple of hours with my TX antenna #1 with no replies and after switching to antenna #2 I work a dozen stations in rapid succession, that should tell me something. Yes. It will tell you one or more of the following: 1.) The band opened (/No because band was alive with many EU stations I heard well while calling in vain)/ 2.) Distant noise dropped (/Even if the same noise did not impair other NA's working them?)/ 3.) Someone spotted you (/No I self spotted my self earlier)/ 4.) People woke up from a nice sleep (/No they were on wroking others)/ 5.) One of the antennas was much worse than the other (/That I will buy for sure)/ It's indisputable and irrefutable 160 meter antenna rule by empirical analysis:: That which works best , works. Correct? A good way to test a TX antenna is to listen to one of the many SDR receivers available on line and you can her the A/B results for yourself without the G5RV effect. That's true, but it has to be done over time and on multiple nights. ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Monopole Elev Pattern w.r.t. Earth Conductivity
I used or tried to use a 308 foot self supporting base insulated Blau-Knox in the late 70's and early 80's (Picture on QRZ.com) and although I could not do A-B tests I found it horrible and that was over a 2 degree buried 260 foot radial ground system for 970Khz right next to the ocean. I found better use for it by using it to run a rope up to the top and hung 1/2 wave slopers down to the sea, and that was much better for RX reports on 160 from Europe. I really expected better results but was amazed at the difference over many years of testing. I would drop the sloper(s) to the ground when trying to use the 308 foot free standing tower...which the books said would be an optimal low angle radiator. The slopers and even a full sized corner fed delta loop were always much better. Herb, KV4FZ On 10/24/2012 5:44 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: Did you --or anyone else you are aware of-- ever A-B test a ~120' tower against a ~300' tower on 160? I A-B or A-B-C tested several antennas, including a low dipole, the high dipole, an element from my four square, a ~318 foot insulated tower vertical, and I think my tall omni vertical was about 190 feet at that time. The tall vertical tower was definitely worse compared to shorter verticals, and had almost no short skip signal around Georgia. I had isolation chokes for lights and a base insulator, but that 300+ foot tower was so poor I never used it as a vertical. By the way, to show how bad interaction is, I had to detune unused towers even when they were 300 feet or so apart. If you recall W8LT and the balloon verticals, they didn't do so well with that antenna at 5/8th wave. I used WSPD, WOHO, and WXEZ (King Road 350 ft) towers also, but had no A-B tests. Anything tall or new received good reports, if I told the other person it was tall or new. This is a common result, similar to the well-known G5RV effects. Pick an unpopular antenna like a G5RV and say you are using it in a test, and even if you do not actually switch antennas the G5RV will get a weaker report over long averages of tests. You can see a similar effect with guest operators and a no-change switch position. They always like the better antenna, even when it is the same antenna. :-) To avoid the G5RV effect when making A-B tests, I never said which antenna was actually A or B. I also would randomly change A or B around in different tests. Just watching reports without changing antennas at all is interesting. 73 Tom ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Maritime gear programmable on ham bands?
Jeff, Amateur Radio units are indeed cheaper plus the people on 14.313 have declared that this is their emergency calling frequency 24/7. Even one of the ARRL SE Division candidates a few years ago made this one of his key advocacy points to have the IARU name it as such. Thank God he lost or he would be pushing this stupid idea at the ARRL as he promised to do. There is already excellent spectrum for vessels to use monitor by international treaty by many other ships at sea. Yet the lure of a free phone patch to his property broker or bank to check on is everything 10-4? is enabled by amateurs who should know better on 14.313 who get green stamps sent to them in many cases for the devotion to this illegal practice. Herb, KV4FZ On 10/1/2012 1:08 PM, Radio KH6O wrote: Folks, for the benefit of us reading the digest version, please consider trimming quoted text to the bare minimum. Thanks! This is because the equipment they purchase, like Icom rigs, operates in Ham bands. The radio buoys also are programmable to Ham bands. 73 Tom Tom, this is news to me. Maritime equipment is manufactured to extremely strict type acceptance. Can you give me an example of an Icom MF/HF maritime rig that can be used or reprogrammed onto the ham bands? It seems to me that some incredible redesigning of such a radio would have to be done. Also, I don't see how the maritime channelization design could be defeated to give the frequency agility we enjoy in the amateur radio service (the only service to be given such a privilege). There are maritime channels set aside specifically for chit-chat among vessels at sea, so I see no reason for a vessel owner to go through the incredible effort of getting a maritime-only rig operating on the ham bands. I suspect, instead, that the vessel owner has purchased a ham band transceiver (which is about half the price of a maritime transceiver). Note that maritime frequencies are channelized. See for example, our website: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov 73, Jeff KH6O Senior Chief, US Coast Guard ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Maritime gear programmable on ham bands?
Jeff, Amateur Radio units are indeed cheaper plus the people on 14.313 have declared that this is their emergency calling frequency 24/7. Even one of the ARRL SE Division candidates a few years ago made this one of his key advocacy points to have the IARU name it as such. Thank God he lost or he would be pushing this stupid idea at the ARRL as he promised to do. There is already excellent spectrum for vessels to use monitor by international treaty by many other ships at sea. Yet the lure of a free phone patch to his property broker or bank to check on is everything 10-4? is supported by amateurs who become enablers and should know better on ham bands. Some of the gurus on 14.313 brag about the amounts of green stamps sent to them in many cases for the devotion to this illegal practice. Herb, KV4FZ On 10/1/2012 1:08 PM, Radio KH6O wrote: Folks, for the benefit of us reading the digest version, please consider trimming quoted text to the bare minimum. Thanks! This is because the equipment they purchase, like Icom rigs, operates in Ham bands. The radio buoys also are programmable to Ham bands. 73 Tom Tom, this is news to me. Maritime equipment is manufactured to extremely strict type acceptance. Can you give me an example of an Icom MF/HF maritime rig that can be used or reprogrammed onto the ham bands? It seems to me that some incredible redesigning of such a radio would have to be done. Also, I don't see how the maritime channelization design could be defeated to give the frequency agility we enjoy in the amateur radio service (the only service to be given such a privilege). There are maritime channels set aside specifically for chit-chat among vessels at sea, so I see no reason for a vessel owner to go through the incredible effort of getting a maritime-only rig operating on the ham bands. I suspect, instead, that the vessel owner has purchased a ham band transceiver (which is about half the price of a maritime transceiver). Note that maritime frequencies are channelized. See for example, our website: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov 73, Jeff KH6O Senior Chief, US Coast Guard ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Ground Screens - Another Small Space Option
Some rabbit wire sold here is coated which should solve some of the corrosion problems but if they are laid side by side they probably would require scraping of the coat and welding every five feet or so to maintain radial field continuity, and then re-coating the welded joint. Any difference by floating in the dirt is a calculation above my pay grade. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/25/2012 4:13 PM, Howard K2HK wrote: I didn't mean to imply that chicken wire is as good as the rabbit wire. In fact I had exactly that situation with chicken wire. Definitely agree that most situations must be evaluated on their own merits and circumstances. I am aware of Rob's call but just thought this might prompt him to relay some of his experiences. Howard K2HK From: z...@jeremy.mv.com To: k...@arrl.net; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Ground Screens - Another Small Space Option Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:11:26 -0400 Im sure chicken wire lasts longer in the great southwest but it rapidly turns to rust in the acidic soil and acid rain of the New England rust belt. I see rolls of it regularly at our trash transfer station and Id be willing to bet the current Chinese variety rusts a lot faster than the earlier US variety. I keep stressing that the one size fits all theory of some just doesnt work for Topband antennas and grounds. It is not recommended to use stranded copper wire for RF or DC/AC grounds and that should also apply to galvanized wire that only has a few twists at each junction. Each junction can eventually become a diode and I believe most of us on here are aware what that can cause. Carl KM1H Rob Sherwood was once a strong advocate of chicken wire and has run many tests. Perhaps he might chime in here with some comments. Howard K2HK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: DXCC Fairness
On 9/19/2012 1:17 PM, Jim Brown wrote: Talk about DXCC fairness -- it's FAR easier to work DXCC with a modest station anywhere around the Atlantic, or within 1000 km of it, than it is from the Pacific. I've got a very nice antenna farm and have taken the time to become a competitive contester, but I am almost never able to work DXCC in a weekend contest, all bands combined. But guys on the east coast consider it trivially easy. The difference is especially striking on Topband -- there are often openings from EU to eastern NA, whereas we might HEAR a dozen signals a YEAR out here in California. It took me four years to work 100 countries on 160, and two years later I'm at 125. I haven't heard EU for two years. 73, Jim K9YC ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Jim, Hold on as help is on the way. With the new remote control interfaces like Remote Rig and Icom's RS-BAS1 there is no need to be in a bad location as long as you have a good internet connection. Some contests are changing the rules by including the Extreme Category which permits such operation. The DXCC rules once required you to start over when you cross state line or call zone boundaries. Now you can be anywhere in the U.S. and the credits keep piling up. I don't think the ARRL, based on their pedantic history, will be fast to jump on allowing remote stations (inside the same country) for DXCC purposes, but it will happen eventually. More and more of their members are hopelessly trapped in gate communities, condominiums, and urban settings were participation in their hobby is just not very satisfying. The ARRL must be flexible if it wants to serve its membership. I know there are some on this list who will flame me for the suggestion and some who look down their noses to people with bad locations and limited lot sizes. But i would like to share the thrill to someone on the West Coast to have hundreds of Europeans calling during a good contest opening just asmuch as I would like to hear what JA's sound like that I never can hear from my location. I am certain that all of this old way will change with new technology devoted to remote control via internet now that some of the bugs are out of the process. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: TT8TT
Alfeo, Please don't give up on a simple Beverage as results vary from location to location and even from times of the season. It doesn't take much to lay out 500 feet o wire and ground one end with 470 ohm 2 watt non inductive resistor whille feeding the other end with a 9:1 toroid coil and running some RG-6 to the shack. hopefully you could run this antennas favoring North America and use your TX antenna for Eu stations which are much closer. I tired without sucess to get TT8AMO due to his inability to hear me. Normally West Africa is not a problem for me since the distance is not far. I guess it all depends on the noise levels. I still need TT8 on 160 and will be in there trying as soon as you get on next month. 73 and Good Luck with your trip Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/18/2012 11:31 AM, Alfeo Caputo wrote: Dear all, as a member of the next TT8TT expedition I assure you that a special care will be taken in logging as much as possible on topband and 80m. In the last expedition in Africa the major problem was the weak signal, the noise was not so much struggling us but some storms were in the area. In Ivory Coast we got the best results by using the transmitting antenna to receive too, it was a vertical wire hanged to palm three dropping to the lagoon, with the radials in the water. The beverage and the DHDL were useless, just a loop and the vertical gave reasonable result. In Tchad we know there is not enough land to lay a beverage, therefore we are ready with the stuff to rise a loop and a DHDL (of course, the wire for a beverage is in our bag, just in case...). We are planning to bring a W7IUW pre-amplifier (I just drop an email to Elecraft to know about the relevant connection to the rig) hoping to rise the signal level. Any suggestion is appreciated. Best 73, Alfeo I1HJT One of TT8TT crew Il 18/09/2012 14.12, Mike Greenway ha scritto: If you still need TT on Topband, as I do, please go to http://www.i2ysb.com/joomla5/ and vote in their band needed survey to show you need them on 160. Often the AF expeditions will shy away from Topband stating “too much QRN” but hopefully this one will hang in there. 73 Mike K4PI ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Hi-Z vertical elements
Use Fiberglass mast from DXE or even the military surplus interlocking tent poles that are available on e Bay for next for nothing. Plus the vendors usually send them in a heavy duty canvas duffel bag which is worth the price without the fiberglass poles. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 9/18/2012 4:44 PM, Gary Smith wrote: I have the Hi-Z 3 Element Triangular Array and need to make something different than what I made before. I earlier used 2 PVC with a smaller diameter PVC section on top and I ran the wire inside. This worked well last year but this year the top element is like wet spaghetti and the tips of all three elements are now pointing to the ground. I need to make something that will stay straight. Anyone make any of these and if they are inexpensive to make and are durable, what did you do to make them? Thanks, Gary KA1J ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: American Samoa on TB?
I wonder if anyone here knows N7CQQ or N6XT and can convince them how rare American Samoa is on 160 meters. They probably can't do much from the Tradewinds Hotel but from the AH8LG QRO station it might work well enough to get some of the faithful a contact from AS on TB. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ N7CQQ (5W0QQ) and N6XT (5W0XT) will continue to operate from AS until our planned departure on October 1st. We expect (or will try to) setup our station at the Trade Winds hotel for the remainder of our stay. We might also have access to the AH8LG station for QRO operation. We will set up for 60 meter operation from Western Samoa (WS) also. As soon as we set up a schedule for 60 meters, it will be posted here on your favorite DX news source. ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: NH8S on Topband
Just spoke to the 10 meter NH8S operator and he told me that as soon as the sun goes down they will be on TB till the sun comes up. He said everything is in place and tested and they will definitely be on solid tonight. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: NH8S QRV 160
Talked to Jerry WB9Z on 10 today and he said definitely on topband tonight. Herb, KV4FZ On 9/9/2012 9:39 AM, Jorge Diez - CX6VM wrote: Thanks George Fortunately I worked N8S in April 2007 on 160 and 80 mts Hope to have my antenna ready next weekend to listen them 73, Jorge CX6VM/CW5W -Mensaje original- De: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] En nombre de k...@voyager.net Enviado el: domingo, 09 de septiembre de 2012 00:59 Para: topband@contesting.com Asunto: Topband: NH8S QRV 160 GE All, Listening on 17 SSB this evening I hear that the BCSpecial is up and ready for use. Good luck to those needing Swains Island on 160. 73 George K8GG ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
