Re: Topband: QRT....

[Jeff Kincaid]

 I'm sorry to hear it, Nick.  I wish you all the best in these difficult times.
Very 73,Jeff W6JK

On Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 04:21:01 PM PST, uy0zg  
wrote:  
 
 Hey


Very sad news. From today, amateur radio stations in Ukraine are 
prohibited from working. So far 30 days. Decree of the President of 
Ukraine.

https://novosti-n.org/news/Opublykovan-Ukaz-Zelenskogo-o-rezhyme-CHP-v-Ukrayne-kakye-hotyat-vvesty-ogranychenyya-235379


-- 
Nick, UY0ZG
http://www.topband.in.ua
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Re: Topband: Horrendous Local Noise

[Jeff Kincaid]

 Wow!  Not just one, but two jolly good fellows.  Congratulations!
Jeff W6JK

On Friday, November 12, 2021, 03:27:20 PM PST, Roger Kennedy 
 wrote:  
 
 Well I haven't been able to come on 160m for over a week, as I suddenly had
the most horrendous noise all over the band, S9 + 30 dB, all day and night,
every day !

I have tracked down rogue equipment in neighbours' houses over the years,
just by using a small AM radio and DF-ing, using the null on the end of the
internal ferrite rod antenna to show me the direction (you just need 2
bearings). But going out in the street this noise was coming from everywhere
. . . got loads of different nulls in different directions, depending on
where I stood.

I figured it must be a major fault with the underground mains cables, arcing
somewhere. (we have 415V 3-phase running underground over here, and just one
phase tapped off to each house, which gives 240V against Neutral.)

I called out the company responsible for maintaining the cables, and they
arrived within an hour. But they could find nothing wrong (they agreed there
could be arcing underground, but said they didn't have any equipment to
detect where the fault might be - they just rely on the power going off to a
particular house!)

So on Wednesday I called OFCOM to report the problem (like your FCC in the
USA). I figured it would be hard to get them to come and investigate, and
even then it would take weeks. But they were actually very interested on the
phone, and I emailed them a Log on the Thursday morning. On Thursday
afternoon the guy responsible for the NE of England rang me, and said he was
away on holiday for 2 weeks on Monday, so he would try and juggle
appointments so he could come up on Friday afternoon!

Well he drove the 100 miles up here and arrived with a colleague about 2pm,
spent a while in the shack listening to the noise, and monitoring it on
their equipment connected to my Top Band dipole. After about 45 minutes they
both went out in the street, and an hour later they came back to say they
think they had tracked it down. 

It actually turned out to be a faulty piece of equipment in a house up the
street . . . but not radiating directly - it was sending these huge spikes
back down the Mains . . . and then I guess the wiring in all the houses
along the street was then re-radiating the noise (which is why I couldn't DF
it properly).

I was absolutely delighted ! So a big thank you to Alan and Tony from OFCOM
for coming and sorting my problem so very quickly . . . I really never
expected such amazing service.

Roger G3YRO 


Regards

Roger Kennedy
Wessex Radio Productions

Tel: 0191 250 2715
Website: http://wessexproductions.co.uk

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Re: Topband: maybe off subject but ...

[Jeff Kincaid]

 If all else fails, I suppose you could just run DOS:
DR DOS 7.x

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DR DOS 7.x

DR DOS is an MS-DOS compatible operating system from Digital Research that 
evolved from their earlier CP/M-86 ba...
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'JK


On Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 2:02:23 PM PDT, Terry Burge 
 wrote:  
 
 Hi topbander,

Once upon a time I got fairly good designing quad antennas on Necwire2. I
still have many of those designs on various 3 1/2" floppies with the
programs. Am I dating myself? Anyway that was about the only antenna design
program I managed. It requires a DOS based computer like Windows XP/etc.
I'm not sure if Windows 7 is still capable of running DOS. On Craig's List
can be found various computer that have Win7 but I need to know if they are
DOS capable so I can manage some antenna design work. Like I say I just
have not have any luck with newer stuff I know is available and have even
tried without success.

Any answers?

Terry
KI7m
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Re: Topband: Tesla Powerwall and RFI

[Jeff Kincaid]

 QRZ the P5?
Jeff W6JK

On Monday, May 18, 2020, 5:27:38 PM PDT, Roy Morgan  
wrote:  
 
 Steven,  

I look forward to any replies. 

I was about to publish my blockbuster book revealing all of the secret genius 
technology from Tesla to enable nearly free electric power for everyone, but 
some strong-arm goons from the oil industry paid me a visit and threatened to 
send me to North Korea for a year of "psychological and cultural re-education". 
 So I am sending it to some nice people In Switzerland. Maybe they can use it. 

But wait!  I think Tesla is working on home and commercial solar energy and 
storage. The storage devices for homes seem to be called called the Powerwall. 
Why you would want a battery on your living room wall I do not know. 

See Tesla.com for a picture. 

Roy Morgan
K1LKY Western Mass

> On May 18, 2020, at 7:27 PM, Steven Daniel  wrote:
> 
> OK. I’ll bite. What’s a Tesla Powerwsll? 
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Re: Topband: Topband resource

[Jeff Kincaid]

 Yeah, but I'm not _that_ old!
I received WN6BIL from the Little Print Shop (they issued licenses back then, 
right?) in June of 1970.  ;)

 I signed the resulting QSL cards as the "12 yr old OM."
'JK

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, 1:07:54 PM PST, Mike Waters 
 wrote:  
 
 Yes, for neutralizing tubes. That goes back the early part of the 20th
century. ;-)

73, Mike
W0BTU

On Tue, Jan 14, 2020, 1:54 PM Lee STRAHAN  wrote:

> Yes, somewhat common in the "hollow state" device days (Tubes).
> Old also Wayne.
>
>
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Re: Topband: Topband resource

[Jeff Kincaid]

 Hi Fred,
Generally, a gimmick cap is two wires twisted together.  Your mileage will 
certainly vary, but I seem to recall a rule of thumb suggesting 1 pF per inch.
Regards,Jeff W6JK

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, 10:27:06 AM PST, fmoeves  
wrote:  
 
 Mike, 160m antennas my favorite subject. I sure wish it would either get cold 
or dry out here... Winters here in Kentucky are so wet and I think it gets 
wetter every year. One thing I did read in that link was reference to a 
"gimmick cap"...not sure what that is?? 73 Fred KB4QZH 
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Topband: Fw: Is there Any YB land station

[Jeff Kincaid]

There should be plenty of YB on phone this weekend, but unfortunately they 
exclude Topband from their contest.
YB DX Contest SSB – Indonesian HAM Radio DX Contest

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YB DX Contest SSB – Indonesian HAM Radio DX Contest
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Jeff W6JK

On Wednesday, January 8, 2020, 1:55:36 PM PST, Jean-Paul Albert via Topband 
 wrote:  
 
 Hny to all,

Sorry but YB heard for me, 98 percent of my QSO’s are cw mode. Any bands. 
But, till hope for 2020. 

Cu and 73´ 

Jean-Paul / F6FYA 

F6FYA en direct depuis son iPad. 

> Le 8 janv. 2020 à 18:17, Anton Moehammad via Topband  
> a écrit :
> 
> Hi All,
> Just wondering if any of You recently (2019) have heard any YB land station 
> working in TB especially in CW mode.
> Thank YouAnton
> 
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Re: Topband: CQ 160

[Jeff Kincaid]

 Those call sign mis-copies can be frustrating.  I worked RI once (and only 
once, on TB), but couldn't convince the poor OM he hadn't snagged Peru.  OA6BIL 
indeed!  Missed it by _that_ much.
Jeff W6JK (nee WA6BIL)

On Tuesday, January 29, 2019, 5:13:22 PM PST, Mike Smith VE9AA 
 wrote:  
 
 GE Jim, 

 

We can't possibly all remember 'who is located where' in the lower 48.

 

For Canadians, we are locked to our call areas, so if you were to work a VE9

(for example) on 160m, you can be relatively assured, unless something weird

is going on, that they are in New Brunswick. (there are some very rare
situational exceptions, which I won't get into, as it'll only confuse the
masses), but suffice to say..99.9% of the time, that's the rule.

 

A W6 on the other hand, can be pretty much anywhere.

 

Until you do several hundred (or thousand!) contests from FM08, it'll be
exceedingly

difficult for "everyone to know", hi hi !

 

I struggled to work a W8 on Topband this weekend (who I'd worked quite a few
times before) and

he could just NOT get my suffix. VE9AT, VE9A? , VE9TT, VE9?A, VE9MT, VE9MMT,
VE9AAT, etc.

 

How many VE9 contester's are there? J

 

It happens to all of us.

 

73 and have fun from FM08..I'll be listening for you !

 

Mike VE9AA

 

 

Gracious! I almost feel like I should apologize for sharing my 74-year old,

"youthful" exuberance for having the weekend of my career on TB! To put

things into perspective...

 

1. Since this is my 5th low-band / contesting season from this QTH in

Rockingham County, Virginia, I thought everyone knew where I was located. I

didn't mean to mislead, and certainly was not intending to stick it to my

long-suffering W6 friends in any sort of boastful fashion!

2. Between 1983 and 2013 I worked 186 DXC on 160 from my tiny sandbox in

Fresno, CA. However, it was 22 years, and only after installing a rotating

flag, before I FINALLY worked my first EU! (OZ7YY).

3. From then on, QSOs with EU were few and far between, but one glorious

night in Feb., 2009, I worked 17 EU in one evening. For me, truly amazing!

 

So, how have things changed since the move to VA, and the enchanted East

Coast? Over the weekend, during the contest, I worked HB0 for #224. 38 new

ones in 5 years? Not bad, but not earth-shattering! Oddly, 3 were in OC,

ones that I couldn't work from W6!

 

4. It was only this past December that I finally beat my Fresno record of 17

EU in one evening, with an amazing run of 23.

 

With that background, please forgive me if I mistakenly thought that working

58 EU in one weekend meant that propagation was terrific! As for me and my

meager station in FM08, you will have a difficult time proving otherwise!

 

73 es gud DX,

 

Jim - WS6X

 

P.S. You have my permission to assume some of the above was a bit

"tongue-in-cheek"! 

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB

 

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Re: Topband: BUG (beverage underground)

[Jeff Kincaid]

Signals from the zenith are going to be weak, but there should be some.  I'm 
curious how it does as a radiotelescope!
'JK


On Friday, June 8, 2018 11:36 AM, N7DF via Topband  
wrote:
 

 I recently had a 250 foot deep test well drilled near my hamshack and the well 
was powder dry all the way down so rather than waste a perfectly good hole in 
the ground I dropped a wire down it all the way to the bottom and hooked it up 
to my receiver  it was totally quiet of powerline noise while my above ground 
beverage had a 3 Db noise   The BUG did not pick up any radio signals either 
but you cannot have everything
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Re: Topband: Speaking of Noises...

[Jeff Kincaid]

Interesting thought, Jim, but you have lost the context.  What I was listening 
to was Tim's recording.
'JK
 

On Friday, February 23, 2018 4:01 PM, Jim Jim <wa3...@comcast.net> wrote:
 

  Jeff,  try turning off all of the Cell phones located near your receiver (and 
maybe in the house)  This sounds like the sound of a Cell phone polling the 
local tower that I had several years ago  it often drives me nuts because my 
wife' phone sometimes gets into the receiver as well. 

Jim K3YBN



Message: 4
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2018 19:03:03 + (UTC)
From: Jeff Kincaid <w...@sbcglobal.net>
To: Tim Shoppa <tsho...@gmail.com>, "ws6x@gmail.com"
 <ws6x@gmail.com>
Cc: topBand List <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Speaking of Noises...
Message-ID: <587619042.4047365.1519326183...@mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

I think I'm hearing two groups of four bursts, with the first burst from the 
second transmitter coinciding with the last burst from the first transmitter.? 
Anyone agree?
Jeff W6JK 

    On Thursday, February 22, 2018 10:51 AM, Tim Shoppa <tsho...@gmail.com> 
wrote:
 

 Here is a recording (made on 80M a few years ago but sounds substantially
the same on 160M) of what I'm told is the Wallops Island Ionosonde:

http://n3qe.org/wumwum_80M.wav

Here is the waveform showing 4 louder cycles followed by three softer
cycles:

http://n3qe.org/wumwum.png

If you look at the second panel of the waveform, you see a 20Hz
substructure in the pulses.

Even though I'm sitting in once place with a 2.4kHz filter making this
recording, I understand that the actual spectrum occupied is wider and it
cycles through the bands repeating on a several minute cycle.

Tim N3QE 

   
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Re: Topband: Speaking of Noises...

[Jeff Kincaid]

I think I'm hearing two groups of four bursts, with the first burst from the 
second transmitter coinciding with the last burst from the first transmitter.  
Anyone agree?
Jeff W6JK 

On Thursday, February 22, 2018 10:51 AM, Tim Shoppa  
wrote:
 

 Here is a recording (made on 80M a few years ago but sounds substantially
the same on 160M) of what I'm told is the Wallops Island Ionosonde:

http://n3qe.org/wumwum_80M.wav

Here is the waveform showing 4 louder cycles followed by three softer
cycles:

http://n3qe.org/wumwum.png

If you look at the second panel of the waveform, you see a 20Hz
substructure in the pulses.

Even though I'm sitting in once place with a 2.4kHz filter making this
recording, I understand that the actual spectrum occupied is wider and it
cycles through the bands repeating on a several minute cycle.

Tim N3QE



On Thu, Feb 22, 2018 at 12:56 PM, Jim - WS6X  wrote:

> I too, am curious as to the source. I heard it for many years in Central
> California; hear it at my current QTH in Central Shenandoah Valley; and
> heard it last weekend at NR4M.
> I describe it as a scratchy sound, sometimes with a bit of tonality.
> Always 4 pulses (although I don't think I've ever heard the 4 followed by 3
> as Bill describes.). I've never timed the interval between the groups of 4,
> but it is fairly infrequent. I'll hear it throughout the evening when I'm
> at the radio for long periods. It is loud enough on 160 here in VA that it
> will wipe out all but the strongest signals. I will have to pay more
> attention to details and record when I hear it.
> I wish I was better at phonics, but what I hear has distinct articulation:
> "Gugghk  gugghk gugghk gugghk". 
> Jim, WS6X
>
> 1. Speaking of noises... (Bill Tippett)
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2018 12:48:20 -0500
> From: Bill Tippett 
> To: topband 
> Subject: Topband: Speaking of noises...
>
> Does anyone know the source of periodic wideband buzzes that sound like
> this:
>
> buzzz..buzzz..buzzz..buzzz (i.e. 4X then pause)  buz..buz..buz (3X ~10 dB
> down).
>
> I believe this may be some sort of ionospheric sounder but I've heard this
> for decades, including when I was in Colorado.  Hopefully someone knows
> what's generating this.
>
> 73,  Bill  W4ZV
>
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Re: Topband: Sudden propagation suprise

[Jeff Kincaid]

Hi Jeff,
I think you might be over estimating the power of the VT QSO Party, but it's 
worth a try!
'JK
 

On Monday, January 29, 2018 12:04 PM, Radio KH6O  
wrote:
 

 Did you all notice that suddenly, 160M conditions picked up at 2200Z,
January 26, and just as quickly died off at 2200Z January 28th?

I'm going to make a prediction: Even though sunspots are almost
non-existent, I foresee a spectacular propagation event on 10M
beginning at 0001Z February 3, and suddenly ending at 2359Z February
4.

(Tongue in cheek...)

Jeff KH6O
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Re: Topband: what does it take to get on new band 600 meters

[Jeff Kincaid]

I've been trying to get Heathkit to produce a dual bander of some sort for the 
two new bands.  Why not start by dropping them a line supporting the idea?
Regards,Jeff W6JK 

On Thursday, November 2, 2017 10:35 AM, Kevin Adam  wrote:
 

 What does it take to get on 600 meters radio antenna transceiver  power 
requirements


N9IWW
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Re: Topband: 1809.2 kHz constant dashes

[Jeff Kincaid]

Reminds me of the time I went to investigate audio square waves eminating from 
the shack, to find the cat curled up on the log book and key in front of the 
HW-16 (full break-in Novice rig with neon relaxation oscillator for side tone). 
 That was the first time I saw a cherry-red plate.  :)  The key soon had a 
toggle switch in series to ensure stand-by when unattended.
'JK 

On Tuesday, December 6, 2016 3:09 PM, Rick Stealey  
wrote:
 

 
I'm going to blame this one on the ARRL.
In fact we might even call it the "1809 ARRL 24 hour dash."
Why, you ask?
Because it MIGHT have been caused by the operator mistakenly leaving his copy 
of QST on his key when he went to bed last night.

Rick  K2XT
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Re: Topband: Stew

[Jeff Kincaid]

Surely he was trying to type "LID."  Note, however, that gentlemen may differ 
on who was the lid in his story.
Jeff W6JK 

On Sunday, March 13, 2016 8:21 AM, Glenn Wyant  wrote:
 

   Is    " AH  " some sort of Gentlemans secret code ?
  Surely it cant be what I think !
  Not double standards in the Stew !

  va3dx



Subject: Topband: Stew


>  Spent a total of 4 hours in the SP. Activity, at least from here in 
> east TN, was lower than previous. The logger got to the point where it 
> said "dupe, dupe, dupe"constantly.
> DX would just appear out of nowhere...Italy, Germany, Venezuela.
>  This morning I caught a VK6 working a K1 and tried to tail end. The 
> guy would not give up the Fx for a second to let me work the DX. I sent 
> AH, and he sent ?, I sent AH, and he sent ? Guess he didn't get it. I 
> was dialed up to 2kw at that moment so I know he heard me, but he was 
> not going to standby. The "gentleman's band" huh?
> BILL K4OWR

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Re: Topband: Spring Stew Perry

[Jeff Kincaid]

I worked both of the QRP Jims, and Herb too.  Thanks guys!
Alas, no JAs here.
Jeff W6JK 

On Sunday, March 13, 2016 1:49 PM, James Rodenkirch 
 wrote:
 

 Hearing very few CA ops this A.M. so don't expect to hear few JAs.oh well, 
my new antenna - an inverted U - did well for me (worked far more east 
coast/new England stns this time around)  ...just put it up yesterday80 Qs 
and 915 pts


LOVE Stew Perry events...72 to all de Jim R. K9JWV


From: Jim F. 
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2016 10:17 PM
To: James Rodenkirch; topband@contesting.com; n...@no3m.net
Subject: Re: Topband: Spring Stew Perry

Eric...Mopa sounded great in NH !  Did not hear Jim

KV4FZ was loud about 0500 but no reply.
Worked NP2X about that time who was just above the noise.
 Out in the dark at 8 pm laying down radials  And will pull them in
before church in the morning.  Enjoying the condo challenge !

73,

Jim / W1FMR / QRP / NH


From: James Rodenkirch 
To: "topband@contesting.com" ; "n...@no3m.net" 

Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2016 6:53 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Spring Stew Perry

Will be lookin' for ya, Eric...have a new antenna up (just put it up this 
afternoon) and will be PUSING my 4.9 watts out into the ether72, Jim R. 
K9JWV


From: Topband 
> on 
behalf of Eric NO3M >
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2016 12:09 PM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Spring Stew Perry

I should be QRV this evening with my 1928 MOPA running about 19W input /
11W output.  Already worked some EU stations with it (Four Square TX),
so hoping to catch some west of Rockies guys tonight.

http://no3m.net/vintage/160m-1928-mopa/

Not quite QRP

73 Eric NO3M


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Re: Topband: CW160

[Jeff Kincaid]

Hi Jim,
Even I heard you once, from the deepest darkest Los Angeles.  About 0825 you 
were calling someone I couldn't hear while you were Q5.  It gave me a bit of a 
thrill knowing you were QRP, and was a good indication that I'm hearing better 
(though still poorly) this year.
Jeff W6JK
 

On Saturday, January 30, 2016 6:29 PM, Jim Brown 
 wrote:
 

 On Sat,1/30/2016 9:40 AM, David Raymond wrote:
> Condx to JA from here in Iowa this morning were quite good 

Yes, it was a good night. Dave, W0FLS and Toni, N0NI, are two guys who 
pulled my QRP signal out. Thanks also to W5MX and someone signing a club 
call in Gulfport, MS who heard me and gave me KY and MS. Two states 
down, four to go. Still need VT, CT, WV, and SC. I parked on K8JQ hoping 
for a sunrise peak, but it didn't happen.

C6AGU (AA7JV) was loud here around his sunrise, but we didn't make it. 
HK1R was loud much of the evening, but no Q. K4UEE was also loud from 
GA, perhaps testing antennas for his next trip. He also pulled me out.

I may have goofed by taking a nap -- that peak when Gary worked CA 
probably happened then.

73, Jim K9YC
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Re: Topband: Commercial 160 antennas?

[Jeff Kincaid]

A few hundred Watts might do it.  Short antenna, low feed point impedance, 
inefficient tuner settings, and suddenly the tuner is dissipating a lot of the 
RF that was meant to pass through.  :(
'JK
 

On Wednesday, December 30, 2015 2:25 PM, Pat N8VW  
wrote:
 

 On 2015-12-30 12:56, K4OWR wrote:

> Tuners on 160, with a LOT of power, always eventually blow up or catch 
> fire.
> 

Interesting comment.  What do you mean when you capitalize the word 
"lot"?


..n8vw
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Re: Topband: Stew Perry Preliminary Results

[Jeff Kincaid]

Beware the Ides of March!
Jeff W6JK 

On Wednesday, December 30, 2015 2:12 PM, Mike Waters  
wrote:
 

 "Spring Stew – March 14/15 – You saw it here first!!"

GREAT! :-)

73, Mike
www.w0btu.com

On Wed, Dec 30, 2015 at 2:36 PM, Tree  wrote:

> http://www.kkn.net/stew ... Note that the dates for the 2016 events have
> been decided and posted. There might even be a surprise for those of you
> who can't get enough Stew.
>
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Re: Topband: HMC580 instead of W7IUV preamp

[Jeff Kincaid]

DigiKey has some...
HMC580ST89ETR Analog Devices Inc | 1127-1059-1-ND | DigiKey

|   |
|   |  |   |   |   |   |   |
| HMC580ST89ETR Analog Devices Inc | 1127-1059-1-ND ...Find Analog Devices Inc 
HMC580ST89ETR (1127-1059-1-ND) at DigiKey. Check stock and pricing, view 
product specifications, and order online. |
|  |
| View on www.digikey.com | Preview by Yahoo |
|  |
|   |


'JK 


 On Friday, August 28, 2015 3:57 PM, Mike Waters mikew...@gmail.com wrote:
   

 That's amazing. But where did you get it? Mouser is sold out, 390 on order,
but no estimated delivery date.

73, Mike
www.w0btu.com


On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 5:26 PM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist 
rich...@karlquist.com wrote:

 It might be a lot easier to simply buy this amplifier IC:

 http://www.hittite.com/products/view.html/view/HMC580ST89

 The specs are close to the W7IUV preamp.
 I mounted one of these ICs on a breadboard and tried it out with a short
 vertical whip and it seemed to work fine.

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Re: Topband: Best wire antenna for roof top location

[Jeff Kincaid]

It might be fun to drive around Culver City for a while and find some of those 
old buildings.  The houses are a lot closer together now, but most of the 
originals are probably still there.
'JK 


 On Monday, August 10, 2015 9:31 AM, donov...@starpower.net 
donov...@starpower.net wrote:
   

 I hope Nuradi's rooftop antenna installation doesn't proceed like this: 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU7eSAw3IZs 


73 
Frank 
W3LPL 
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Re: Topband: FCC Upgrades Topband Frequency Allocations

[Jeff Kincaid]

The FCC has agreed that the buoys need licensing they don't have, but rather 
that requiring compliance they have simply declared that the Part 80 (Marine) 
license now covers this Part 90 activity.  This is completely unprecedented, as 
far as I know.
'JK
 


 On Thursday, April 30, 2015 7:50 AM, Mike Waters mikew...@gmail.com 
wrote:
   

 Below is the second paragraph in ARLB016 that I received from the ARRL via
e-mail yesterday. It sounds like the FCC is somehow sanctioning those pesky
CW fishnet beacons on 160m!

In addition, the FCC has raised the secondary Amateur Service allocation
at 1900 to 2000 kHz to primary, while providing for continued use by
currently unlicensed commercial fishing vessels of radio buoys on the 'open
sea.' 

This statement is also at
www.arrl.org/news/fcc-proposes-to-permit-amateur-access-to-2200-and-630-meters
except that the above quote is part of the first paragraph there, and not
in a paragraph by itself as in the email.

Maybe it's just an error. Anyone have any further details?

73, Mike
www.w0btu.com
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Re: Topband: FCC Upgrades Topband Frequency Allocations

[Jeff Kincaid]

Hi Don,
Thanks for the interesting link, and for your efforts on our behalf.
Regards,Jeff W6JK
 


 On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 12:15 PM, Donald Chester k4...@hotmail.com 
wrote:
   

 




                                      The FCC has raised the secondary Amateur 
Service allocation at  1900 to 2000 kHz to primary.
Up until now, we were secondary users in that segment, with the Radiolocation 
service having priority.
As high-resolution GPS service became available to civilians, radiolocation 
beacons gradually disappeared
from 160m.  The FCC proposed to upgrade the amateur allocation a couple of 
years ago in a NPRM,
inviting comments from the public.

Although this won't have much immediate impact on our daily operation on
the band, it strengthens our hold on the entire band since we in the USA are now
primary and nobody else can easily displace amateurs in the top end with some 
new technology
that could fall into the category of radiolocation.  An unlikely threat? 
Recall the so-called
washing machine, the Canadian OTH radar signal that almost completely wiped 
out 1900-1930
for several days this past winter, and which still occasionally reappears on 
the frequency.

This is a clear example of how it is wise to  pay close attention to  FCC 
issues, consider all
possible consequences and submit comments. The 160m proposal was only a small 
sub-section of
what was a large, omnibus rulemaking proceeding issued a couple of years ago, 
involving numerous
other services besides amateur radio, so the 160m issue might have gained 
little attention.
I attempted to drum up interest amongst amateurs and particularly 160m 
operators, but the response was
disappointing at best. Posting information on the this Reflector appeared to 
draw scant interest
and generated only one or two replies while most were pre-occupied with what DX 
stations
were being heard at the moment and upcoming contests.

Granted that CW, DX and contest enthusiasts who largely inhabit the Reflector 
pretty much
stay in the lower half of the band, but were we ever to lose all or part of 
1900-2000 to some new form
of radiolocation, many if not most of those who presently populate the high end 
would be forced to move
below 1900, making 1800-1900 more congested, which would indeed adversely 
affect weak signal, DX and
CW operation.

Even more incredibly, my efforts were actually derided by some hams.  A 
read-only announcement
of the FCC's proposal in another amateur radio website was so poorly worded 
that some hams interpreted it
to mean that the FCC was reallocating 1900-2000 and taking it away from 
amateurs. When I attempted  to
clarify the issue, one response was that this was of little interest to him 
because he found 160m so boring
that the QSOs on the band put him to sleep. Another added that he thought 
amateur radio would
be just as well off if the FCC took away 160m altogether.

Although the total number of submitted comments to the 160m proposal totalled 
only 34, it appears that our
efforts paid off.  To see the pertinent section of the FCC's R  O, go to

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment/view;ECFSSESSION=XpxJVQlHZsLr63dPQq2WvZpN8VfLT5JS9B5bG5Q9wb1pWsphb4Lc!9955362!-1420975216?id=60001030136
If a line break disables the link, manually copy and paste the entire URL 
directly into your browser.

Scroll down to Paragraph 30 on Page 15, and continue through Paragraph 44 on 
page 21.

Don k4kyv

                         
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Re: Topband: earth tester

[Jeff Kincaid]

Perhaps a few words on how you joined the rods would be useful here.
Regards,Jeff W6JK
 


 On Wednesday, April 22, 2015 1:00 PM, Paul Christensen w...@arrl.net 
wrote:
   

  Do you use a earth tester?  Which brand do you know is very good and 
 accurate to consider?

Jorge,

If you can, try and find a clamp-on earth tester rather than the type that 
relies on the fall-of-potential method with electrodes.  There are several 
good clamp-on units by Megger, Fluke and AEMC.  I recently acquired an AEMC 
model 3711.  It wasn't supplied with a calibration loop, but I found one 
from Fluke that quickly checks calibration at 100, 50, 12.5, and 0.5 ohms. 
You'll want that calibration loop to validate the accuracy of the clamp 
tester, especially if you use an off-brand model from Asia.

N4CC and I recently installed a large grounding field, with some ground rods 
driven down to a depth of 24 ft.  The clamp-on device was useful for quick 
validation.  Had we used a unit with electrodes, it would have taken us much 
longer to perform our tests.  By the way, in sandy/clay type soil here in 
north FL, we found that connecting 8 ft. rods end-to-end to form a 24 ft rod 
substantially lowered earth resistance by a factor of 10x.

Paul, W9AC 

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Re: Topband: Fwd: Re: BoGs, BaGs and BuGs

[Jeff Kincaid]

Note...  It's necessary to remove the space from that url.  Thanks, though!

Jeff W6JK



On Wednesday, February 11, 2015 5:50 AM, K1FZ-Bruce k...@myfairpoint.net 
wrote:
 



500 feet is too long for a low band BOG unless sitting upon an 
insulating earth like sand. 
For info see   www.qsl.net/k1fz/ bogantennanotes/index.html

73
Bruce-K1FZ

On Wed, 11 Feb 2015 09:41:45 +, Larry via Topband 
topband@contesting.com wrote:
Sent this before, and not sure it made it, or perhaps it was not worth
 responding to-

  I have been contemplating listening antennas, and after hearing a  
 friend work station after station that I could hear only down in the 
  noise on my inverted Vee, while he was using a 500' Beverage on the 
  Ground (aka BoG) I am convinced that I want to install several. 

  Best to all,
  Larry KD8WSP

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- End forwarded message -

 
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Re: Topband: HVDC

[Jeff Kincaid]

Out west we have the Pacific Dc Intertie, a 500KV system bringing power to So 
Cal from Oregon.  Is anyone aware of any noise issues with that?

Jeff W6JK



On Tuesday, February 10, 2015 9:53 AM, Ws9v w...@royell.net wrote:
 


Hi All


Through the center part of Illinois they have begun work at the government 
level to install a  690,000 VDC power line   As with all this there is huge 
amount of opposition an even groups trying to ban it 

Does anyone have any experience with a line of such high VDC as a noise source 
?  It will pass within  3/4 of a mile south of my QTH



I am really concerned my only hope if this goes thru is to pull up stakes an 
move   rather than attempt to fight its noise 

Any thoughts

de WS9V  Skip


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Re: Topband: Silver solder

[Jeff Kincaid]

What I use is 3.6% silver wire with a resin core and a diameter of .031.  I 
would avoid the bars as to difficult to use.

Regards,
Jeff W6JK



On Tuesday, December 30, 2014 4:28 PM, Jorge Diez CX6VM cx6vm.jo...@gmail.com 
wrote:
 


Hello

I read about using silver to solder wire radials to terminals

This week I decided to ask sellers about silver solder and they offered me a 2% 
and 30% silver bars

What we need for our use? Will be ok to use 2%? The difference in price is 
extremely high!

Thanks,
Jorge
CX6VM/CW5W

Enviado desde mi iPhone
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