Re: Topband: Poor Conditions

[Peter Sundberg via Topband]

Try that statement at latitude 65.4N Roger, I can tell you that 
sunspots have a HUGE affect on TB propagation. And not in a positive way.


This season is a total bust so far, no DX heard at all. And 80m is 
not far behind.


73
Peter SM2CEW


At 21:47 2023-10-23, Roger Kennedy wrote:


I've never felt that the Sunspot Cycle has much affect on Topband.

Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 231, Issue 8

[Peter Krulewitch]

My nephew is a professor in Maine. He tells me Maine has exploded with new 
marijuana selling allowed.
One small town in Northern Maine has only three stores, all selling it.
W2LL

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 13, 2022, at 12:00 PM, topband-requ...@contesting.com wrote:
> 
> Send Topband mailing list submissions to
>topband@contesting.com
> 
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
>topband-requ...@contesting.com
> 
> You can reach the person managing the list at
>topband-ow...@contesting.com
> 
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..."
> 
> 
> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Re: Surprise! Spring Stew is here (Wes)
>   2. Re: Surprise! Spring Stew is here (David Olean)
>   3. Re: Surprise! Spring Stew is here (Jim Brown)
> 
> 
> --
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2022 10:47:09 -0700
> From: Wes 
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Surprise! Spring Stew is here
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
> 
> I'd be contacting Susan Collins. Probably pointless considering the world 
> situation, but marijuana growing is still a federal crime and RFI is an FCC 
> concern.
> 
>> On anther note, a divorce caused me to abandon 2-meter EME about a year 
>> after 
>> our QSO in 1982.? Is there enough 2-meter EME activity these days to justify 
>> building a station to seek my 10th band DXCC?
>> 
>> Wes? N7WS
>> 
>> ?On 3/12/2022 8:02 AM, David Olean wrote:
>> I have to reluctantly miss the Spring Stew. All of my gear is operational, 
>> but 
>> but I have huge amounts of RFI from grow lights. One source is 0.75 miles 
>> South of me, while source #2 is 1.08 miles NE of me and in line with Europe. 
>> My noise floor has increased by 22-35 dB depending on how may grow lights 
>> are 
>> on at any given time. I can only work very strong and loud stations. IT is 
>> so 
>> frustrating knowing that all of my efforts to build an effective receiving 
>> setup has been thwarted by a number of related actions. Just listening to 
>> the 
>> cacophony of square waves is enough to give anyone a headache in just a few 
>> minutes.
>> 
>> The grow lights have been a disaster for me, and, with marijuana legalized 
>> in 
>> my state, there are new sources popping up all the time.
>> 
>> 73
>> 
>> Dave K1WHS
>> 
>>> On 3/12/2022 9:42 AM, Tree wrote:
>>> Starts in about 19 minutes in fact.
>>> 
>>> 73 Tree N6TR
>>> _
>>> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
>> _
>> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
> 
> 
> 
> --
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2022 13:01:07 -0500
> From: David Olean 
> To: Wes , topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Surprise! Spring Stew is here
> Message-ID: <1c8a507a-12bf-4de2-52ac-804860229...@metrocast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
> 
> Hi Wes
> 
> That is a good idea to contact Susan Collins office. My approach is that 
> our resources include land, water, air, and the electromagnetic 
> spectrum. Everybody gets their undies in a knot when someone pollutes a 
> stream or dumps oil on the land. Preserving the electromagnetic spectrum 
> is just about the same thing.? and I am the canary in the coal mine as 
> far as these grow lights go. That is the message I want to convey . 
> maybe she will listen, but I doubt it.
> 
> There is a ton of 144 activity but it is all digital. I do not do much 
> with it now. After my 144 tower came down last year, I am currently 
> QRT.?? I have a killer setup on 222 that I am running. I had a second CW 
> EME contact with KL6M this past fall. I am going to stay on 222 and hope 
> that we can build up some activity on the band.
> 
> Dave
> 
>> On 3/12/2022 12:47 PM, Wes wrote:
>> I'd be contacting Susan Collins. Probably pointless considering the 
>> world situation, but marijuana growing is still a federal crime and 
>> RFI is an FCC concern.
>> 
>> On anther note, a divorce caused me to abandon 2-meter EME about a 
>> year after our QSO in 1982.? Is there enough 2-meter EME activity 
>> these days to justify building a station to seek my 10th band DXCC?
>> 
>> Wes? N7WS
>> 
>> ?On 3/12/2022 8:02 AM, David Olean wrote:
>>> I have to reluctantly miss the Spring Stew. All of my gear is 
>>> operational, but but I have huge amounts of RFI from grow lights. One 
>>> source is 0.75 miles South of me, while source #2 is 1.08 miles NE of 
>>> me and in line with Europe. My noise floor has increased by 22-35 dB 
>>> depending on how may grow lights are on at any given time. I can only 
>>> work very strong and loud stations. IT is so frustrating knowing that 
>>> all of 

Re: Topband: Region One stations below 1810 kHz

[Peter Voelpel]

I don´t believe that half of the participants are in Turkmenistan.
If not licensed they are not allowed to transmit anywhere.
So all stations from region 1 transmitting below 1810kHz should be
disqualified.

73
Peter, DJ7WW

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces+dj7ww=t-online...@contesting.com] On
Behalf Of uy0zg
Sent: Samstag, 25. Dezember 2021 12:55
To: Henk Remijn PA5KT
Cc: topband@contesting.com; Topband
Subject: Re: Topband: Region One stations below 1810 kHz

  There are, of course, minor exceptions. In Turkmenistan, for example, 
no licenses are issued at all ...

And the real situation is as follows - almost all participants in 
contests from Europe and Asia cannot use frequencies below 1810.

We see that half of the participants are in unequal conditions.
It is a fact.

---
Nick, UY0ZG
http://www.topband.in.ua

Henk Remijn PA5KT via Topband ? 2021-12-25 12:31:
> In region 1 the frequency 1800-1810 is still allocated to
> Radiolocation, not to Amateur.
> 
> However it is always possible that individual countries create
> different allocations.
> 
> Similar to the upper frequency.
> 
> 1810-1850 is primary Amateur.
> 
> 1850-2000 is secondary Amateur.
> 
> Some countries allow the complete allocation, some have restrictions.
> And some even have restrictions with individual exceptions.
> 
> It is impossible for contests organizers to keep up with all those
> restrictions and exceptions.
> 
> 73 Henk
> 
> Op 25-12-2021 om 07:49 schreef uy0zg:
>> Hey
>> 
>> Everything can be solved simply.
>> 
>> To approve the rules for the whole World ( only for contest) - it is 
>> impossible to work until 1810. It will be fair.
>> 
>> 
>> ---
>> Nick, UY0ZG
>> http://www.topband.in.ua
>> 
>> Tree ? 2021-12-25 02:37:
>>> All -
>>> 
>>> A friend of mine alerted me to the fact that he heard a QSO take 
>>> place
>>> between someone in the USA and Europe below 1810 during the Stew.  I 
>>> did a
>>> little research and verified that this QSO did take place - around 
>>> 1805
>>> kHz.  However, the European reported the QSO on 1810 kHz.
>>> 
>>> During this investigation, I have found more of these QSOs - 
>>> including
>>> about two dozen with one station who was on 1808.9 kHz (per RBN).
>>> 
>>> Perhaps the rules have changed recently, and these frequencies are
>>> permitted for Region 1 stations?  I see all sorts of countries in the 
>>> list
>>> I have generated so far.
>>> 
>>> And if these are "illegal" contacts - what should be done about them?
>>> 
>>> And if a Region 1 stations modified his log to change the frequency
>>> information to make it look legit - is that unsportsmanlike behavior?
>>> 
>>> Tree N6TR
>>> _
>>> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband 
>>> Reflector
>> _
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>> Reflector
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> Reflector
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Re: Topband: Horrendous Local Noise

[Peter Voelpel]

I had a similar problem some years ago with an origin I could not find
myself.
Big noise on 80m of 9+20dB, about 60kHz wide and moving up and down the
band. 
No chance to DF it with everything conductive reradiating the noise
frequency.
Took our authorities almost 3 hours to find the source, the power supply of
a sat receiver 3km away!
That was radiating into the phone line which is not underground here and
distributing it all over the village.

73
Peter, DJ7WW


-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces+dj7ww=t-online...@contesting.com] On
Behalf Of Roger Kennedy
Sent: Samstag, 13. November 2021 00:27
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Horrendous Local Noise

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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Topband: Aluminum fence wire for Beverage

[Peter Krulewitch]

I tried the wire with some success but sag due to stretching created a problem. 
Wonder what your experience is and also use of steel fence wire.
W2LL

Sent from my iPhone
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Topband: FW: CQ Zones

[Peter Voelpel]

Hi Bob,

Probably I am not qualified for ham radio...

73
Peter


-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces+dj7ww=t-online...@contesting.com] On
Behalf Of Chortek, Robert L.

Actually, it is ham radio.


Have you spent any time with the mode?

NO


For example,

1. Have you identified a country you need for a bond slot or ATNO?

NO, I don´t need any country


2.  Have you determined the best time of year, time of day, and band to see
if a station from that country is on?

NO


3. Have you searched the decodes daily for a station from that country?

NO, I don´t decode anything


4. After spending days hunting that DX, have you FINALLY managed to be there
when the propagation was favorable?

NO, I don´t hunt DX, just talk to them if they call me


5.  Have you then, after all that, called that DX and made the contact?

NO


If that does not qualify as ham radio, I’m not sure what does.

73,

Bob/AA6VB
Robert L. Chortek


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Re: Topband: Cage wire performance https://www.pi4cc.nl/album/80-160/slides/P5030195.html

[Peter]

Hi

An easy way to make a cage is to use black irrigation hose.
Just make some 30-50 cm diameter circles Drill 3-4 holes and ready to go
 https://www.pi4cc.nl/album/80-160/slides/P5030195.html 
<https://www.pi4cc.nl/album/80-160/slides/P5030192.html>


Peter
PC2A
https://www.pi4cc.nl 
<https://www.pi4cc.nl/album/80-160/slides/P5030192.html>



Op 4-1-2021 om 16:32 schreef Richard (Rick) Karlquist:


On 1/4/2021 7:05 AM, Kenny Silverman wrote:
where the wires connect at a point on the top, but with a 4 foot 
spread of the wires near the ground. This adds about 15-20 kc to the 
2:1 bandwidth per the model.


Will a 2-wire section like this always behave as a wide/fat conductor 
or do I have to worry about voltage/current in Each wire?


Regards , Kenny K2KW


Just a guess:  I would think with 2 wires, you would be fairly
successful with getting good current sharing, as long as there
wasn't some unbalancing effect, say due to having the vertical
running along side a tower.

With 3 wires, there is some reason to think that the middle
wire wouldn't carry much current if the three wires were
in a plane.  OTOH, if they formed a triangular cross section,
then it would seem likely that current sharing would be good.
In general, you want to emulate a round conductor, as opposed
to a strap.  When straps are used to make inductors, the
current crowds to the edges.  Round conductors don't have
such edges, hence they have good current sharing.

I don't believe NEC is good for modeling this.  You have
to use a tool called "HOBBIES" if you want to do this.
K6OIK has written some articles about this tool.

73
Rick N6RK
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Topband: Second inverted L

[Peter Krulewitch]

Want to add a second wire inverted L off my tower, tower height 90 feet.
What suggested separation of the 2 elements and best way to feed.
Probably find answers by looking up in low band dxing but also looking for some 
practical advice and experiences. Tnx fm an old LID :)
W2LL

Sent from my iPhone
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Topband: Lew McCoy article from CQ

[Peter Krulewitch]

October 96 about a  160 meter 1/2 wave sloper off an 50’ tower with excellent 
results. Sorry couldn’t include article in my post. Opinions?
W2LL
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Topband: Sloper

[Peter Krulewitch]

After reading responses to inverted L vs inverted V, I started looking through 
some old articles that I had saved and found the below.
Some have had strong results from the sloper but I recall there were issues 
with SWR. Any current thoughts or experience out there?

Pete W2LL 



Sent from my iPhone_
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Re: Topband: Inverted V vs inverted L

[Peter Krulewitch]

I should have stated for the comparison that I have 4 elevated radials under 
the inverted L W2LL

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 19, 2020, at 12:49 PM, Joe  wrote:
> 
>  An Inverted "L" is more or less a vertical, but the upper half got bent 
> over correct?
> 
> So a major part of an inverted "L" just as in a regular vertical is the 
> ground system.
> Correct?
> 
> Now how elevated radials work great in a regular vertical, only need like 4 
> to equal miles of wire in ground mounted radial field.
> 
> Will elevated radials work  for an inverted "L"?
> 
> How about few and shorter than full length elevated radials as in a N6BT 
> design?
> 
> Joe WB9SBD
> 
> 
> The Original Rolling Ball Clock
> Idle Tyme
> Idle-Tyme.com
> http://www.idle-tyme.com
> On 4/19/2020 11:35 AM, daraym...@iowatelecom.net wrote:
>> The inverted L will out perform and inverted vee, hands down, 90% of the 
>> time.  The few exceptions will probably be near your local SR (and other 
>> times) when horizontal polarization can work better.73. . . 
>> Dave, W0FLS 
>> 
>> -Original Message- From: Peter Krulewitch 
>> Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2020 11:28 AM 
>> To: topband@contesting.com 
>> Subject: Topband: Inverted V vs inverted L 
>> 
>> Have used inverted L with 90 apex for several years but wonder whether 
>> comparison tests or experiences with inverted V at that height compares. Tnx 
>> fer your ideas.W2LL 
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone 
>> _ 
>> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector 
>> _ 
>> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector 
>> 
> 
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Topband: Inverted V vs inverted L

[Peter Krulewitch]

Have used inverted L with 90 apex for several years but wonder whether 
comparison tests or experiences with inverted V at that height compares. Tnx 
fer your ideas.W2LL

Sent from my iPhone
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Re: Topband: New Modes, Systems, etc

[Peter Sundberg]

Skills involved?? Achievements?? You've got to be kidding Mike...

Achievements in the WW Digi Contest were so 
dramatically poor that the contest committee had 
to waive the NIL penalty because otherwise a 
large number of final scores would have been negative!


"The amount of NILs is abnormally high" - the 
committees own words in their article.


Does it sound attractive to bring such contest behavior Top Band?

Of course not.

73
Peter SM2CEW


At 17:12 2020-01-11, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote:
snip..


  There is skill involved.  There is a bunch of excitement and achievement.



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Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night

[Peter Sundberg]

Recently the geomagnetic field has been very unstable, hence a higher 
K-index and a lot of aurora, resulting in totally wiped out DX 
conditions on 160m up here.


None of the regular NA stations could be heard this week.

Then again, conditions were phenomenal during the Stew so let's hope 
for a re-occurrence of that for the upcoming CQ 160 :-)


73
Peter SM2CEW




At 21:56 2020-01-09, Roger Kennedy wrote:


Well sadly conditions were rather poor last night . . .

Also I wasn't sure how many stations made it on the band, as I had
torrential rain all night, and with the 400kV power lines a mile away that
caused a high noise level, so could only copy stations above S7.

Oh well . . . perhaps it will be better next Wednesday !

73 Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night

[Peter Sundberg]

The sky was all green and purple from south west to north last night 
due to aurora.


Magnetometer in KP07 swinging wildly.

No NA stations heard (or worked) on 160m at this QTH.

73
Peter SM2CEW


At 20:49 2019-12-19, Roger Kennedy wrote:


Well I spent a few hours on the band calling CQ last night, but only had a
couple of QSOs.

There were several other EU stations doing the same, and again not getting
replies.

Not sure if it was just poor conditions or lack of activity?  (although my
QSO and RBN reports were OK)

73 Roger G3YRO

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Re: Topband: Morning (W6 time) opening to European Russian today at ~1300Z during ARRL contest

[Peter Sundberg]

You were a very good signal here Rick all the time you were in 
darkness. Unfortunately you never heard me and I know there were 
other callers as well from northern Europe :-)


Super signals from all over NA this past weekend. The band never died 
as long as there was darkness over the entire, or some part of the, 
continent. Interesting to note, after sunrise here at 65.4N stations 
from the east coast, who still were in complete darkness, got 
noticeable weaker while the mid west and west coast stations got 
stronger. This follows the trend I've seen befor.


The band was packed with NA signals, all the way up and above 1850 kHz.

Two types of QSB were predominant. The usual very slow QSB with nulls 
and peaks that last for more than a minute, and the very rapid QSB 
which takes signals in and out of the noise in 10 seconds or so. This 
was especially noticeable on KH6/KU1CW - in the morning hours my time 
very short but strong peaks, come noon and afternoon more or less 
solid copy all the way until sunrise in KH6.


It is always interesting to hear west coast NA working Asia while I 
am hearing both sides equally strong. The problem for me is that you 
guys in NA are predominantly (of course) listening with antennas 
pointing to Asia, so it is not easy to get a QSO with you at that 
time of day. Despite very good signals at this end.. but a bunch of 
us up north were indeed trying hard to get your attention.. :-)


Too many calls to mention who stood outover time. But looking at the 
most difficult path straight over the pole K7CW, N7ZG, N7DD, N2IC, 
W6AYC, N6RK, KH6/KU1CW, KL7FB plus the amazing signals all day from 
the potent VE6 crowd - VE6WZ, VE6WQ, VE6BBP. And K0RF, like a beacon 
at all times.


As I've said these are just a few calls picked out from all the 
stations heard over the weekend. I worked 55 of you, so not bad 
considering I was only on from early morning and I did not burn the 
any end of the candle in the middle of the night.


This weekend is pretty much on par with the way the band was in 2011. 
That's the year that I made it to 49 states worked, only missing MS. 
This Sunday morning I heard N4OGW in MS working mainly NA stations 
before he suddenly disappeared, ouch..! :-)


Let's hope these lovely band conditions continue well past The Stew 
and the CQ 160M CW !


73
Peter SM2CEW



At 02:35 2019-12-09, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:

11 or so years ago, I worked UA3AGW at 1500Z during the ARRL contest
using only 100 watts then.  That was of course at a sunspot minimum.

We are now at the next SS minimum and this morning in the 1300Z hour,
I again worked UA3AGW who called me during the contest.
I also worked RK4FF, UD4F, RM4F, RA4LW, and RW3PZ plus LY7M and UW2M.
I would like to thank all the callers for sticking with me till
I got your call, although some were armchair copy.
I was using 1,500 watts today.

I hope to see this opening again in the upcoming Stew Perry
where it will worth a lot more than 5 points.

Rick N6RK
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Re: Topband: K9ay loop not performing

[Peter Bertini]

I had the same problem with my K9AY loop. Despite being
in a wooded area that seemed to have very damp soil the
earth conductivity was poorer than I had expected.

I added eight short radials under the loops and that made a
huge improvement. I also added some cheap CATV ground
rods to tie the ends of the radials down.  Nulls are fairly
decent at present, but I may try adding some cheap chicken
wire under the loops for the heck of it, as an experiment.
My loops are near wire fencing for a field for a local horse
farm, and the tower and inverted L are about 40 and 60
feet, respectively, away.

I am not sure on the vintage of your loops, but the newer
versions have adjustable termination resistor choices...
I have read where others have found much better results
by changing the terminating resistor to match their own
soil conditions.  Unfortunately mine was a very early
product and only had a few fixed values that is not
remotely selectable.

I think I am blessed with a fairly quiet rural location,
since generally stations are equal on either
the K2AV system compared to the loops.

Pete W1BR
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Re: Topband: Ground for K9AY Loop

[Peter Bertini]

I had a similar issue with my K9AY loop.  It was very non directive, even
with a short ground rod.  I added four ground
radials laid under the loops to the apex points where they met
the ground anchors.  That fixed the problem. I also added
four of those cheap TV ground rods at each corner and
tied the ends of the each radial to a rod.  Directivity is
superb now.
_
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Re: Topband: Summer Update & a Surprise

[Peter Sundberg]

If we CW operators would all stay on a very tight frequency passband 
and call CQ every 15 seconds I bet there would be a lot of 
interesting things happening to us also. Especially if we do it 24/7 
or at least every hour that we are not asleep.


However, PC-automation has it's advantages, some are at work while 
working DX and others are gardening. Some even sit by the radio/PC 
and watch things happen :-)


Bottom line is, we need to activate our transmitters more and not 
just listen for others. A perfect example is Bill KH7XS who opens up 
almost any seemingly "dead" band to Europe, at any time, just by 
calling CQ for a while.


CW is not only great fun as you say Dave, CW is King!

73
Peter SM2CEW


At 16:39 2019-07-31, daraym...@iowatelecom.net wrote:
Interesting observations Jeff.  I will remain on 160 CW as I have in 
years past.  I enjoy the visceral satisfaction that comes with 
pulling out the weak signals and having direct, unencumbered 
interaction with the station to which I'm communicating. . .or 
trying. . .hi.  CW is still great fun.


73. . . Dave, W0FLS

-Original Message- From: k1zm--- via Topband
Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2019 7:20 AM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Summer Update & a Surprise

Hi Gang


It is mid summer here and E season on 6M has been fun to play with 
while 160m is pretty S L O W as it usually is.
On these pages there has been alot of chatter regarding FT8 - (which 
basically took over 6M DX'ing starting in July 2917 - all DX is now 
on 50.313 FT8 - which is why I had to adopt this mode in order to 
continue DX'ing on 6m).  It was either do that or give up operating 
on 6M during E season.
I do hope that CW continues to thrive on Topband - but this past 
season there was TONS of DX on FT8 and in my opinion LESS DX on CW 
than in prior years.   It is quite possible to work in JA on 160m 
from here on FT8 with 100w out - which would have been quite rare 
indeed on CW as I recall (I do not think I ever worked JA with 100w 
from here - but who knows?)
Today as I write this - I am listening to 28.074Mhz on a totally 
DEAD 10m band.  If I tune the entire CW portion and the whole SSB 
portion, there is NOTHING - repeat NOTHING there - no signals 
whatsoever to be found.
Yet on 28.074Mhz - I just worked a whole page of Europeans on FT8 - 
to my almost total INCREDULITY!!
I am not sure how I feel about all of this - but one thing is SURE - 
the DX world has changed - and there is no looking back.
I love CW on Topband and used to love CW on 6m - but that no longer 
xists  -so I do hope the 6m migration to FT8 does not repeat itself on Topband!

To all a good summer and CU on CW again starting in September.
73 JEFF   VY2ZM


.

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Re: Topband: AM interference on 1840

[Peter Sundberg]

As most FT8 folks (like slaves) follow the K1JT 
suggested frequencies per band their radio will 
automatically QSY to the preprogrammed frequency. 
Some even think that they can't QSY and are 
demanding the software developer to add other frequencies to the software...


OMG.

73
Peter SM2CEW



At 13:50 2019-05-21, cqtestk4xs--- via Topband wrote:
I don't have a dog in the fight but why not move 
to 1843 or 1844.  Is 1840 sacrosanct? Bill KH7XS



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Re: Topband: AM interference on 1840,

[Peter Bertini]

If the problem is related to receiver overload, than a trap at the BCB's
operating frequency will correct the problem.  Unless the problem is
related to a non-linear junction (rusty fence wire, etc.) generating local
IMD or harmonically related signals due to rectification.

If the problem is the actual presence of a harmonic radiating from the BCB
transmitter, than no amount of filtering at the ham's location will cure
the problem.  Using a receive filter on 1860 will attenuate both the
harmonic signal and desired amateur signals.

There can be advantages to having a high pass filter that limits BCB signal
levels, but it will not cure this problem.

The traps belong  at BCB transmitter site if it is a real harmonic..

If I had this problem I would explore using a noise cancelling system (MFJ
or one of the Russian eBay
kits) to try and null the direction the signal is coming
from.

Pete W1BR
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Re: Topband: FCP versus loaded or "T" radialsradials,

[Peter Bertini]

I think Tom, W8JI's main concern with the K2AV was the unbalanced nature of
the feedpoint, due to the short
electrical length of the FCP counterpoise system.  His
observation was that lengthening the counterpoise to
make it resonant would reduce feedpoint voltages.
I think his points were that he felt the FCP was not
a magic bullet, but he never said the system did not
work.

All I know is that my soil is extremely poor. My K9AY
loop array would NOT show any directivity until I added
four ground radials with additional ground rods at the
ends!  Thus, I would wonder how many on ground
radials would be needed to equal the performance of
my FCP?  Second point, any radials would require
placing the vertical radiator in the middle of an area
with large oak and hickory trees, increasing losses.

Everyone's ground conductivity is different.  I would
think it would be difficult to equate the performance
of a minimal radial field based on individual observations.

K2AV's consistent contest scores certainly offer some
validity to the effectiveness of his system.

Pete W1BR
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Re: Topband: 7P8LB

[Peter]

I have received no confirmations yet.

On 5/2/2019 10:31 AM, FZ Bruce wrote:

Anyone received 7P8LB LOTW low band QSL confirmations yet ?
73Bruce-k1fz
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--
B. Peter Treml, K8PT
4425 Spruce St.
Philadelphia,PA 19104

k...@arrl.net


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Re: Topband: Lack of NA Activity on CW

[Peter Sundberg]

Let's ponder:

FT8 - everyone is on ONE center frequency 
(passband) and their computer is transmitting 
every 15 seconds for hours on end, regardless if 
they are in contact with another computer or not
FT8 - all the computers that are "hearing" other 
computers are making use of the built in 50 Hz filter in FT8

FT8 - computers "heard" are lined up and presented nicely sorted on the screeen
FT8 - some computers that are not fully copied 
are still presented as "heard" by use of the "a priori" functionality

FT8 - listening in by ear on 1840 it sure sounds like high activity

CW - people call CQ on an unspecified frequency, sometimes with long interrupts
CW - listeners can't easily surf the band and dig 
in the noise in 50 Hz bandwidth
CW - without knowledge of who is where we need 
good signals to attract our attention and so we can start focusing
CW - summer conditions vary, but one thing is for 
sure, the noise is certainly higher and many have 
taken their microscopes (receiving antennas) down for the season
CW - many of us also have to live with a less 
effective TX antenna during the summer as we have 
to roll in our extensive radial field
CW - the KST chat list a lot of interesting and 
capable stations but most of them don't transmit every 15 seconds

CW - not all who are active announce themselves on KST


Bottom line:

CW - it sure would be easier for us to only 
monitor a specific world wide calling frequency, but this is not realistic
CW - we have to accept that it is more difficult 
to do manual CW than single channel FT8 for reasons described above

CW - if we transmit more we will be heard :-)
CW - we are not lazy operators, we still love CW 
and continue to make noise whenever we can, despite the problems listed above

CW - we take on a challenge, we don't give up
CW- we look at the surrounding actors in a 
realistic way and realize what they are doing, 
duly noting that our table has better food
CW - we fully admire our colleagues in the 
southern hemisphere for being there all the time 
during our prime season up north!


CW is King!

73
Peter SM2CEW





At 08:25 2019-04-23, lennart.michaels...@telia.com wrote:

Roger et al,
I was on early this morning and even checked in on  ON4KST.
Called a few CQ DX on 1826.5 without response so back to bed. Yet I did see
quite a few US callsigns on the chat. Perhaps they never check out?

73 all
Len SM7BIC

-Ursprungligt meddelande-
Från: Topband  För Roger Kennedy
Skickat: den 23 april 2019 10:17
Till: topband@contesting.com
Ämne: Topband: Lack of NA Activity on CW


I get that many stations only use FT8 these days (out of laziness?) . . .

But there are plenty of Top Band DXers (like me) who would never ever use
FT8 . . . but many of these people hardly ever come on the band !

It takes a pretty big setup to have a decent 160m DX station . . . what's
the point in having invested all that time and money if the only time you
ever come on the band is to work some DX-pedition?!

Personally, what gives me a buzz is working ANY station on 160m more than a
couple of thousand miles away. (it's the only band where that's actually an
achievement).

I don't care how many times I've worked that station before . . . and I also
don't waste hours trying to get through a pile-up to work a DX-pedition
station, as I'm really not bothered (I've usually already worked the island
they're on anyway)

It's becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy . . . If nobody makes the effort to
come on the band on CW, there will be nobody on the band !!

Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: V84SAA QSL

[Peter]

Nothing yet...

On 4/17/2019 12:06 PM, Peter Bacon wrote:

Anyone received their QSL card for the V84SAA operation yet?
73
Peter
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--
B. Peter Treml, K8PT
4425 Spruce St.
Philadelphia,PA 19104

k...@arrl.net


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Topband: V84SAA QSL

[Peter Bacon]

Anyone received their QSL card for the V84SAA operation yet?
73
Peter
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Re: Topband: Awesome 160 Meter Vertical

[Peter Bertini]

You do a search for radio amateurs by city and state.  Here is the list for
Los Angeles, as an example:

http://www.city-data.com/aradio/lic-Los-Angeles-California3.html

If it is a smaller town, it should be easy to identify the ham involved
with that location.

Pete W1BR
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Re: Topband: K2AV radiator vertical height....

[Peter Bertini]

4 to 8 ohms seems to be rather low for an inverted L... that seems to be
more in line for a short vertical?  I measured closer to 26 ohms using my
analyzer at resonance.  I'd expect some improvement in R losses, but I was
more curious about the elevation pattern for the system.

Pete
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Topband: K2AV radiator vertical height....

[Peter Bertini]

My K2AV counterpoise is 12 feet off ground, which leaves me with a vertical
run of about 45 feet for the vertical portion of the inverted L.  I've
noticed that the walnut tree I am using for a support has branches that go
up another 25 feet or so... albeit there is a bit more sway in strong winds
the sway is mostly side to side, and pulling on the horizontal run.  I also
have a spring tensioning system in place.  I am considering shooting a
second support line to a higher branch in the tree in an attempt to reach
65 of vertical run for the inverted L.  My question is how much would this
gain for DX contacts?

Pete W1BR (ex k1zjh)
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Re: Topband: Satisfactory fiberglass pole for K9AY loop

[Peter Sundberg]

I've always used an aluminium pole (actually part 
of an old 20m yagi reflector element) for my K9AY loops, works very well.


A short wooden pole driven into the ground holds 
the aluminum pole and the loops act as an excellent guying system.


Strong and totally maintenance free.

73
Peter SM2CEW


At 16:35 2019-02-20, Wes wrote:
I suppose it depends on where you are, but in 
Arizona, those things don't last in the 
sun.  You are soon left with a column of glass 
fibers that best be handled with gloves as you 
put them in the trash can.  Insidious stuff. 
Wes  N7WS On 2/20/2019 7:34 AM, N1SV wrote: > 
Look around for the fiberglass stackable army 
surplus mast sections either at a local flea 
market or online.  Think they come in 4-foot 
sections. That’s what I’ve been using to 
support my K9AY loop for years. > > Les, N1SV > 
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Re: Topband: Rx splinter

[Peter]

Hi

May I throw up the BCC splitter?
http://www.bavarian-contest-club.de/projects/misc_projects/splitter.pdf

Peter
PC2A

9 circle RX array PCB's
https://www.pi4cc.nl/tech-info/rx-array/


Op 1-2-2019 om 21:50 schreef WW3S:

What’s the best way to split one rx antenna between 2 transceivers?

Sent from my iPad
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Re: Topband: Found my K9AY by WX0B AX-AYl-4 unit

[Peter Bertini]

I will second the need for short radials if your soil is very poor.  I
installed my K9AY system last fall after it sat new and unused in my shed
for a few years.

The first I noticed that it had very poor rejection of distant signals of
the back of the loops.  I added the suggested radials, and noticed a small
improvement. The loops really started to work when I added a cheap CATV
ground rod at the end of each radial where the loop outer tie down pegs are
located.  I tried adding four more radials, for a total of eight, but if
there was a difference after adding the additional four ground rods it was
not noticeable.
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Topband: FT-8 gentleman's agreement for 160?

[Peter Bertini]

I recall hearing FT8 activity on 1830 kHz last evening ... isn't a bit low
in the band for digital modes?  I hope FT-8 activity doesn't squeeze all of
the CW activity down into the DX portion before the dust settles.

Pete k1zjh
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Re: Topband: Inverted L improvements - Part 3 (now with data)

[Peter Bertini]

Indeed, that is what I meant to say.

On Tue, Jan 22, 2019 at 10:03 AM Bruce  wrote:

> You maybe confusing "Radiation Resistance" with "Feed point Resistance".
> It often will lower "Feed point Resistance", but raise "radiation
> Resistance". 73 Bruce
>
> On 1/22/2019 9:45 AM, Peter Bertini wrote:
> > I would think adding radials would lower the Radiation resistance.  Also,
> > the SWR curve should narrow as ground losses are reduced;  since the
> effect
> > of ground loss resistance swamping the results lessens.
> >
> > At some point I suggest, as others, that you get on for the contest and
> see
> > what you can do.  If you can run a bit of power, it will help.  Receiving
> > is indeed the tough nut to crack on 160 Meters.
> >
> > Elevated radials may be worth a shot. I think Mike uses two with good
> > results. I went to a K2AV FCP and it works good enough for my needs. Even
> > with a K9AY loop system receiving is still my weak point.
> >
> > Get on for the contests and have some fun.
> >
> > Pete
> > _
> > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband
> Reflector
> >
>
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Re: Topband: Inverted L improvements - Part 3 (now with data)

[Peter Bertini]

I would think adding radials would lower the Radiation resistance.  Also,
the SWR curve should narrow as ground losses are reduced;  since the effect
of ground loss resistance swamping the results lessens.

At some point I suggest, as others, that you get on for the contest and see
what you can do.  If you can run a bit of power, it will help.  Receiving
is indeed the tough nut to crack on 160 Meters.

Elevated radials may be worth a shot. I think Mike uses two with good
results. I went to a K2AV FCP and it works good enough for my needs. Even
with a K9AY loop system receiving is still my weak point.

Get on for the contests and have some fun.

Pete
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Re: Topband: elevated radial

[Peter Bertini]

Hello

You want the elevated radials as high as possible.  3 meters is probably as
low as you would want.  5 meters would probably be optimum.

To be effective, the radials would need to be resonant, and you would need
at least two, preferably four.  The current on each radial should be equal.

Any vegetation under the radials may have some effect. Hopefully the corn
is down and harvested before the 160 meter DX season starts.

As was suggested, the K2AV folded counterpoise, when installed as Guy
suggests, is a good compromise that has enabled many hams to get on 160
Meters when they are in locations that are not radial friendly

Peter K1ZJH
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Re: Topband: Inverted L improvement question - Part 2

[Peter Bertini]

Todd

If you are interested in experimenting, you could try a K2AV folded
counterpoise under that inverted L.  If installed as recommended, it will
provide a decent counterpoise system.  One advantage to the FCP is that it
is possible to also end fed the system, should that be a requirement.

I was using an inverted L against a tower with random grounding--antenna R
was up in the 80 ohm range.   Over the K2AV, and away from the tower the
antenna R dropped to 26 ohms.  It works good enough for now. I have very
poor ground conductivity, and running a large radial field would be hard
over rocky sandy soil.  I also fed the L over the FCP for  80 meters, an L
Network is switched in to match the antenna, and the FCP counterpoise  is
changed over to 80 meters using surplus Russian vacuum relays.
_
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Re: Topband: Inverted L improvement question - Part 2

[Peter Bertini]

Those SWR readings seem to indicate a very large bandwidth, to the extent
it might suggest that your ground resistance losses are swamping the
antenna R radiation resistance.  It would be nice to know the R value at
resonance, where there is no J value.  Too bad the analyzer is overloading.
A simple BCB filter might help.

Pete k1zjh
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Topband: Ultimate antenna launcher....

[Peter Bertini]

This is a manly solution for launching antennas... just load a frozen carp
and you can cast your antenna line 300 yards! If the carp gets stuck in a
tree, the birds will take care if it.

https://www.facebook.com/InTheKnowInnovationAOL/videos/1912747892351198/?fref=gs=13909010799_location=group
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Re: Topband: Three Port Rx antenna splitter

[Peter Bertini]

I'd avoid the TV splitters, quality is all over the place and the lower
frequency limit varies. You would really want to measure the loss at 1.8
MHz before committing to use one.

I've been playing around with satellite TV splitters (most specifically
DirecTV splitters (
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Direct-TV-DTV-Splitter-4-Way/233066815876? )

These are spec'ed from 2 GHz down to 2 MHz and if you shop around you can
find them for a lot less than a new CATV splitter.  The satellite stuff has
to work since it costs them bucks for service calls.

One other advantage is that one port has DC pass through, if you need it.

Pete  k1zjh
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Re: Topband: choke/bleeder resistor on RXvertical?

[Peter Bertini]

A drain resistor would be advisable if there is no DC return path to
earth... if there is no inductor or resistance between the antenna and
earth it can develop wind or snow induced static voltage buildup, which can
lead to discharges that will cause noise in the receiver. Static voltages
can also damage any inline preamps between the vertical and receiver.

Pete
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Re: Topband: Pasternack PL259

[Peter Bertini]

Some of the cheap imports may be metric thread.

Regarding N or UHF,  I've switched to good quality crimp fittings eons ago,
and if one buys the proper prep and a quality crimp  tool they are very
reliable.

Pete k1zjh
_
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Re: Topband: tennis ball launcher for antennas

[Peter Bertini]

I made my own.  There are tons of plans on the internet for spud launchers
or antenna launchers.  The designs are basically the same.  It costs around
60 bucks to make one, only because you will end up with extra material (PVC
tube) that will go along way to making one or two more. These are great
club projects. I used a cheap fishing reel (per W1VD's plans) for mine, and
it spools flawlessly.  The reel is cheap five dollar Amazon special.
_
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Re: Topband: Impedance of inv l?

[Peter Bertini]

For comparison sake...  my inverted L measure 19 ohms over a K2AV FCP.
Increasing the vertical wire height gained another several ohms... ended up
with an R value of 26 ohms at resonance (no reactive component.)

Pete
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Re: Topband: 160m Condx

[Peter Bertini]

Regarding 10 kHz harmonics from BCB stations... last year I was using my
HQ-140 receiver for casual SW and ham monitoring at my computer desk.  With
a full size 160 meter the Hammarlund overloaded to the point where I was
hearing an IMD beatnote at every 10 kHz spot on the band. Fortunately, I
have yet to hear any harmonics from the local stations.

I resorted to using a MFJ preselector to clean it up.  Now I am using my
JRC-515 and that problem is gone, but I miss the warm tubes.

Pete  k1zjh
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Re: Topband: ARRL DXCC - 160 Meters

[Peter Sundberg]

If  OK1YQ is OK1RD as you say Bob, then pse read:

http://www.g3txf.com/dxtrip/Fake-C21XF/Fake-C21.html

https://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?action=printpage;topic=110968.0

73
Peter SM2CEW


At 00:32 2018-11-17, Bob W4DR wrote:

OK1YQ is actually OK1RD

-Original Message- From: donov...@starpower.net
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2018 7:06 PM
To: topband
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL DXCC - 160 Meters


JC,


I have well over a million QSOs in my computer log but not even a 
single QSO with OK1YQ



73
Frank
W3LPL


On 2018-11-16 13:32, n...@n4is.com wrote:

I never heard him on any band but he must be very active on EME

ARRL DXCC - 2 Meters -151 OK1YQ

http://www.arrl.org/system/dxcc/view/DXCC-2M-20181116-USLetter.pdf

73's JC
N4IS

-Original Message- From: Topband 
 On Behalf Of uy0zg

Sent: Friday, November 16, 2018 1:41 PM
To: Topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: ARRL DXCC - 160 Meters



ARRL DXCC - 160 Meters -339 OK1YQ .

Who is it ??

http://www.arrl.org/system/dxcc/view/DXCC-160M-20181116-A4.pdf#page=1=a
uto,-12,848

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Re: Topband: K9AY loop -- adding additional radials?

[Peter Bertini]

Gary. if you are still reading this thread. I have a very early K9AY loop
and mast kit.  I believe my relay box was the second version where you went
from DC/AC control to a three wire DC relay voltage system. The antenna
mast kit used galvanized timber spikes, if that helps date the system.

Was there a modification that showed how to separate the antenna ground
return from the coax feedline? I could never find an exact schematic for
the boxes.

 I did use a FT-240-43 toroid at the FP, but I think I need another core
since it filled up fast when winding the control and coax cable. It seems
to be working well, but if there is a way to make it work better I will do
so next summer when I make the installation more permanent.

Pete
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Re: Topband: K9AY loop -- adding additional radials?

[Peter Bertini]

Adding  four  cheap 3/8" 4-ft  TV ground rods--one  at each of  the ends of
each of the 21 foot radials-- did the trick.  The lone ground rod at the
hub was not enough.  Now have good deep nulls in all 4 quadrants.. Adding
four more radials didn't seem to improve things as much as the first set of
radials and the additional ground rods.  Now a happy camper!!
_
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Topband: YCCC op amp preamp...

[Peter Bertini]

Is there a schematic available online for the YCCC preamp?  I see DX
Engineering is long sold out of kits and I'd like to try dead bugging a few
amplifiers to play with.

Pete
_
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Topband: K9AY loop -- adding additional radials?

[Peter Bertini]

Hello to the group.  I installed a K9AY system last week and added four 21
foot radials on ground radials with a ground rod at the center.  The
antenna didn't seem to have much directivity, so today I added another four
4-ft inexpensive TV type ground rods at the ends of each of the radials.
We've had some heavy rain, but tonight I am noticing excellent nulls on
European stations when changing directions.  The antenna is located in a
wooded area, and I had assumed the ground was fairly conductive, but
apparently not... would adding another set of four radials in between the
existing four improve the system?  I am not sure how much the change
relates to the heavy rains or adding the grounds.

Pete
_
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Re: Topband: Which compromise receiving antenna

[Peter]

Hi

Here at PI4CC we are busy with building a 9 circle array.
And our motto is DIY so we have create a PCB for the RX preamp around 
the AD8055 ala the YCCC


Some details are at https://www.pi4cc.nl/tech-info/rx-array/
The page will be update later since it is an on-going project

Peter
Op 7-11-2018 om 2:40 schreef John Kaufmann:

I designed the YCCC preamp so I can answer the question about the AD8055 op
amp.

As used in the YCCC preamp, the linearity is actually very good.  We use a
YCCC receiving array at KC1XX in a multi-operator, multi-transmitter
environment with 20 foot receive verticals.  That's a pretty severe RFI
environment.  When listening on the array on either 160m or 80m, there is
absolutely zero interference or other noticeable degradations from
out-of-band transmitters.  When listening with an in-band transmitter, there
is a lot of noise near the transmitter frequency, but most of it is phase
noise from the transmitter itself.

If you want more technical detail, here are some of the considerations
behind the choice of the AD8055.  First of all, the YCCC preamp is a kit.
Based on that consideration, I ruled out surface mount op amps that
inexperienced kit builders might not be comfortable with.  In truth there
are some truly outstanding surface mount parts with much better performance.
The AD8055 comes in a standard 8-pin DIP package that's easier to work with
and it was the best 8-pin DIP part I could find.  It is intended
specifically for use in RF systems.

Second, the preamps must exhibit very accurate gain and phase matching to be
used in a multi-element active array.  The YCCC preamp meets this
requirement because it operates with unity voltage gain in a negative
feedback configuration that virtually guarantees extremely accurate gain
setting.   There is no trim adjustment needed at all for gain.  I have done
VNA measurements on many of these preamps built by different people and
every single one of them, when assembled correctly, exhibits a gain accuracy
of +/-0.1 dB gain and better than one degree of phase matching accuracy
across 160 and 80.  The large amount of negative feedback used at unity gain
also contributes directly to low distortion.

I don't have test equipment to perform accurate distortion measurements.
However, the AD8055 datasheet does have data on second and third order
harmonic distortion figures that look very good at 1.8 through 4 MHz.  In
fact these distortion levels are similar to what you might see in a high
quality stereo audio amplifier.

Having said all that, prospective system builders should be aware that DX
Engineering has just discontinued sales of the YCCC preamps as the entire
inventory of these kits has been sold out.  Once their inventory of phase
combiner and direction switch kits is sold out, those will also be
discontinued.  YCCC, as a club, has no intention of selling kits.

73, John W1FV

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Richard
(Rick) Karlquist
Sent: Tuesday, November 6, 2018 3:17 PM
To:donov...@starpower.net; topband reflector
Subject: Re: Topband: Which compromise receiving antenna


I am puzzled by the choice of the AD8055 for the amplifier.
It seems to be unprepared for strong BCB signals.  Has
anyone successfully used this near a BCB station?  I am
6 miles from a 50 kW station.  It seems to me there are
much better amplifiers available.  Or why not a FET follower?

Rick N6RK
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Topband: Pre Stew - radio recordings

[Peter Sundberg]

I made some recordings during the PreStew last weekend.

Conditions on Sunday morning - after sunrise(!) - were the best I've 
seen up here at 65.4N since the previous solar minimum in 2009-2011.


All recordings were made well after sunrise on 21 October 2018.

http://www.sm2cew.com/wavefiles_tb.html

73
Peter SM2CEW


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Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector

Re: Topband: VE1ZZ has passed on - Very Very Sad news! (Long)

[Peter Voelpel]

I am very sorry to read that Jack passed away, thats a very sad news.
I will never forget, when I operated CQ160 SSB in 2013 it was 20:30 local time 
when he called in, I could not believe his S7 signal at his full daylight.
The next station from North America came in at 23:30 and was much weaker.

R.I.P Jack

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of k1zm--- via 
Topband
Sent: Freitag, 19. Oktober 2018 19:10
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: VE1ZZ has passed on - Very Very Sad news! (Long)

Hello Gang


I am truly saddened to have to pass along the contents of an email I just 
received from Carl Leahy who was one of Jack Leahy,  VE1ZZ's sons.


It is short and sweet - but I will add some personal comments after sharing his 
note to me.


+=





 Carl Leahy carl.leahy1@gmail.comHide

To
k1zm k...@aol.com



Jeff, our family wanted you to know that dad passed away last evening. If you 
could let the people in the ham world know we would really appreciate it. It 
was a very big part of his life . He had just been talking about you and the 
book you gave him a few years ago..


Carl Leahy
Signing off for VE1ZZ 




++


A few comments from my memory now follow - as best I recall them:


VE1ZZ was not only a personal friend to many of us - he was probably one of the 
finest Topband Dx'ers ever to have lived.  He goes back to not long after W1BB 
came back on the band at the end of WW!! - and was one of the strongest signals 
I have ever witnessed on Topband.  His signal was almost LEGENDARY all over the 
world.  EU stations used to say  - "He is almost as loud when he calls in Asian 
pileups as the EU callers are over here"...and that says it all!


Jack Leahy was personally responsible for my migrating to VY2ZM and was here at 
my home twice - once is 2002 and once in 2012.  I last visited him and Opal 
(his XYL) in August of 2014 with Mike OE6MBG who wanted to meet Jack and see 
his QTH .


When I finally had the time after building my house here on PEI  to visit Jack 
which was probably in July of 2003 or 2004, at first blush his place did not 
make a huge impression on me because it had only a short triangular portion of 
land at the road in the Head of Jeddore NE of Halifax - and the land rose 
rapidly behind his home.  One initially wondered "How does he get out so well 
from here down at the road?"


The answer came shortly thereafter - Jack took me out behind the house - and we 
climbed that hill - up and up and up for something like a MILE - it was a pizza 
slice in shape and very wide at the top of the hill in the woods - with only 
about 100 feet (if that) at the road front side of the parcel.


Some distance up the hill was Jack's 160m 4sq array - which was made of ROHN 6 
tower - that was sitting on 18 wheeler truck tires as base insulators.  The 
towers were not tall - perhaps 55 feet or so and the rest of each radiator was 
wire - so it was really a WIRE inverted L 4sq.  Jack was the "ultimate 
scavenger" and his radials were all 1-2" diameter pieces of HARDLINE!!!  
Hundreds of them all over the hillside  I think he had a friend in CATV or at 
his local dump - but he got most of it for next to nothing he said.


From that point of his land, he could reach around the HILLTOP on 160m to 
acquire  a clear shot to EU and the South was wide open and to the SW was also 
clear looking over the water.  Looking straight up the hill was probably 
blocked to some degree - but often this does not matter all that much on 
Topband.


The day I was there was shortly after Jack had managed to communicate across 
the pond on what I think was 600m - I may be wrong about the frequency - but 
the antenna he used to make the SLOW SLOW SPEED CW contact was something out of 
this world!


It started about 1/3 of the way up the hill - and ran all the way to the rear 
of the property to near the furthest reaches of his land - and this was a LONG 
LONG LONG walk to get there - through some land that I recall was swampy.  It 
had to have been at least 3000 feet long.


Part way up the hill, Jack had built a small shelter in which he placed the 
BIGGEST homebrew loading coil I have ever seen. It was about 4 feet tall and 
about 8 feet in diameter and wrapped around some kind of coil form he had 
created.


Jack explained that it took him awhile to resonate the system to his desired 
operating QRG - and this was done by taking a pair of alligator clips and 
through trial and error he tapped the coil he made - trying to use a DC ammeter 
to find the point of peak current into the system - which he explained seemed 
to indicate the system was reasonably matched.


His was among the first to work across the pond with that antenna - just one of 
his many achievements.


When I was in the US Navy stationed at Bremerhaven

Re: Topband: Use shunt fed tower

[Peter Voelpel]

It can work and it does.

I used a shunt fed tower without radials for a couple of years on the former
qth just with the tower grounding.
Now I feed the tower directly and against a single sloping radial, it works
great and is also a better receiving antenna then my relatively short
beverages.

73
Peter, DJ7WW

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of John
Harden, D.M.D.
Sent: Sonntag, 16. September 2018 02:43
To: daraym...@iowatelecom.net
Cc: topband@contesting.com; cfytech24x7
Subject: Re: Topband: Use shunt fed tower

A shunt fed tower requires radials period. It cannot work without them! 

73,

John, W4NU

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 15, 2018, at 1:55 PM, 
 wrote:
> 
> It makes no difference how the tower is fed, a vertical antenna must have
radials of some kind to be effective.  73. . .Dave, W0FLS
> 
> -Original Message- From: cfytech24x7
> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2018 11:29 AM
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Topband: Use shunt fed tower
> 
> A shunt fed tower is a vertical antenna so it offers lowest take off
angle. Shunt feeding avoids need for radial field.  Any horizontal wire
antenna is going to put most of your radiated energy out at high angles,
unless you can get it at least a half wavelength of height.  A loop may be a
quieter antenna for RX but your existing inverted Vs are no doubt better for
TX.
> There is some art and experimentation involved in the matching but the
results will be worth the effort.  I  would start with your highest antenna
for top band, next highes for 80m. Note that your yagis will act nicely as
capacitive hats to add to effective tower hight.
> Gl es 73, ab1vl chuck
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy TabR A
> _
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Re: Topband: KH1/KH7Z TopBand Ops Brief

[Peter Voelpel]

It seems that nowadays there are many who believe that remote reception was
used by others when they were not able to work a dx station.

http://k9la.us/160m_Ducting_and_Spotlight_Propagation_revA.pdf

73
Peter, DJ7WW


-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of uy0zg
Sent: Freitag, 13. Juli 2018 22:38
To: GEORGE WALLNER
Cc: topband@contesting.com; ha...@tomisat.com
Subject: Re: Topband: KH1/KH7Z TopBand Ops Brief


OK,

I believe in your RX, George

73

Nick, UY0ZG

Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2008-02-20 03:36:00 160MCW
1.8 BAHAMAS 
Selected160M; Challenge
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2011-01-28 04:54:00 160MCW
1.8 BAHAMAS 
160M; Challenge
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2011-01-28 05:27:00 160MCW
1.8 BAHAMAS 
160M; Challenge
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2011-01-29 05:03:00 160MCW
1.8 BAHAMAS 
160M; Challenge
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2016-01-31 01:03:00 160MCW
1.8
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2017-01-26 04:21:00 160MCW
1.8
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2017-01-28 01:57:00 160MCW
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2017-11-23 04:58:00 160MCW
1.8
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2018-01-25 03:18:00 160MCW
1.8
Details UY0ZG   C6AGU   2018-01-28 02:14:00 160MCW
1.8




GEORGE WALLNER писал 2018-07-13 22:33:
> Dear OM,
> 
> The ones I have worked, I heard their signals, and they are in the
> log. That's real.
> 
> George,
> 
> AA7JV
> 
> On Fri, 13 Jul 2018 10:23:19 +0300
> 
>  uy0zg  wrote:
> 
>> "> and Ukrainian stations also logged. (Remember, this was in
>> July!)"
>> 
>> Hi George !
>> 
>> UY5VA and US4EX - tven in winter and summer they listen only on the
>> Internet !
>> 
>> They do not have receiving antennas.
>> 
>> QSO with Ukraine are not real.
>> 
>> 73 !UY0ZG
> 
>>> andUkrainian stations also logged. (Remember, this was in July!)
> 
>> GEORGE WALLNER писал 2018-07-13 05:19:
> 
>>> Dear Top Banders,
>>> 
>>> Here is a brief descriptionof the recent Baker Island (KH1/HK7Z)
>>> 
>>> 160-meter operation.
>>> 
>>> Among the numerouslimitations the USFWS placed on us, being only
>>> 
>>> allowed on the island in June was the most onerous. A long way
>>> from
>>> 
>>> ideal from a low-band point of view, but we were determined to
>>> make
>>> 
>>> itwork. The result was over 1500 QSO-s on Top Band.
>>> 
>>> Transmit Antenna and Gear:
>>> 
>>> The location of the 160 m TXantenna was close to the north-west
>>> corner
>>> 
>>> of the island, but not as far north and clear of the land as we
>>> would
>>> 
>>> have liked it. Also, we were not able to place our TX antenna
>>> fully
>>> 
>>> inthe water, due to the pounding surf. (Which did destroy our 80
>>> m
>>> 
>>> antennathe first night.) Instead, the 160 m TX antenna stood just
>>> at
>>> 
>>> the high tidewater-line, with the metal base buried in wet sand.
>>> At
>>> 
>>> low tide the antennabase was 30 feet from the water’s edge, but
>>> 
>>> fortunately the sand below theantenna was always saturated with
>>> 
>>> salt-water. Luckily, the tide was mostly uparound the times we
>>> were
>>> 
>>> working NA on TB. We were only allowed a maximum antennaheight of
>>> 43
>>> 
>>> feet. To meet this requirement, we designed a “fat” 160
>>> mvertical,
>>> 
>>> which had three vertical wires, two of them on spreaders to make
>>> 
>>> theapparent diameter of the vertical conductor larger. The
>>> antenna
>>> 
>>> also had two12.5 m top-loading wires, which sloped down at
>>> 45-degrees.
>>> 
>>> The antenna had 8 radialsof various lengths, with three of them
>>> going
>>> 
>>> directly into the salt-water. Takeoff to the west and north-west
>>> was
>>> 
>>> clear over open water, but to thenorth-east (towards NA) it was
>>> over
>>> 
>>> land, with a 20’ high sand berm directly inthe way. The antenna
>>> was
>>> 
>>> fed via a remote-controlled coupler. I want to pointout that even
>>> this
>>> 
>>> simple, and far less than ideal, arrangement took atremendous
>>> eff

Topband: RX cirrcle array

[Peter]

Hi

I like to build a 9 RX-circle for 160M @PI4CC.
We don't have the space for Berverages so this maybe a good way to get 
better RX on 160M


My question is, how do does pre-amps used in the YCCC kit sold by 
DX-engineering hold up, if you use it in a M/M setup where the antennas 
are close spaced?
Close space means all TX antennes are in a 40 by 60 meter lot and the 
RX-circle will by say 50 meter away from  the nearest TX antenna (the 
center vertical RX arry)
Is there any intemodulation of unwanted mixing in the pre-amp if the 5 
othe rbands are trasmitting?


A picture from above and all those antennes in this lot at 
https://www.pi4cc.nl/tour/outdoor/


The pre-amp in the YCCC uses a AD8055 
(https://www.dxengineering.com/search/product-line/yccc-receive-antenna-feedpoint-preamp-kits)


Peter
PC2A





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Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Beverage Antenna Tuning

[Peter Voelpel]

I guess Ashraf wants the BC signal just to optimize for f/b, so no local
signal or interference.

SWR is irrelevant with a beverage, everything below 3 will be OK and it does
its job with higher SWR as well.

73
Peter, DJ7WW

 

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
pa...@home.nl
Sent: Mittwoch, 4. Juli 2018 21:56
To: 'Ashraf Chaabane'
Cc: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Beverage Antenna Tuning

Another question might be; how close by is this BC station or any other AM
BCB stations?
Please consider a HP BC stopfilter

73 Mark, PA5MW


-Original Message-
From: Topband  On Behalf Of Ashraf Chaabane
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2018 4:40 PM
To: pa...@home.nl
Cc: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Beverage Antenna Tuning

Mark,

I'm planning to have the termination value adjustment excercice for F/B
maximisation using a BC station signal. However, does SWR measurement have
to do also with the termination value? Or that's rather the matching
transformer that I should act on?
I now have an antenna analyzer and multimeter. What kind of optimization I
can carry out? (The beverage is permanently installed).

73 Ash

On Wed, Jul 4, 2018 at 3:23 PM  wrote:

> Based on my field installed beverages experience, I would say this is 
> exactly what I always read on my ant analyzer.
> Ground and local air/bush moisture level changes, like after rain or 
> such, will affect readings too.
>
> I would do optimization only if this installation was permanent and 
> you have the time and tools available.
>
> 73 Mark, PA5MW
>
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Topband  On Behalf Of Ashraf 
> Chaabane
> Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2018 4:13 PM
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Topband: Beverage Antenna Tuning
>
> Hi All
>
> I measured the SWR in my beverage antenna; the SWR fluctuates between 
> 1.5 and 3 in a range of 1.8 to 7 MHz. (See:
>
> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9AtNpPfAOUMRDNsaXROMG1VUTg?us
> p=shar
> ing
> )
> I know SWR should not vary too much. However, some people are 
> suggesting adjusting the termination resistor. Others suggest checking 
> the transformer number of windings for a good match. What shall I do?
>
> 73 Ash 3V8SS/KF5EYY
> _
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
>

--
Ash ~ 3V8SS/KF5EYY
http://www.kf5eyy.info/
Phone/SMS/Whatsapp: (+216) 22670026
Skype: kf5eyy
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Re: Topband: Adding chicken wire or mesh on top of radial field

[Peter Bertini]

Why would bonding the added matting be required if it is laid over or
beneath an existing radial field?  It reduces ground losses regardless.

Peter
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 185, Issue 6

[Peter Bertini]

It would be interesting to see if a 75' x  4' run of galvanize poultry
fence laid on the ground
beneath an FCP affected the R ground losses, as seen on an antenna
analyzer.  I read the
ground losses were estimated at 8%; whether 300 sq. ft. of ground screen
would do anything
might be a good experiment.

On Wed, May 16, 2018 at 12:00 PM,  wrote:

> Send Topband mailing list submissions to
> topband@contesting.com
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> topband-requ...@contesting.com
>
> You can reach the person managing the list at
> topband-ow...@contesting.com
>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>1. Top Beam WF-300 (David Cole)
>2. FCP with mesh (James Denneny)
>3. FW: FCP with mesh (James Denneny)
>
>
> --
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 15 May 2018 16:21:32 + (UTC)
> From: David Cole 
> To: "topband@contesting.com" 
> Subject: Topband: Top Beam WF-300
> Message-ID: <1780652251.2745092.1526401292...@mail.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Hi all - I have a WF-300 for sale - d...@g3rcq.com?
>
>
>
> --
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 15 May 2018 09:44:53 -0700
> From: James Denneny <57jndenn...@comcast.net>
> To: "topband@contesting.com" 
> Subject: Topband: FCP with mesh
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
>
> I added a K2AV FCP to my inv L last year and saw a significant increase in
> performance.  I added  about 25 new entities this past year and have
> recently reached DXCC on TB.  I do have mesh below FCP.  Soil is average.
> Live on lake.  Water level is high in soil.
>
> 73, Jim K7EG
>
> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
>
>
>
> --
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 15 May 2018 09:47:04 -0700
> From: "James Denneny" <57jndenn...@comcast.net>
> To: 
> Subject: Topband: FW: FCP with mesh
> Message-ID: <010901d3ec6c$5b91a0d0$12b4e270$@comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;   charset="UTF-8"
>
> Correction: I do NOT have wire mesh under FCP.  Sorry for the typo.
>
>
>
> From: James Denneny <57jndenn...@comcast.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 9:45 AM
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Subject: FCP with mesh
>
>
>
>
>
> I added a K2AV FCP to my inv L last year and saw a significant increase in
> performance.  I added  about 25 new entities this past year and have
> recently reached DXCC on TB.  I do have mesh below FCP.  Soil is average.
> Live on lake.  Water level is high in soil.
>
>
>
> 73, Jim K7EG
>
>
>
> Sent from Mail   for
> Windows 10
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Subject: Digest Footer
>
> ___
> Topband mailing list
> Topband@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband
>
>
> --
>
> End of Topband Digest, Vol 185, Issue 6
> ***
>
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Topband: Question for the K2AV FCP users...

[Peter Bertini]

Has anyone with poor soil considered or tried adding a few
hundred square feet of  cheap galvanized wire mesh on  the ground beneath
the FCP to reduce ground losses?  I suspect
improving the near field ground losses would help slightly,
but was curious if anyone actually tried it?

Pete
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Re: Topband: Straws in the Wind ....A 160m Dx'ing Sea Change is Upon us!

[Peter Sundberg]

For those who have not yet seen how the future of 160m band 
harvesting - not DX'ing -  will be done, check this video out


<http://ae5x.blogspot.se/2018/01/video-fully-automated-ft8-qsos.html>http://ae5x.blogspot.se/2018/01/video-fully-automated-ft8-qsos.html 



Apparently SV5DKL made 13.000 QSO's on the bands in a few months, 
totally without operator intervention. I bet many hams were happy to 
put SV5 as a new DXCC in their log, Isn't it wonderful that his 
computer was so helpful with that while the operator was busy with 
other things.


As for the legal aspects of unattended operation of a ham radio 
station - who will be able to tell if the operator is there or not as 
it is fully automatic anyway..


In the near future - if we embrace this way of operating -   for 
Wednesday activity nights on 160m we just let our computer do the 
work and check in the morning how many contacts that were made and 
how many that are already credited via LotW. Simple as that.


In contrast to this digital automation it was very interesting to 
read Jeff K1ZM's report from the Spratly expedition on how the 
experienced and highly skilled crew put in a BIG effort to make real 
radio contacts. Way to go!  And I am glad that they did not leave an 
FT8 robot station behind, neatly tucked away in a corner of the 
conference room.. :-)


I do not want to take part in this modern Internet driven computer 
game. If people would disconnect their FT8 computers from the report 
services on the net there would be a lot less amazing contacts in the 
noise as the "a priori" advantage is lost. Then it would be more 
apparent what the radio channel is actually providing for them.


I think that the statement from Ken K4ZW in his recent posting is 
very appropriate:


"For those who think guys like me are dinosaurs, I would kindly 
suggest you don't understand what motives us. 73 Ken K4ZW"


We can't change/stop this new lazy way of automatic band harvesting. 
Many will even make huge amounts of money on the new way of operating.


But we can still do it the old fashion way, as it pleases us to make 
radio contacts. Therefore I will continue to populate the 160m band 
with my CW signal until there are no more stations to work.



73
Peter SM2CEW


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Re: Topband: 160M Balun

[Peter Voelpel]

Hi Frank,

I just don´t see a reason to make chokes self resonant.
If one really needs that a parallel resonant LC circuit can be formed with a
normal choke and a capacitor.
On my 160m dipole the choke at the feed point is wound with RG 141 on a
stack of two large ferrite toroids which gives me a Z of about 10k.
In addition the outer conductor is connected to the tower after a quarter
wave length and the coax run inside the tower and grounded to one leg.
The same tower is direct fed as an elevated GP at the 25m level against two
sloping radials with the outer connector bonded to the tower.
I never saw any common mode current when the common mode chokes XL was at
least 100 times the coax Z.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: donov...@starpower.net [mailto:donov...@starpower.net] 
Sent: Freitag, 30. März 2018 19:30
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: 160M Balun

Hi Peter,

What you need in a common mode choke is adequate resistive
component to absorb common mode signals as heat.  The choke
doesn't need to be at resonance to achieve adequate choking
resistance, but it doesn't hurt either.   It takes some thought
and technical understanding to determine how much common
suppression is enough.   And common mode chokes aren't the
only way to adequately suppress common mode signals.  


A low impedance radial system provides good common mode
suppression.  Grounding the coax feed line to a center-fed dipole
1/4 wavelength or 3/4 wavelengths from the dipole feed point also
provides good common mode suppression, certainly more than
you ever need for a dipole. This assumes that the feed line runs
at approximately 90 degrees from the dipole.   Pulling the feed line
significantly away from 90 degrees significantly increases common
mode.  An  off-center-fed dipole is much worse because its very
difficult to build a choke with adequate power handling capability
and good choking performance.

You can't understand your needed common mode signal suppression
without understanding your signal environment and the directive
performance you want to achieve from your antenna.  


For example:


A multi-transmitter or SO2R station needs much more attention to
common mode suppression than a single operator low power station


A highly directive multi-element Yagi needs much more common
mode suppression than a dipole or a vertical.


Coax feed lines properly installed and bonded to a tower has less
common mode signals than a coax feed line suspended well above
the ground. 


Perhaps the worst case need for common mode suppression is
directive receiving antennas with very low signal levels such a small
terminated loop (K9AY, Flag, etc) or a small "magnetic" loop. Both
require extreme attention to common mode signal suppression,
including a strong preference for buried feed lines, control lines
and power cables.


73
Frank
W3LPL


____

From: "Peter Voelpel" <dj...@t-online.de>
To: "Jim Thomson" <jim.t...@telus.net>, topband@contesting.com
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2018 4:47:44 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: 160M Balun

Why do you want it resonant?

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim
Thomson

The  160m CM choke needs to resonate lower in freq.  It requires  more cores
to shift the res freq down.   

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Re: Topband: 160M Balun

[Peter Voelpel]

Why do you want it resonant?

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim
Thomson

The  160m CM choke needs to resonate lower in freq.  It requires  more cores
to shift the res freq down.   

_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: low inv-vee

[Peter Voelpel]

I never heard a dx station stronger or better on my 30m high dipole then on
the vertical, even not broadside to the dipole.
For that reason I don´t believe that dx signals on 160m are coming in at
high angles in opposite to all other bands, except perhaps sometimes during
grey line, then both antennas are equally good at medium distances.
And an inverted vee has no advantage against a dipole, just less gain.

73
Peter
 
-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Larry
Sent: Donnerstag, 29. März 2018 11:19
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: low inv-vee

I seem to recall reading that the "ideal" angle between the legs was 110 
degrees. How that was derived or even if it is true I do not know.

I had a half sloper and converted to an inverted vee. I had done fairly 
well with the half sloper and not too bad with the inverted vee but with 
the inverted vee I would occasionally see cluster comments that I was 
deaf from EU. Nothing scientific here. Plotting QSOs between the two 
showed that the more distant QSOs were on the half sloper but that could 
be propagation or other factors not specifically because of the antenna. 
The half sloper was attached to a 100 foot  45G at about 66 feet and the 
inverted vee apex was at 95 feet suspended out from the 45G. At the top 
of the 45G was a KT36XA, 80M rotatable dipole, and a 2 el 40M yagi. The 
two were not up at the same time so there is no true A/B comparison and 
RBN wasn't around yet.

73, Larry W6NWS


On 3/29/2018 12:11 AM, Wes Stewart wrote:
> We live in two countries separated by a common language.
>
> In the states, we consider any wire in a "v" shape suspended upside 
> down to be...wait for it... an inverted vee, regardless of height as 
> far as I know.
>
> Are you suggesting that in Merrie Olde England there is a specified 
> angle between legs that define a "v"?
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
> On 3/28/2018 2:23 PM, Roger Kennedy wrote:
>> ...You'd have to have the centre at
>> least 100ft high for it to be an inverted vee.
>>
>> Roger G3YRO
>> _
>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>>
>
> _
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

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Re: Topband: sdrWEB not going in my log

[Peter Sundberg]

So..

- Station A in North America is calling CQ on 1827.0 and is heard by 
Station B in Europe via a webSDR located 50 km away from Station A in 
North America.


- Station B in Europe is calling Station A - who is listening via a 
webSDR in Europe located 50 km away from Station B


- Both stations exchange 599+ reports and greetings for a fine QSO.

Wow, their signal made it 50 km via the airwaves at both ends and was 
then "carried" across the world via the Internet.


What a wonderful Top Band QSO, carried out "the modern way", 
embracing new technology.


OMG.

73
Peter SM2CEW



At 06:44 2018-01-16, terry burge wrote:
Well I guess I had to find out what all the fuss was about so I went 
on line and tried some of these European webSDR's. Just worked OK2RZ 
and YT1AA. Also heard I5ZSS. Using the SDR it's like shooting fish 
in the barrel. At least when you plug into the right SDR over there. 
They are not going in my log but I did find out it is easy to do. 
And I believe it would get so easy the fascination with working the 
world would be gone for me. It works but the most of what I got out 
of it was how strong the Europeans were 'over there' and how poor my 
reception was here in Oregon. Like nil!



So much for that. But before you think there are only a few of those 
webSDR's, take another think on that. There apparently are dozens, 
maybe hundreds. Don't think they will care what a few of us old Ham 
Radio geeks think.



Terry

KI7M

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Re: Topband: sdrWEB not going in my log

[Peter Voelpel]

Yes, there are several hundred sdr receivers online and reachable via the
internet.

http://sdr.hu/?top=kiwi
http://websdr.org/

And when EA3JE takes over the dx portion of 80m with his wide signal and
illegal power he doesn´t even bother to listen that loud to the websdr he is
using, that from time time his vox is responding to it and you hear it via
his transmissions as well.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of terry
burge
Sent: Dienstag, 16. Januar 2018 07:44
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: sdrWEB not going in my log

Well I guess I had to find out what all the fuss was about so I went on line
and tried some of these European webSDR's. Just worked OK2RZ and YT1AA. Also
heard I5ZSS. Using the SDR it's like shooting fish in the barrel. At least
when you plug into the right SDR over there. They are not going in my log
but I did find out it is easy to do. And I believe it would get so easy the
fascination with working the world would be gone for me. It works but the
most of what I got out of it was how strong the Europeans were 'over there'
and how poor my reception was here in Oregon. Like nil!


So much for that. But before you think there are only a few of those
webSDR's, take another think on that. There apparently are dozens, maybe
hundreds. Don't think they will care what a few of us old Ham Radio geeks
think.


Terry

KI7M

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Re: Topband: cheating

[Peter Voelpel]

And if all stations would be be obliged to feed their transmit and receive
audio online and in realtime to a homepage you don´t have that RFI problems
either...

73, Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Lloyd -
N9LB
Sent: Montag, 15. Januar 2018 20:48
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: cheating

Read:  http://www.arrl.org/dxcc-rules  Section I. Basic Rules, #9 ...

9.  Station Location and Boundary:
 
a) All stations used to make contacts for a specific DXCC award must be
located within the same DXCC entity.
b) All transmitters and receivers comprising a station used for a specific
contact must be located within a 500-meter diameter circle.
c) QSOs made with legally licensed, remotely controlled stations are allowed
to be used for DXCC credit.

The "500-meter diameter circle" rule seems odd because I can hop on a plane
and work Bouvet from Florida for DXCC credit, or remote into a station in
San Diego to work Ducie Island for DXCC credit, but can’t separate my
Wisconsin transmitter and receiver by more than 500 meters.

I think "b)" needs to be deleted, especially in light of the wide scope of
"a)" and "c)".  The noise floor in most cities has increased so much that
hearing DX is becoming impossible for the city/suburban dweller.  A shared
rural SDR Receiver located with-in the same state, or alternately within 100
KM, would seems to be a reasonable and practical solution to the RX RFI
noise problem.  It would also make a great local club project if legalized
by ARRL.

73

Lloyd - N9LB

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Steve
Daniel
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2018 1:32 PM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: cheating

John, is the use of a remote receiver not allowed for DXCC? I don’t believe
it is prohibited. I ask because your use of the word “cheating” suggests
that it is. Is that what you are saying? Steve Daniel NN4T

Sent from my iPhone

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Re: Topband: FT8 qrm

[Peter Sundberg]

This is Joe Taylor K1JTs description of how WSJT-X default 
frequencies (windows) are established:


"The authors of WSJT, MAP65, WSPR, and WSJT-X have never attempted to 
impose standards for operating frequencies of our various modes. 
Sometimes we have made initial suggestions, usually with IARU Region 
2 in mind.  But the frequencies in use today are effectively 
established by users, not by us.  When conventional usage seems well 
enough established by the community, we have added mode-specific 
default frequencies to a list in WSJT-X "


To me it seems pretty clear that if the software is pre-programmed 
with a set of default frequencies for different bands, the users are 
NOT spinning the VFO to find a clear space. Last summer this concept 
created quite a bit of commotion in Region 1 among users of a higher 
band as the WSJT-X default frequency was not in correspondence with 
the R1 bandplan.


So, to answer your question Mark - Mr Taylor and his colleague 
authors of a software bundle.


73
Peter SM2CEW





At 17:17 2017-11-29, Mark K3MSB wrote:

>>established band usage

Out of curiosity,  exactly who "established" 1840 + 2.5 KHz as the FT8
"window"?

Mark K3MSB

On Nov 29, 2017 12:04 PM, "Brian D G3VGZ" <topb...@planet3.freeuk.co.uk>
wrote:

I shall be operating this weekend full legal limit *below* 1837.5 CW, and
also FT*/JT65/JT9 at up to the legal limit above 1838. There's no reason
both can't co-exist. It should be a rule in contests that all stations
deliberately operatimg out of the established band usage to be disqualified.
I refuse to work those stations which flaunt the band plans.


"Ed Sawyer" <sawye...@earthlink.net> wrote:

> I'm sorry but I don't buy the argument that the way to be a "gentleman" is
> to accept everyone else's interests above your own.  A "gentleman" is
> respectful of others and treats others as he/she wants to be treated.
>
>
>
> No one owns a frequency channel at least in the US - read your license.
>
>
>
> If I come on a frequency, hear nothing, ask QRL using a legal and accepted
> mode for the frequency and hear nothing, I am using the frequency.  By the
> way - even the ARRL admits there is no longer a "DX Window" on 160M.
>
>
>
> If FT8 is such a fragile mode to QRM that it needs a 2khz undisturbed
> window, then it is a flawed mode that will not stand the test of time in
> my opinion.  I am already starting to hear DX side people saying it's a
> complete waste of time and abandoning it.  I hear 3Y is going to try it -
> that should be hilarious.
>
>
>
> I think that most of the FT8 crowd is horribly misinformed with dribble
> they read on the internet and think that some "net authority" has granted
> exclusive access to said frequency band and that they have had such right
> since June.
>
>
>
> Look for me on 1840 in the ARRL 160 this weekend after listening, asking
> QRL, and seeing if I am disturbing anyone in my 400hz receiving window.
>
>
>
> 73
>
>
>
> Ed  N1UR
>
> _ Topband Reflector Archives -
> http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
>


--
Brian D
G3VGZ G3T
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Re: Topband: VE1ZZ Jack Leahy

[Peter Voelpel]

Sad to hear that.
Jeff, please pass my regards to both Opal and Jeff with my best wishes for
their health when you contact them again!
Jack was always the first NA station to call me during the 160m contest, at
least two hours before the next one, must be at around 1500 his local time. 

73
Peter, DJ7WW

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of k1zm---
via Topband
Sent: Freitag, 10. November 2017 10:57
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: VE1ZZ Jack Leahy

Hi All


A few friends have asked about VE1ZZ since he has not been on Topband much
lately.


I gave him a call yesterday on the phone and he said he is nearing his 82nd
birthday but has been slowed down by age and other things.


He said he has COPD and cannot get around very well these days - antenna
work in his woods is no longer possible.


His main AMP is down as is a backup amp and he hopes to get on a little now
and then if he can fix one or both.


Hi great wife - OPAL - fell down the cellar stairs not long ago and is
slowly recovering at home after a long hospital stay.


I was saddened to hear these things but expected something was amiss over
there.






Jack has long been the BEACON here in Canada on the lowbands and his absence
has been missed.  He lives about 120 miles to the SE of me here in CANADA.


He was largely responsible for my emigrating to Canada in 2000 and creating
VY2ZM here on Prince Edward Island.  Jack once told me "Jeff, Cape Cod is a
pretty good location. but IT IS NOT AS GOOD AS HERE!!  You should come
up here and see for yourself." ..And boy was he ever right!


BTW - I noted Opal his wife.

We ALL might wish for a wife like Opal.


When I first met her in 2002, we talked about HAM RADIO and Dx'ing and about
how much Jack has been a fixture on the lowbands since the mid 1950's.

What she said I will never forget - as it was memorable:


She said:


"JEFF - WHEN I MARRIED JACK, I KNEW HOW MUCH HE LOVED DX'ING AND HAM RADIO
AND I REALIZED THAT THE ***BIGGEST*** MISTAKE I COULD EVER MAKE WOULD BE TO
HAVE TRIED TO GET BETWEEN HIM AND HIS LOVE FOR RADIO!!
  IT IS A BIG PART OF OUR LIVES!!!"



Anyway, I thought I might pass on what I knew - sure hope to hear Jack on
now and then again soon.


73 JEFF  VY2ZM


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Re: Topband: FT8 - the end of 160m old school DXing?

[Peter Sundberg]

Jay, please don't compare the new digi protocols 
with RTTY, a character based protocol.


What you see on the screen or paper in RTTY has 
actually been sent, and is received as it was 
sent. Or it is garbled because the link is not good enough.


With some of the new popular digi protocols most 
of what is written on the screen, some call it 
"received", has never been received as a complete 
message. It is reproduced from other sources than the radio path.


As a well known 6m op said after summing up his 
Zero to DXCC journey this last summer - "without 
entering already known information (calls) to the 
software I wouldn't have been even close to where I am now.."


BIG difference - no wonder the users of new digi 
protocols apply for a DXCC award after a week. Try that with RTTY.


73
Peter SM2CEW


At 13:38 2017-10-25, jayb1...@optonline.net wrote:
I guess I don’t understand what makes the new 
Digital modes any different from old RTTY...the 
“sounds” are similar enuf to learn to love 
and the words are still displayed on (in the old 
days) paper or a screen. There are many 
audibly-compromised hams out there ­ such as me 
â– who really welcome a mode that doesn’t 
require sharp hearing to work CW or especially 
SSB. In addition, I have recruited several new 
(young) hams by attracting them with the 
computer-based modes...all but eliminates 
“mike-fright” and “key-freezing”. I 
guess a lot of old-timers (I am 75) feel that 
the awards like DXCC and WAS, etc. earned with 
FT8 have less merit than they did with good-old 
CW or Phone or RTTY.  But few people objected 
when CW filters were invented or SSB replaced AM 
or smaller, lighter, more efficient radios 
replaced the old tube stuff...so is a CW DXCC 
earned in 1948 somehow worth more than one 
earned in 2000 using these major tech 
improvements ? There will always be a place for 
CW and voice modes in ham radio for those that 
want to practice those..and remember one of the 
major facets of ham radio is to “advance the 
state of the radio art” which surely describes 
the new digital modes. Room for everybody out 
there, guys73 Jay NY2NY _ 
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Re: Topband: New 160 with FT8

[Peter Sundberg]

Congrats Gary for scoring by using FT8.

This new protocol will be a blessing to all who want to make DXCC 
without effort - you just put it into "Gardening mode".


This is what a G-station told us on another reflector recently about FT8:

"But it is possible to create your own "QSO machine" which doesn't 
need any human intervention. See my email of 26th August at 2047 GMT 
("Fully Automated QSOs").
My version works with WSJT-X RC2 and either Windows 7 or XP (but 
unfortunately not Windows 10). I just put it together as an 
experiment, so I don't want it to be widely distributed, and I can't 
spend time supporting or developing it. But it works, and it's 
fascinating to watch it making QSOs on its own."


So, the fascination of working new countries by taking part yourself 
is soon to be replaced by the fascination of your computer making 
these QSOs on its own, adding them to your DXCC total. While you are 
off doing other important things.


As for me - on any band - CW is King.

73
Peter SM2CEW





At 04:55 2017-09-12, you wrote:

CW is my love, always will be, RTTY is #2.
That said, I've decided to give the new
modes a go, especially seeing as the
software to do so is open source and
provided for us to use.

Its been a long time since I worked a new
one on 160 but I needed E5-S and saw them
on 160 running the FT8 mode, calling CQ. I
gave them a call at 50W from CT and darned
if we didn't make it happen. First new 160
in over a year.

73,

Gary
KA1J

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Re: Topband: 160 meter 1/4 vertical

[Peter Voelpel]

Please check the pattern on 60 and 40m where the 37m high vertical is going
to be used.
You certainly will see the high angle lobes.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Charles
Moizeau
Sent: Dienstag, 4. Juli 2017 00:10
To: Herbert Schoenbohm; TopBand List
Subject: Re: Topband: 160 meter 1/4 vertical

The free-space pattern of current in a vertical (and also  horizontal)
antenna is crescent shaped with its maximum at the midpoint, and a minimum
at each end.  It shows nothing that could be termed an extraneous lobe.  Any
such lobes would seem to be the result of improper matching, or more likely,
the fact that in the real world such an antenna is in an environment that is
certainly not free space.
higher angles.


---
Diese E-Mail wurde von Avast Antivirus-Software auf Viren geprüft.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Re: Topband: Top Band and JT65

[Peter Sundberg]

Mark,

What you are saying is, that by using the K1JT shorthand messages, i 
e single carriers representing a report, confirmation "RRR" and "73" 
we are seeing a wonderful advancement in communication technology. JT 
shorthand messages are nothing but a carrier at a certain frequency 
offset. They are used all the time to make these wonderful QSO's, 
taking people up the DXCC ladder at higher speed than ever before.


If only detecting a carrier would have provided me with confirmation 
of a QSO on Top Band I would certainly have more countries in my log 
than I do now..


There is nothing wonderful about lowering the amount of data 
transferred via the airwaves to virtually nothing to complete a QSO, 
it is going backwards rather than forward in advancement in my view.


73
Peter SM2CEW


At 20:29 2017-05-21, Mark K3MSB wrote:


There is nothing wrong with the JT modes;  they are a wonderful advancement
in communications technology in the spirit of the advancement of amateur
radio.




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Re: Topband: 160 in daylight

[Peter Voelpel]

Yes, VY2ZM on times is still S7-9 on 160m at 11:00 local time at my location
in Germany on 160m.
And VE1ZZ calls in around 21:00 local time when he is still in full day
light, two hours before I hear any other station from NA.

73
Peter


-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike
Smith VE9AA
Sent: Samstag, 13. Mai 2017 17:26
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: 160 in daylight

Hi Bob, 

 

Welcome to 160m !

 

Milt Jensen N5IA (sk) used his huge array in the 160m contests to work
thousands of miles east and west while he was in full sunlight. (In fact I
believe he was the one who sponsored a plaque for daylight operation only in
the Stew Perry Contests)

For some of these exciting reports (too lengthy to reproduce here) go to
3830scores.com and type in N5IA.

Look for the Stew Perry Contests (SPTDC) and his call N5IA(N7GP) then read
his DAYLIGHT reports.

 

Incidentally the first real exposure to daylight DX I personally experienced
was from CY9AA in 1997 when myself, Doug, VE1PZ and Dennis, K7BV setup on
that tiny rock in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (N. Atlantic area).  We had a
wonderful balloon supported 1/4wl wire vertical tied into a massive copper
groundscreen (leftover from a VLF beacon) and a salt water Fresnel zone.
With that setup and legal limit we were able to work EU a cpl hours before
sunset on that desolate rock.  An unforgettable experience.

 

Big stations like VY2ZM, VE1ZZ, etc. do the same all the time.

 

It still is exciting !

 

>From my home with a small-moderate sized 'array' of 2-inverted L's phased I
can SOMETIMES work EU just a little before sunset (pre-grayline) here and
have worked out as far as KH6/VK/ZL to a little after sunset here(post
grayline).  Hardly full sun, but it does show what can be done when you
think it not possible.

 

Have fun !

 

Mike VE9AA

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB

 

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Re: Topband: 160 in daylight

[Peter Voelpel]

Sure it does, why not?

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bob via
Topband

I live in Northeastern Pennsylvania, have only been on 160 a month.
 
I hooked up with station in Lacona, NY which is about 200 miles from my  
QTH.  We decided that the next day at 2pm we would meet on 1.965 MHz.   
Surprisingly we were able to have a QSO. SIGNALS VARIED FROM S1 TO S 5.
 
iI guess this proves that 160 does WORK in the daytime hours.  

73'

Bob  Reynolds
WB3DYE
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Re: Topband: 160 m inverted L

[Peter Voelpel]

Think of a dipole close to the ground, it will not be efficient with all
that coupling to earth and resulting losses.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of David
Cutter
Sent: Mittwoch, 9. November 2016 17:37
To: Mike Waters; Rob Atkinson; topband
Subject: Re: Topband: 160 m inverted L


I recall reading from Ralph Holland that 0.015 wavelength was a good height.

David
G3UNA

- Original Message - 
From: "Mike Waters" <mikew...@gmail.com>
To: "Rob Atkinson" <ranchoro...@gmail.com>; "topband" 
<topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 4:11 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: 160 m inverted L


> Fifty feet?! That means the feedpoint --the bottom of the antenna-- would
> be 50 feet up! Do you know how high the top would have to be? I don't 
> agree
> with that at all. And I've never heard of anyone who ever did that.
>
> The four elevated radials in these tests were just 16 feet high! And what
> is more, the frequencies were 1490, 1450, 1240, and (maybe) 625 KHz. 
> Almost
> as effective as 120 buried radials.
> lists.contesting.com/_topband/2007-11/msg00248.html
>
> I forget the radial height in Rudy Severns' (N6LF) tests, but IIRC they
> weren't anywhere near 50' high.
>
> My two elevated radials were 10' high. I know that a little higher (and a
> few more of them) would have been better, but I can tell you that that 
> 160m
> inverted-L WORKED! And I'm by no means the only one. :-)
>
> 73, Mike
> www.w0btu.com
>
> On Wed, Nov 9, 2016 at 6:10 AM, Rob Atkinson <ranchoro...@gmail.com> 
> wrote:
>
>> The rule of thumb for effective elevated radial height is 1/10 
>> wavelength,
>> so on 160, around 50 feet up.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Rob
>> K5UJ
>>
> _
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Re: Topband: 160 m inverted L

[Peter Voelpel]

My elevated radials are now 24m up but sloping.
Big difference to before where I tried 4m high radials.
I went from a T-vertical to a driven tower with top load as an elevated
groundplane some years ago and that is the best transmit antenna I ever
used.
It is also outstanding on receive. I can hear weak stations with it which
are inaudible on my relatively short 160m long beverage.

73
Peter, DJ7WW


-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bob K6UJ
Sent: Mittwoch, 9. November 2016 16:48
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: 160 m inverted L

thanks Rob,

The best I can do in my situation is 10 feet high for the 160M elevated 
radials.
A far cry from 50 feet :-(
I will work on maximizing the size of my ground screen under the inverted L.
Hopefully this will increase some of the efficiency lost from the low 
elevated radials.
Its tough doing a 160M antenna on a city lot...

Bob
K6UJ




On 11/9/16 4:10 AM, Rob Atkinson wrote:
> The rule of thumb for effective elevated radial height is 1/10
> wavelength, so on 160, around 50 feet up.
>
> 73
>
> Rob
> K5UJ
> _
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>

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Re: Topband: Battle Creek Special - 160 Resonance

[Peter]

Hi

I have note from George and its on our webpage
https://www.pi4cc.nl/link/extra.php

Peter
PC2A

Dear OM Peter:

Something you need to know about your website:

The Battle Creek Special is designed for use from 7.0 to 7.3 MHz and the
trap should be resonated close to 7.0, not 7.1 MHz.

On 80 meters the design frequency is 3525 KHz, and the bandwidth is 3500
to 3570 KHz. The trap needs to resonate at or below 3525. The trap
data you give will resonate at 3750 KHZ which will reduce the
performance on 80 CW and may give other problems. The capacitance to
resonante 9 uHy at 3.5 MHz is about 225 pfd.
The Battle Creek Special uses two pieces of RG-213 about 4 feet long, in
parallel, to get this capacity and they hang below the trap inside the
top section.
Please correct your diagrams to reflect this.

Also do not forget the 2:1 UnUn (9:4 UnUn also works) to bring the
impedance on 160 up to about 50 ohms.

With L=9 uHy, C is best at 229 or 230 pfd for resonance nearest 3500 KHz

With C = 200 pfd, L is best at 10.33 uHy for resonance at 3500 KHz

73 George K8GG Battle Creek, Michigan


Op 30-10-2016 om 0:16 schreef thoyer:

I built this antenna several years ago. I never really had a good resonance
on 160 though. Best I could do was 3.5:1 or so. I used the xcvr ant tuner to
match it without issue.
  
Since it had been up for many years I brought it down a couple weeks back

for maintenance. I reworked the traps and adjusted the length of the first
section to give me a better match in the CW portion of 40m.
  
The reworked traps dip at approx 7.12mhz for the 40m trap and 3.5mhz for the

80m trap.
  
Put the antenna back up today and have a nice match in the CW portion of 40,

but the 80m resonance has shifted down to around 3.3mhz and I see no
resonance on 160m.
  
Some numbers from the MFJ analyzer:
  
40m 7.05mhz 44, 10 and 1.2 VSWR
  
80m 3.51mhz 91, 136 and 5.8 VSWR
  
160m 1.81mhz 18, 37 and 4.1 VSWR
  
I have about 40 radials varying in length from 50 to 60 feet depending on

the yard.
  
The 80m loading wire is approx 15' long
  
The 160m "L" is approx 72 feet long
  
The overall height of the antenna is 50ft.
  
Any suggestions for how to obtain a better resonance on 160?
  
Tom

W3TA
  
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Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 165, Issue 9

[Peter Bacon]

For those questioning what this is about.  In ON4UN's book (I have the 5th
edition and it is 2.4.3) John describes the Midway Midnight Peak as
"North-south (+-30 deg) paths exhibit a clear propagation peak at local
midnight time halfway on the path, both on 80 and 160m."  I agree it would
be nice if there is a piece of software to calculate this.
Peter G3ZSS

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
topband-requ...@contesting.com
Sent: 19 September 2016 17:00
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband Digest, Vol 165, Issue 9

Send Topband mailing list submissions to
topband@contesting.com

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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You can reach the person managing the list at
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of Topband digest..."

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Re: Topband: Stew Beef

[Peter Voelpel]

How?
I don´t remember any rig at that time showing signal strength correctly and
I started in the hobby in 1958.
Only a few modern SDR rigs do it nowadays.
And how to you report genuine signal strength reports with AGC turned off?
Or while receiving on special rx antennas?
Signal strength reports are totally meaningless, are just there to synch to
something following.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mort
Sent: Freitag, 8. Januar 2016 17:34


Genuine RST seemed to appear in contests until the mid 70s

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Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op

[Peter Voelpel]

In Germany it is by rule of our authorities not use to use other appendages
then /m /mm /am or /p.
But there are always some rule breakers... 

73
Peter 

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Freitag, 25. Dezember 2015 18:17
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op

On Fri,12/25/2015 9:09 AM, Mort wrote:
> I hear oafs signing  "/QRP"

I NEVER work any lid signing /QRP.

73, Jim K9YC
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Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op

[Peter Voelpel]

Qrp on 160 is fun:

CQ WW CW this year:

SOSB/160 QRP
CallQSOsZones   Countries   Op Time Score   Club
GM4AFF  409 11  52  16  27,657  
K9JWV   16  7   5   496 
 

SOSB(A)/160 QRP
CallQSOsZones   Countries   Op Time Score   Club
OL1A(OK1CW) 476 10  60  18  37,380  
DJ7WW   308 11  55  28  25,476  RR DX
S57M404 6   47  29  21,359  SCC

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mark
K3MSB
Sent: Donnerstag, 24. Dezember 2015 22:06
To: K4OWR
Cc: topBand List
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op

Well,  I think doing QRP is nuts on 160M,  but I tired it during the RAC
Winter Contest and made 26 QSOs in about 1.5 hours, and I have to admit it
was kinda fun, and I was just pokin' along.

So, me thinks I'll try QRP during the Stew Perry and see how it goes.
Now if I could just locate the source of my nasty 160M noise.

73 Mark K3MSB

On Thu, Dec 24, 2015 at 8:14 AM, K4OWR <k2...@comcast.net> wrote:

>  I will indeed be in there trying out all my new CW interface goodies.
> I have not really operated CW in a contest in many years.
> BTW FYI in the CQ 160 contest last year, In 9 hours I made 972 contacts in
> all 48 states plus 12 countries :-) :-) For first in TN and 17th. in
> country. All on phone.
> I did run full power though. One of these days I may try qrp just to
> punish myself.
> BILL K4OWR
>
>
> On 12/23/2015 9:34 PM, Jim F. via Topband wrote:
>
>> Amen brother Jim !
>> Hope K4OWR catches the drift and gives it a try :-) Jim /  W1FMR
>>
>>
>>From: Jim Brown <j...@audiosystemsgroup.com>
>>   To: topband@contesting.com
>>   Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 1:55 PM
>>   Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op
>> On Wed,12/23/2015 10:38 AM, K4OWR wrote:
>>
>>> "/162 contacts in the log, with 51 sections, including 8 countries/"
>>> is terrible in any contest.
>>>
>> Huh? For QRP with a completely portable operation, I'd call that pretty
>> good.
>>
>> The late jazz saxophonist Gene Quill was sometimes criticized for being
>> a poor imitation of the great Charlie Parker. At one point, he handed
>> his horn to one of those critics, saying "Here -- YOU play Charlie
>> Parker solos."
>>
>> 73, Jim K9YC
>> _
>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>>
>>
>>_
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>>
>
> _
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>
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Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op

[Peter Voelpel]

Herb, I don´t call CQ when I do qrp on 160m during a contest, just call
stations running and concentrate on finding mults and DX for best scoring.
This year I worked 30 VE/W, but assisted which helped a bit and it is
amazing what good ears you have across the pond.
Was easier to get W in the log then northern Africa and Middle East.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Herbert
Schoenbohm
Sent: Freitag, 25. Dezember 2015 00:45
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op

Peter,  If you think calling CQ in a contest while  running 5 watts and 
not getting a single reply is fun then have at it. Working some stations 
with 100 watts is more fun for me.


Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ

On 12/24/2015 5:36 PM, Peter Voelpel wrote:
> Qrp on 160 is fun:
>
> CQ WW CW this year:
>
> SOSB/160 QRP
> Call  QSOsZones   Countries   Op Time Score   Club
> GM4AFF409 11  52  16  27,657  
> K9JWV 16  7   5   496 
>   
>
> SOSB(A)/160 QRP
> Call  QSOsZones   Countries   Op Time Score   Club
> OL1A(OK1CW)   476 10  60  18  37,380  
> DJ7WW 308 11  55  28  25,476  RR DX
> S57M  404 6   47  29  21,359  SCC
>
> 73
> Peter
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mark
> K3MSB
> Sent: Donnerstag, 24. Dezember 2015 22:06
> To: K4OWR
> Cc: topBand List
> Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op
>
> Well,  I think doing QRP is nuts on 160M,  but I tired it during the RAC
> Winter Contest and made 26 QSOs in about 1.5 hours, and I have to admit it
> was kinda fun, and I was just pokin' along.
>
> So, me thinks I'll try QRP during the Stew Perry and see how it goes.
> Now if I could just locate the source of my nasty 160M noise.
>
> 73 Mark K3MSB
>
> On Thu, Dec 24, 2015 at 8:14 AM, K4OWR <k2...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>  I will indeed be in there trying out all my new CW interface
goodies.
>> I have not really operated CW in a contest in many years.
>> BTW FYI in the CQ 160 contest last year, In 9 hours I made 972 contacts
in
>> all 48 states plus 12 countries :-) :-) For first in TN and 17th. in
>> country. All on phone.
>> I did run full power though. One of these days I may try qrp just to
>> punish myself.
>> BILL K4OWR
>>
>>
>> On 12/23/2015 9:34 PM, Jim F. via Topband wrote:
>>
>>> Amen brother Jim !
>>> Hope K4OWR catches the drift and gives it a try :-) Jim /  W1FMR
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Jim Brown <j...@audiosystemsgroup.com>
>>>To: topband@contesting.com
>>>Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 1:55 PM
>>>Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op
>>>  On Wed,12/23/2015 10:38 AM, K4OWR wrote:
>>>
>>>> "/162 contacts in the log, with 51 sections, including 8 countries/"
>>>> is terrible in any contest.
>>>>
>>> Huh? For QRP with a completely portable operation, I'd call that pretty
>>> good.
>>>
>>> The late jazz saxophonist Gene Quill was sometimes criticized for being
>>> a poor imitation of the great Charlie Parker. At one point, he handed
>>> his horn to one of those critics, saying "Here -- YOU play Charlie
>>> Parker solos."
>>>
>>> 73, Jim K9YC
>>> _
>>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>>>
>>>
>>> _
>>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>>>
>> _
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>>
> _
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Re: Topband: 160m LP to LP DX contacts in 2015

[Peter Voelpel]

Strange, I work a couple of stateside stations and more then 50 countries
every year in CQ160m qrp.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Herbert
Schoenbohm

I thought I would try and see what 5 watts 
could actually in fact really do on TB. Using a 1/4 wave vertical and 12 
Beverages a few weeks later, and many days after that when the band 
conditions where hot, I called CQ for 4 hours each night without a 
single reply.

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Re: Topband: ARRL book on short antennas for 160 meters

[Peter]

James

Did you read https://www.pi4cc.nl/link/ ?

Peter
PC2A

Op 16-12-2015 om 0:49 schreef James Rodenkirch:


Anyone read "Short Antennas for 160 Meter Radio" and can/care to comment on its 
"usefulness"?

'

72 de Jim Rodenkirch K9JWV
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Topband: WAS 160

[Peter Sundberg]

This morning, for the first time in a couple of years, I could 
hear/work a number of NA stations again with good signals.


This leads me to believe that I can finally complete WAS 160m this 
season by working someone in MS. Been stuck at 49 states for 4 years now...


Any suggestions as to who is active from MS on 160m with a good 
station? I am located at Lat 65.4N so geomagnetic disturbances are a 
big issue. The bigger the station is at the other end, the better.


73
Peter SM2CEW






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Re: Topband: ADC Overload from MW transmitters

[Peter Voelpel]

I guess it was a SDR-1000 or Flex5000

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of MIKE
DURKIN
Sent: Dienstag, 20. Oktober 2015 08:08
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: ADC Overload from MW transmitters

Come on Bill ...  did i say you did ?
>also-- I did not put forth any opinion about ADC or SDR.

Now, you said that you always read well written info from Tom, I didn't see
that structure ... 
Id like to know what SDR was so poor.

SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM ... (with a guys voice trying to sound like a old woman)
Flying Circus any one?


> From: bayc...@mediacombb.net
> To: patriot...@msn.com; topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: ADC Overload from MW transmitters
> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2015 00:52:15 -0500
> 
> Mike--
> It is obvious that you do not know who Tom is.
> and-- the word SPAM followed by six exclamation points IS an expletive. 
> also-- I did not put forth any opinion about ADC or SDR.
> Bill--W4BSG
> 
> -Original Message- 
> From: MIKE DURKIN
> Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2015 12:07 AM
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: ADC Overload from MW transmitters
> 
> If i must 
> 
> Tom never mentioned what type of SDR would be wiped out by moderate
signals 
> ...
> 
> That in its self has three problems ...
> 
> NO filtering? (should this be called -- comparing apples to apples, not 
> apples to turds)
> poor ADC (real cheap soundcard 8bit)?
> insanely bad phase error in the nearby transmitter OR the wonderfull SDR 
> that he built.
> 
> Nearly the entire email was lamented as a setup for a flame war by simply 
> omitting details ... that is not the actions of a good engineering radio 
> operator ... hence ... SPAM. -- it was a showing off the effort put into
the 
> SDR i guess.
> 
> And i worry about you Bill  the word "SPAM" being an expletive in your

> vocabulary ...
> 
> I think of many responses on here to ADC overload as this -- 
> 
> When dealing with a computer .. the quality of work/info put into it will 
> have the same ratio that you will get out of it -- qubed.
> 
> how many samples per second are true overload  and i mean overload --

> not phase error -- if you don't know the difference you really shouldn't
put 
> forth an opinion as truth.
> 
> That video that was posted in this discussion(awhile ago) did point out
the 
> difference quite well and understandable by almost anyone .. check it out,

> if not again.
> 
> Not sure if i should really send this .. but, what the hell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > From: bayc...@mediacombb.net
> > To: patriot...@msn.com; topband@contesting.com
> > Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2015 17:41:41 -0500
> > Subject: Re: Topband: ADC Overload from MW transmitters
> >
> >
> >
> > -Original Message- 
> > From: MIKE DURKIN
> > Sent: Monday, October 19, 2015 10:47 AM
> > To: topband@contesting.com
> > Subject: Re: Topband: ADC Overload from MW transmitters
> >
> > SPAM !!
> >
> > Mike--
> > Can you explain this opinion?
> > In my experience, almost anything Tom takes the trouble to publish is
well
> > thought-out and worth reading. Your expletive puzzles me.
> > Bill--W4BSG
> >
> >
> > ---
> > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> > https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> >
> > _
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> 
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> 
> 
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> 
  
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Topband: Tee Antenna dimensioning

[Peter Bacon]

Advise please on the formula to calculate the lengths of the horizontal
elements for a 160m Tee antenna.  Currently I have a 60 foot vertical wire
suspended between the trees, with a long horizontal section making an
inverted L, but want to change it to a Tee.  I am looking to resonate the
antenna around 1.9 MHz and then bring it down with a hairpin match.
Thanks Peter G3ZSS
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Re: Topband: Which is best for copying the weakest DX - DSP or theear-brain combo?

[Peter Sundberg]

Correction to my previous posting (see below). Not a few tenths of a Hz
wide, instead it should say a few Hz wide, say 20-50Hz..

73
Peter SM2CEW



At 19:04 2015-08-07 , Peter Sundberg wrote:

Granted, tuning in a very weak steady carrier in a narrow DSP filter (a few
tenths of Hz wide) can give you the impression that DSP is magic stuff. 
73
Peter SM2CEW




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Re: Topband: Which is best for copying the weakest DX - DSP or theear-brain combo?

[Peter Sundberg]

It is interesting to note that Tom and others share exactly the same
experience as I have. There is a certain 'flavour' to DSP audio that is not
making it easier to copy weak signals in the noise. I find that using an
(old) analog system actually makes it much easier to copy signals hidden
deep down in the noise.  

I have long experience from listening to extremely weak signals in the
noise (CW EME on VHF/UHF and some while Topband DX'ing) and I am still
waiting for a DSP radio that outperforms my old analog radios and my
homebrew LM13600 audiofilter. The filter was published in QST in October
1983.  

For EME, my TS2000X with it's filter combinations is just not as
comfortable to listen to as the old FT736R and my vintage LM13600
audiofilter. I plain words, I copy much better on the old system. And DSP
in the low end Yaesu radios (FT817/897) is not performing anywhere near the
old analog systems. The same goes for the SDR's that I use. 

Granted, tuning in a very weak steady carrier in a narrow DSP filter (a few
tenths of Hz wide) can give you the impression that DSP is magic stuff. But
as soon as the carrier is chopped up into CW there is a 'mushiness to the
DSP processed white noise that affects copyability. For me, this can often
be verified when doing an A/B check on a very weak beacon that sends a long
carrier between it's CW ID's.

In my view, even static crashes when listening to weak signals on Topband
are easier to deal with when using analog filters.

But the whole audio chain is important. The choice of headphones is
certainly a key to success when it comes to copying weak CW in the noise.
Each one of course has his/her own preference when choosing headphones. My
best ever are a pair of very old Radio Shack Nova 10. They are badly
beaten and patched up with tape and glue, but I still use them every day
and they are the best headphones for copying weak CW that I've ever tried.
And beleive me, I have tried many headphones.

Some good tests for copying weak signals in the noise can be found at
http://sm2cew.com/wavefiles.html 

There might be one or two broken links on that page after a transfer to a
new server but try the plaintext59_17.wav it is a real challenge. There is
a genuine 59 character CW message in the noise and it is possible to copy
and decode it 100% by ear when using a good filter. Good luck!


73
Peter SM2CEW





At 12:58 2015-08-07 , Tom W8JI wrote:
 I'd like to know whether it's ever been established that some very 
 talented
 hams can out-hear the best SDRs and/or DSP available. Can a skilled
 ear-brain combo (such as some highly-skilled and talented 160 meter
 contesters) beat state-of-the art digital signal processing when it comes
 to copying the very weakest of signals buried in the noise?

Excluding time-synchronized signal processing methods, I've never found any 
DSP system do better or do more than an analog system in signal 
readabilitly.

They are really just different methods of doing the same thing analog 
systems can do.

I actually find DSP detector systems inhibit my ability to hear or copy 
noise floor signals in rough noise. I'm not sure why that is, but it is more 
difficult for me to piece together a signal that is in the noise when it has 
been detected in a DSP system.

I normally set my K3's so DSP filtering is wider than the analog filter at 
filter switch in, so I can change the DSP bandwidth from wider than any 
analog filter down to the DSP being narrower, but I still think analog 
detection is much better for signals below the level of rough noise.

73 Tom 

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Re: Topband: 160m 27,5m vertikal titanex ore 22m toploaded?

[Peter Voelpel]

The best improvement will be with a second vertical for a phased array.
Second best will be a higher vertical.
Making it shorter is a bad idea.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
dl8yhrfrank--- via Topband
Sent: Freitag, 5. Juni 2015 20:35
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: 160m 27,5m vertikal titanex ore 22m toploaded?

 

 Hi all
im running a 27,5m high titanex v160hd.looking out for improvments..
radialfield is out of 100+radials between 5 and 20m long..
think about 3 options

1 ?? keep it as it is

2 ?? make it shorter arround 22m and set 2 10m long wires ore??? ? ? ?? ???
??? ? maybe? 15 m? 45 degrees down as top load

3?? take? the 2 upper sections of the titanex away and fix a 8m? 
? ?? spiderbeam pole inside? so i will get a total high of 32m

ore maybe a shorted delta loop matched with a coil in resonance?

My sapce is vy limited here in the village and maybe someone has tested
differend setups in practice...anny infos vy welcome
i saw many simulations in the web but i like more to get a info from?
someone who tryed realy and know the result real..


best 73
Frank
DL8YHR

??? 

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Re: Topband: Use of Remote Receivers During 160 Meter Contests

[Peter Voelpel]

CQ is quit clear in the description of a contest location:

The area in which all the transmitters, receivers and antennas are located.
All transmitters and receivers must be within a single 500-meter diameter
circle. Antennas must be physically connected by RF transmission lines to
the transmitters and receivers.

Anyway, I hear EA3JE almost daily on 80m receiving US stations via websdr in
the states and using big power to get over the pond. He doesn´t even bother
that his vox is acting on the audio from the remote receiver, so doing it
quasi full duplex.

Is that to become the future of low band contesting?

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Herbert
Schoenbohm

Not to try and sound disputatious but I think there must be some 
reasonable elasticity to the same location requirement within some 
reasonable limits like a preset mileage or grid square, and of course 
within the same country.


Herb, KV4FZ


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Re: Topband: K1N DQRM Tracking Project

[Peter Voelpel]

Are you sure that will work with sky wave signals?

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Lee K7TJR

  Being able to actually replay an entire contest and do a strength and
directional analysis in a narrow bandwidth after the fact to me is the
ultimate receiving system.

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Re: Topband: Foreign stns using NA remotes for K1N

[Peter Voelpel]

http://www.remotehamradio.com/the-stations/

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Paul
Christensen
Sent: Donnerstag, 5. Februar 2015 17:10
To: topband
Subject: Re: Topband: Foreign stns using NA remotes for K1N

 I'm sure you realize this, because people just never complain without
actually knowing how things really work, but RHR isn't the only site. There
are a dozen others, and some are completely free and unsupervised.

What RHR member stations in the U.S. provide 160m access?

Paul, W9AC

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Re: Topband: Fw: Shortened Radial Experiments

[Peter Voelpel]

That might mean a lot at only 4 ohms radiation resistance

73
Peter


-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
k8...@hughes.net

From the antenna measurements, you can see that doubling the amount of
copper ( labor!) resulted in only 2 ohms improvement from 16 to 32 radials.


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Re: Topband: Skimmer calibration

[Peter Voelpel]

Sure it is. Most skimmers are setup to receive all directions on more then
one band.

Anyway, Skimmers only show S/N.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike
Waters
Sent: Dienstag, 19. August 2014 11:34
To: topband
Subject: Re: Topband: Skimmer calibration

When I last investigated, all the skimmers and Web SDRs that were outside
of North America all had terrible receive antennas for copying DX signals
on 160. (And who knows how many of them are in quiet locations?)

When I say terrible, I mean small magnetic loops, very short whips, low
dipoles, a random end-fed wire, etc. No phased arrays or Beverages, and not
even a Flag, K9AY, EWE, etc.

Does anyone know if that is still the case?

73, Mike
www.w0btu.com
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Re: Topband: New 3 el 160m yagi at 7J4AAL

[Peter Voelpel]

Actually 4x DB42 are stacked and Kan applied for a 160m sideband approval

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim N7US
Sent: Dienstag, 19. August 2014 18:22
To: 'Topband Reflector'; CADXA Reflector
Subject: Topband: New 3 el 160m yagi at 7J4AAL

From the reflector of the Northern IL DX Association.

73, Jim N7US


From: ni...@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ni...@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: August 19, 2014 07:49
To: ni...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [NIDXA] New 3 el 160m yagi at 7J4AAL


Now that is an antenna!

http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~kan1/newmonsterantenna2.html

The three SteppIR DB42’s look small!

 
73, John
K9EL 

Posted by: John, K9EL k...@comcast.net 



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Re: Topband: New 3 el 160m yagi at 7J4AAL

[Peter Voelpel]

His CL75 CX-M 5-element 80m yagi is on the other tower and still in use.
The new 160m antenna was built on order by Create.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Richard
(Rick) Karlquist
Sent: Dienstag, 19. August 2014 19:29
To: Jim N7US; 'Topband Reflector'; CADXA Reflector
Subject: Re: Topband: New 3 el 160m yagi at 7J4AAL

The web site talks about a CL-75 Yagi, which
operates as a dipole on 160 meters, and has
5 elements on 80.  Is there also some different
antenna that is actually 3 elements on 160
meters?  My Japanese is a little rusty :-)

Rick N6RK

On 8/19/2014 9:22 AM, Jim N7US wrote:
From the reflector of the Northern IL DX Association.

 73, Jim N7US


 From: ni...@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ni...@yahoogroups.com]
 Sent: August 19, 2014 07:49
 To: ni...@yahoogroups.com
 Subject: [NIDXA] New 3 el 160m yagi at 7J4AAL


 Now that is an antenna!

 http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~kan1/newmonsterantenna2.html

 The three SteppIR DB42's look small!


 73, John
 K9EL

 Posted by: John, K9EL k...@comcast.net



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Re: Topband: Modeling the proverbial vertical on a beach

[Peter Voelpel]

For Skimmer comparisons signals have to be on the air at the same time and
the transmitting stations not to far apart from each other.
In that case there is no statistical noise.
But I would not expect the here claimed 20db difference.

73
Peter

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Michael
Tope
Sent: Donnerstag, 14. August 2014 23:04
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Modeling the proverbial vertical on a beach

On 8/13/2014 6:28 PM, Tom W8JI wrote:


 But skimmer, which displays a relative level, does not show the level 
 difference.

 Skimmer shows about the same peak levels, but the stations closer or 
 over salt water paths (not localized salt water) have longer openings 
 but no more level for peak level. Anyone can look at that.

 K3LR is about as strong into Europe, when I look at skimmer levels, as 
 someone on the coast.

 The exceptions are people right next door to Europe (like VY1).


 73 Tom

Tom,

How much skimmer data did you mine before establishing a firm conclusion 
that the advantages of saltwater proximity are exaggerated?

Myself, I think of how well AA7JV and HA7RY have done at various 
locations using antennas that were very close to or in some cases 
literally in the saltwater. The consistency of their topband signals 
compared to Dxpeditions who were confined to inland locations seems to 
point to a big advantage. I'll admit, however, that this hypotheses 
comes about from anecdotal observations filtered through a mental lens 
that is biased towards believing saltwater is a huge advantage.

I think using skimmer is an excellent approach to this question provided 
of course that you have mined enough data to filter out the statistical 
noise.

73, Mike W4EF...

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Re: Topband: Modeling the proverbial vertical on a beach

[Peter Voelpel]

Wow, nice S-meter...

-Original Message-
From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Yuri
Blanarovich

Oh, here comes the guru again. :-)

Unnecessary debate? We are talking about experiences and RESULTS of 
comparing normal in land ground effect vs. salt water beach or 
marshes. We are commenting on the benefit of immediate proximity of salt 
water to antenna performance, especially on low angles.
K3BU and others found out that it is not feeling, but S-meter readings 
in order of 10 - 20 dB (RX and TX!) in favor of salty beach. 

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