Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Great to hear lots of people on the band last night, and Conditions were pretty good ! The only strange thing was that Propagation seemed a bit one-way - I was getting some amazing Reports, whereas most signals with me were weaker. (and this wasn't just ME - I noticed the same with other EU stations giving and receiving Reports) I spent a couple of hours on the band, and worked 24 NA stations, including across to Colorado, Arizona and the Virgin Islands. Many thanks to everyone who made the effort to come on 160 ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good valve homebrew rig
Hi Annas Having built several Transmitters and Receivers, Valve ones are SO much simpler (less stages required) . . . and they usually work straight away ! (unlike Transistor ones, where there's often issues to sort out). Plus no PCBs needed, all the components just hang off the Valve bases, mounted on a chassis. A valve CW Transmitter for 160m is VERY simple . . . the VFO is on the signal frequency, and just two valves will give you ten watts - ECF80 VFO/Buffer, 5763 PA. Add a 6146 or 807 and you will have 100 watts input (80 watts output, as Class C) If you want to make Transceiver, then you will have to have a VFO on a different frequency and Mix (so the Receiver is a Superhet) . . . but the advantage with 160m is that you can have Single Conversion from 455 kHz, so it's easy to make a stable VFO around 2.3 MHz. You'd just need to find a nice cheap second-hand 455 kHz CW Filter . . . copy some of the Receiver stages circuitry from any Valve Rx (R4B, FR400, etc) . . . so something like a 6BW6 RF stage, 6BE6 Mixer, a couple of 6BA6 IF amps, and an ECL86 Audio Preamp/Output valve. Plus a 12AT7 as a Carrier Osc and VFO. On Tx you simply use most of the same circuits in reverse, with a similar output stage as outlined for the Tx above. I built a few SSB Transceivers in the 70s using that kind of circuitry . . . but a CW one is simpler as you don't need a Mic Amp or Balanced Modulator, and you don't lose any Tx signal through the Crystal Filter (as you'd bypass it) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
A reminder once again . . . There's been quite a few stations on 160 on Wednesdays the last few weeks (from both sides of the pond). So as Top Band conditions continue to be pretty good, hope there will be lots of CW activity again tomorrow night ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: DXE Thunderbolt
Well some telescopic fibreglass masts will fit over an alloy Scaffold Pole, so you just slide it over and fit a Jubilee Clip a couple of feet down. Otherwise, it's down to buying some tubing to act as a joining sleeve . . . where the inside diameters are different I have known people use a length of hardwood, and shave each half to the correct inside diameter of the metal and fibreglass poles. 73 Roger G3YRO -- Further to that scheme, is there a sound way to join a Spider pole to a scaffold pole? The cost change from 18m Spider to the next sizes up is quite a jump, but I've often thought an alloy scaffold pole at the base would be worth the effort if I had a decent way to join them. I can raise the 18m Spider pole using a falling derrick on my own and a rigid extension underneath looks doable with help. David G3UNA/G6CP _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: ARRL 160m
I thought conditions were fairly good, especially on Friday Night. The big NA signals were peaking over S9 here in NorthEast England. I spent about 3 hours in total on the band, and managed to work around 70 North American stations, including across to Florida, Virgin Islands, Colorado and Texas. I heard dozens more NA stations . . . but couldn't call them as they were working other NA stations on their frequency. Generally I was pretty pleased how well I was being received through the local QRM. I think every station I called bar one came back to me. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: DXE Thunderbolt
David I'm inclined to agree with the other Gs . . . you could do this MUCH more cheaply yourself (maybe a tenth of the cost) . . . and probably make a stronger and more efficient antenna. 21ft thick-walled alloy scaffold aren't that expensive, yet are extremely strong . . . and if you see a scaffold van parked, ask the driver how much he could let you have a couple for (I think you'd be surprised!) Clamp 2 together, and add another 21ft normal thickness pole on top (obtainable from any TV aerial company). Then increase the length with a horizontal wire section, to get it resonant. Personally, I wouldn't even use the poles as the radiator . . . easier to just run a thick wire from the top to a couple of feet out from the bottom . . . if you want to increase efficiency use 6 wires in a cage. And if you do that, you could use a fibreglass top section - old Windsurfing masts are cheap as chips on eBay and VERY strong ! (I still Windsurf, so have several of these) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Good to hear so many DXers on 160m last night working each other . . . I came on for an hour and a half, and worked 24 NA stations, so was quite happy with that. Here's to another good night next Wednesday ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Suggested Frequency
Bear in mind that if you want to work Europe, there are loads of wide Beacons down the bottom of the band. These work like the old HiFix Beacons (so are quite wide), and are located in the Baltic and used by Fishing Trawlers for navigation. They pretty much wipe out 1800 to 1815 kHz over here, only strong stations can be heard over them. (but they do sometimes turn them off) SO . . . I would suggest a centre frequency of around 1825 kHz. Here in England we used to have Coast Stations all around the coastline, to provide communication and Phone Patch to ships at sea. Although the Ships transmitted above 2182 kHz, the Coast Stations all transmitted within Top Band. (that's why we had a low power limit of 10 watts input, so we didn't interfere with them). They nearly all had Quarter Wave verticals, right next to the sea, and running just 1kW they were big signals ! Well, about 15 years ago most of them shut down . . . and the local one to me, Cullercoats Radio, had a big tower and a small building right next to the beach. The whole lot was for sale . . . wish I had had the money to but it, would have been fantastic for Top Band ! (whoever bought it took down the tower, of course) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Just another reminder . . . Hope to see lots of you on 160m again tomorrow night. (I've actually often worked a lot more DX on these Wednesdays than in the various Contests!) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CQWW a bust this year
I didn't think conditions were particularly bad over the weekend. The problem for me was that I heard lots of NA stations, but most were calling other stations . . . so I obviously couldn't call them ! Whenever I popped on the band there were very few NA stations calling CQ . . . but I did manage to work about 15. (I obviously didn't want to start calling CQ myself, as I didn't want hundreds of Europeans calling me!) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Just another reminder . . . We had plenty of stations on CW from both sides of the pond last week, so hope to see lots of 160 DXers on again tomorrow night ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: RFI Down Under
As you say Phil, it's crazy that they omit the filtering components that there is space for on the PCB, just to save a few pence. (they often do the same in small chargers too - but not on the better ones) Personally, I would have accepted the offer of a replacement PSU, as filtering it on the Mains input is not the best way to do it if it's noisy to start with. When the PSU packed up in one of my 5 PCs I have here, I went to a local shop who sold them for £10 (crazy price!) . . . but I asked to open it up to make sure the filtering components were there . . . they were, so I bought it. The biggest problem with Top Band Noise here in Britain is NOT noisy switch-mode PSUs . . . it's the fact that 90% of the Internet Broadband is delivered via overhead copper telephone wires. These radiate the hash for miles, as I'm sure you can imagine. I'm luckier than most, in that the phone wires in my street are underground (being a new street). So I don't have an S9 +10dB noise level like most locals. However, there are dozens of overhead phone cables at the end of my street, just 300 feet away. So apologies if I have trouble hearing weak signals calling me . . . I do the best I can in an ordinary suburban location ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Once again, lots of stations on the band last night from both sides of the pond . . . good have such a nice turnout. However, quite deep QSB on most signals, and propagation didn't seem as good as the night before (when I worked several stations right across to the West Coast). Thanks once again to all that made the effort to come on 160 to have a few QSOs . . . let's hope we can keep the DX CW activity going again next Wednesday. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Well DX conditions have been pretty good the last few evenings . . . although not that many stations on the band having QSOs. Hopefully we'll see plenty of activity tomorrow night ! (there were at least 60 stations on CW working DX last Wednesday, it was really good) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Great to hear so many stations on last night ! And conditions were pretty good too . . . I came on around 0100Z for a couple of hours, and worked 36 North American stations, so was very pleased with that. Many thanks to all of you that took the trouble to give me a call. There were a lot of other European stations on too, from several different countries. Maybe we'll have even more people on next Wednesday ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Hope to see some of you on the band again tomorrow night, as 160M DX conditions continue to be pretty good. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: John ON4UN silent key
Yes, sadly we have lost another Top Band Legend . . . R.I.P. John Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: VE6WZ mid season report
The SM stations are pretty strong here . . . but I would say there is more DX activity on CW from G stations. I think it must just be a better path to you Steve. As I mentioned to you in a direct e-mail, I heard some guys working you the other night, but I couldn't hear a trace from you ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Conditions have been pretty good recently . . . had several calls from pretty far west USA, as well as South America. So hope to work some of you on the band tomorrow night ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Well I'm pleased to say that DX Conditions on 160 seemed to be back to normal last night. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to come on the band . . . I came on for just over an hour from 01.00 and worked about 15 NA station . . . there were quite a few other Europeans on too. Here's to even more stations coming on next week ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Just the usual reminder ! It seems that conditions are starting to get back to normal . . . So hope to work some of you tomorrow night on CW. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m Conditions for the CQ WW SSB
Well I was hoping to have some SSB DX contacts on 160m, but conditions were really poor from this side over the weekend . . . Only managed to hear & work a couple of NA stations. Even most Europeans weren't very strong at all ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: ARRL 160M and 1830-1835 change
I actually think that a Window during Contests to work DX stations is a good idea . . . It can be quite difficult to work NA stations in a Contest if they are being repeatedly called by other strong NA stations ! One of the other issues is that many of us come on the various Top Band contests not to enter, but just to work DX stations. SO I am reluctant to call CQ, as I will get called by hundreds of Europeans (which I haven't got up in the middle of the night to work!) I often hear lots of DX stations, but I can't call them as they are just calling other people on their frequency . . . it's quite frustrating. (perhaps they don't want to put out a CQ for the same reason that I don't?) To try and get round this, I sometimes put out a CQ DX call in a Contest . . . do you think that's acceptable? Of course on SSB it's much easier . . . you can actually say that you're listening for NA or DX . . . hopefully some of the NA stations on 160 in the Contest this weekend will occasionally listen for Europe ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Good to see quite a lot of stations on last night, from both sides of the pond. Conditions were reasonable, and I certainly worked every NA station I heard. Thanks to all those that made the effort to come on, and hopefully we'll have even more next Wednesday night ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Just another reminder . . . Hope to work some of you on 160 tomorrow night ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Conditions for Stew Perry Contest
I came on for a couple of hours last night in the Contest, but conditions were strange. >From 00.30Z all signals were quite weak, including Europeans. Then from around 03.00Z signals started to pick up . . . although not fantastic. Popped on again at 05.30Z but signals had virtually disappeared ! Surprised that a lot of the Big Gun stations didn't seem to be on . . . however, I did manage to work 35 NA stations. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Hi Dave Well for the 50 years that I've been DX-ing on Top Band, Saturday night (Sunday morning over here) has always been the main time to come on the band to work DX. However . . . there are a lot of people who are busy with their families over the weekend . . . so they just come on looking for DX at random times during the week. All I have tried to do is focus activity onto ONE Weekday night . . . Wednesday seemed best, as it's in the middle of the week. In terms of people going to work the next day . . . well to work EU stations, the band is open from your Sunset, so it's not like you have to stay up late. (it's us Europeans that have to stay up late or get up early to work across the pond !) By the way, I meant to apologise in my previous post . . . I heard several weak stations calling me last night . . . but heavy rain was giving me a high noise level from the 400kV Power lines a couple of miles away. 73 Roger G3YRO -Original Message- Roger I am curious, why Wednesday night ( when many have to get up and go to work the next morning?) instead of Friday or Saturday? Was on.. on and off the only station on CW early in the evening was OX/OZ1AHJ.. and then a "G" a bit later but was who ever it was in and out of the QSB couldn't pull it out. It is still early here in the season. We are about as far south as you can get in the USA (FL) so we don't get the propagation like the fellows up in New England do. JA's were in strong this morning at sunrise We are an equal opportunity operator and there were a couple of Russians on FT8 not much else heard here on that mode either Dave NR1DX On 10/15/2020 7:05 AM, Roger Kennedy wrote: > Great to work so many NA stations last night . . . and good to hear so > many other EU stations on the band. > > Conditions were pretty good too . . . always nice to receive some S9 > reports ! > > Look forward to working many of you on Saturday in The Stew Perry Contest. > > 73 Roger G3YRO > > > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector -- Dave manu...@artekmanuals.com www.ArtekManuals.com -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Great to work so many NA stations last night . . . and good to hear so many other EU stations on the band. Conditions were pretty good too . . . always nice to receive some S9 reports ! Look forward to working many of you on Saturday in The Stew Perry Contest. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Well several people have emailed me, saying this is a good idea . . . and to keep reminding people . . . So that's what I'm doing ! Hope to work some of you guys on Top Band tonight. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, Little Activity
Well first of all, it has never been my intention to upset or annoy anyone with my posts on here . . . all I have ever tried to do is encourage more people to come on Top Band on CW . . . to tell people that there ARE stations on to work, and that DX conditions are often good, even if there is little activity. And there were certainly lots of stations on last night, and it was great to great to work so many old and new friends across the pond ! Although the weekend has traditionally been the time when stations come on 160m looking for DX, I realise that these days a lot of people are busy with their families at the weekend. That's why I started suggesting a regular mid-week night to come on the band, to focus activity, so that at least there are lots of stations to work, all on the same night. Thank you to all the guys who have sent me private e-mails, agreeing with this idea, and thanking me for trying to encourage more DX CW activity on Top Band. There are clearly lots of others who, like me, still get a buzz out of EVERY CW DX QSO on 160m, no matter how many times you may have worked the same station before ! So at the risk of annoying one or two people, I will continue trying to promote the Wednesday Activity Night. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, Little Activity
At no point in these posts have I criticised people who want to use FT8 . . . each to their own as far as I'm concerned. But this topic was aimed at people (like me) who have no desire to use such computer-based modes, to point out that there ARE quite a few stations regularly on CW looking for DX contacts on 160m. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, Little Activity
I don't consider it whining . . . I'm just trying to encourage more people to come on the band. If that happens, then there WILL be more CW activity ! I just figure that there may be people who read this Reflector that aren't aware that there are many of us on the band, staying up late most nights, looking for DX contacts. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, Little Activity
The irony is that if more of the people that complain about activity only being on FT8 these days actually came on the band on CW, there would be more activity ! What amazes me most is that so many of you guys in the USA have invested in fantastic setups for 160m . . . huge towers, full-sized radial fields, amazing receive antennas (like proper beverages or phased vertical arrays) - things that most of us here in Britain (like me) with our tiny gardens could only dream of . . . and yet those stations rarely seem to make an appearance on Top Band ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, Little Activity
It's such a shame that 160m Conditions for DX have been pretty good over the past week or two . . . Yet there are so few CW stations coming on the band ! I hear lots of us Europeans putting out endless CQ DX calls . . . but often getting no replies, despite good RBN Reports confirming the band is open. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Well propagation seems to have been fairly good over the past week . . . but sadly there doesn't seem to have been much activity from NA stations. Is it still very noisy over there for you guys? Anyway, perhaps we'll see some stations on tomorrow night. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
Well I've been off 160m for the past few days, as I had a problem with my coax feeder . . . And a jammed halyard meant I had to lower my mast to sort it out, so quite a headache! Anyway, I've replaced the whole coax run on my Topband antenna, so back on the air now. Hopefully we'll see a few stations on the band tomorrow night ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
As DL8LAS said, conditions were pretty good last night . . . good signals and low noise level. However, there were lots of EU stations on calling CQ, but getting very few replies. I managed to work 8 NA stations . . . but there seemed to be very little activity from over there. I was on between 01.15 and 02.15Z . . . and again just before our Sunrise from 05.00 to 05.30Z. Maybe we'll get more stations on next Wednesday night. Oh and I agree with what you say Tree about contacts when there's lots of QSB (as is often the case on Top Band) . . . you imagine that's what ANYONE would do . . . but clearly some inexperienced operators DON'T ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW DX Activity Night
As several others have posted, Topband has been open for DX propagation most nights over the past week . . . So I'm still plugging the idea of trying to get lots of stations on the band all on the same night. (it seemed to work quite well last season.) Hope to work you this Wednesday night ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW Activity Night
Thanks to all of you who made the effort to come on last night . . . conditions were pretty good. Hopefully we will get even more on next Wednesday. By the way, I noticed quite a few other Gs didn't come on til around 05.30 Z (our Sunrise) . . . but most of the NA stations had gone by then ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday CW Activity Night
There were several of us Europeans on calling CQ DX last night . . . but I didn't hear anyone get any replies! RBN reports from North America were quite good . . . so is it that Propagation was just one way (as sometimes happens on 160) . . . or were there just no NA stations on the band? Well anyway . . . I'm suggesting re-starting the Wednesday CW Activity Night . . . so that if anyone is going to come on 160 to work DX just one night during the week, maybe we can all come on the same night? (by the way, Sunrise here in England is currently around 05.30 Z) Hope to work some of you tonight! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CW Activity Last Night
There were several of us Europeans on calling CQ DX last night . . . But despite RBN Reports being reasonable from NA Stations, I didn't hear anyone get any replies. I'll certainly be popping on again tonight, in the hope of some contacts. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Conditions Last Night
Came on for about an hour last night . . worked a few NA stations, including across to Texas. Conditions seemed fairly good, but not many stations on. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Good to hear that more stations are coming back on the band ! I'll be popping on at various times during the night tonight and over the rest of the weekend, so will hopefully work some of you. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CW Activity
Had a lot of direct replies, saying most of you in North America still have a lot of thunderstorms, so it's usually still very noisy on 160m. We hardly have any thunderstorms, even in Summer over here . . . so now we're heading into Autumn there's no QRN whatsoever ! I shall come on the band around 0200 GMT tonight to see if anyone's around. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CW Activity
So do you guys still have a lot of QRN over there? Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Well DX Conditions have been pretty good lately . . . So I shall be on tonight and tomorrow night from about 0200 GMT, seeing if there are any of my NA friends to work. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Summer Stew Perry
Good to work a few of you in the Contest last night . . . Shame there weren't more stations on ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: FT8 clutter on the DX Cluster
Mike the DX Cluster I use only shows 160m spots anyway ! Roger G3YRO _ From: Michael Walker [mailto:va...@portcredit.net] Because they can. The DX cluster is like bragging on Twitter. :) May I suggest that you run some filters that are related to your cluster login that only allow spots for those bands you are interested in. Mike va3mw __ On Tue, May 12, 2020 at 7:58 PM Roger Kennedy wrote: Why oh why do some people post on the DX Cluster every FT8 station they have heard? One GM station this evening posted 21 stations . . . none of them were even DX ! I don't even see why you would post ANY on the DX Cluster . . . I thought the whole point of FT8 is that you leave your computer listening on the same frequency, so surely any stations will just come up on the screen? Whereas posting the frequency of a CW or SSB DX station on the Cluster is really useful to help people find those stations, and attempt a QSO. Also . . . as others have said, DX propagation is still pretty good on 160m most nights . . . but despite lots of CQ calls by myself and other EU stations, we're often getting no replies! (despite RBN reports being good) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: FT8 clutter on the DX Cluster
Why oh why do some people post on the DX Cluster every FT8 station they have heard? One GM station this evening posted 21 stations . . . none of them were even DX ! I don't even see why you would post ANY on the DX Cluster . . . I thought the whole point of FT8 is that you leave your computer listening on the same frequency, so surely any stations will just come up on the screen? Whereas posting the frequency of a CW or SSB DX station on the Cluster is really useful to help people find those stations, and attempt a QSO. Also . . . as others have said, DX propagation is still pretty good on 160m most nights . . . but despite lots of CQ calls by myself and other EU stations, we're often getting no replies! (despite RBN reports being good) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Winter season 2019-20 conditions
Steve VE6WZ's post prompted me to tot up how many DX QSOs I've had this Season (quite tedious, as I just use a paper Log Book!) I haven't been as active as Steve, but managed to work a total of 1,014 DX Stations on Top Band. I obviously haven't included any Europe contacts, or even any Russians (even though several of these could be considered DX, so the total should be higher - but I couldn't be bothered to work out which ones!) Nearly all of these were on CW, apart from 42 SSB QSOs. My reason for posting is the same as Steve's - to point out that there is still a lot of DX Activity on CW on Top Band. But it still saddens me that there are hundreds of stations that pop on the band hardly ever - you just hear them calling a DX-pedition, or maybe during a Contest . . . but the rest of the time, they never come on ! I really don't get that . . . given the amount of effort it takes to have a decent 160m station, it seems such a waste to only come on a handful of times a year. Some people complain there is no CW activity . . . but if more stations make the effort to come on and put out some calls, there WILL be a lot more activity ! (some of my Wednesday Activity Nights have proved that - I have sometimes had over 40 DX QSOs) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Special VE Day Station GB4VE
As many of you may know, this Friday (May 8th) is the 75th Anniversary of VE Day . . . So to commemorate the ending of WW2 in Europe, I shall be operating the special station GB4VE. (both my late parents served in the Royal Navy during WW2, so I thought this would be a nice tribute) I shall be on the air on Friday, Saturday and Sunday on 1850kHz on SSB and 1828kHz on CW. (so that will be from Thursday evening in the USA, from Z) DX conditions have been quite good the last few nights, so hope to work some of you guys ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Herbert Schoenbohm, KV4FZ: Silent Key
Just seen this . . . and so sad to hear the news. As others have said, Herb was one of the real stalwarts of Top Band DX . . and consistently one of the big signals here in Europe. I think I first worked him back in 1970, a few months after I was licensed. I just looked back in my (paper) Log Book, and my last QSO with him was in October. Herb you will be sadly missed on 160m . . . . Rest In Peace. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: BCB Filter - final selection
$180 for a receiver filter? That's absurd ! I also wouldn't want one that attenuates 160m too. Is the station you are having problems with actually above 1.6MHz ? If not, you don't need a filter that starts attenuating within Top Band, like that one does. And you might need hardly any attenuation to stop the cross-mod you are getting. Personally, if it's just from one station, I would just put a simple parallel tuned ciruit in series, tuned to that frequency . . . that would probably cure the problem. And that would just cost you less than $1 ! (By the way, if you now have stations broadcasting between 1.6 and 1.7 MHz, how does anyone pick them up? I don't know any broadcast radios that go above 1.6 !) Roger G3YRO __ Thank you all for your recommendations. Leaning towards this filter below. Any objections before I pull the trigger? http://kiwa-electronics.com/bcb-rejection-filter-20.html 73, Ed NI6S/7Z1ES _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Hi Don Yes, maybe the band was only open to the East Coast last night . . . or perhaps I didn't actually stay on long enough for it to be dark much further West (although I did work one station in Alabama) I'm not sure how you tell WHERE each RBN site is . . . Sure, you can tell where the MAIN station is . . . but some people have as many as 6 RBN sites . . . presumably at different remote sites . . . so are they all in the same State? (that seems pointless to me) The trouble is that if I end up staying up til 0300Z (4am local time) I find it hard to get out of bed again a couple of hours later at our Sunrise ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Hi Roger, I believe your having a big 40 dB S/N report from NH on the RBN is not as telling as what the RBN did not show for you. If you look at the last 100 RBN spots of you last night which was from 0107 UTC until 0317 UTC you were only picked up in the US by the RBN's in NH, and then one time by an RBN in very eastern PA (all very close to the Ocean). You were not heard anywhere else in the US on the RBN network during the 0107 to 0317 UTC time slot even though the noise floor in most of the US was likely very low based on the lack of lightning activity (only lightning I saw over the US was over Florida). The noise floor was very low at my location in the Midwest (Indiana). I was not on when you were on, but I was on slightly later from 0345 until 0515 UTC and conditions were very poor into Europe from the Midwest US which is why I suspect I don't see any RBN reports of you during the above 0107 UTC to 0317 UTC time slot into any areas except the very most Eastern part of the US (NH and Eastern PA). I heard EU stations ON7PQ and F6FYA when I was on slightly later than you and they were just barely above my noise floor which was very low last night. F6FYA peaked about 2 db above my very low noise floor and Pat ON7PQ was always in the mud (right at my noise floor) which is unusual for him. The only other EU station I heard was John G3PQA when he answered my CQ right at his sunrise (I only run 100 watts), and he was right at my noise floor when he called but peaked 1 minute later to about 4 to 6 dB (most likely due to brief sunrise enhancement). I also called CQ numerous times but was not heard by any EU RBN stations, but that's not unusual for my 100 watts. P.S. there was a CWT (CW ops test) from 0300 to 0400 UTC which overlaps when you were on last night and I heard numerous stations in the US on 160 meters taking part in the CWT and if you were not hearing many of them that's another indication that conditions were not very good from the Midwest US into Europe. Keep pounding away, and we will keep listening. 73, Don (wd8dsb) On Thu, Apr 16, 2020 at 5:48 AM Roger Kennedy wrote: Yes, conditions seemed good last night (had several 35 - 40dB S/N reports from NA stations on RBN) During the night there were several EU stations calling CQ . . . but very few NA stations on the band ! (I know a lot of you guys over there have much lightning and resultant static crashes now) I did have a few QSOs . . . and a nice email from John N1PGA. I guess I'm still surprised there isn't MORE activity, given that we're all supposed to be staying home ! Hope you're all staying well in these crazy times . . . Best 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Yes, conditions seemed good last night (had several 35 - 40dB S/N reports from NA stations on RBN) During the night there were several EU stations calling CQ . . . but very few NA stations on the band ! (I know a lot of you guys over there have much lightning and resultant static crashes now) I did have a few QSOs . . . and a nice email from John N1PGA. I guess I'm still surprised there isn't MORE activity, given that we're all supposed to be staying home ! Hope you're all staying well in these crazy times . . . Best 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CW Activity
Hi Rick I did try a Loop on the Ground a couple of years ago, and by the time I brought signals up to the same levels as my Tx antenna, the noise level was actually worse ! That's when I built my resonant Multi-turn Loop up in my loft. At least with that I was able to rotate it to null the noise as much as possible - and fortunately that ends up with it pointing East-West, which is the best direction for most DX from Britain. Most of the current high noise levels here in Britain are coming from the fact that the Internet is sent to most houses over existing copper phone wires . . . so the wires go up a 30ft wooden pole, and then fan out to the eaves of 8 or more houses . . . so there's one of these poles typically every 200 feet along each street. Those act as wonderful antennas, radiating the wideband hash from the Internet signals ! Fortunately, the phone wires in my street are underground (which is why I don't have an S9+ noise level, like most people in the city) . . . but at the end of my street there are dozens of phone wires, within one wavelength on 160m ! At least nearly all our mains cables in Britain are underground . . . 73 Roger G3YRO -Original Message- From: Rick Kunath [mailto:k...@yahoo.com] Sent: 08 April 2020 13:40 To: Roger Kennedy; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: CW Activity Roger, Have you tried a LoG (Loop on Ground) receiving antenna? I have one here and it works wonders. Info at this site: http://www.kk5jy.net/LoG/ I built mine a bit larger but it's non-critical in construction. It worked wonders for me. It's also essentially invisible too. I wanted to try this so I got my hands on a 500 foot roll of twisted pair doorbell wire cheaply. I paralleled the wires for the loop and wound up using the twisted pair as a feedline to the shack. I have a 9:1 balun at the shack end. All the wire is on the ground even the feedline. It was just a quick lash up, but it worked amazingly well. I refined the install after that, and experimented with different sizes too. My loop is about double the size mentioned in the article. I was going to switch to coax buried feed and relocate the balun to the antenna end of the feedline, but it's been working so well I never got around to it. It might be worth a try. There is a Facebook group on the antenna too. Rick K9AO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CW Activity
To Steve & Don Sadly I live in the city, so not only have quite a high noise level, but no room for low noise Beverage receiving antennas, like many other DX-ers use. So I'm sorry I couldn't copy you calling me last night. I do have a Receiving Loop I made a couple of years ago . . . but it's only about 6dB quieter than my Tx antenna at best. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CW Activity
Well there are quite a few EU stations on CW, calling CQ DX every night . . . but getting very few replies. I had about a dozen NA QSOs on Saturday night . . . but I've been on every night since, and no calls whatsoever! (although RBN reports were quite good, so the band IS open) Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Lack of NA activity
Well 160m conditions have sometimes been really good lately . . . In fact during the WPX SSB Contest, some NA stations on 160m were as strong as 20dB over 9 (like they used to be years ago) . . but there weren't many on. And coming on the band on CW several times since then, conditions have often been good . . but usually very few NA stations on the band. (despite several Europeans as well as myself). Is it that you guys over there have a lot of Thunderstorms already? (It's still very quiet over here, and will be until July) Anyway, hopefully there will be a few stations on tonight. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Just to remind you that if you're going to come on 160M CW one night this week, TONIGHT'S the night when we try and get lots of people on at the same time. Conditions have been pretty good the past couple of nights . . . so hope to see you on the band ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well I personally had a dozen NA QSOs last night. But the band went very quiet after 01.00Z . . . (I popped on again at 03.00, but no calls) Thank you to those that made the effort to come on . . . maybe we'll have more next Wednesday ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CQ...CQ...CQ
I couldn't agree more Steve . . . That has been the whole idea of my suggesting Wednesday for a CW DX night on 160m, to at least get everyone on the band on the same evening (rather than a few people spread out on different nights). It seemed to work LAST season . . . I would often work over 30 NA stations . . . but there has been far less activity this winter. In fact my experience has been that there are often EU stations calling CQ DX, but very few NA stations on (which is surprising, as I believe there are far more stations in NA that put out a decent signal on Top Band!) Conditions were really good over the weekend, so maybe we'll get some activity tonight . . . 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well I'm still trying to promote this, for all the people who say there's very little CW activity these days ! Conditions have been pretty good lately . . . so I wonder if we'll get many NA stations on the band tonight? (I keep hearing EU stations calling CQ DX, but getting no replies, even though the band is open !) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Slightly OT - amplifier noise
Hi Mike As I said in my previous post, as the 1025 uses the same PCB as the 1026, I effectively modified my 1025 to become a 1026, using MFJ's circuit, built on to the empty slots on the PCB. And as I only paid £40 for my 1025, this was quite a cheap way to get a 1026. I actually rarely use it as a Noise Canceller . . . I use it as a Preamp and Tx switcher for my 160m Loop up in the loft . . . so it's very easy to switch between the two antennas on Receive by turning the box on and off. (I also built the Varicap Tuning Pot for the Loop into the box as well, so it's very neat) Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Slightly OT - amplifier noise
Having just read some of these posts, I just did a few tests on my MFJ-1025. (bought mine second-hand very cheap - a lot of people buy these thinking they will get rid of any noise!) I modified it to become a 1026 . . . you definitely need the extra pre-amp for the "Noise Antenna", especially on 160m - fortunately they use the same PCB for both versions, so you can easily add their extra preamp circuit design on the PCB. I normally only use mine on 160m . . . but just did a test on 15m & 10m . . . it adds no noticeable noise whatsoever ! So I think the OP's must be faulty . . perhaps powering it by a noisy PSU? Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Stew Perry Contest
Yes, great to see conditions being good this weekend for the Contest. The big NA signals were peaking S9 +10 to 15dB over here (which what they always used to be, but I haven't seen for a while) I came on for a couple of hours on Saturday night, and managed to work 45 NA stations, including several Caribbeans. It's just a shame that you never hear most of these stations on 160 the rest of the time ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: NVIS Antenna
Well I've said it dozens of times before . . . but I have used a horizontal halfwave Dipole (at about 50ft) for working DX on 160m for the past 50 years ! (and that's at 6 different QTHs) Not only do I work all over the world, but I know my signal often compares pretty well with other Gs using good verticals . . . and I have no problem getting through the pile-ups working the various DX-peditions. How is this possible? Well in my opinion it's because DX propagation on 160m ISN'T like 80m (where it IS nearly all low angle, so you MUST have a good vertical to work DX effectively) Based on the hundreds of comparison QSOs I've had over the decades, I figure that on 160m, propagation MUST be fairly high angle a lot of the time, presumably because of inter-layer reflections or ducting. Most of the "experts" who have written books about Low-band DX-ing have made the assumption that 160m is just like 80m . . . which in my experience it clearly isn't ! The only other factor I DO think is that if you have a low dipole on 160m but DON'T have any radials or anything underneath it, it probably radiates more low angle than computer-modelling software would suggest. I believe the errors occur on 160m because it can't properly forecast the effect of the REAL WORLD ground when the antenna is a fraction of a wavelength above it. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well conditions were pretty good last night . . . but not many NA stations active on CW . . . Maybe we'll get more people on tonight. (I personally usually pop on around 00.30Z . . . and again around 03.00Z) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: RBN and cluster spots
Steve, I agree about getting response only when you've been spotted on the DX Cluster (which is why I sometimes resort to spotting myself after endless CQ DX calls - then suddenly I get lots of calls !) But I only use RBN to check my OWN signals . . . how do you use it to check ANY DX signals on 160 ? I can't even see how you configure RBN to only show signals from certain areas (like NA), so I have to put up with all the EU spots on RBN (which I'm not interested in) I guess you'll tell me there IS a way of doing it . . . but presumably the reason you only get responses when you've been spotted on the DX Cluster is because others are the same as me ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: No NA Activity
I guess I should have been more specific in the title . . . I mean no CW activity from NA stations ! (not interested in FT8 or any other computer modes) Despite conditions being poor, came on for a while last night and managed to work about 10 NA stations in the SSB Contest . . . will try again tonight. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: No NA Activity
Well I came on for a few hours last night . . . Conditions were good, as my RBN reports with NA sites were between 20 and 35 dB over the noise. But I only worked a handful of NA stations ! (there were several other European and Russian stations on too) It's a real shame there's so little CW activity . . . this Season will be over soon ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well I wonder if we'll get many guys making an effort to get on Top Band tonight? Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: About AA0RS
Dave was originally G3SZA . . . he lived just two miles from me when I first was an SWL, aged 12. He was already working DX on 160m back then (1967), as was another local/old friend of mine, Mike G3SED. They both helped and inspired me, and are the reason I became interested in DX-ing on 160m as soon as I got my full licence 2 years later, when I was old enough (14). Dave was so strong at my QTH back then that not only could I hear him underneath myself (monitoring on my muted receiver), he even moved my SWR bridge with the voltage he put in my antenna ! (thank goodness I had an all-valve receiver that suffered no blocking or intermod problems) He was a rising star with IBM here in Britain, and they persuaded him to move to the USA. He later worked for (or ran?) Alpha Amplifiers before retiring. Dave really is a great guy, still passionate about Top Band . . his 160m setup as AA0RS in Colorado is fantastic, and I have regularly worked him on 160m over the years from there. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well I came on a couple of times last night, but gave up after an hour each time. The band was certainly open as my RBN reports were good. There were other Europeans on Calling CQ too . . . but very few NA stations on. I only worked a handful, and reports were good both ways. It saddens me the lack of CW activity on 160 ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m Propagation
Interesting reading some of the comments on this topic. I have been working DX on 160m for 50 years (I started young LOL!) . . . The one thing I have ALWAYS noticed over the years is that the propagation is OFTEN very selective on 160m. I will be hearing other EU stations working people that I can barely hear . . . but also vice versa. Years ago, when conditions were much better, I often had SSB QSOs with North American stations . . . there would be 2 or 3 of us here in Europe, and several stations in different parts of the USA. Being in a multi-station phone QSO made it much easier to compare signals (than on CW) . . . and what very often happened was that the path between just TWO of the stations would be good, but poor between the others. To me, this is all because the Propagation on 160m is very different to even 80m. I believe that much of the time the contacts are via ducting - inter-layer bouncing of the signals. Getting access in and out of the duct varies a lot, depending on exactly where you are located. Sometimes there may a physically small opening, others times it is very wide. One of the reasons I also believe that most long-distance QSOs on Top Band are via ducting is the fact that I have ALWAYS used a high angle antenna (low dipole) for working DX, yet had consistently good reports. If the propagation was like on 80m - where you nearly always need a good low-angle antenna to put out a decent DX signal - then that wouldn't be the case. I believe that getting into the duct occurs at fairly high angles (maybe 45 degrees), and that's the reason I have always done pretty well working DX with my high angle antennas. Since I have had a separate vertically-polarised receiving Loop for 160m (the past 2 years) it has been interesting to compare DX signals on that, as against my Dipole. There is no doubt that when my signals in NA are at their strongest (as seen on RBN sites as well as received QSO reports), received signals are better on my Dipole than the Loop. To me, that indicates when I have a really good duct opening, as the high angle antenna is actually better on receive. Just how and when the ducting occurs on 160m I obviously have no idea, but I suspect it is sometimes tied in with the effect of daylight on the layers, and why SOMETIMES grey-line propagation is good (but not always) Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Yes, as Dave K1WHS noted, very few NA stations on the band last Wednesday (think I only heard/worked 4), but there were loads of EU stations calling CQ DX. (I find that very sad, considering how many NA stations there are that put out a decent signal on 160m!) Maybe we'll get a load more people coming on this Wednesday Night (/Thursday morning) ! To Bob W7RH and Wes N7WS . . . really sorry I couldn't copy you calling me. Please bear in mind that I live in an ordinary street in the city suburbs, so sometimes have a fairly high noise level. Regarding the CQ SSB contest last weekend, conditions were quite poor from NA . . . could only copy the really big signals, and they were at least 10dB down on normal (I did at least work everyone I heard, about 15 stations) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: ARRL CW Contest
I had forgotten it was a multiband contest, so I now appreciate that's why less NA stations are on calling CQ. Well I came on for a total of about 4 hours over the weekend . . . managed to work a total of 128 NA stations, so was pretty pleased with that. Apologies to any of you I couldn't copy . . . but bear in mind that - like many British stations - I only live in an ordinary street in a City, with a normal size garden (yard), with many houses within one wavelength. So I have a high noise level, and no room for Beverages or anything (just my homebrew Receiving Loop in the loft.) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: ARRL CW Contest
Very curious . . . I came on 160m last night to see what NA stations I could work in the contest . . . spent half an hour tuning around and only heard 12 stations calling CQ, all of which I worked. I then figured it might be worth calling CQ, as hopefully Europeans wouldn't call me, as they only get points for working NA stations (unlike the CQ WW) And in just over half an hour I was called by 50 stations ! (I stopped when signals started dropping out after our sunrise) I was just surprised that there weren't more big NA signals on 160 calling CQ, like there is in the CQ WW - is there a reason for this? Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Cheating etc
Personally, I don't really care what anyone else does ! I achieved DXCC on 160m many years ago . . . and stopped even counting new countries once I had worked over 200. (it used to be really hard, as so few Countries were licensed for Top Band, but these days almost everyone is) I KNOW I worked those stations . . . but never bothered collecting QSL cards or applying for some piece of paper to put on the wall. To me it's about the SATISFACTION of having achieved something. In fact - as I've stated before on here - I'm really not bothered about working somebody in a rare country . . . it's working ANY distant station on Top Band that gives me a buzz . . . and regardless of how many times I've worked that station before. The same goes for Contests . . . decades ago I used to actually enter Top Band contests . . . but it really holds no interest for me having hundreds of quite easy contacts hour after hour . . . I now just come on to try and pick out the DX stations in-between all the strong Europeans (again, a unique problem on 160m, as there is no Skip) - THAT to me is an achievement. Again, I am not bothered about the people using their Computer to have contacts . . . it would never interest me in a million years, as I feel there is no operator or equipment skill involved, so zero satisfaction. But hey, if it floats some people's boats, that's up to them. The only thing that DOES bother me is when people stop coming on Human-based modes on 160m because they think the only activity is on the Computer modes ! If more people make an effort to come on the band (instead of complaining) there WILL be more CW & SSB DX activity on Top Band ! Anyway . . . hope to work some of you in the Contest this weekend. (Had to put my antenna back up yesterday, as it came down in the Gales we had over here !) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Very little NA Activity
Well, I've personally never really understood this desire (or obsession?) to only want to work new Countries . . . After all, it's more of an achievement to have a contact on Top Band with someone 4,000 miles away in a big country, than it is to work someone 2,000 miles away on some little island! I did start totting up countries worked on 160m back in the 70s . . . but gave up actually counting once I had reached 100. (these days I'm pretty sure my total must be over 300) Roger G3YRO -Original Message- From: uy0zg [mailto:uy...@mksat.net] Nothing to do about Many want to become famous - they only need new countries .. : http://www.arrl.org/system/dxcc/view/DXCC-160M-20200209-A4.pdf#page=1=a uto,-12,848 _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Very little NA Activity
Yes but 15 QSOs in over 3 hours isn't very satisfying ! Last Winter when I was started trying to encourage more people to come on the band each Wednesday night, I often worked over 30 stations in just over an hour on the band. 73 Roger G3YRO -Original Message- From: uy0zg [mailto:uy...@mksat.net] Sent: 09 February 2020 15:31 To: Roger Kennedy Cc: topband@contesting.com; Topband Subject: Re: Topband: Very little NA Activity Hi Not everything is sad, Roger. On the night and morning of February 7th,( 00:30 - 04:00 UTc) I had 15 CW QSOs - K1UO, K5OO, N1PGA, N3RS, WY3A, WD5R, WA1T, NJ3I, N3DXX, W2NO,W8UVZ, K3JJG, K1WHS, NN3Q, KC1I. Of course, I wanted more. But still life is beautiful :-)) --- Nick, UY0ZG http://www.topband.in.ua Roger Kennedy ? 2020-02-09 15:58: > Despite the band being open (as shown by RBN Reports) there sadly > seems to have been very little activity from North American stations > over the past week. (apart from a couple of good old stalwarts) > > I've heard lots of Europeans calling endless CQ DX calls, and getting > very few replies. > > It won't be long before this season will be over ! > > Roger G3YRO > > > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Very little NA Activity
Despite the band being open (as shown by RBN Reports) there sadly seems to have been very little activity from North American stations over the past week. (apart from a couple of good old stalwarts) I've heard lots of Europeans calling endless CQ DX calls, and getting very few replies. It won't be long before this season will be over ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Hi Jim NO ! Wednesday NIGHT . . . so 0300 on Wednesday night is technically Thursday morning over here . . . but colloquially it's still Wednesday night. And in North America it's definitely Wednesday night. (i.e. this Activity Night is tonight) Actually I WAS on Top Band calling endless CQ DXs last night . . . the band WAS open, as RBN reports were good . . . but no replies ! Hopefully there will be more activity tonight . . . 73 Roger G3YRO -Original Message- From: James Wolf [mailto:jbw...@comcast.net] Sent: 04 February 2020 14:25 To: 'Roger Kennedy' Subject: RE: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night Roger, I'm constantly confused. I assume that you are saying Wednesday 0300 etc. Zulu time which is our late Tuesday - early morning Wednesday. Thanks, Jim Wolf, KR9U 2415 Union Chapel Rd Fort Wayne, IN 46845 260-637-6434 -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces+jbwolf=comcast@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Roger Kennedy Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2020 5:59 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night Conditions have been fairly good the past few nights . . . but again, often little CW activity from North America. So I'm still trying to promote the idea of trying to at least get everyone on the band on the same evening ! Personally, I shall be on 160 for about an hour from around Z . . . again around 0300Z . . . and again around 0700Z. Hope to see you on the band ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Conditions have been fairly good the past few nights . . . but again, often little CW activity from North America. So I'm still trying to promote the idea of trying to at least get everyone on the band on the same evening ! Personally, I shall be on 160 for about an hour from around Z . . . again around 0300Z . . . and again around 0700Z. Hope to see you on the band ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CQ WW Contest
Hi Ken Well this has been voiced before ! I appreciate that many stations are only interested in working new or rare prefixes on 160m . . . However, personally I get a big buzz out of EVERY QSO with a station on Top Band over 2000 miles away, as it is an achievement . . . regardless of how many times I may have worked that station before. And I have never really got any real satisfaction working DX on the higher bands, as even on 80m it's so much easier. I can't help feeling - given the amount of effort it takes to have a decent station for 160m, especially in terms of decent Antennas - that it seems crazy to just come on the band once a month to work a DX-pedition, or for a Contest ! However, I know there are many people who feel like you . . . but there are also a lot of Top Band DX-ers who feel like ME. I guess I'm simply trying to encourage THOSE people to come on the band more often. Especially as it's often those same people that complain about all the activity on FT8 and the lack of DX CW activity ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ From: Kenneth Grimm [mailto:gr...@sbc.edu] Sent: 29 January 2020 12:26 Roger, While this is just my opinion, I look at 160 as a challenge. If I want to rag-chew or just rack up QSOs, I either go up to SSB or switch to 80 or 40 CW. When I'm on 160, I'm looking for a new country or even better, a new zone. I have a feeling that this is how a good many 160 ops look at the band. It's not as though we don't want to talk to G3YRO, it's because we are looking for JT5DX at the moment or 9M2AX or XV1X or whatever else we need on the band. There are lots of ears in use on 160 when we are in darkness. Keyers, not so much. 73, -- Ken - K4XL BoatAnchor Manual Archive BAMA - http://bama.edebris.com _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CQ WW Contest
Hi Guy
Yes, I'm talking about last weekend !
I'm glad you did so well in the Contest . . . but my comment on Conditions
are always based on the STRENGTH of signals.
When Conditions are GOOD, the Big Signals from NA are always well over S9.
(and back in the 70s, 80s and 90s that was nearly always the case)
However, last weekend very few stations were over S7 here. Of course,
Propagation on 160m can often be very localised - someone else messaged me
to say that other Europeans were much stronger than British stations last
weekend.
I think another thing to bear in mind from YOUR side is that these days
there are a LOT more Europeans that come on 160m (mainly just for contests).
That is partly because they were never previously allowed on Top Band, but
also because more commercial Amplifiers cover 160m.
Anyway - good to work you in the Contest.
I just wish there was more Activity from NA on 160m generally. There must
be at least ten times more 160m DXers over there than there are here in
Britain . . . but almost every night there are several of us on the band
calling CQ DX and getting very few replies ! (yet RBN reports confirm that
the band is open)
73 Roger G3YRO
_
From: Guy Olinger K2AV
Hi Roger,
Just want to be sure we are both talking about the weekend of 25, 26
January, 2020, the weekend of the 2020 CQ 160 CW contest. If so, I must
register my decidedly firm impression that was the best 160 meter weekend of
my lifetime, what has to be a counterpoint of the amazing 1958 sunspot
maximum.
In the contest I worked 1349 stations including 339 10 pointers (almost all
the 10 pointers were European), let's just say 300+ European stations. In
all of that I worked a 160 meter worked all states (48 CONUS + AK & HI),
plus 9 Canadian provinces, 78 countries ("country" per the contest rules).
That was a claimed score from the southeast USA (decidedly not the
EU-advantaged northeast US) of 752,780.
It was, by an enormous margin, my personal lifetime best for any 160 meter
contest. The antenna did work very well, but, seriously, could not possibly
have accounted for that bump up, nor for sure could my personal operating
skills.
Just think we need to leave room for the idea that maybe the band was a bit
better than "open".
Station here K3 + KPA1500, Inverted L over FCP, no RX antennas (working on
that), NOT a superstation.
Wowser, I wonder if we'll get that again before the sunspots start in again.
I can hope.
73, Guy K2AV
On Tue, Jan 28, 2020 at 3:27 PM Roger Kennedy
wrote:
Well conditions were reasonable over the weekend . . .
I spent a total of about 3 hours on the band, and managed to work 48 NA
stations through all the European QRM.
I'm sure I would have worked a lot more, as I heard many others calling
stations that were calling CQ . . . but I'm reluctant to put out a CQ call
in a contest, as I don't want to work hundreds of Europeans (I'm up in the
middle of the night to work some DX !)
As I say, I wouldn't say conditions were particularly good, but the band was
open.
Roger G3YRO
_
Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
_
Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: CQ WW Contest
Well conditions were reasonable over the weekend . . . I spent a total of about 3 hours on the band, and managed to work 48 NA stations through all the European QRM. I'm sure I would have worked a lot more, as I heard many others calling stations that were calling CQ . . . but I'm reluctant to put out a CQ call in a contest, as I don't want to work hundreds of Europeans (I'm up in the middle of the night to work some DX !) As I say, I wouldn't say conditions were particularly good, but the band was open. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well sadly conditions seemed very poor last night . . . My own signals were 20 to 30dB down on what I would normally see on NA RBN sites I managed just 4 NA QSOs . . . but heard several other people calling me that were way down in the noise. Not sure how many stations were on across the pond, but heard lots of other EU stations calling CQ, but getting few replies. Thanks to all those that made the effort to come on the band . . . let's hope conditions are better next Wednesday ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well this is for all of us that complain about all the FT8 activity, but very few CW stations on the band . . . Hope we can get lots of people on Top Band tonight so everyone can have lots of QSOs ! I personally will be on from around 23.30 GMT . . . again at 03.00 . . . and again at 07.30. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Topband resource
Well, people who work me regularly know I put out a pretty decent signal on 160m with my dipole. And I get good reports all over the world, not just right across America. I also have a vertically polarised receiving antenna, so can compare signals on receive . . . DX signals are very rarely stronger on the vertical. (although I can see big differences on European signals) And there's definitely no radiation from the feeder ! The dipole is fed with good quality coax, there's a properly constructed 160m choke balun at the feedpoint . . . and anyway, most of the feeder isn't even vertical, as it runs horizontally along my loft ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Topband resource
"However, 160 needs vertical polarization for consistent long DX." So how is it that I consistently work all over the world on 160m with my horizontal dipole at 50ft?! (and my signals seem to often be pretty comparable with other Brits using verticals} You certainly need a Vertical to work DX on 80m . . . but in my experience 160m propagation is very different . . . I'm guessing it's often quite high angle due to multi-hop or ducting. Also, I don't understand why on the Web page they are talking about NA stations coming on Top Band at 1730 UTC to work Europe . . . I don't find the band opens to NA until at least 2200 . . . and for me signals are always much better after midnight. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: New Modes, Systems, etc
It's easy to appreciate why many people - who are passionate about the hobby - get upset about some of the things they see as being very negative to the hobby. Here in Britain there were LOTS of well-respected Amateurs who were actively involved in Jamming the VHF Repeaters when they first came on the air in the 1970s. I would never have done such a thing, but I appreciated why those people were concerned about it having a negative effect on the hobby. People could now not bother to put up a decent antenna for 2m, yet work stations 50 miles away. However, most new amateurs that did that very quickly got bored with the hobby, as there was no sense of achievement, no reason to self-improve . . . and disappeared off the air. Those that got the satisfaction of working stations further away through their own efforts were usually the ones that sustained interest in the hobby. (It's interesting that there is almost NO activity on the various Repeaters here in Britain these days . . . which kind of confirms my point!) I think it's the same logic that many of us apply to the computer-based modes/protocols . . . that there is no skill involved, and so no real sense of achievement, like there is when puling a really weak DX station out of the noise . . . with the result that those people will very soon lose interest in the hobby. So those of you who are so keen on them, please at least understand our motives . . . it's because of our passion for the hobby that we are against these computer-based modes . . . in the same way as I personally am against VHF Repeaters or accessing remote Transmitting or even Receiving sites. Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
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 _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well for those of us who get a buzz out of working ANY station a long way away (no matter how many times we've worked them before), let's hope we get lots of stations on the band tonight ! And if you see somebody calling CQ, do try and Spot them on the DX Cluster, as that helps others to find them. (maybe we can end up with a lot more CW Spots than the FT8 boys!) 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Musings on multiple 160m QSOs
Well you know I have said this several times before Steve . . so thanks for clarifying. Like you, EVERY DX contact is a thrill to me (even after 50 years on the band), no matter how many times I may have worked that station before. I actually think that MOST 160m DX-ers agree. After all, it takes a LOT of effort to put up a decent 160m antenna (for Tx AND Rx) . . . if you only used that to work NEW stations, you might only come on the band a handful of times each year ! Hopefully people WON'T now be afraid to call and work stations they have worked many times before on 160 ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Well now that we have the Holiday season out the way, hope we can re-start this each week. Remember, this is for all the people who complain about FT8 and the lack of activity on CW . . . there will only be activity if people make the effort to come on the band and have a few QSOs ! Conditions continue to be good, I was getting several S9+ reports from NA last night . . . and even had a few SSB QSOs too. I personally will be on around Z . . . again at 0300Z . . . and before our Sunrise, from around 0700Z. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, little NA Activity
Hi Ian Well what gives ME a buzz is EVERY DX contact on Top Band, i.e. any station more than a couple of thousand miles away . . . it doesn't bother me how many times I have worked that station before. And it doesn't bother me whether they are in a big country or on a tiny island. It's the fact I'm doing things the hard way, having long distance contacts on a frequency that isn't really designed for it. It's been my main interest in this hobby for the past 50 years ! If I come on Top Band during a Contest, I only want to spend a couple of hours on the band, so am just looking to try and work as many DX stations in that time as possible . . . I don't want to waste time working hundreds of Europeans that I could work any time! So that's why I wouldn't put out a CQ call. 73 Roger G3YRO -Original Message- Roger I think that Mike makes a very good case. A good number of us who enjoy topband do not tend to use it for working the same stations over and over again and definitely not for ragchewing. I enjoy a good CW ragchew, but would not consider 160m for such a QSO. I know that I could come on 160m on Wednesday evenings. But I have worked over 1000 different US stations on 160m over the years. My main interest in 160m these days is in working new DXCC and contesting. Incidentally, in one of your posts, you said that you did not call CQ in the recent Stew Perry for fear (sic) of being called by loads of EU stations. That struck me as being rather selective about the type of activity that you are prepared to tolerate in your log. Just saying... 73, Ian G4iiY _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, little NA Activity
Regarding your comments, Mike VE9AA . . . I appreciate I may not be one of the biggest signals on the band (although I did get several S9+ reports from NA over this weekend). . . but the point I was making was that there were several of the big EU stations on the band too, and they were getting very few replies, even though conditions were pretty good ! And secondly, if anything, last winter a lot MORE North American stations were coming on for my suggested Wednesday CW Activity Night than on a typical weekend. (hence my suggesting it . . . as I say, I figured people might be busy with family at the weekend) In the recent Stew Perry contest, I worked dozens of NA stations that you never normally hear on the band. These stations obviously put out a good enough signal to get through the very strong EU contest QRM, so must have a pretty decent 160m setup . . . yet most of the time they are pretty inactive. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Good Conditions, little NA Activity
Yes conditions have been good the last few days on 160m (not Great . . . but what I would always have considered Normal, which they haven't been for ages) I myself have received some amazing reports from Stations I have worked, as well as strong RBN reports. However . . . there seems to have been a distinct lack of activity from North American stations. I've been on and off the band for half an hour or so during the past 2 nights (Friday and Saturday) typically around , 0200, 0400 . . . but along with several other Europeans, calling CQ DX but getting very few replies. Yet the few stations I DID work gave me very good reports, and RBN reports were always good too. I also popped on the band at the end of both nights (around 07.30) . . . but I didn't even bother putting out a call. Why? Well many of the regular EU DX-ers were on the band, calling endless CQs . . . but barely getting any replies ! Even though Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the MAIN time to come and work across the pond on 160m, maybe people have family commitments at the weekend these days . . . So I'm going to keep plugging the idea of a Wednesday CW DX Night on Top Band . . . it certainly worked last winter, as I would often work as many as 50 NA stations who made the effort to come on the band. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Stew Perry
Something else I meant to say . . . I heard several other NA stations, but they were calling other people. I didn't get to work them, as I wasn't going to waste time calling CQ myself - as with all these Contests, I would have ended up wasting time being called by dozens of Europeans ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
