Re: Topband: Conditions
One morning this week I heard a couple of the morning "regulars" working some VK's, but I couldn't hear them. Tried CQ's for about 5 min - nothing. Tom W3TA -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces+thoyer1=verizon@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Roger Kennedy Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2022 6:34 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Conditions Shame that conditions have been so poor the past week . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: VK for me this AM
Well the propagation gods were smiling on me this morning. For the first time in my 15+ years on 160 I actually HEARD a VK station this morning. But wait, it gets better - I was actually able to WORK VK2WF this morning. >From my typically S7 to S9 noisy location the noise was at an S5 this morning. I heard a K2 working a VK, couldn't hear the VK that he worked (as usual) so I tuned around a bit and heard a faint CQ just above my S5 noise. Tough to make out the call in the QSB but after a few minutes his signal rose above the noise and after a few calls we were able to complete the contact. Thank you Adrian for hanging in there and thank you to the other stations who patiently stood by waited while I dug out the QSO. And I wasn't going to check 160 this morning before running out to work This one ranks right up there with the first time I worked Antartica when I was 13 years old (44 years ago). Yippee!! Number 101 for my small gun station Tom W3TA _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX CW Activity Night
Last night for me was interesting. I worked I5JVA who was a true 599 at my QTH in eastern PA and I never hear Europe better then 579 on the best days! Then I worked VP5/KM3T but after that - nothing! Last week the band was much better at my QTH. Low noise and was easily working into Europe - which is a rarity from my QTH with my antenna and noise levels. I'm still hoping to capture 8 more new ones to finish DXCC this winter. I did work OY9 last week for a new one. Tom W3TA -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces+thoyer1=verizon@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Roger Kennedy Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2020 4:57 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: 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 _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Temporary antenna suggestion for 160
All of my contacts for DXCC have been and will be from my property and I'd like to keep it that way (CW only also) W3TA -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of W0MU Mike Fatchett Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2019 8:12 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Temporary antenna suggestion for 160 or you could use a remote. W0MU On 12/15/2019 6:04 PM, thoyer via Topband wrote: > With only 9 more to go for DXCC on 160 and all of the recent posts > about how good the band has been recently "best in years) I find > myself with no antenna for the low bands and cringing after each post > on how good the band has been. > > I had some construction done in the yard (started in Sept) which > required me to take down my Battle Creek Special so the construction > equipment could get in and out if the yard and the workers wouldn't > get tangled up in the support lines. Funny - I came home one day after > they started the excavation and the builder asked what all the wire > was he was digging up! Lost about 25% of my radials to construction. > > They recently finished construction and I'm looking at what to do > antenna wise. My time is limited and the weather is starting to get > cold. The tilt base for the vertical was torn out and I'm afraid my > feedline to the base may be damaged also. > > Options - I have a 45' tower with TH6DXX, 6m and 2m yagis. I could > easily string a makeshift inverted L with about 45' vertical and around 100' > horizontal. This I could string up in a few hours. the Horizontal > portion would be pointed south. Not the best of configurations but > that's what I have to work with. > > Or should I put the BCS back together? This would probably take the > better part of a couple weekends (inbetween having other > distractions). I'd need to make a new base and probably lay in a new > feedline and a bunch of new radials. > > I think I know the answer - go with the BCS as it's performance would > be better then the inv L but figred I'd ask around. > > I know Murphy is lurking too - just waiting for me to get an antenna > up then he's going to pull the plug on the good condx.. (or > bring back that 20 over noise I had last year) > > Tom > W3TA > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Temporary antenna suggestion for 160
With only 9 more to go for DXCC on 160 and all of the recent posts about how good the band has been recently "best in years) I find myself with no antenna for the low bands and cringing after each post on how good the band has been. I had some construction done in the yard (started in Sept) which required me to take down my Battle Creek Special so the construction equipment could get in and out if the yard and the workers wouldn't get tangled up in the support lines. Funny - I came home one day after they started the excavation and the builder asked what all the wire was he was digging up! Lost about 25% of my radials to construction. They recently finished construction and I'm looking at what to do antenna wise. My time is limited and the weather is starting to get cold. The tilt base for the vertical was torn out and I'm afraid my feedline to the base may be damaged also. Options - I have a 45' tower with TH6DXX, 6m and 2m yagis. I could easily string a makeshift inverted L with about 45' vertical and around 100' horizontal. This I could string up in a few hours. the Horizontal portion would be pointed south. Not the best of configurations but that's what I have to work with. Or should I put the BCS back together? This would probably take the better part of a couple weekends (inbetween having other distractions). I'd need to make a new base and probably lay in a new feedline and a bunch of new radials. I think I know the answer - go with the BCS as it's performance would be better then the inv L but figred I'd ask around. I know Murphy is lurking too - just waiting for me to get an antenna up then he's going to pull the plug on the good condx.. (or bring back that 20 over noise I had last year) Tom W3TA _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Battle Creek Special - 160 Resonance
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 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
