Topband: Lack of activity is not just on 160 CW
FWIW guys and gals, I can tell you the lack of activity is not just on CW and not just one band. I've lately been getting up early enough to catch the morning European openings on 20 SSB. Rarely do I get any one from 'across the pond' coming back to my CQ DX over the north pole on SSB. That between 1730-1930 GMT. There will definitely be propagation I know cause when I do work someone 'over there' I can get reports like 59 or 59+10/20. That one came from 9A9RR today. I manage to work some by hunt and peck moving up and down the band and there will be some pretty strong stations part of the time out of Europe or Asia. But try and sit on a frequency and call CQ DX over the pole and see if you get much activity. Just isn't happening guys. Of course some VE's and stateside call in just letting me know I'm 59+ out their way...funny how the 3 element Steppir has such a wide beam width. I miss managing to work 50-60-70 or more in a session but I'm hoping for better activity later in the Spring and Summer (maybe). There is also the static. With my hearing and hearing aids it isn't much fun dealing with the static. But just be aware, lack of activity apparently is effecting a lot of the bands no mater how big you antennas are or which band you are on. Or at least a couple of modes I can think of. Will 'Endeavor to persevere' as Chief Dan George said (think that was what he went by). Terry KI7M _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
There's activity and then there's "activity." I take it that "activity" in this discussion really means DX. It so happens that there's other kinds of operating going on on 160 m. besides DX chasing if you can tolerate the tedium and torture of an enjoyable ragchew with an ordinary ham nearby. As for DX, I imagine that all hams are going SK at the same rate everywhere, meaning that an entity with a ham population of 50 in 1980, now has a ham population of 5, with maybe one active on 160. 73 Rob K5UJ _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
I agree. Of course last night was the warm up before the ARRL CW. Result? I put about 20 EU in the log along with TZ4AM, some Carib stations and lots of W/'K. Best night on 80 since I hit the Island. Wait for the empty band after the test. KH7XS -Original Message- From: Edward Sawyer To: topband Sent: Fri, Feb 15, 2019 5:35 pm Subject: Re: Topband: Lack of Activity I see a general lack of CW activity other than contests and DXpeditions actually. Not just on top band. Add to that the virtually non-existent SSB DX activity on top band, and there you have it. Quite a bit of the FT-8 activity looks to me to be non-CW ops who don't have the desire or capability to DX on SSB. Amazingly though, in contests and major DXpeditions, everyone comes out of the woodwork. So they are all there, just not there. I think for many people, the allure of "tuning the bands" and discovery has been lost. I agree with the "we need to make it happen more if its important to us". I for one don't tend to be a DX CQer. But I have started to make more of a habit of answering those I hear. Tuning by is not helping the issue. 73 Ed N1UR _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
I see a general lack of CW activity other than contests and DXpeditions actually. Not just on top band. Add to that the virtually non-existent SSB DX activity on top band, and there you have it. Quite a bit of the FT-8 activity looks to me to be non-CW ops who don't have the desire or capability to DX on SSB. Amazingly though, in contests and major DXpeditions, everyone comes out of the woodwork. So they are all there, just not there. I think for many people, the allure of "tuning the bands" and discovery has been lost. I agree with the "we need to make it happen more if its important to us". I for one don't tend to be a DX CQer. But I have started to make more of a habit of answering those I hear. Tuning by is not helping the issue. 73 Ed N1UR _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
If working EU from west coast is exciting, try it from KH6...right over the pole. This season I have worked around 20-25 or so EU on the top band...a half dozen of them the last day of CQWW. Throw in a couple of Africans, a few SA and some JA and that is it, unless you count W/K, some of which are almost 5000 miles away. Nobody comes up on CW anymore...sad. Please don't suggest FT-8...it ain't my cup of tea. KH7XS -Original Message- From: W7RH To: topband Sent: Thu, Feb 14, 2019 9:10 pm Subject: Re: Topband: Lack of Activity Roger and group, It's not your imagination, activity on CW has been very low. Add to that propagation has been absolutely horrid all season from a left coast perspective. While some northern folks have been able to get a hop under the aurora curtain it just is not possible from my Arizona location. I can appreciate the joy of the eastern stations working EU. Out west it's our equivalent of working the east coast. 4000 km vs. 8000 km. The last two openings that were very good were in mid and late December. Since that time I have had only 4 EU QSOs. Meanwhile only a _few JA,UA0 and HL5IVL_ have been active. XX9D has been on in the morning with great SR signal but due to location and antenna restrictions his noise level is not penetrable. The trans-equatorial path has been quite good here. VK3IO solid S9 and V84SAA S9 both near sunrise this morning. They all have been worked leaving nothing else to do. There are only limited number of stations active the western pacific and all of those are 15,000 km away! I have joined the group of K7ZV, W0FLS, AA0RS, N7XM and K0RF calling CQ with no response inside JA window morning after morning. Even propagation to JA has been spotty, with little activity. Add to that I've worked one new entity this winter. Guess what? QSL direct only. The unmarked envelope with card and green stamps was pilfered in the mail. As always I'll be a Top Band die hard as well. I retired in February 2017 and listen almost everyday at Sun rise and Sunset. Changing the active aurora is beyond my powers no matter how much effort in antenna system or even power for the matter. CU all on top band. The ARRL DX CW contest is really the last opportunity from out west. By and large the worst top band season I've seen in a long time 73 Bob, W7RH Bob, W7RH -- W7RH DM35os "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." - Albert Einstein _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
Bob Thanks for sharing your experience. I had high hopes for a great season as I spent a great deal of time erecting a long anticipated antenna system. (New QTH, retirement mode) Countless winter days spent adjusting, laying radials and taking measurements, only to find so little activity to get nightly reports as a way to check my progress, that makes one question the overall Return-on-investment. I know there are plenty of distractions and perhaps I ask for too much, but it sure would nice to have more activity and certainly better conditions (which stimulates activity naturally). I hear the same complaint about 80 m too. I do enjoy saying hello to the same 5 DX stations most nights, just hope they will stay patient with me! So here’s to looking for that redemption with a wild band opening! Regards, Mark, K1RX > On Feb 14, 2019, at 4:00 PM, W7RH wrote: > > Roger and group, > > It's not your imagination, activity on CW has been very low. Add to that > propagation has been absolutely horrid all season from a left coast > perspective. While some northern folks have been able to get a hop under the > aurora curtain it just is not possible from my Arizona location. I can > appreciate the joy of the eastern stations working EU. Out west it's our > equivalent of working the east coast. 4000 km vs. 8000 km. > > The last two openings that were very good were in mid and late December. > Since that time I have had only 4 EU QSOs. Meanwhile only a _few JA,UA0 and > HL5IVL_ have been active. XX9D has been on in the morning with great SR > signal but due to location and antenna restrictions his noise level is not > penetrable. The trans-equatorial path has been quite good here. VK3IO solid > S9 and V84SAA S9 both near sunrise this morning. They all have been worked > leaving nothing else to do. There are only limited number of stations active > the western pacific and all of those are 15,000 km away! > > I have joined the group of K7ZV, W0FLS, AA0RS, N7XM and K0RF calling CQ with > no response inside JA window morning after morning. Even propagation to JA > has been spotty, with little activity. Add to that I've worked one new entity > this winter. Guess what? QSL direct only. The unmarked envelope with card and > green stamps was pilfered in the mail. > > As always I'll be a Top Band die hard as well. I retired in February 2017 and > listen almost everyday at Sun rise and Sunset. Changing the active aurora is > beyond my powers no matter how much effort in antenna system or even power > for the matter. > > CU all on top band. The ARRL DX CW contest is really the last opportunity > from out west. By and large the worst top band season I've seen in a long > time > > 73 > > Bob, W7RH > > Bob, W7RH > > > > -- > W7RH DM35os > > "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our > humanity." - Albert Einstein > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
Roger and group, It's not your imagination, activity on CW has been very low. Add to that propagation has been absolutely horrid all season from a left coast perspective. While some northern folks have been able to get a hop under the aurora curtain it just is not possible from my Arizona location. I can appreciate the joy of the eastern stations working EU. Out west it's our equivalent of working the east coast. 4000 km vs. 8000 km. The last two openings that were very good were in mid and late December. Since that time I have had only 4 EU QSOs. Meanwhile only a _few JA,UA0 and HL5IVL_ have been active. XX9D has been on in the morning with great SR signal but due to location and antenna restrictions his noise level is not penetrable. The trans-equatorial path has been quite good here. VK3IO solid S9 and V84SAA S9 both near sunrise this morning. They all have been worked leaving nothing else to do. There are only limited number of stations active the western pacific and all of those are 15,000 km away! I have joined the group of K7ZV, W0FLS, AA0RS, N7XM and K0RF calling CQ with no response inside JA window morning after morning. Even propagation to JA has been spotty, with little activity. Add to that I've worked one new entity this winter. Guess what? QSL direct only. The unmarked envelope with card and green stamps was pilfered in the mail. As always I'll be a Top Band die hard as well. I retired in February 2017 and listen almost everyday at Sun rise and Sunset. Changing the active aurora is beyond my powers no matter how much effort in antenna system or even power for the matter. CU all on top band. The ARRL DX CW contest is really the last opportunity from out west. By and large the worst top band season I've seen in a long time 73 Bob, W7RH Bob, W7RH -- W7RH DM35os "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." - Albert Einstein _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: LACK OF ACTIVITY
KH7XS have you tried FT-8 on 160. Plenty of activity at your sunset and beyond. Herb, KV4FZ On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 6:02 PM cqtestk4xs--- via Topband < topband@contesting.com> wrote: > I also have found the lack of activity frustrating. I'll call CQ and RBN > says I'm hitting the mainland with a good sig. I call CQ for maybe ten > minutes and either one reply or none. > Look for KH7XS tonight after my sunset..around 0500Z. > KH7XS > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
Roger, On Monday night I worked about 50 EU station from C6AGU. There was good activity all around. Last night (Tue) was very noisy here (and probably most of the SE US) with nasty lightning crashes. It is somewhat similar tonight. Starting about 2 hours before my sunset, I heard dozens of EU stations calling the V8. C6AGU will be on 160 most of the night (both CW and FT8) and we welcome signal reports as we are testing some new equipment. CU on 160! 73, George AA7JV/C6AGU On Wed, 13 Feb 2019 20:17:14 - "Roger Kennedy" wrote: I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but started coming back on 160m . . . But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky to have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but then silence the rest of the time ! And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot more activity. I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when RBN shows there's good propagation) So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: LACK OF ACTIVITY
I also have found the lack of activity frustrating. I'll call CQ and RBN says I'm hitting the mainland with a good sig. I call CQ for maybe ten minutes and either one reply or none. Look for KH7XS tonight after my sunset..around 0500Z. KH7XS _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
I will also be on tonite. Not sure if it will be HQ9X or W1UE/HR9, but I’ll be on. And I doubt I’ll be on as early as 2330z! Dennis W1UE On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 14:25 Roger Kennedy wrote: > > I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but > started coming back on 160m . . . > > But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North > American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky > to > have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! > > I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . > but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the > band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it > makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. > > The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but > then > silence the rest of the time ! > > And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on > are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot > more activity. > > I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX > Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations > actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) > > Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX > contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when > RBN shows there's good propagation) > > So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . > . . > > Roger G3YRO > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lack of Activity
Roger. . .the Wednesday activity night is a good idea. I will be on tonight CQing as I frequently do. Sadly, some evenings that efforts yields zero QSOs.73. . . Dave, W0FLS -Original Message- From: Roger Kennedy Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 2:17 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Lack of Activity I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but started coming back on 160m . . . But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky to have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but then silence the rest of the time ! And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot more activity. I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when RBN shows there's good propagation) So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Lack of Activity
I've been off the air for a few weeks, due to personal issues . . . but started coming back on 160m . . . But it's SO frustrating . . . I'm often seeing my RBN reports from North American stations peaking 30 to 40 dB above the noise . . . yet I'm lucky to have 1 or 2 actual QSOs ! I'll hear hundreds of DX stations on the band calling a DX-pedition . . . but then they'll disappear again. Is that all you want to do, come on the band to just work ONE station?! I find that ridiculous . . . actually it makes me very sad for the future of the hobby. The same goes for contests . . . hundreds of stations on 160m . . . but then silence the rest of the time ! And all the people that complain that the only stations that seem to be on are using FT8 . . . well if you actually came on CW, there would be a lot more activity. I'm going to suggest what I suggested last winter . . . a Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night. It worked last year . . . a lot of North American stations actually came on the band (and that brought lots more Europeans on too) Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the main night for 160m DX contacts too . . . but again the band is very quiet these days (even when RBN shows there's good propagation) So I'll be on the band tonight from around 2330Z looking for any contacts . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: lack of activity on TB from left coast
On 12/28/2013 12:54 AM, Dr. Wolf Ostwald wrote: hny to everybody on the reflector ! today we saw real good condx to the western US here from central EU. But i guess the word did not spread fast enough. I sure was missing all the clear channel stations from the coast. VE6SV had a blasting signal here way into daylight. My guess is, that with the high solar activity the days with west coast propagation have been few from central EU and the interest faded. And a personal note. You were the first EU I worked on 160 when I moved to CA in 2006, but I still don't have a response from the card I sent you via the Bureau. The last thing I'm going to do is respond to your CQ. Thankfully other DL stations were more courteous. 73, Jim K9YC Also as a personal note. If I am interested in receiving a QSL from a DX station, whether for a new country or for an Award. I do not QSL via the Bureau. I send the card direct! I found that Wolf was very good at QSLing. 73 de Price W0RI and trustee of W0CKC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: lack of activity on TB from left coast
On 12/29/2013 1:04 PM, HAROLD SMITH JR wrote: Also as a personal note. If I am interested in receiving a QSL from a DX station, whether for a new country or for an Award. I do not QSL via the Bureau. I send the card direct! You're welcome to pour money down the toilet of the international postal system, but I'm not. Wolf's qrz page says QSL VIA BUREAU. And he's not on LOTW. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: lack of activity on TB from left coast
hny to everybody on the reflector ! today we saw real good condx to the western US here from central EU. But i guess the word did not spread fast enough. I sure was missing all the clear channel stations from the coast. VE6SV had a blasting signal here way into daylight. My guess is, that with the high solar activity the days with west coast propagation have been few from central EU and the interest faded. Lets hope that the SP contest will yield the same good prop and get some interesting contacts into everybodies log. In times like these, a lowband chat like the ON4KST is a very helpful tool, as the openings are few and short most of the times, and efficiency can be run up by getting the current DX news faster than by just tuning across the band. To get the activity up, we need to have stations CQing and at the same time folks that search the band and get the word out to stir up some action. 73 de wolf ..--- .--. -.-- _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
