Topband: New list member intro
Hi, ..and thanks for including me on the Top Band reflector. My interest in electronics generally and ham radio in particular goes back to the 1950s although I didn't get my license until 1980. No elmers were available and life had other things taking too much of my energy for a lot of years. I did listen to the ham bands a lot and even home brewed some gear for it - just no transmitting. Now the farm is gone and with it the space for large antennas. I used to have a very large antenna for 80 meters way up in old growth trees and ran traffic but now my lot is 100 by 100 feet and no possibility of routing antennas beyond my own property line. At least there are no antenna covenants here! I have yet to transmit on the 160 meter band and the only thing holding me back is a suitable antenna. I have reviewed some information about the 160 meter band and I am encouraged for the most part. Before there were two meter FM repeaters everywhere the 160 meter was one of the bands used for mobile communication. Now antennas for mobile use are really *puny* on 160 meters! Hams still managed to communicate with very modest power levels in mobile operation. I suspect I can get on 160 and 80 meters with a combination of a helically wound mast and top, horizontal wire (along with the ground that I already have in place). Something like that should easily outperform any mobile antenna. I used a helically wound vertical on higher frequency HF bands in the 1970s and it worked well for me. Rhombics and such are just out of the question for me and now that I'm in retirement and rebuilding a compromised heart I won't be going back to those salad days. I will be doing antenna construction as an autumn project and with any luck I'll have my 160 and 80 meter bandswitches in use here. A modest 100 foot loop with a balanced line and a Johnson tuner is serving me well on 40 through 10 meters. I have a couple of receivers and a couple of transmitters that will get the job done as well as a transceiver that can give me QRP through ~100 watt operation including a Johnson Ranger and a Heath DX 100. The Atlas 180 will give me SSB as well as portable operation. I hope to join you on the air soon. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: no response to query: feeding phased verticals at halfwave spacing
On Tue, 2011-11-22 at 21:39 -0500, ZR wrote: Well first of all dont expect instant gratification on here as there are usually delays in a post appearing. As far as the question you can phase them to get figure 8 patterns broadside and end fire. I had a pair of 80M 1/4 wave spaced 1/4 wave also fed as 1/2 waves on 40M at a prior QTH. Carl KM1H Thanks Carl, I have been wondering about using a phased pair with each element as a trapped vertical for 40 and 30 with suitable phasing for each band. From your testimony about your 80/40 antenna system I should be able to get some kind of useful pattern for each band (and I would favor 40 and compromise 30 when choices have to be made). From other recent messages here I am going to look for the EZnec software and play around with the possibilities before I commit any time, materials, and labor to an antenna system. I am on a small lot now so my 160 meter antenna will have to a severe compromise and I'll just do the best that I can with what I have. There won't be any phased arrays nor beverages for 160 meters here. You can't put five pounds of baloney in a one pound sack. I'll be putting up what I regard as an end fed wire with a counterpoise and ground..as much wire and counterpoise as I can bend around my territory. I've used that combination before but laid out in a nice, straight, long line. I'm probably not going to work a qrp op on 160 in New Zealand but I'm sure I'll have some QSOs. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Counterpoise very interresting
Hi Guy, I am chasing down the modeling software to try and get the best results I can on my small lot and sandy soil. I am not really competing against other hams but against my own past performance and experiences. What other hams are doing gives some idea of what might be possible. Meanwhile I am going to toss as much wire into the trees as I can get up there along with low or on-the-ground counterpoise and hope for the best. I'll get some QSOs for sure but more will be better. An end fed wire and a bazooka were two of the best (multiband) antennas I used before. The bazooka is directly proportional to the wavelength and I did mention my small lot. I'm trying to get my wire up before we run out of operating events for the year. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: Great antenna adventure with Murphy
Whew! Day three of my great antenna adventure. This is my third QTH to use this 135 foot end fed wire. At the other two locations I brought the end of this particular wire right into the shack where it fastened to the L network tuner. This time I am running other wire up from the tuner to a feedthrough in the ceiling above the tuner. In the attic the wire continues toward the front of the garage to another feedthrough that goes outside up under the eave. It's like an antenna terminal high on the side of my garage/workshop/hamshack. I have electric fence insulators to carry the wire across the attic well away from everything. The wire, insulators, feedthroughs and spacing are adequate even if I crank the drive all the way up to the 120 watts my hottest transmitter can muster. Outside the wire can stand up to the ice we get here once in a while, too. I am installing a weak link outside so if a tree limb falls on the wire it will break at the garage's antenna terminal instead of tearing it out. I'm glad now I thought to do that because Murphy is punishing me every step of the way. I can imagine what would have happened without that sacraficial link. I had hoped to be on the air for the QRP ARCI top band sprint but that derned Murph!. Now I'm done for the day and I don't have the actual antenna or counterpoise up yet. I'll be outside after that tomorrow and never mind if there is a blizzard. Thunderstorm might slow me down. Blizzard...full speed ahead. I am going to be back on 80 and on 160 as soon as I get it all installed. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Nice QRPP QSO
On Mon, 2011-12-12 at 08:27 -0500, N1BUG wrote: QRP may be fun for the QRP station but it's often a PITA for the station on the other end. I'm sure that's true in some cases, but QRP'ers take heart! There are some, myself included, who enjoy the challenge of trying to dig a very weak signal from the noise. I suppose that is why I gravitated toward EME, 160m DX, 6m DX, anywhere else I am likely have to really dig stuff out. It's also one reason I don't enjoy digital modes - it robs me of the challenge and fun of using my brain to decode something which is at the very limit of audibility. To each their own! Personally, I'd get more enjoyment out of watching paint dry. As for band plans, I think we've seen some very sensible comments in this thread about utilizing the band but being mindful of the enjoyment of others. Over the past several years, with low solar activity, the 1.810 to 1.835 segment was crammed to the brink with DX and people calling for DX. This was especially true around and just after sunset here in New England. This year, with solar activity on the rise and topband conditions well down from what we've seen of late, it seems far less busy. I will add that 1.810 to 1.820 is a favorite among DX stations in Southeast Asia trying to work North America, especially the east coast. These signals are almost always VERY weak and fleeting, making this activity is especially vulnerable to QRM. I admit I've had mixed feelings about where to put digital. Below 1.810 seems unfair as most of the world cannot operate there. Given the available options, I don't see any better option that the 1.835 t0 1.840 segment where most of it is now. To me, 1.800 to 1.810 seems an ideal place for casual QRP and CW operation where DX outside North America is not the goal. As I am weening myself from the much beloved pursuit of DX (not easy!), I went looking for and found a new interest: building of vintage/antique gear. Having been an avid topband DXer for many years, I plan to stay below 1.810 when on the air with my homebrew antique rigs. I hope to work a few of you down there eventually. I've not yet wound a set of 160 meter coils for my recently completed 1929 TNT transmitter, so I'm stuck on 80 meters at the moment. 73, Paul N1BUG ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Hi Paul, I'm newly trying to get on 160 meters. I do operate QRP and sometimes QRPp. I am not really discouraged by comments I see on this or any other list. I have been running with QRP as my first choice since 1980. I *know* there are some hams who can hear me but they choose to NOT work a weak signal. At least they don't interfere. So I have no complaints about that. To each his own. When I bought that Ten Tec Argonaut 509 back then I soon made boots for it consisting of a 6146B and associated circuitry to maintain QSK operation. Sometimes QRP is just not appropriate. I don't have and I don't want legal limit amplifiers here. I have always been able to operate somewhere in the one or another of the ham bands with ~100 watts or much, much less. That included my participation in traffic nets. heresy I'm not much of a contester. Some of the things I encounter in contests really disgust me. That is not intended to change anybody's mind about how they operate in contests. /heresy I do operate in contests. The more casual the contest the longer I stay in. I am working toward improving my portable operation capability for several reasons and one of those is providing counties or grid squares that are difficult to get to stations that need them for - contests. I'm in Roscommon county in Michigan and it's only three miles to Missaukee County and four miles to a State Forest campground/park there. Aside from offering paper to other hams .. it's fun. In my preparations to get active on Top Band I have found lots of useful information from all of the threads on this list. I can't load an antenna here yet but I have been listening and I have the general idea about who operates where and the day/night/gray line thing about when. I an pretty sure I am going to like 160 when I finally get those wires up. When the band is crowded and/or I've had my fill of the current contest there are always the WARC bands grin. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: QRP Question
On Mon, 2011-12-12 at 11:58 -0500, W0UCE wrote: Maybe and experienced QRP OP can answer a question for me and please note the question is not intended to anger anyone or start a flame. I would just like to learn something - Why? So here is the question: Why do some using QRP continually send /QRP after a CQ, their call or a contest exchange? In a contest I don't care if the station I work is QRP, LP or QRO - a QSO is a QSO. The same when calling CQ or during a rag chewing - Why send /QRP? To me it makes no more sense than someone sending /100w, /LP, /1500w or /QRO after their call. 73, Jack ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Hi Jack, I rarely attach /QRP to my call. The exceptions might be in a QRP contest (sprint) where other hams are searching for QRP stations. I send my call and see what happens next the same as everybody else. I started working QRP with a brand new ham license in 1980 and I still haven't exceeded 100 watts. All of my transmitters *CAN* produce more than 5 watts up to 100 watts for some of them. All of them can dial down under one watt, too, and are most often under 30 watts. Sometimes QRPp is just not appropriate. On the other hand, if I need to scream at full legal power I would prefer to go play my music for a while. Or find a ham band with better propagation. If other QRP ops want to hang that /QRP on their call well that is their choice and has no effect on me at all. If they're calling CQ and I hear them I'm up for a chat. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: Antenna adventures
Hi, So today it's chilly and raining (36 F - no wind - light rain). I'm taking advantage of Murphy's Antenna Corollary - the one stating the inverse (perverse?) relationship between pleasant (or poor) antenna erecting/repair weather and finished antenna performance. I am hoping to have an antenna that will work for me on 160 and 80 meters and the station configured to do so in time for the Stew Perry event this weekend. Right now I just can't get my modest loop to load on either of those bands (too small). It seems to work okay on 40 meters through 10 meters even if it's not the greatest antenna in the world. It's been better than NO antenna at all. I'm putting up somewhere between 130 and 160 feet of end fed wire with a single counterpoise on the ground 130 feet long and obviously using a tuner. The wire isn't going as high as I want it but it's going up. Later (Spring?), with some young blooded help I can get the wire higher. I'm presently climbing trees (YIKES!) and installing electric fence insulators. I'm taking a break to dry off and warm up. I've never ever had a cold or pneumonia but I AM getting older (mid 60s) and I really want to take a pass on those pleasures. I'll post again if I survive and get the new antenna on the air on either band. Later I'll be clearing some undergrowth and maybe get more accurate measurements of distances between various trees on my small lot. Antennas and receivers are the two most important parts of a ham station. A transmitter is not unimportant but is way down the food chain. The weak link in MY station is the antennas. I'm getting focused on that and putting up something quick to get on the air and make improvements later. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: The antenna is UP!
Hi, I survived the adventure in the trees. I left some droop in the wire to allow for trees to move in the wind. At the far end of the wire I added a screen door spring just in case it gets a little too tight. Time will tell if I eyeballed that right. The wire can slide in the fence insulators I installed so I am hoping the whole affair will stay up through winter. I have a counterpoise wire laying on the ground. Oh yeah..the antenna has passed some initial tests. I found on-air signals on 40 through ten meters and so far it works as well as or better than my 100 foot loop. I tried loading it on 80 meters but the transmitter I have on line at the moment seems to have some issues on 80, even with a good 50 ohm dummy load. Ain't it great running vintage gear. I plan to use my Johnson Ranger in the Stew so I'll move that up and try it on the new antenna. The Johnson has some issues on 40 and up but works fine on 160 and 80. It would be great if I can get on 80 and 160 tonight. The outdoor water sports part of this adventure is now over!! I'm warm and dry again. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Stew Perry (mis)adventures
Hi, When I got home from my Santa gig I got some supper for Mrs Claus and myself then turned on the radios and laid out paper for logging and duping. Then I shut the Ranger off again and took it apart ... two more times. I found some loose screws while poking around inside with the Ranger transmitting into the dummy load. Yeah... I used an insulated stick to poke things. When I bumped one of the shields with the stick the spurious oscillation changed. I had to remove other parts to get to the loose screws. It took numerous tries to get the screws back in to put the terminal strips and a tube socket back in place. Then I put in a couple of hours with QRP power levels and managed 17 contacts working through the crowds. The ole Kenwood receiver has a 250 Hz filter and I was still hearing multiple stations in the passband. The two hours in the Stew this morning were my first ever contacts on top band. And the first time I've pushed RF into the first REAL antenna at my new location. I'm gonna get some sleep and try some more just before dawn. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Stew Perry Challenge
On Sun, 2011-12-18 at 14:04 -0500, Eddy Swynar wrote: My thanks to the Boring Amateur Radio Club for its continued sponsorship of this fun event on Topband... While I hardly set the 160-meter world up on its ear with my meagre effort here, I certainly enjoyed the time that I spent on the air, was pleased to hand-out FN03 to any all comers. It was especially gratifying for me, personally, to be able to dig-out some of the weaker stations out of the noise that I did---I suspect that there were more than a few QRP contestants in this year's fray, compared to other years...! ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Hi Eddy, I am not ever going to set any contest on it's ear just from my relaxed attitude about contests. I got into it to exercise my station and to have some fun. Whenever I have been in a contest I just give the winners another QSO to add to their scores evil grin. The hams that took the trouble to work my weak signal got four points for getting my QRP entry in their logs. Some of them had to work for it. There was lots of QRM sometimes to help make it more challenging. I was surprised that some of the weaker stations I worked completed the exchange with one transmission while some of the stronger stations we had to try several times. I thought I heard your call last night but I looked at my scratch pad where all the calls I tried to work are listed whether or not I could complete a QSO. It's not there. Paper logs are still working for my lightweight contest efforts. I'm not gunning for ten QSOs per minute, I can write on the papers and sip coffee in between contacts. Lessons learned: On top band work 'em while the band is open - sleep later. I saw some pretty strong stations fade out even while I was getting ready to pounce. After I slept a while the band was not viable here. Be ready for Murphy! I'll try to have more radios waiting as spares eyeballing the DX-100 on the bench awaiting overhaul. I spent more time repairing my transmitter than operating during the Stew. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Noise problem question
On Sun, 2011-12-18 at 19:36 +, W5UN wrote: I'm looking for input from someone who has experienced a similar situation as I describe below. About 3 months ago I began experiencing severe noise on top band. It's a constant white noise which begins to drop off above 2.5 mHz, and is hardly noticeable on 80, and not there at all on 40 meters and above. Every once and a while the noise will drop off completely, only to return a few minutes later. It is there about 98% of the time.The severity seems to vary a little, but is typically S9+15 db when present, and S3 during the rare times it drops out.. This noise is coming from the eastern direction, about a mile from here. There are power lines.there, and these appear to be the source, however there are similar power lines of the same voltage here in other directions, including one to the southwest about 800 feet away, but that one has no noise. Has anyone experienced such noise as this? I need to see if I can track this down and get it fixed. Any help will be appreciated. Dave, W5UN ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK If you think it is coming from those power lines you should tell the utility company. They may be about to experience a failure that would be less expensive for them if they can avoid it. If they brush you off... well it will get fixed when the whole thing goes down. They are probably interested in checking it out and making repairs. good luck and 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: Operations...
Hi, I have been slowly wading into the 160 meter CW waters since the Stew. I'm retired and don't really have a schedule. I am up early mornings...listening well before sunrise at oh dark thirty and sometimes in the evenings. I sometimes do hear other hams on 160 calling for DX from the US or on SSB. I presently have only CW capability on 160. I have been calling CQ more and it occurred to me to look at the reverse beacon network. There were no hits this morning after calling from 12:35Z to 12:45Z and again from 13:15Z to 13:30Z (just around local sunrise) after taking the big dog for a walk. I looked at the list of stations and found only two of them covering 160 and neither in North America. I would have been thrilled to hit their receivers with my 35 watts but no real surprise there. I was at 1809 and 1808 when I called. Maybe their receivers were set for some other part of the band..perhaps for DX. It occurred to me that somebody may have heard my 80 meter harmonic so I looked to see who might be in reasonable range on 80 meters and I found one station I might expect to hear a weak signal from me on 80 (if I have a problem). NIL smile. My 80 meter harmonic is in the phone band, though. Obviously I can hear harmonics with my own receivers sitting only inches from the transmitter. I'll watch RBN for that, anyway. I know from the Stew that my station is getting results. I'll be trying a call early mornings and into the evenings as many days as I can to try and find the most productive times. I'm not a DX hound but I have certainly enjoyed chewing the rag with DX hams. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Operations...
On Wed, 2011-12-21 at 08:33 -0600, Sam Morgan wrote: I'll probably get many saying the following just isn't true but I can't ever (last 5 yrs) remember hearing a cw ragchew on 160m all I ever hear is the big gun CQ DXer's on CW and being antenna/power limited, using the same TX antenna for RX I never even hear who they are talking to. ---snip--- Hi Sam, I have been listening to 160 at various times of the day and night for several months while getting old gear overhauled enough to go on the air and then an antenna that will accept RF. There is a lot of the DX machine thing that you mentioned and I have heard a very few foreign stations from the south (Canada is only a few miles away and a lead pipe cinch). I have also heard some ragchews on 160 CW. Sometimes I have heard both sides. If we get on and call CQ..like Eddy does..we can have some rag chew QSOs. If we only listen to the CQDX ops it ain't gonna happen. Your comments are partly true grin. We can change that. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Operations...
On Thu, 2011-12-22 at 05:20 -0500, Jon Zaimes AA1K wrote: Since in Europe and Asia the band typically starts at 1810 kHz it's possible those RBN's don't scan below there. 73/Jon AA1K Hi Jon, I tried again this morning from 11:00 Z for a little more than 15 minutes. I have been sending a long string..up to 10 CQs and signing twice. I pause and tune a little up and down, sip my coffee, scratch the dog's ears, and go again. I have it that my part of the band for casual, non-DX ragchewing is that same bottom 10 kc of the band so that's where I am trying. I try to get between 1808 and 1809. I can get pretty close but I don't take amateur grade tuning dials too seriously - except the xtal calibrator that keeps me inside the band. I check that against WWV often. I believe this morning I was operating very close to 1808.5 kc but maybe it was only 1808.49213875 kc wink. QRN and broadcast crud was around S4 this morning so weaker signals would have been tough to dig out. I haven't been hearing very much activity in the mornings. I did hear some SSB further up the band and a W2 calling CQ for DX. I'm not DX for him so I kept quiet. I was on last night too but not until after our dinner party and it was almost 10 PM local time. Lots of hams in my small propagation radius were likely already in bed. I will probably try a little earlier in the evening when I can..maybe tonight. I'm rounding up parts for a Switching/patch panel so that I can change my antenna from it's series configuration on 160 to L for 80 and 40. It's cumbersome to make the change at the moment with lots of opportunities for errors (Murphy ya know). I need to be able to change that antenna more easily and also select different antenna and radio combinations. I have a different receiver that stands up much better to the broadcast band crud and I only need to make some wiring mods to accommodate T/R switching. Happy holiday season and Merry Christmas to all. I hope all of you are enjoying your families and friends during this multiple holiday season. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Operations...
Hi, I've had several useful suggestions including moving a short way up the band. I already knew hams in other countries don't have the same frequency allocations we do. I was trying to stay out of the way for the DX chasers (and the DX). Maybe I just got some bad advice about that. I'm going to start using a little more range of motion in my wrist on that VFO. I have been staying below 1810. There were some comments about a too long string of CQs. I don't like long CQs, either but 6 to 10 isn't all that long (I've heard some that ran to 30 or 40 (or more)) and when the fish are scarce you have to move the bait more. I'm going back to my 3X2 and see if that helps. I am, however going to still sip my coffee and pet the dog between strings grin. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: RX antenna switch
On Fri, 2011-12-30 at 15:15 +, Dave G4GED wrote: - Original Message - Got a note from Gary K9AY, he says no time to make the RAS8x2 switches, real work is too busy. So I suspect until Gary can make more they are not available. Dave Anderson, K4SV -- That's a pity, I was just about to order one! I haven't a clue of the methods of interlock switching the RAS8x2 uses but as it looks like we're going to have to make our own and my need to keep to simple click-clunk technology. I believe that using relays with a spare contact in such a cicuit that disables any other relay once operated, would do the job? Before I set about reinventing the wheel, does anyone have the knowledge or a basic circuit diagram for this sort of relay interlocking please? Tnx Dave ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Please reply with directions to Dave's query on the list or.. include me if the reply is off-list. I am facing some of the same issues. Maybe I could sort it out for myself but why reinvent the wheel? 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Xtal Filter
On Wed, 2012-01-04 at 09:38 +0800, Anton Moehammad wrote: Hi everybody, I believe there is a 1825 KHZ xtal filter sell somewhere, can any body share their experience about put a narrow XTAL filter in front of their recv ? (CW works only) Ir Moeh AntonHendra Jambon Tengah no 290 RT1/RW3 Magelang 56121 Indonesia Mobile : +6285292611160 email : moehan...@yahoo.com Get a signature like this. CLICK HERE. ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Hi Anton, It will work very well but your receiver will only hear 1825 kHz. Most of us would like to have a receiver that can be used on our entire band assignment...at least as much of it as we use. Depending on the bandwidth of the filter (you mentioned CW) you would not be able to hear 1826, 1824, or any other 160 meter frequency. There have been some receivers, dedicated to a single frequency, that used that approach, I read about them years ago. It's not something you would probably want to spend money, time, and other resources to acquire. You can see that more clearly if you think of the I.F. strip in a normal receiver as the entire receiver. Remove the RF amp and the mixer stages and feed the input of the I.F. amp from the antenna with perhaps a tuned circuit (at 1825 of course). Your approach would be exactly the same. You won't have the option tuning around the band. You'll have a fixed frequency I.F. strip at 1825 kHz with perhaps a conversion to yet a different I.F. frequency. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: Toward better antennas
Hi, My initial effort at getting something...anything up for an antenna has produced mediocre results - as expected. Maybe a little more mediocre than I was hoping for. I can hear with it pretty well. It's just a big, end fed wire too close to the ground... about 20 feet up with a counterpoise wire. I can probably do some trimming and tuning to get some modest improvements. My plan though is to use it as-is on 160-80-40-30 while I put up something better. On my small lot I can accommodate a K9AY loop antenna system. There may be differing opinions (supported by hard numbers) about better antennas but there are NO beverages nor *large* antennas in my future. One of the first things I noticed is the K9AY loop is a receiving antenna (that puny terminating resistor). That will leave me with the need for yet another 160 meter antenna to use for transmitting. I can get some kind of a vertical up but the size of my lot is a factor. The public safety people will want it able to fall and not damage the neighbor's house. I can easily do something around 40 feet and I can get some radials down. In some directions they will have to be shorter than in other directions (boundary lines ya know). 40 feet is far short of a quarter wavelength on 160. Short designs use loading coils and hats and all manner of voodoo to operate. Eventually I can get my end fed wire up around 50 feet. It is curved around in a crescent shape from one side of my property..across the back... and part way up the other side for a total of about 170 feet. Much bigger than a 40 foot vertical! Should I expect better results with the wire elevated than with a 40 foot vertical on 160? I have had very good results on 80 and 40 with that same wire but higher than the 20 feet I have now. I have never used a vertical on HF or MF. When some younger blood is available I will be putting the wire support system with marine grade blocks (pulleys to you Marine Corps types) and halyards to put the wire near treetop levels (about 50 feet). The 40 foot vertical can be used on the higher HF bands and forget about 160 on it. 73, Bill ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Xtal Filter +1
On Wed, 2012-01-04 at 10:06 -0800, Rick Karlquist wrote: Bill Cromwell wrote: meters). One of the problems with high levels of electrical noise is overloading of the front end and blocking of the receiver. Therefore noise that is not actually on or very nearly on your operating frequency jams you up. I am also investigating some of the loop antennas to use I don't see how noise overload of the receiver front end can be an issue. You can simply add front end attenuation such that the external noise just overcomes the receiver's internal noise. It would only be an issue if somehow there was much more noise just outside the 160 meter ham band than there was inside the 160 meter ham band. How would that ever happen? Hi, I don't think the front end xtal filters are a bulletproof fix, either. They might contribute to a solution. Come to my shack when the guy over in the body shop starts up his welder. He isn't in the 160 meter band but his hash is strong enough to tip over my superhets with rf amps and active mixers. I can just tell he is welding with the Atlas. There is also a paging transmitter line of sight and I sometimes get a strong dose of RF from that. The ricebox won't tolerate that. The other radios don't seem to notice. There are other assorted large doses of electronic crud that come and go here. I used to live in the boonies, too. No problems there..just like you. I used to ask the same. How could that be possible. It's possible. I guarantee it. I wonder why they call it civilized. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Preventing QRM
On Tue, 2012-01-10 at 14:42 -0500, Eddy Swynar wrote: On 2012-01-10, at 1:43 PM, kd6...@earthlink.net wrote: I run the risk of calling CQ on what appears to be a clear frequency and QRMing a DX station calling CQ or disrupting an ongoing QSO. Any suggestions on how to prevent? Hi Brian, Simply follow accepted protocol, i.e.: ---LISTEN on about your frequency of choice for a minute, or two, for any signs of activity; ---Send QRL? once, listen, then send QRL? again, listen once more, and finally, ---If you hear nothing back---like R, QRL, QSY, DX HR, or U LID(!), then it's a safe bet to go ahead make a a short initial CQ, say, a 3x3 call. If you get no responses from anyone, anywhere, go ahead make a 3x3 call, twice if you feel it's necessary... If anyone gets on the frequency after you've gone through this process they chastise you, shame on them...and it does happen legitimately on occasion, too, as guys get all fired-up distracted by the possibility of working some DX station somewhere, via split mode right on top of you! But it's all part of the game...welcome to Topband! ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Hi, Everybody knows what QRM, QRN, QSB mean...those are NOT obscure Q signals. That's because they are with us ALL the time. We do the best we can to accommodate everybody else and fit ouir signals into the space available. Sometimes there are collisions. We adjust and keep going. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: more fun with the Ranger
Hi Everybody, I have made some more progress with my Johnson Ranger. I already was using it on 160 and 80 meters with an end fed wire. The 40 meter VFO was far too unstable to even think of using it on the higher frequencies. I tried some quick fix measure but they didn't help. I tore it apart and found that screws I thought were there were not, screws I thought were missing were there but 'impossible' to see, and many had worked loose over 50 years or so. A lot of the loose screws, nuts, and bolts are needed for ground points! I still have some thermal drift with the VFO running on 40 meters but none at all on 160 (and 80). I'm going to move that hot dropping resistor outside the VFO cage during my next attack. I have ordered some spare 6CL6 tubes as I have a few funny things happening during tuneup. The drive pot is also suspect and I'll put the solid state mod in to banish that demon. Meanwhile The Ranger is back together and I'll have it back online for 160 and 80 later today. It has all the screws and nuts in place for the first time in many years and maybe since it was new. The fellow who had it before me had the same complaints about the VFO on 40 meters and he had it from 1962 until about 1983 when I got it from him. My ranger is getting mo' bettah each time I work on it. I have been able to (barely) hear European DX on Top Band with my low wire. A slight improvement anywhere on the receive side would work wonders for my station. I am sure I can improve the receiver. The ricebox cannot hear the European stations and the Ten Tec receiver can (barely). The Ten Tec is NOT the best radio ever built in Tennessee. I am already rounding up materials to try a K9AY loop. If I get anything like the results others are reporting I should be doing much better. I am taking target practice with fishing rod and reel so I can get lines up over the trees and put my wire *UP* where it can work. All of the above will take a little time but I'll just do the best I can in the meantime. Right now everything is cold, icy, and snow covered. Perfect weather for antenna work! I need to get it done before nice weather sets in to ruin the antennas. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Where to place a preamp? Switching Beverages?
On Fri, 2012-01-20 at 10:53 -0500, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote: Having totally struck out raising this topic on Towertalk, I'm bringing it here in the hopes of getting some solid advice. I have a 20 dB ARR preamp of the type praised by ON4UN in his book. I want to use it with a variety of RX antennas - loops, BOGs, etc. - that have very low output levels. My choice is whether to put it at the antenna end, incurring the added complexity of sending 12V DC to it via the coax, or to put it in the shack. I realize that if this was 2 GHz, there'd be no question where it should go. But for 160-meter purposes, I don't know. I am wondering if putting it at the antenna end might enhance directivity, by amplifying the signals from the directive antenna relative to any pickup on the 350-foot feedline. I will be trying to choke as much common mode current as possible, at both ends, but am not sure how effective I can be. On another topic, I am building a hub for BOGs. Rather than switch at 75 ohms and putting a matching transformer on each BOG, I wonder if it would be feasible/desirable to switch at the high-impedance side and use a single transformer. It would certainly simplify the hub. Any advice would be much appreciated. Hi Pete, I'm thinking if your 350 foot feedline is coax and your antenna output is very low it will be even lower at the shack end before it meets the preamp. I think I would put mine at the antenna end of the feedline and for the same reasons as you would at microwave frequencies. Once the received signal is 'lost' no amplifier is going to get it back. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Ticked over intentional interference on top band
Hi, I am not and will never be a BIG player on 160...my antenna farm is more like a flower pot! I can hear much better than I can transmit..the opposite of an alligator. So I listen a lot more than send..even if that isn't my intent ;) I think I heard what the original poster was talking about. I was trying to get the DX callsign after his initial transmission but that machine gun caller just plain wiped him out. My own take was that guy isn't very bright. How is he ever going to work the DX if he doesn't stop some day to listen? I moved on down the band but didn't turn my radio off. Once upon a time I had about my second or third QSO as a novice in the 40 meter novice band late at night - with two watts of blazing QRP. I had found a tiny hole between SW broadcast stations. I chatted slowly with the other station for about twenty minutes or so. The instant that we both signed somebody else jumped right in with a CQ and there was a pileup on him! The point is..all those hams waited until the slow, low power station finished. I think there are still many more hams like that than the impatient pigs (no point coddling them). That's why the rude, crude hogs stand out so much. Most of the QRM I hear doesn't seem to be intentional QRM to me. The incident that I heard was intentional QRM or some ham who shouldn't have been bright enough to pass the easiest of exams. There isn't a lot we can do about that. Just try to avoid stepping in that and getting it all over your shoes. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Ticked over intentional interference on top band
On Sun, 2012-01-22 at 08:07 -0500, W2PM wrote: But as someone else mentioned, if a station has a signal problem, and despite how beloved some of our colleagues are I have heard nasty stuff a number of times, there is nothing wrong mentioning it and people shouldn't be upset provided it's not said unconstructively. Sent from my iPad As a matter of fact... We have that 'uselss' T hanging out there on the end of RST (for CW ops). One year while on the way to Field Day a component lead broke in the bias supply filter in my transmitter. My first two contacts gave me a zero for the T and I retired the transmitter for the weekend. We really should mention it if we observe a problem. Hams should not feel offended if they get a report like that and reporters should be matter of fact about it and not insulting. My experiences with incidents like that are much better than what has been described in this thread. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Radials help
On Fri, 2012-02-10 at 14:09 -0500, Eddy Swynar wrote: On 2012-02-10, at 1:52 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: It's not to not try anything. It's to try something that you know will work, once you *know* what you have to work with. The ARRL and ON4UN material presume uniformity. That, unfortunately, is only true where it's true, and it's not true often enough. Hi Guy, I thought that was exactly what I was doing here at my QTH, i.e. not NOT trying anything, but at least doing something. Far too many words of advice / tribal knowledge that I've seen over the years in the matter of radial fields amounted to simply ...lay down as many wires as you can. PERIOD. That's neither enlightening, nor encouraging. The guidelines presented in the ARRL's John's book, flawed though they may be when presented with an imperfect world, at least offer a place to start, in the absence of knowing exactly what might lie immediately below one's sod... I guess one can analyze some things to death. There are trade-offs between qualitative realities vs. quantitative ones---that's just a fact of life! ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK When I made engine parts we sometimes shot the engineers and went into full production. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Radials help
Hi, Trying to get up on top band on my small lot (free of antenna 'covenants') has forced the issue for me. I will be putting up a stick as tall as I can, with some sort of loading/matching, AND, as many radials as I live long enough to put down. That for transmit. I will use separate receive antennas and all of that for 160 through 40 or 30 meters. The big chunk of too low wire I have is so close to working well that it's taunting me to make the improvements. So I have found a place in the middle of my small back yard where I can set the tall stick and have some kind of symmetrical ground radial system. There is a nice, open, space where the trees won't encroach on the stick - almost dead center in my back yard. East-west radials can be near 50 feet long while north-south will have to be less than 20 feet unless I 'bend' the ends. I will get there. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: EIRP Measurement
On Mon, 2012-02-20 at 19:04 -0700, Tod - ID wrote: In thinking about the measurement of EIRP for the new band it occurred to me that this might be the time for a few folks to think about how we could fabricate a commonly calibrated field strength meter. Such a device might well be used on both 160m and the 600 kHz band. By commonly calibrated in mean a device that has an agreed upon standard way to calibrate it that can be done with simple methods. One thing that always intrigued me about the HeathKit products was the fact that they used very simple methods to allow the builder to adjust the device without expensive equipment. Sometimes that meant a special circuit built into the product which was only used for adjusting the device. The important thing is to have a way to assure that when someone measured the same field at the same point with the same type of measurement device they would get the same measurement result. That would allow us to compare measurements between different people even if we did not know the absolute field strength value. An interesting idea might be to make such a field strength meter have an interface to Wi-Fi so that it could be positioned at a remote point and send its readings to one's local network. There are a lot of ways to do that of course, but planning to have it part the device initially would simplify taking measurements. I am sure that there are others who could contribute ideas that eventually could be used to formulate design objectives for such a device. If there was enough interest I can imagine that a single PCB could created and a lot of such devices built to allow us to add to our collection of measurement devices that help us fabricate better antennas and stations. I wonder if I am the only one who thinks this might be a useful TopBand subject. Tod, K0TO ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK I think this thread will quickly get of hand even though it may be applicable on Top Band (and every other band). I took a quick look at the QTH.net lists and I didn't see anything resembling instrument(ation) or measurement. Are there lists or web groups for amateur instrumentation? I will expand my own search and report back here if I find anything useful but maybe some list member(s) already know where to look. The whole point of having standards is so that we can get the same results under the same conditions as other people. It should not be any more difficult to 'calibrate' to an existing, published standard than 'calibrating' to a new 'nonstandard'. There are a lot of different approaches to accomplishing that and we should look for them. If there is interest we might start a new list to explore the possibilities. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: TB season
Hi, I sent a private email to one of the first hams to post about this. Apparently there is a lot of interest on the list about this. I am new to 160 meters and struggling to get my radios and antennas up to par. I was dismayed to see that there is a season. I surely expect propagation to change but I expected to be more or less able to find some QSOs most of the time. I was pleased to see hams respond favorably about staying on the air. I do participate in some of the contests but I am more interested in rag chewing. As I make improvements in my station equipment I hope I'll be working more and more Top Band hams. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: TB season
Hi, When I first joined this list I mentioned having read articles by hams who worked 160 with mobile radios with 10 to 50 watts output to *mobile* antennas. They were not working the antipodes every day but they *were* making mobile QSOs. I have a big chunk of wire that apparently favors the general direction West. I have a small lot (100 X 100 feet) so I my big hunk or wire (180 feet) is not straight. However...it is far superior to a mobile antenna! Even with the present limitations I can still work other stations. Sometimes stations that are a long way off to the west. Just like all the other bands, I'll listen to 160 from time to time to see what might available. There are always surprises on the air. I already know I am more likely to hear more stations farther away at night, winter, etc. If I think there is any chance at all of even a more local QSO I will put out a call. Almost all of my old gear has failing caps and some out of spec resistors. I have another batch of ordered and there will be another round of improvement. I think I'll soon have my Johnson Ranger and my DX-100 back on the air. Both have 160 and I'll be playing in the Top Band sandbox again. Stew Perry again? Sweet. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: TB season
On Sun, 2012-03-18 at 16:38 -0700, Jim F. wrote: Hi Cecil, I use a K1 running 5 watts on 160m from a condo with a wire off the deck into the woods and 'creative' radials. One day a miracle happened and KH7O was calling CQ and heard my signal from NH and I was hooked. Don't know how it happened but he was there all alone and we exchanged reports. Nothing like that has happened since :-)) But hope springs eternal.. 72 / 73 jim / W1FMR The trump statement (and I have seen it on this list)..propagation rules. No matter about beverages and rotatable 160 meter seven element quads at 1200 feet and 5 kw amps or qrp and a wet noodle. All of that comes in somewhere behind propagation. Obviously all those other things do matter. But this thread is about a season. Even when there is slim pickins there is still pickin's..but only if you're there and trying. I certainly can understand about removing the seasonal radials and even seasonal antennas. Somebody here has to get out so the farmer can get onto the field. Just fall back on your second string antenna system and work what you can. As for leaving QRP behind for summer operations I fully intend to do just that. I'm going to smoke the coax with six point five watts!! evil grin. I have been operating my Ranger on 160 at about 35 watts unless I am in an official QRP mode and dial it back to 5 (or less). That's what I have (and I have some more new parts to get it back on the air) so that's what I use. If I had a big amp I know I would be tempted to turn it ON. Top Band has me thinking about it. Better antennas first. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Top Band activity
Hi Bob, All those features and wonders of propagation are fascinating. I'm presently making a kettle of bean n ham soup. Watching it simmer makes me think of how our propagation shifts and bubbles and boils. I was on this morning and heard a few stations calling CQ DX but reception wasn't as good as yesterday even though the QRN seemed a little lower. I parked the Johnson Ranger just under 1810 and tried calling a little myself, with no luck (general CQ - NOT CQ DX). Somebody is going to point out that the DX can't transmit there and I already know that. There were two stations calling for DX a little further UP the band. I did NOT transmit on top of any DX. Even running the filters wide open at about 6 kHz I tuned the RX to the lower band edge and up to around 1825 listening for possible replies. Further up the band I heard the regulars on AM and SSB. They were all a little weaker this morning than yesterday, too. I was in front of the radio from just after 10:00Z to about 10:45Z when it was getting light here. I'll try it again tomorrow. The Ranger is working nicely on 80, too, so I'll be warming the clouds there as well. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: more adventures - antenna
Hi, I have been in trouble getting anywhere on top band despite some successful QSOs. The Ranger is working pretty well and I think is close to factory spec on 40 meters now (but still too drifty for me). After I move that dropping resistor outside the VFO cage I'll evaluate it again. Maybe that will be good enough. Otherwise I will build an external VFO to plug into one of the xtal sockets. I will make it operate in the 80 meter band for 40 meter output - OR - I'll build a heterodyne VFO with output on 160 and 40. The mixer would be keyed. That will completely isolate the VFO from the TX output. The heterodyne scheme would allow the oscillators to run all the time to help out with drift. I shifted my focus to my antenna. I had been noticing some strange behavior and overall poor results. It's a 'random' end fed wire. I have used those before with great results. Greater than a dummy load. But this one is 'randomly' about 195 feet long. Moe is bettah? I have suspected it might be an awkward length for my tuner. Today the tree trimmers came a couple of weeks early and we took down one end of the wire and rolled it up..laid the roll on the grass. I tried it out right where it is...about half deployed. I found a good, solid sweet spot on 160! I still have to wait and see how it plays on the air but the results are encouraging. I'll shorten the wire by at least 25 feet when I put it back up and then take more if needed. My other end fed wires were somewhere around 120 feet at the longest. Those guys will be working on the trees and brush until dark tonight. Maybe I'll just try it for RBN and QSOs tonight - right where it is. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: Adventures with tuners
Oh good grief, My antenna was frustrating the heck outta me. I have been using a big commercially built tuner with a clearly marked post for a single wire antenna. Thats where my end fed wire goes. The tuner was doing something but I was just not getting satisfaction out in the back yard. Finally I dug into the tuner some more. Nice roller inductor which I had previously cleaned. Wonderful tuning caps that could handle a legal limit amp with ease. Then I took a closer look at the the circuit. All of my previous success with end fed wires used an L matching circuit. The Murch 2000B doesn't even resemble that nor is it the same as my Johnson Matchbox (which does not include 160 meters). I will have to do some major rework on the Murch to make a real tuner out of it. I'll see if the Matchbox can accommodate that wire with or withoput 160 and if not.. I suppose I will try to slap together a tuner on a hank of wood and get that end fed wire pumped full of RF by the time of the weekend QSO parties and that QRP-ARCI thing. I have a nice roller inductor with a turns counter on it and some tuning caps to go with. I'm pretty sure that Murch was giving me 50 ohms resistive direct to ground and my wire was getting leakage from that insanity. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Wellbrook receive loop performance
On Mon, 2012-04-09 at 16:56 +0200, Mark wrote: On 9-4-2012 12:52, Dave G4GED wrote: Well my homebrew 2m diameter 160m mag loop outperforms my ALA-1530 Wellbrook Loop on TB every time. It often beats my Bevs also! Dave ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Hi Dave, Can you please elaborate a bit more on your 2m dia 160m loop? 73 Mark, PA5MW ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK And please elaborate on the list. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Topband: progress with the antenna adventures
Hi, I whizzed up an L network to put on my wire after the Murch disaster. Instead of making something more elaborate using my roller inductor, I used a tapped coil (with alligator clips) and a large value dual cap from a broadcast receiver (yes - using low power). I will need either more inductance or more capacitance. Adding a switched in cap seems to be the better idea. I run out cap just when the swr starts it's nosedive. 80, 40, 30, and 20 have clearly defined sweet spots and a few on-air tests are encouraging. The RBN is down at the moment. When it comes back up I'll make use of it to help gage results, too. When I get a handle on the parameters for my network I'll get around to a nicer project with that roller inductor and some *big* caps in a big metal box. That Murch needs a lot of work to ever work with my kind of antennas. Maybe I should offer it in trade for something more useful to me. Is anybody here interested in a Murch 2000B? The paint has started peeling from parts of the cabinet as Murch did not use any primer at all (easy to remedy). I suppose it would be fine as-is for somebody with coax fed antennas that are 50 ohms resistive. It can handle the legal limit and is supposed to cover 160 meters. It even tried to tune my end fed wire but with a T network it was no joy. I'll try using the Murch for some fishing bait before I make radical mods to convert it to an L. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: staying up with the latest technology, receiver evaluation
On Sun, 2012-05-20 at 08:46 -0400, ZR wrote: The RAK and RAL are arguably the best regen ever manufactured. There was a pair of them in Emergency Radio aboard a USN tanker I spent a few years on in the 60's and I used them often to keep my code speed up by copying numbers groups. Ive a RAK-7/RAL-7 pair here the past few years and have been using the RAL more often with the pre WW2 QRP station with the TX being a Meissner Signal Shifter VFO with plug in coils. While the RAK is a better CW radio due to a sharper audio filter its only goes to 600KHz. I havent made any mods to the RAL yet but I might add an outboard brick wall audio filter. The audio AVC, actually a limiter, works wonders in T storm static. These are not light, the radio is 74# and the outboard PS 41#. Remove the regulator tube from the PS for a big power savings and heat drop. Its not needed on a home mains. Carl KM1H Hi, The RAK 7 that I have certainly changed my mind about regens! I got it in the 80s to look at LORAN signals not knowing it was a regen until I got it home. Then that big Regeneration control became a clue grin. I was amazed. I did get to examine the LORAN signals on an old, slow o'scope. I have been looking for a RAL lately to put together the RCA Twins. I have been thinking of trying to clone a RAK/RAL set. Not to make any improvements. Just to see if I can even get close to the real deal in performance. A lot went into those. I looked in the manual to be sure but there is a voltage regulator and a current regulator in the power supply. It's the current regulator that is the big power hog. The radio needs 60 watts without it and 200 watts with it. Mine has been without the current hog..er... regulator since some time before I got it. Mine will never see naval service again! 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Reminder: Summer Stew Perry contest June 16-17
On Sun, 2012-06-10 at 14:21 -0700, Brian Moran wrote: Reminder - Summer Stew Perry 160m Contest June 16-17! There are plenty of grid squares to go around -- those folks in the VHF contest this weekend are certainly not going to use them all up. Pass out some more next weekend in the Summer Stew! If you're not familiar with this contest, the rules can be found at http://jzap.com/k7rat/stew.html- there's something for everyone, as scoring takes into account distance AND power. Got the 'topband itch'? Scratch it by getting on for a few hours... try just starting with the hours that are 'dark', or even least gray. If you don't try, how would you even know if your equipment works on Topband between March and August? ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Thanks Brian, I plan to be there. Low power. Not QRP. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Stew Perry, Summer Edition, less than 24 hours away!
Hi, Those intellicast pages are new for me and I looked at them and strikestar. According to them I don't have much chance of doing anything at all with my modest station. But I am going to try *anyway*. My transmitter doesn't care about local noise so it's down to whether I can somehow sort out signals from junk. And maybe dodge lightning! I've recently started playing with some old technology just for fun and when I got one of the radios up on the big antenna I was pleasantly surprised how well it tamed conditions. My other receivers were hacking and coughing with static (40 meters). I also have been playing with the old transistor and tube broadcast receivers with loopstick or multiturn loop antennas. Those just happened to wander in here when I wasn't paying attention. Those are amazing in their ability to null out strong local transmitters in favor of very weak distant ones. I'm taking notes for 160 and the upcoming 600 meter ham allocation. Rock the radio (and antenna) this way or that in three dimensions and all sorts of stations come in or are nulled out. I couldn't identify all the stations I heard because I am stuck with only English. I knew about those antennas but had simply forgotten about them over the years. I have to see how much those can help me on Top Band and maybe 80 meters. Maybe some of you may already know and can give me some pointers. See you in the Stew. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Stew Perry, Summer Edition, now!
On Sat, 2012-06-16 at 14:49 -0500, Mike Waters wrote: All I hear is distant lightning QRN. But good things come to all who patiently wait for sunset and the ensuing darkness. :-) 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Sat, Jun 16, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Bill Cromwell wrcromw...@gmail.comwrote: So far all I am receiving is noise. ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK The votes are in. Wait until dark. I listened again and tried a different RX later on. I heard one, very faint, unusable signal. Probably one of those 10 KW stations - or maybe a QRP op in Ohio grin. I will give QRP a try but I expect to crank in all 35 watts output. Unless we get the expected thunderstorms. Then I'll be practicing with my accordion. 73, Bill KU8H MI-QRP Club M-1778 ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Stew Perry, Summer Edition, now!
On Sat, 2012-06-16 at 16:09 -0500, Mike Waters wrote: Well, I plan on trying to enjoy the contest a little, even though all I can do today is listen. :-) 73, Mike www.w0btu.com Hi Mike, Listening is a large part of ham radio. I do a lot more receiving than transmitting. I am left to guess as to why you are not transmitting at all. No antenna that will load up? No transmitter for 160 (bummer)? No CW key(er)? 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Noise in the Shack - A new noise!
On Wed, 2012-06-27 at 16:46 -0700, Greg Chartrand wrote: Several persons asked about the power supply I use. you can look/purchase it at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GK0Y1U/ref=wms_ohs_product Greg ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK Mine is in the mail. Thanks for the info. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Progress with ugly computer noise
On Wed, 2012-07-04 at 09:14 -0700, Jim Brown wrote: On 7/4/2012 6:10 AM, Bill Cromwell wrote: Next I'll be getting my hands on some ferrite core materials and looking to see just how far I can reduce the noise. When faced with a noisy computer, the first thing I'd try (other than replacing the noisy supply) would be a multi-turn choke on the power cable, optimized (number of turns and core) for the band(s) where you're hearing the most noise. If noise remained, I'd next tackle the video cable and the printer cable. Use the graphs in Appendix One of http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf as a guide to picking the cores and winding the chokes. Do your fellow hams another favor -- post the brand names and/or vendors of both the noisy power supply and the one that fixed your problem (if it does). :) 73, Jim K9YC Hi Jim, This PC did not produce any interference before I replaced the power supply. That tells me I shouldn't expect any interference from any of the parts that were in use before. I'll post the information about the power supplies. In fact the evil one has a Circled A logo and is named named Vista and is a 500 watt, dual fan, ATX power supply. I have two. The one that's online has been modified with a partial EMI filter. One has not been modified at all. Both were equally bad before the mods. I'll look at Mouser to see what kind of modular filter might be available to solder in where I have removed the jumpers. A quick scan showed that those are not terribly expensive. Now I have made physical measurements of the filter space and circuit board pads I can take a closer look to see what will fit. The internal EMI filter is right at the power cord connector. The partial filter I installed has already had a remarkable effect. Another tower I have here was using one of the new supplies to wipe out my radio operations. I put an old, lower capacity supply into that one and it quieted right back down. This one needs more steam so I can't put my old 300 watt supply in and expect it to survive for very long. In fact, guess how I killed the original power supply (hanging my head in shame). I expect things to just keep getting better :) 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Progress with ugly computer noise
On Wed, 2012-07-04 at 15:41 -0400, Paul Christensen wrote: According to the schematic on the side, it consists of 2 x 2.5 mH indutors, one in series with each leg, a 2200 pF cap shunting the line input and 0.1uF capacitors from each leg to ground on the load side. ---snip--- Paul, W9AC I found a similar circuit and copied that into my power supply. Now I can't hear it in the radio. I'm pumped grin. $10 for the modular units seems pretty reasonable to me. I'll be looking at those for future problems a dn Have made notes about various brands. The one I ordered (and still not here) also had glowing recommendations. I'll report results for that one when I get it. I have been avoiding running my backup srver (backs up personal data for the family's computers) because the power supply is on the light weight side. But it's quiet. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Noise in the Shack - A new noise!
On Fri, 2012-07-06 at 07:38 -0400, W2PM wrote: I'm done with external drives and now use cloud based backup services. Never worry now about the timelinness and availability of the backups. Sent from my iPad Hi, I can't get past the fact that in the cloud I would be entrusting complete strangers with *everything* I have on record including the privacy of my data. I just don't trust any big city strangers that much. If the security and safety of your data doesn't matter that much why bother about the expense of the cloud? YMMV. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Noise in the Shack - A new noise! off topic material moved off list
Hi, I have moved comments with interested people regarding backups and clouds, etc off list. I got into this thread because I too was getting intolerable interference form a desktop computer power supply. All the rest moved quickly off topic. On another note, I have had an opportunity to sniff around for my computer on top band and was pleased to NOT find it. The addition of the EMI filter in my power supply worked after two attempts to get it right (better ground for the filter) worked very well. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: New Linear amp
On Sat, 2012-07-07 at 23:45 -0400, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: On 7/7/2012 11:28 PM, Chortek, Robert L wrote: Uh, I thought the legal limit was 1.5 KW Only in the US. Limits vary by country with some as high as 5KW others as low as 400W. 73, ... Joe, W4TV And by band. This is a top band list but other bands have already been introduced into the discussion. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Mother of all ferrite common-mode coaxial chokes
Has anybody called the fire department? We have flames and smoke rolling out of here. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Soldering in the wild!
Hi, The butane soldering tools have been mentioned and I have used them too. For heavier work I had to resort to a regular propane torch. That was for heavy dipole wire and the center conductor of RG-8 up a tower in a blizzard. There is always a way grin. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: RX 4 SQ Phasing
On Sat, 2012-08-11 at 09:44 -0400, Tom W8JI wrote: ---snip--- Mostly what we find, when we cut through all the emotion, is we try to find a way to justify why our locations and antennas are somehow special. ---snip--- 73 Tom Hi, My antennas are indeed special. They fit in a rectangle 100 feet long by 35 feet wide. That I can work any stations at all on 160 and hear stations on 600 meters is - *special*. I have been taking notes to see what I can adapt to my postage stamp for improvements. 73, Bill ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Using the K2AV folded counterpoise at VK6VZ
On Thu, 2012-08-30 at 12:55 -0400, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Short Version: ---snip--- 2) Let's go visit some small lots. ---snip--- Long version: ---snip--- I think there is a lot about restricted circumstances that some either don't understand or find hard to identify with. Your experience is Right On! ---snip--- Talking of one typical FCP user in Texas, if he extends the FCP wires to 1/4 wave either side, on the west he'd have to negotiate with his next TWO neighbors to run wire across both back yards. And as he's on a corner boundary lot, the east wire would be across the subdivision boundary street, across the boundary park strip, over the fence and into the southbound right driving lane of a limited access parkway. At my place I could put up the north extension, but the south extension would be out in the service road right of way for US 64 Highway. Try negotiating something with NCDOT. To illustrate matters of scale, in the Texas subdivision that I mentioned above, according to Google Earth, clearing property for the FCC 430 foot diameter circle would require demolishing 23 houses, give or take a couple properties. See 29.58672 -98.52185 Count them yourself. Reducing that to 1/4 wave radials and a 250 foot circle reduces the carnage to a mere 14 properties, give or take. There are places with even higher densities, particularly in Europe and Japan. See the mental disconnect yet? ---snip--- 73, Guy. ** http://www.w0uce.net/K2AVantennas.html Lucky me there is no HOA where I live. Mention HOA and everybody says huh? No way. I am about 4000 feet from the nearest runway but that is for small aircraft and the 4000 feet is from my home to the *side* of runway. The tallest tree on my place is about 40 feet high and I don't want to go very much past that due to that runway AND to just keep a low profile. I can actually work a few stations in North America during contests like the Stew Perry with my almost dummy load antenna. I have very faintly heard some DX stations too far down in the noise for me to pull them out. I know they were DX because I could the North American stations working them. I retreat to 80 and 40 meters a lot but I am not giving up on 160. I see 160 as the band where I can make the most improvements so that is what I intend to do. From my postage stamp lot I do NOT expect to be a big gun - EVER. I am going to start with a K9AY antenna for receive first (I'm rounding up the materials). If I can actually *hear* the DX then I'll see what I can do to add the FCP to my TX antenna. If the FCP is a waste of time as some suggest I will only have lost some time and can reuse all the materials in other projects. In ant case I can already work some stations. heresy Right now I don't care about working exclusively DX. Any QSOs at all will do. /heresy Maybe later I will be more interested in a paper chase. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Airports
On Fri, 2012-08-31 at 13:07 -0400, Tom W8JI wrote: Keep in mind there is no distance restriction for private fields. Item 1 is particularly important. There are several small fields around me, none of which have FAA registration as a public field. Only the following are restricted: (1) A public use airport listed in the Airport/Facility Directory, Alaska Supplement, or Pacific Chart Supplement of the U.S. Government Flight Information Publications; (2) A military airport under construction, or an airport under construction that will be available for public use; (3) An airport operated by a Federal agency or the DOD. (4) An airport or heliport with at least one FAA-approved instrument approach procedure. 73 Tom Hi Tom, I have several private messages and some of them tell me that my 4000 foot distance from the side of that runway alone is enough to make it irrelevant. I don't know about the official status of the airport but I did find it in an online chart and I can see and measure the distance to my house on that same chart. The airport is not owned by a private individual and planes from out yonder land and take off from there daily (for whatever that is worth). There are also higher objects including a 100 foot tree nearby. Unfortunately that tree is two lots over and no way to get access. The other local airport is bigger and can handle twins but is several miles away across the lake - completely irrelevant. It is evolving that I might put up a metal pole with an 80 meter trap at the top and add the 160 parts above that. I will use other, smaller antennas for 40 meters and down. Thanks to everybody for the helpful comments on and off list. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Radial connections
On Sat, 2012-09-01 at 20:12 -0700, rick darwicki wrote: Hi all, When I had my house tented I had to disconnect the radials on my inverted L. There is a 20 foot pipe that sticks up about 3 feet above the roof and the insulated vertical section is fed there with a big ferrite choke. The radials were connected at the base 3 feet above the roof. There are about 40 and it would look better if I kept the radials flat on the roof and brought them all up the 3 foot section to the ground lug on the vertical mount. Any comments one way or the other ? Tie the all together at the roof and run one wire up or tie them to the 20 foot pipe at the roof ? Rick, N6PE Hi Rick, My own wild guess would be to use something like copper flashing (wide - flat) that could be curved around that piece of pipe like a cylinder or cone. Connect your radials to the bottom end of that and the antenna ground lug at the top. The new 'extension' does NOT have to be in contact with the 20 foot pipe mast. My feeling for the radials is they start spreading the field immediately at the base of the antenna and that wide strap (as opposed to a wire) would do that for you. For that matter, Why can't the radials be connected to the pipe three feet below the antenna and the antenna ground lug connected to the pipe with a much shorter jumper? Is the pipe plastic? Did your antenna work well before? If so..why fix something that ain't broke? Appearance? It's an antenna..not an ornament. Just *my* opinion. But three feet might not make much difference. Lets see how far my guess is from what others have to say. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: The use of digital modes on 160 metres
Hi George, My own experience with those modes that can dig out signals from below the noise is they are too slow to be any use for much beyond propagation studies. I am doing a very little bit of that on the 600 meter band. The typical story is set the radio and the computer and let it run all night (*ALL* night) to get a few words through IF propagation cooperates. Look at your results in the morning after breakfast. Not my cup of tea. YMMV. Can the other stations hear you? If not..can you apply more power? (not already doing the limit) There are some antennas talked about here that might help you with receive. I have the small lot problem too but I am slowly working my way toward better reception and I'll be increasing power soon, too. Even with my puny station (25 watts!) I have worked some other stations on Top Band. I can hear better than I can send. Some people detest that there is digital activity on Top Band but it is there. Somebody else will have to point you at it (1840 or so?) as I don't use it. If you decide to join those guys let me wish you best of luck. 73, Bill KU8H On Sat, 2012-09-15 at 20:59 +0930, George, VK5IT wrote: Hi Topbanders, I would like to bring up a topic which I suspect must be tantamount to heresy among the diehard CW operators and that is the question of the use of some of the digital modes on the Gentleman's Band. It may be that CW can still hold its own by the speed and simplicity and use of narrow bandwidths?? These dangerous thoughts have come about because a friend put me on to a programme called Ham Radio Delux with its imbedded programme Digital Master 780 which supports a whole raft of digital modes. As we all know some of these modes are capable of digging out intelligence from signals that are undetectable because they are below the noise floor. As one who is very much in the little pistol league with a small suburban back yard with a 10 metre height restriction and only enough space to install a very meagre earth matt and the additional problem of electrical noise - I see this as a way to improve my chances of chasing the elusive DX. I was thinking of resorting to the use of digital modes such as Olivia and JT65. I keep a reasonably close eye on the threads posted in the Top Band Archives and this is a topic I do not remember seeing being discussed. I do, however, suspect that because going digital is such an obvious answer that there must already be some activity among devotees so I would be interested in hearing what frequencies and what modes are used on 160 meters and any comments. 73 George, VK5IT ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Fishing beacons redux
Hi, This whole topic is unpleasant. I personally don't encounter very much of this kind of thing but I might as I increase my top band activity. I use the bottom part of the band in an effort to avoid the DX stations, The DXers chasing the DX stations, the digital crowd, and the hams in all those SSB and AM nets and roundtables (unless I'm joining them). If I find a signal that doesn't belong there - fishnet or neighbor's TV - my first inclination is to move off that frequency. Not by very much. Just enough so that I can actually hear any replies to my call. If that isn't far enough for the fishnet or other *unauthorized* signal...tough luck. But I am not going to go hunting either. If it's another ham or a couple of hams in a QSO I might QSY just a bit more to be sure I'm out of any kind of reasonable filter they might be using. Unauthorized..use nope. On the low end of 160 I can move quite a way off without running over somebody else. There aren't many hams down there. Maybe that's why the fishnets are there. Anybody in favor of surrendering the bottom 20 kc of 160? 10 kc? 5kc? ARRL (W1AW) is down near the low end (less than 5 kc from the border) for code practice, bulletins, etc. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: K6STI low noise receive loop
Hi, I dunno about Jim's real estate but a full size 80 meter dipole would extend off from my lot. Somebody else in a different thread concerning this pointed out that those blessed with large territory for sprinkling antennas around can't wrap their head around the concept of a *SMALL* lot. The entire lot that my house is on now is less space than just my driveway used to be. So when you are considering small lots think of a space the size of your driveway. That might help you put it in perspective. We can't drop back from an antenna 30 times the size of our lot to one that is only 10 times the size of our lot. It has to be smaller than our lot. Need room for the XYL to walk around a bit, too. Tomorrow I will be going to the big box store for some materials to get started on a vertical antenna. I can surely fit a 2 or 3 inch antenna on my small lot evil grin. That's 2 or 3 inches is from one end to the other but 35 or 40 feet *up*. I wonder how a chain link fence will work as a ground mat. I'm gonna find out. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: 1810
On Wed, 2012-10-03 at 08:23 -0400, N1BUG wrote: ---snip-- There's never any DX way down in that part of the band anyway... Au contraire! I have personally worked several JA stations between 1810 and 1811. If I had the patience to investigate my log I am certain I would find European and other DX worked that low. I know of at least one big gun just east of me who has run strings of JA's on 1810.5 at sunset (yes, long path). Hi, This also presupposes that the only reason to even be on top band is to chase after DX. I have no aversion to chatting with DX hams but I am more interested in rag chewing and North American hams are fair game as far as I'm concerned. 73, Bill KU8H ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
Re: Topband: Stew Perry Warmup this weekend
On Fri, 2012-10-19 at 09:43 -0600, James Rodenkirch wrote: Hopefully lots of QRP entries, like myself - looking forward to a fun event and sure hope to work lots of ya! 72, Jim R. K9JWV Hi, The whiteboard is marked up for the Stew Warmup. I'll be operating QRP as that's all I have. When the real deal gets here I might have the DX-100 ready! Can you hear me now? (evil grin). I managed to work a few stations in the Stew last year with a couple of hours on the air. This weekend I expect to have more time. For the Stew Warmup I am going to make an effort to engage the electronic (computer) logging along with use of of LOTW. See (some of) you in the Stew. I can see you even if you can't see me. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Remember the PreStew coming on October 20th. http://www.kkn.net/stew for more info.
Re: Topband: PreStew results
Hi, My only (50+ year old) top band transmitter quit (again) right at the beginning of the Stew. Before I repair it yet again I think I will just build something *new* in hopes of having it work for a while. 73, Bill KU8H On Sun, 2012-10-21 at 20:08 -0700, Tree wrote: The results for the Stew Perry Warmup are now posted. Yes - the contest has only finished 12 hours ago - but we have received almost 100 logs already. As more logs come in - they results will be updated. Go to http://www.kkn.net/stew and click on the link for the PreStew results. If you haven't sent in your log - please do so via e-mail to t...@contesting.com. 73 Tree N6TR ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Band open, no one home
Hi, I snooped on 160 a bit but the east coast action I found was on 80 meters and in the traffic nets. I believe they were passing health and welfare traffic. Some of the transmitters, presumably running on emergency power, were a little drifty or chirpy and on some I heard noise from the DC to DC converter or genset. No complaints about any of that. Just the way it shakes out when the vigero gets into the mixmaster. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Not sure why it was bouncing.....
Hi, I'm not an ISP admin or guru. So my comments are from the user side of the fence and in support of what Dave said. Once upon a time Al Gore released internet access to the public and there were a number of startup companies. Some of them had and still have cute marketing ploys and gambits..but terrible service and rotten customer relations. I have *NEVER* used AOL because I saw all the grief my friends and associates were having with AOL. My recommendation is to dump them, at least for email lists like this one. If you don't really have any better choices for ISP where you live at least give Gmail a try. The price is certainly right. My own label for AOL is all outta luck. Good luck with your problems 73, Bill KU8H On Thu, 2012-11-08 at 07:29 -0500, Dave Pascoe wrote: I am one of the (long time) admins of this system. The issue has been all AOL. They look at email volume, among other things, and the surge of email around this time of year tripped one of their email volume tripwires. They're not very sophisticated, as evidenced by the fact that we have no issues with other domains. We have gone around and around with their (outsourced) Postmaster team, and it has taken over a week to get any kind of response from them. This has been going on, on and off, for years. What adds to the issue is that certain (subscribed) AOL users choose to hit their This is Spam button from time to time on posts that are perfectly legitimate - they presumably do this because they are all upset that they have to read yet another email on a list that *they* subscribed to - that doesn't help either. If you want my professional advice, ditch AOL for your email list activity and get a real email account from a serious email provider, like Gmail - keep AOL for your personal activity if you don't feel like telling the world that your email changed. Your view and desires as a user may differ, and you may suffer accordingly. We have done and continue to do everything that we can technically on our end to run a reputable server and comply with all applicable internet and email standards, and we have done so since the early 1990's. 73, Dave KM3T ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: accidents - was Outing The Scofflaws...
On Mon, 2012-11-12 at 23:01 -0600, Gary K9GS wrote: Since I sort of started this with my post last night... I don't think that public humiliation is going to fix this problem. As others have pointed out, there is too much of a potential for abuse with people deliberately signing others callsigns, etc. I think the best is peer pressure from locals who know who the culprit is. I'd be willing to speculate that in most cases the operator causing the deliberate interference is known to local hams. If it is someone you know.say something privately and constructively. Everyone makes an occasional error. Heck, I've inadvertently forgot to hit the split button on my K3 after turning on the sub receiver. That's really easy to do. In fact, one of the things about the K3 that I think can cause problems if you're not careful is when you're set for split, say on 160M and QSY to another band. When you go back to 160M the K3 remembers the frequency and the split but the split is turned OFF. Always look before you transmit. Hi, I don't have to worry about whether my rig can remember a split as I'm running antique junque. My main transceiver is a set of Kenwood Twins. In transceiver mode I know to look at the RIT switch! AND the transmitter bandswitch. Don't ask how I learned this. In some combinations the TX will happily operate on a different band! I also use separate transmitters/receivers and I've come to prefer that style of operation (the twins can do it, too). I have my radios set up to monitor the TX instead of using a sidetone. When I switch to transmit mode I'll know with one tap of the key if I forgot to net the TX. Again..don't ask how I know about that! (evil grin). 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: TX/ RX Antenna Switching
On Wed, 2012-11-14 at 23:46 +, Shoppa, Tim wrote: Getting away from what we are discussing now (limiters) and back to the original question... it really is just a few bucks for a relay for a rig (without separate T and R jacks) at the 100W level, to add separate T and R based on the amp key line. It's ironic that for most of half a century, the ARRL handbook showed designs for T/R switches, and now those with entry level radios have to build the opposite of the T/R switch to have seperate T/R antennas :-). Tim N3QE I had assumed, based on discussion, that full break-in QSK must be a requirement per the original post (which I have missed). Apparently it's not. When I switch from transmit to receive I throw ONE switch - not my key or paddles. One. No RF is generated until I do hit the key but only after the switch has been thrown. When I do that I hear several relays click in unison. It's so simple that even *I* can do it. Transmitters, receivers, and transceivers have a terminal on them somewhere to take care of the needed functions within to go from TX mode to RX mode and the other way 'round. Wire your relay(s) to switch the antenna(s) and tickle those T/R terminals. Take advantage. If your rig doesn't have such a terminal (you paid how much for it?) add one. As Tim says, a T/R relay is just too easy. Buy one with 100 NO and 100 NC contacts and have fun (evil grin). Or maybe more relays with fewer contacts. If more clues are needed I can talk more about how mine are wired now and how they have been wired in the past - best done off-list. If it turns out that full break in QSK *is* a requirement..get out the drills, hack saws, chisels, axes, and solder iron and get to work. Or get out the wallet and get a set of radios that will do what you want right out of the box. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Vertical Array Over Uneven Ground i ttitudes
Actually, I felt sorry the miserable old **'s. Now I'm in the same position they were in I don't have time to be *that* miserable. I have all the same excuses to be a jerk but I can't see how that would make any of the aches and pains go away nor how it would restore any of the assets wall street has stolen from my life savings. After I took the trouble to learn about inches, fractions of inches, feet, yards, miles, acres, sections, tons, pounds and ounces that *other* funny system was introduced! Oy vay! Talk about a funny system...what about those fluid ounces and the weight kind? Were they smoking something funny in their old pipes? All of my measuring tapes (the ones I use for antenna wires and carpentry (okay - wood butchering) are in feet and inches. I just looked to make sure. Until now I had not considered myself to be bilingual. What a delightful surprise to discover that I really am (evil grin). 73, Bill KU8H On Fri, 2012-11-16 at 11:21 -0500, Tom W8JI wrote: I suspect most (or at least many) Americans are resistant to change and unwilling to give anything different than what they are used to a fair try before dismissing it. When we were kids, we made fun of the occasional bitter old cranky Hams who spent their lives being grouchy and cranky about anything and everything, and were so set in their ways anything new or different didn't deserve to live. Now that we are that older generation, we could at least try to set a better example.A bowl of Kellogg's All-Bran a day works wonders. :-) ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: My Peeve
Hi, The DX pileups also trample all over other users who were already operating before the pileup decided to creep up 25kc from the DX station. We have to share the bands. When there is a DX expedition on nobody else is going to have a turn. When there is a big contest on those people are going to trample all over the band, too. Get over it. When I am on the receiving end of that I just pick up my accordion or brush out my dog's coat (he loves it) - or - move to a different band (evil grin). Don't get yourself an ulcer worrying about a *hobby*. We all *knew* there is a big contest on. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX WINDOW
On Sat, 2012-12-01 at 10:20 -0500, Eddy Swynar wrote:
Hi All,
Obviously this typo was a test meant to see if anyone was awake yet...! Hi
Hi
Of course I MEANT to say 1830- to 1835-KHz---but fat fingers (and a skinny
mind) got in the way.
Thanks go to Bert for keeping things on an even keel here...
~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
Hi Eddy,
One problem I have is identifying a DX window. I have read several
different versions and if I live by all of them I will be transmitting
on 80 meters (evil grin). I also wouldn't promote interfering with any
QSO in progress even if it is just a DX station ('nuther evil grin). So
not having a clear, unanimous agreement on a DX window the best I can
do is listen (more than 2 seconds) for signs of life and then inquiring
before hollering. Even if I can't hear the DX I know what a pile sounds
like - a sure clue that DX is somewhere nearby.
Once upon a time an inquiry of whether the frequency is in use was two
quick dits. If a c came back it's in use. Much quicker than QRL?
followed by expletives and curses and name calling. I used that and
still do. If no c then I go to QRL? All of that preceded by some
listening time. If somebody IS using the frequency and can't reply
sometime during all of that.. well.. I'm going for it. That's my best
offer.
The Ranger needs some attention - again. QRT on 160 for the moment. Hope
to be up before the Stew.
73,
Bill KU8H
___
Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX window
So there is confused information about DX windows and digital windows and callig windows and useless windows. Once upon a time there was something called gentlemen's agreements and the DX window was part of that. Most of us don't really let the ARRL dictate to us what we will or won't do. So we can ignore their lack of a DX window if we choose. I cannot control what other hams do on the air and I have no desire to do so (better things to to do). So what is this DX window? 1825 to 1830 kc? If that's where the DX calls and transmits then where do W/VE stations transmit in reply? 1820 to 1825? That's where I seem to hear W/VE stations calling CQ DX. I have at best a regional station and I am just looking for some ragchew QSOs when I am on the air. I have been dressed down for being stupid and calling CQ 1810 to 1820 because *everybody knows* there is no DX there. Duh...that's the whole point. Is that somebody else's version of some other window or just an arid desert? I already know where to not transmit to avoid W1AW. Too close to the band edge for my drifty Ranger anyway. So fill me in on where I should avoid looking for casual QSOs and where I should look. I'm happy to share the band and observe DX windows. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX WINDOW
On Wed, 2012-12-05 at 11:47 -0700, Milt -- N5IA wrote: All JA stations worked called me on my Run frequencies within the 'JA Window'. CU all in the SPDC. 73 de Milt, N5IA, op at N7GP The JA window? 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX WINDOW
On Wed, 2012-12-05 at 21:39 +0100, Peter Voelpel wrote: 1810-1825 and 1907.7-1912.5 is allocated in Japan (CW only) 73 Peter, DJ7WW Thank you Peter, That's useful information here. I now know how to stay out of the way AND... I know where to look for them. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX WINDOW
Hi Milt, It sure helps me. I don't make any bones about new to 160. My antenna and my transmitter have been giving me a lot of grief so I have had only a few QSOs...maybe a couple dozen. I am not a seasoned professional on top band. I'm just an amateur. My license even says so (evil grin). So far when I have tried to get on the air, reasonable amateur practice has kept me out of serious trouble. Lots of listening and a query before using a vacant frequency. I know what a pileup sounds like so even if I can't hear the DX I know (s)he is around. It's helpful when in Rome to know what the Romans do. 73, Bill KU8H On Wed, 2012-12-05 at 15:55 -0700, Milt -- N5IA wrote: Bill, As Peter has responded, there are two JA windows; 1810-1825 and 1907.7-1912.5 . Until a few years ago the JA hams only had the upper 1907.7-1912.5 allocation. Because the band was segmented in much of the world most international contacts on 160 Meters were done split frequency. From here in the USA the common method was for US stations to transmit in the 1.820-1.830 area where their narrow band TX antennas were resonant and listen for the JA stations in the above 1.9 MHZ JA allocation. The JA stations would do the opposite, TXing above 1.9 and listening down low. The method of contacting each other was not random. When you CQed, you added at the end the couple of digits that indicated where you were listening in the other fellows band. For example, I would CQ CQ de N5IA N5IA r83. What this meant to the JA stations that I was listening on 1.908.3. We did this both for casual DXing and in the contests. Since the new, wider allocation to JA at the 1.810 to 1.825, to my knowledge all contest contacts are done simplex in that portion of the spectrum. If you want to work JA on 160 Meters you have to be within that window also. I don't know for a fact, but I suppose the above 1.9 MHZ allocation is probably used by JA for local, in country contacts. Anyone out there know how that portion of the spectrum is now used in JA? I hope this helps you and perhaps others, Bill. 73 and good evening de Milt, N5IA ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX window
Hi Darrell, I have started wading into computer logging and I usually use paper. After the contest I enter the info into the computer but I plan to just have the computer running and do it one QSO at a time. None of my radios have any kind of CAT feature. I do NOT want my radio to be smarter than me so they have to stay pretty dern stooopid. The logging programs let me enter the frequency I am using in whatever format I want AND just keep using the same info for each QSO until I change it. I would enter something like 160M or 1.8 (as in mc) but I could as easily put in 1.835001. Radios smarter than me can tell the computer where they are operating (maybe to the nearest 50 or 100 cycles. Checking for W/VE QSOs in the DX window would work for at least those stations with Baccalaureate radios. Any kind of policing of that nature would be encumbered with challenges and appeals processes and final results could take years. If CAT and computer logging become a requirement those of us without CAT or computer logging will be banned - de facto. Come to think of it my contest operation is already pretty low key. There are always the WARC bands and the expected new allocation at 600 meters. I can't imagine contests in THAT band. Or...we could all just play by the contest rules and agreements. 73, Bill KU8H On Wed, 2012-12-05 at 18:22 -0800, Darrell Bellerive wrote: Being unencumbered by knowledge of contest log reporting and checking perhaps I am missing something. Since virtually all contest stations use automated logging programs and these programs could get the actual transmit frequency directly from the transceiver as the contact is logged, then why couldn't a log check computer program simply check for non DX contacts within a DX window? I guess that would mean requiring an exact frequency rather than a generic frequency to be submitted in the Cabrillo format, but certainly that doesn't seem to hard to code into the logging program. I suppose this could even be crosschecked in the other station's log to rule out computer errors. Apply penalties for a certain number of violations to allow for true mistakes, but once above a certain limit, disqualification. I will crawl back under my rock now. 73, Darrell VA7TO Darrell Bellerive ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX Window
On Fri, 2012-12-07 at 17:48 +, Missouri Guy wrote: With electronic log submission easy to enforce, just invalidate any QSOs by W/VE run stations in the window. That's not practical to enforce via logs because some participants may be using radios that have no connection to the computer other than the key line. 73 Charlie, N0TT Hah! That key line is one more connection than my radio has to a computer. My computer is actually turned on while am on the air more than it was even last year. Sometimes I'm actually *using* the computer. A couple of years ago I updated my station to use just one mechanical switch that I throw to go from transmit to receive or back again. The switch and the morse key are arranged so I can T/R with my left hand and immediately start sending CW OR grab the pencil and write. Either direction takes a fraction of a second. Before that I used a T/R system published by R. Goldberg that involved a chicken running back and forth pecking appropriate buttons while plugging and unplugging patch cables. I had to install the present system after a fine chicken dinner one day. I know of some hams who do NOT even have a computer. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: DX Window
On Fri, 2012-12-07 at 13:45 -0800, mike l dormann wrote: i am authorized to comment on this since i have (and a photo of my shack wall can be produced if requested) a real honest sent by US postage N0TT QSL card... after i get to the back of the yard i have to walk through the woods to get to the ham shack. now why would anyone have his computer connected to his key line? keys use the same type plugs as guitars and head phones don't they? mine does. mike w7dra Hi Mike, If we use a logging program it is capable of throwing the T/R switch and then sending Morse. You have to wire stuff up so the puny little computer port can handle your grid-block and things like that but it's not too difficult. The big dogs who do the runs use it to help with fatigue from sending CQ TEST over and over and over and over again. I dunno what they do if we ask them for a fill. I suppose they have to actually type something. I think you do the search and pounce like I do instead of the hunt and peck like they do. I'm getting old now but I can still handle the keying for QSOs. I am getting ready to use the LOTW so I am using the computer to do logging now. I probably don't need it sending sterile CW for me at the same time. BTW...I'm building a contest grade receiving system for 160 through 40 meters using a rack of ARC-5 receivers wink. I was going to use a RAL for that like you do but so far - no RAL. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Fw: Short Bogs
On Sun, 2012-12-30 at 20:53 -0500, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: The characteristics of #12 THHN and such vary all over the map. It is not being made for use at RF. The insulation not only changes the velocity factor, but it also adds loss. This too varies all over the map. Wireman has various wires with UV resistant black PE insulation. That stuff seems to be predictable and stable. I personally don't know of any THHN with PE insulation. YMMV, of course. Neither of the guys at Home Depot and Lowes have any idea what I'm talking about if I mention PE insulation. Apparently plastic is plastic :). 73, Guy I got my THHN at the depot and the guys in there told me I can't have grey wire. Grey wire is not on the agenda for wiring appliances. I hope they don't come here to investigate THHN abuse! I um... didn't use in an appliance. Now lets see about this wireman guy. I'll try Google first. 73, Bill KU8H ___ Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge coming on December 29th.
Re: Topband: solarwind and 160 prop
On Wed, 2013-01-23 at 09:39 -0500, Bill Tippett wrote: ---snip--- There are many other factors affecting 160, and probably many we do not fully understand. ---snip--- 73, Bill W4ZV Hi Bill, We probably know just enough to be dangerous. I often refer to the propagation fairies - like the tooth fairy, etc. It's partly mystery. That's why all of us have QSOs that should be impossible ( a gift from the propagation fairies) or fail to make QSOs that should be easy (tricks played by those same fairies). One attraction of ham radio is the bundle of surprises we get when we turn on the radios. As Tim The Toolman says - OY!? 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 500 kHz
Hi, I'm hoping a new 600 meter allocation will give some nice regional rag chew QSOs. My receiver is already working and now looking at designs and schemes for transmitting a signal when the time comes. I have been receiving low powered signals from some of the experimental stations at about 1000 miles distant sometimes. NDBs at 25 watts are good day or night out to 1200 miles. I won't be disappointed if we cannot work other hams globally. There are other bands that are good for that. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: FO8AJ - TX5K
On Fri, 2013-03-08 at 23:15 -0700, James Rodenkirch wrote: Mike: re TX5K I saw much of that behavior on 40 as well. In fact, 40 was the only HF band that I operate on that I did NOT work them on and felt like the number(s) of stations and the utterly rude behavior contributed to that non band happening! I put out a decent signal on 40 so was surprised. Totally disgusting is the only way to describe the behavior of some of those 40 meter operators! Oh well, it's a hobby so you get what you get, I guess - or sumpin' like that. The Top Band crowd was, as usual, totally on the other of the spectrum - congenial, allowing the operator to run the show...no keying down on top of themsigh..wish all bands were like that. 72, Jim Rodenkirch K9JWV Hi Jim, I was astonished when I heard them on 160 meters. My antenna is NOT the very best. I have occasionally heard some DX stations on 160. I have suspected that one reason I don't hear a lot of DX on the lower bands is the QRM from their piles. To be honest I did hear some stations transmitting on the DX's frequency. A quick up 3 and they actually moved! That allowed even *me* to hear the DX. The ice and snow is beginning to yield and soon enough I'll be out there putting up some metal tubing (grin). Along with some better tools to help sort them at the receiver and I should be in. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: gentlemen's band
On Sun, 2013-03-10 at 11:19 -0700, Mike Armstrong wrote: Guys, I think the explanation for why 160 (and the dx crowd on 80, too... not necessarily the 75 meter throw a wire in the air rag chew crowd) are more gentlemanly (and ladies, of course) is very simple. It is REALLY simple to explain: --snipped - see original post for all of the text--- Take care and great DXing, Mike AB7ZU (who ALWAYS aspires to be a gentleman on any band) Hi Mike, I took a couple sips of coffee and opened the pressure relief valve for a few minutes - playing with unsavory adjectives in my head (evil grin). Maybe your doctoral thesis is a bit of an oversimplification but is probably a good, partial diagnosis (grin). I've been a ham only a little over 30 years and I have noticed that Lids have always existed. No band or mode is really an exception. We are not allowed to toss them into a dungeon, burn them at the stake, or anything so we just have to work our way around them the best we can. The only thing that will have any effect and only on a few of them is shunning. That's not very effective among religious sects and probably is futile in ham radio too. Just we don't have to associate with those Lids. Mostly when I encounter those hams I feel more sympathy than rage (yes some irritation, too). They truly have no clue about life itself and being a ham Lid is the least of their problems. It may help your stomach erosion the next time you encounter those *!*#'s to take a breath and say aloud to yourself there but for the grace of God go I. See you on the bands. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Desktop Power Supply Brand/Noise Question
On 07/20/2013 11:55 AM, Gary Smith wrote: As nothing remains on the market long before it's replaced, my PS from two years ago has been superseded. Mine is a PC Power Cooling Silencer 760W. Were I to get one today I would choose their 950 watt version http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703028 The reason I like this PS is it is dead quiet RF-wise acoustic-wise I can't hear it over the fan on the processor. It's a very reliable unit and frankly, most any of the ones that get lots of eggs from reviews on Newegg will meet your needs. Amazing that people are still selling RF generators as PS. I got burned 4-5 years back and never bought a cheap one again. 73, Gary KA1J Hi, I live in a backwater area and when I needed a power supply for my computer they had cheap ones *only*. In this area it was all they could sell. I learned more about computer supplies than I ever wanted to know. I mail ordered a better power supply and used the el cheapo to learn how to quiet the danged things down. It's a better neighbor to the radios now. If my time is worth anything the higher priced supply is a better bargain than the cheap junk one and then fixing it up. With the modest price difference I made about 2 cents per hour doing all of that! 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Desktop Power Supply Brand/Noise Question
On 07/21/2013 08:37 PM, Jim Brown wrote: But you're re-engineering someone else's design, without knowledge of all the issues.That's a questionable practice unless you're a circuit designer -- it's easy to open a can of worms. Few hams are qualified to do that, and I would be the last to recommend it. 73, Jim K9YC _ Hi, Unless I missed something we are talking tampering with our own gear - our own possessions. I would be reluctant to ever so much as touch somebody else's consumer equipment. However I have bought brand new radio gear and after running a day or two turned it off, opened it up, and customized it. None of that stuff failed to run as expected. Other gear I just opened up, tearing the Do not open - no user serviceable parts inside nonsense tag. I satisfied my questions about how it works and how it was built. How awful that some of us actually build electrical equipment from scratch! YMMV. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Lightning QRN season?
On 07/23/2013 10:03 PM, Mike Waters wrote: I appreciate the replies and insight. Let me add some details I should have included in my original question. What I really wanted to know was, When do you think that QRN might let up a little, to the point when we might expect to have a relatively quiet night here and there? So far, we have gone many weeks with not one single evening of quiet, making DX --and most good stations on the east and west coast-- all but impossible to hear over the lightning crashes. Beverages _at both ends of the path_ helps, but that's not often the situation lately. I haven't listened on 160 every night, but ever since sometime in May (I forget exactly) I have been daily checking the Intellicast real-time lightning map at www.intellicast.com/Storm/Severe/Lightning.aspx . And there has not been a single evening on 160 since then when there was not a lot of lightning over the continental USA. I did manage to have some SSB ragchews late last night with some very strong stations in the Midwest, but the QRN never dropped below S9 even though the lightning was some distance away. 73, Mike www.w0btu.com Hi Mike, I haven't heard a lot on 160 meters mostly due to lack of activity. I listen more in the early morning hours just before and through morning twilight and sunrise. A few times the band has been astonishing quiet - checked to be sure I was on the antenna and not on the dummy load. At night I am on 80 and 40 meters (and sometimes 20) but when I try 160 there is a more QRN than in the mornings. I mostly hear the SSB ragchew nets and little CW. When the ARRL gets on they are always in here quite loud but still no other CW stations. I should be able to easily hear lower powered stations if any were on. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Symbol Rates (was [ARRL-LOTW] BoD votes LoTW initiatives)
On 07/24/2013 08:09 AM, Brian Machesney wrote: Joe, I don't understand your objection to removal of the symbol rate language. Under the existing band plan, CW is expected to co-exist with other digital modes of all kinds. Now, I don't like to hear even narrow-bandwidth PSK or RTTY signals when I'm operating in the traditionally CW portions of the bands, but I don't believe this is even primarily a question of symbol rate. When CW contest activity extends into, through and beyond the traditionally digital portions of the bands, I find it very difficult to pick a CW signal out of a densely-packed cluster of PSK carriers or RTTY stations. In my experience, it is not the symbol rates of the PSK and RTTY stations that cause the interference, but the ability of my brain to discriminate against the natures of modulation of those signals. I agree with you that we need to review the band plans. But to me that doesn't mean that we should allow the persistence of language which may hold back technical progress. 73 -- Brian/K1LI Hi, I have started using DSP with computer sound card software and also with dedicated hardware. Those have made it possible for me to dig weaker signals out of the noise and pick out CW signals from between those densely packed digital signals. It also gets rid of the neighbors' QRMing appliances stacked right next to the desired signal. I can slice the junk right off. Even with my *old* receivers - including a couple of regens. The waterfall and spectrum (panadapter) displays in the soundcard software helps identify where those signals are before I can hear them in all the din. I am finding those things to be effective tools to use against modern rotten QRM. I frequently use a bandwidth narrower than 100 Hz yet can see where there are CW signals and dial them in. If you are not using any of those you should give then a try. The one that has been most useful for me is Spectran. It's not to hard to figure out how to use and it works very well. Not a lot of bells and whistles to get in the way. Being *free* is a good feature, too. I do NOT use the computer to actually decode CW for me. Computers are just not good enough to do that with CW out in the wild. YMMV. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160 meter condx.
On 07/27/2013 12:26 PM, Bruce wrote: Found QRN was much lower, in mid-coast Maine, Saturday morning about 0330 UTC. One very weak signal on my East Beverage turned out to be a very strong stateside station on the West Beverage. Did hear Luis IV3PRK at 0333 UTC. with a good signal. Was able to work him at 0344 UTC after getting the old linear switched and tuned for the band. Better days are coming for QRN sensitive ears. 73 Bruce-K1FZ _ Topband Reflector Hi, I think the lower end of 160 is more or less abandoned when there could be some QSOs there. I am not having much trouble hearing SSB stations up above 1900 anda some a little below that. With a narrower bandwidth CW should be easier. Some of the SSB stations I can hear are reporting their power output at 100 watts or even less. I do not have a world beater station here on 160 and i won't have unless I move back out of town onto acreage again. But I can work stations in the great lakes area and most of the time in the eastern US and Canada. Sometimes I can hear the DX stations. I tried some antenna stuff on 160 a day or two ago and tried some on air tests. Apparently the RBN stations abandon 160 for the off season, too. They didn't hear anybody in North America and never mind about just my own modest station. The tricks did work for me on 80 where there is also a lot of QRN. I got through okay there for an hour long chat with a fellow only as far away as Ohio (abt 400 miles) with about 30 watts output. So what if Ohio isn't DX? Most of the trouble in summer on 160 is lack of use. I'll keep trying when I can get near the radios and call CQ for a while around about 1825 (give or take a few). 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: tree losses
Hi, For me the effect the trees have is purely academic. I live in the northern Michigan forests. I am surrounded and even protected by the trees. My antennas are *in* the trees. I'm sure the trees have some effect. There is nothing I can do but operate anyway. If the tree studies find that radio is impossible in the presence of trees I suppose I'll have to find a different hobby. Meanwhile I'll keep on keeping on. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Closed for the season or maybe just redecorating..
Hi, I continue to find evidence that 160 meters is NOT closed for the season. Most of the evidence is to be found way up in the phone band. I wondered if those guys were running California kilowatts or something but in some of the QSOs they mentioned their power output in the 100 watt area. I have occasionally heard some CW calls for DX but those are scarce. Apparently the CW hams are just plain absent..doing soemthing else for the 'closed' season. This morning I set up a receiver to slowly scan (troll) from 1800 to 1830 kc...continuously. While I am working around here in and out of the shack I will hopefully hear anybody in range if there is activity. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Closed for the season or maybe just redecorating..
On 08/25/2013 09:15 AM, Shoppa, Tim wrote: YW5X (IOTA activation in Venezuela) has been active on 160M CW past couple of nights with a fair number of callers. Tim N3QE Hi Tim, Maybe I should be listening more at night instead of mornings... 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Closed for the season or maybe just redecorating..
On 08/25/2013 12:35 PM, Bruce wrote: Working some Europeans in August 2013 about my bedtime. All on CW G3JMJ very active many mornings 0346-0352 UTC 1.825 MHZ IV3PRK often active worked 0358 UTC 1.831 MHZ SV3RF 0353 1.818 MHZ G4EIM 0414 active many mornings 1.830 MHZ I2ZFD 0400 1.830 MHZ Hope these times frequencies result in more CW contacts. 73 Bruce-K1FZ www.qsl.net/k1fz/ Thanks Bruce, It's four hours earlier here and I'm often in the sack before local midnight. From what others are saying I am very suspicious of having a problem here. With my 30 watt transmitter I can't always work whatever I can hear but I have been able to hear quite a bit in the past. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Anyone have a boat load of J-310s?
On 08/25/2013 06:31 PM, Andy Ikin wrote: Charlie, When I was poor man 40 years ago, I always wanted Tektronix 545B Scope, which I couldn't afford. So I built a Chinese Copy with discarded parts from the Calibration department of the computer company I worked for. The scope use many 6DJ8s. I did get it working after about a year; not bad for some one with no formal electronics training Tektronix were very helpful in supplying some critical parts. Looking back I must have been mad, but it was one hell of away to learn how these things work. Bye the way I manufacture a special Head Amplifier for the KAZ and other Flags. This has 1100 Ohm input matching/isolation transformer, about 20dB gain and a less than 1dB NF and uses 8 x J309s plus a string of 1N4148 limiting diodes. Wellbrook FLG100LN. There are about 70 units in service mainly in the US with MW Dxers. 73 Andrew G8LUG Hi Andrew, When we build our own gear we do learn a lot. The first gear I built was a V-O-M in a cigar box. I was around about 13 and somebody gave me meter movement. Cigar boxes were free and so were junk televisions and radios. The ARRL handbook was over at the library. I didn't have a mode switch or a range switch but plugged resistors into an octal socket to make up each mode/range. I used it for almost two years before I got a *real* V-O-M. The real one was a little more accurate and a lot more convenient to use. But to this day I am familiar with how voltmeters work! That was about 50 years ago... I'm 66 now. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160 meter activity
On 08/25/2013 07:44 PM, Bob Kupps wrote: Well I applaud your making the effort at giving an honest report. It seems to me that 599 is reported far too casually these days and I certainly attempt to give honest reports even in a (non contest) pile up. Although R reports are fairly easy - I give 3 if I'm struggling, 4 if I have to pay attention and 5 if it's easy. But S reports, especially on the low bands where we are often using preamps, attenuators or both make an objective report a bit tougher. The other night I was chatting with my pal W6YA on 20. My 100 watts to a 5/5 stack always gets a better report on his K3 than his 1500W to a 4 el gets on my K3 until he finally said that he always uses his preamp on the high bands because the K3 S meter is factory calibrated with the preamp on, and he like I strive to give meaningful reports. Anyway, I would be interested in how other ops (who care) try to give meaningful reports - objective vs subjective. Also my compliments to N4ZR and the RBN guys who are providing a great service to the ham DX community in this regard. 73 Bob HS0ZIA Hi There is idea that S9 is 50 microvolts at the antenna terminal - is that 50 ohms or? - and that is truly objective. However, I don't give the S-meters a lot of credence in that regard. And I have operated (still operate) teceivers that don't have an S-meter. There are winky blinky lights or anything. If I have an S-meter it gets a vote but my ears have the bigger say. With no S-meter my ears have ALL of the say. I have actually heard on the air reports of S-0 (that's a zero). Huh? What! I thought tha guy was doing a good job copying a signal that didn't exist! We can give in to the canned QSO contest style and always give out 599 or we can just do our best with an *estimation* of signal strength. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160 meter activity
On 08/26/2013 12:26 AM, Mike Waters wrote: Bill, The stations on the RBN are automatic, and work even when unattended. They are not like the DX clusters which require a manual post. Call CQ and see. :-) 73, Mike www.w0btu.com http://www.w0btu.com Hi Mike, Thanks. Yes..I thought everybody who knows what RBN is also knows that the stations *automatically* post the information on the RBN server. I thought I made an efficient use of words. I did make the call and was not heard. I did see some activity on the RBN and I was able to hear the North American stations that were posted there AND I heard one or two that were NOT posted there. Do they call the receive stations skimmers? I'm sure the skimmers are 'plagued' with the same noise problems all of us face. And there is the matter of 'lobes' in the antenna patterns - intentional or not. There are a lot of reasons why skimmers might miss some signals. One of them is low power and another could involve the antenna. It may not radiate well and it may not radiate well in the direction of skimmers that could otherwise hear. Not all of the skimmers are on 160 meters. I hope to be be doing some more serious antenna work before snow. I do sometimes get heard and pretty much always - on the other bands with that antenna. Meanwhile I will keep trying. Puzzle pieces keep falling into place. I discovered a 'bad' patch cord in the station. It was obvious instantly when I put it in the antenna circuit. As Tim the ToolMan Allen says - Oy? 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Stacked verticals
On 09/06/2013 04:13 PM, Edwin Karl wrote: There are several interesting articles if you Google Franklin Antenna they are mechanically BIG and require feeding ingenuity (hams are known for this feature ...) but are stacked verticals, note- phase the top element to avoid cancellation. If memory serves me right WTIC in Hartford phased two of these puppies, but it's been a long time ... 73! ed k0kl _ Topband Reflector Hi Ed, I looked them up and I see their Hartford is the one in CT. I sent them an email asking about their antenna. When/if they reply we might have more details and I'll post anything of interest I get from them. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
On 09/10/2013 02:57 PM, Mike Armstrong wrote: Brad, *I* say GOOD, let them kill AM broadcast and give the band to US. we will put it to good use he he he he. Plus, since so many people have AM broadcast receivers, it will be like automatic advertising for Amateur Radio.. and that rumors of ham radio's demise, as a hobby, were a bit premature. LOL LOL. Mike A AB7ZU (as opposed to the Mike you were referring to below... Mike L) :) :) Kuhi no ka lima, hele no ka maka On Sep 10, 2013, at 9:47, Brad Rehm bradr...@gmail.com wrote: So... Topband would extend from about 500 kc to 2 mc. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: AutoEZ
Thanks, ...for saving me the trouble of ever downloading AutoEZ. 73, Bill KU8H On 09/21/2013 11:47 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote: AutoEZ only supports exactly Microsoft Excel with the latest service pack. Period. As described on the AutoEZ site. Rick N6RK _ Topband Reflector _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: location
On 09/21/2013 04:11 PM, DALE LONG wrote: Bill: Expect the unexpected. If you are using insulated wire, it can be broken inside the insulation...Easy to check the wire for continuity.. Be absolutely sure all connections are really clean.. If you have a 1/4 vertical that is not touching another metal object, it should tune up. Try bypassing the tuner completely (not just putting the tuner in bypass mode) and check with antenna analyzer where it is resonant. That should give you some ideas. Perhaps your antenna is too short or too long. If you have a 1/4 vertical, you should not need a tuner unless you want to ragchew above 1900 KHz...You really need to find the resonant frequency of what you have. An ineffective antenna is one thing, but sounds like your antenna is not even resonant on 160m. (from your description of not loading on 160). Antenna analyzers are a wonderful tool. Best 73 Dale - N3BNA Hi Dale, Thanks for your comments. I do have a couple of Grid dip oscillators...one grid dip and one gate dip. I need to figure out where the dial calibration on both them actually is and get the resonance info. That will still not tell me what impedance I'm looking at. After I posted I dug an old power supply board out and found a two and half inch ferrite donut with heavy wire windings on it (two of them actually). I fooled around and ended up with the rig and 'tuner' getting happy on 160. I have 18 turns on the antenna side and 5 turns on the radio side. I'll give it a try tonight when there are some people on and the RBN skimmers are back on the band. Obviously that changed the settings for 80 and 40 but 80 and 40 still load up okay. The real test is successful QSOs! I have to wait for dark when those other people come out to play. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Topband: The Stew Perry Warmup
The station is setup on 160 meters and waiting for the Stew at 11 AM Eastern Daylight Time. My NVIS antenna is not going to be a world beater but I'll work a few..assuming we don't have an Emergency Room trip yet again today. Late last night a couple of the RBN machines heard me on 160 but none this morning. I don't know if, when, they listen nor what part of the band nor how much QRN they have from their neighbors. The real deal is QSOs with other ops. There should be a few in the Stew. Maybe will have to wait until sunset. See you in the Stew. And now it sounds like some other hams are waking up smile. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: The Stew Perry Warmup
On 10/19/2013 08:18 AM, James Rodenkirch wrote: Bill: I'll be in it as a QRP entry and just can't wait for later this afternoon to roll around. With a simplistic single band rig, designed by Steve Weber, KD1JV, I won't have the needed filtering to keep the big boys from overloading my rcvr front end so, occasionally, I'll need to QSY up the band to find a quiet spot to call CQwith QRP power, I may not hold the frequency but at least, as evidenced in previous Stew events, I do get some calls. Was experimenting with 3 watts out the other morning --- worked a K4 in AR what a hoot to reach that far with 3 watts on Top Band...may be an indicator of fair to middlin band conditions. Hope to hear and work lots of youz during this fun Pre-Stew event. 72, Jim Rodenkirch K9JWV Hi Jim, With the antenna I have I'm virtually QRP with the Ranger. The ranger puts about 35 watts (maximum) into a 50 ohm load. My antenna is not quite 50 ohms resistive. I can load it and be heard with the L matcher reconfigured with L and C in series. I cannot work all the stations I can hear - some of them DX. When I get the DX-100 reworked I'll probably use that unless/until I get something better for an antenna - or maybe get the present antenna up further off the ground. The old Heathkit TX should give me just enough of a boost to get over the hump. CU in the Stew. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: FW: Steady Carrier on 80 CW
I'm in north central Michigan at Houghton Lake - EN74oh. I have no directional antennas and only modestly helpful data. The band seems quiet this morning and I have a barely audible signal (1300Z). Daylight. Last night (0300-0400Z) it was bringing my S-meter up over S5 (whatever that means) and the R-599 is really oversensitive. I would normally have some attenuation cranked in on 80 meters. Just one more point of confusion. This reminds of a guy we called the dittler on one of the shorter bands. He had moved something up against the dit side of his paddles and set his transmitter in action. Two or three days later the locals DFed him down to his front door and the embarrassed guy turned it off. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: FW: Steady Carrier on 80 CW
On 11/03/2013 08:29 AM, Charlie Cunningham wrote: Well, if it's a ham, he/she must have pretty rugged finals in that rig!!! Charlie, K4OTV Hi Charlie, The dittler was on air two or three days (IIRC). He turned it off...it didn't flame out. Some hams tune for maximum smoke and some are much more conservative. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: FW: Steady Carrier on 80 CW
On 11/03/2013 08:49 AM, Charlie Cunningham wrote: Hi, Bill Well, if it is a ham, he must have a pretty decent antenna - being heard rather well all round NA and SA! 73, Charlie, K4OTV Oh yes! Better than mine. Nobody gets any bragging rights for having a better antenna than mine. Mine used be be bigger and higher. Now I'm older and with a small lot. My throwing arm ain't what it once was and my feet do NOT belong higher than the ground! 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Local noise source identification
On 11/09/2013 05:15 PM, Rick ve3mm wrote: I am looking for suggestions to help identify a local noise that I am experiencing on topband. It's characteristics are; - bandwidth approximately 15 kHz - amplitude relatively constant - centre frequency seems to vary in small steps over time, no real pattern. - right now the centre frequency is 1819 kHz, it moves up and down up to 7 or 8 kHz. - does not seem to be present during the day. At least not this afternoon. I shut down all of the circuits in my house other than my shack and it did not disappear. Has anyone experienced something similar? 73 Rick ve3mm _ Topband Reflector Hi, I live in a four season resort and recreation area. Many of the 'neighbors' live far, far away and come here for short weekennds, long weekends, holidays , and vacations. When the population goes way up, mostly on the weekends, the intruding noises are almost sure to increase. Sometimes they wipe out parts of several bands and may last the entire vacataion'. Often, all or some of the interfering junk quiets when the visitors go to bed. I have been seeting up to operate on battery power during power outages. It's amazing how quiet the bands get when *THAT* happens evil grin. Short answer - yes - I have a signal just like that here. Probably a few others too. Ain't it wondeful? 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Wanted - Hardline connectors
On 11/11/2013 08:36 PM, Bruce wrote: Also, critters *CAN* chew through the stuff! It'll take them longer, but those @#%!~ little critters can chew through just about anything! You need a good outdoor cat ! 73 Bruce-K1FZ www.qsl.net/k1fz/beveragenotes.html 'round here outdoor cats is coyote chow. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector
