Re: Topband: Stew Beef

> WHO is there in March and June to be interfered with? I don't see DX activity tapering off in March. Heard, Cocos (Keeling), Juan de Nova and Iran show up on my calendar as potentials for March 2016. I worked my first 160m Vietnam in March 2014. That same month Z81Z was worked. In March

Re: Topband: Using shielded CAT5 data cable as feedline for active antenna; benefits of multi-turn K9AY loop/SAL/etc?

Pete & all: I have done a number of experiments with multi-turn K9AY Loops and flags. I have only made brief mentions in print, mainly in last year's NCJ article. Still sorting out the most useful data from a number of observations. In short, what W8JI says is true -- larger conductors

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

Tree and Gary, Very well said indeed. It's about "tolerance" and the Golden Rule. "Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself." --Robert Green Ingersoll "It is essential to employ, trust, and reward those whose perspective, ability, and judgment are

Topband: Stew Beef

On Sun, Jan 3, 2016 at 1:54 PM, Michael St. Angelo > wrote: The Stew Perry contest is one of the better ones but I agree with Larry and > Joe. Contests tend to take over the band and interferes with other form > of >

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

Tree, The contests may operate 10 nights a year but those nights are usually weekend when I, as well as others, have time to operate on the Topband. Why not take advantage of the unused nights and schedule the content during the week? By the way, thanks for reinforcing idea that discussions

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

For me, unless I use the amp, I get more DX on quiet nights than during a contest on 160. The more powerful stations always trump me when it comes to DX but while I'd rather make the contest DX Q, it's part of the game I chose to play, I could turn on the amp and I know if I hear them, I can

Re: Topband: Band opening?

My logging software is Logic9, it's not free and has just one author to make changes as he deems fit. It has a spot log feature that is very well done. It does takes a bit of time to set the software up exactly how and to what you want to be notified about but it will give a real time audible

Re: Topband: Band opening?

Bill, Spot Collector, a program in the free DXLab Suite, can do this. It is capable of collecting spots from up to four internet sources simultaneously and displaying them on the screen in real time. It has extensive filtering capabilities so you could set a filter for 160 spots from NA East

Re: Topband: Band opening?

* Thanx Les...looks like a great piece of software. I downloaded and installed it, but cannot get it to access the internet...claims "can't access internet".** **I examined my firewall to see if it's rejected, then even turned it of to see if that would work...no luck.**I'm working on it.

Re: Topband: Band opening?

On 1/3/2016 7:00 AM, K4OWR wrote: Now that I have your attention Is there any method anyone knows of to receive email or a text message when there is DX present on 160 meters? I subscribe to several, but none of them seems to include 160 in the "notification" check box. Perhaps we

Re: Topband: Band opening?

On 1/3/2016 8:08 AM, Tree wrote: Another option is the VE7CC software. It can sniff through spots and send you a message or announcement on your computer. http://www.bcdxc.org/ve7cc/ccc/cluster.htm Couldn't get this to work with my email. Rick N6RK _ Topband Reflector

Topband: Band opening?

Now that I have your attention Is there any method anyone knows of to receive email or a text message when there is DX present on 160 meters? I subscribe to several, but none of them seems to include 160 in the "notification" check box. Perhaps we could create one? I know this group

Re: Topband: Band opening?

Another option is the VE7CC software. It can sniff through spots and send you a message or announcement on your computer. http://www.bcdxc.org/ve7cc/ccc/cluster.htm This might only be a 32 bit program. Tree N6TR On Sun, Jan 3, 2016 at 7:50 AM, K4OWR wrote: > * Thanx

Topband: New Noise

Greetings, Approximately ten days ago, I experienced increased noise primarily on 160 meters. After troubleshooting my HI-Z 4 square, I found that the noise was coming from the NW and is being introduced in to the 4 el array making it useless to hear weak signals. I also have a 100 meter DXE

Re: Topband: New Noise

Hi Bob, It has been my experience that plasma TV's are usually quiet in the middle of the night. For instance, today my neighbors began getting up around 07:30L and the noise floor quickly increased. The buzz seems to be the worst between 1820 and 1830KHz . 73 Art NK8X On Sun, Jan 3, 2016 at 8:06

Re: Topband: New Noise

Bob, I had a horrendous noise which peaked at about 2mHz but covered the band even down to the AM radio portion. The noise sounded like a buzz saw with distinct peaks and valley across 160 meters. So I cut the main breaker in the house (rig still works with big UPS system) a the noise was

Re: Topband: New Noise

A relatively new source of RF noise is solar panel installations. These are becoming more widespread and I'm now hearing multiple reports of solar panel noise from other hams in my area. The culprit seems to be the power inverters that use high speed switching circuits and radiate through the

Re: Topband: Band opening?

Rick, Thanks for sharing the text message info. I use DXWatch and will give it a try. Will be great to get a text on spots I need. ! 73, Bob K6UJ On 1/3/16 8:21 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote: On 1/3/2016 7:00 AM, K4OWR wrote: Now that I have your attention Is there any method

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

The Stew Perry contest is one of the better ones but I agree with Larry and Joe. Contests tend to take over the band and interferes with other form of operation such as DX'ing, QRP and probably Digital operators. What is missing is that we don't have a "WARC" type MF band which is free of

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

I guess one point that needs to be kept in mind - if you add up the contests that have an impact to normal DX operation - it probably is about 10 nights a year. In some of these contests - I have worked DX countries that are not active outside of contests - or have worked new ones in the

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

Your contention that a few hours of a contest "interferes" with DX'ing, QRP, and digital is ridiculous since it provides many more opportunities to pursue those very activities by providing contacts when there is typically very little to behad. I've never noticed any amount of activity,

Re: Topband: New Noise

I inspected the LED lamp and saw a small burned spot. saw something similar with a CFL bulb a few years agohuge s9++ buzz from LF through to low HF. I could hear it all over the neighborhood with a portable SW receiver so... and after several days of DFing and making noise maps of the

Re: Topband: Band opening?

It's news to me that this group is supposed to be for contestors.>> Rick N6RK Seriously I call your attention to the very name of the group: topband@contesting.com BILL _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Band opening?

Seriously, Bill? contesting.com is a domain name, not the name of this list. Take a gander at www.contesting.com to see all the lists hosted under that domain. Larry K5RK -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of K4OWR Sent: Sunday,

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

Nothing beats a bit of context and perspective Plus, I love the increased DX activity a contest brings. Bob AA6VB Sent from my iPhone > On Jan 3, 2016, at 11:03 AM, Tree wrote: > > I guess one point that needs to be kept in mind - if you add up the > contests that have

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

* Excellent! Point made far better than I did** **BILL* On 1/3/2016 2:01 PM, Tree wrote: I guess one point that needs to be kept in mind - if you add up the contests that have an impact to normal DX operation - it probably is about 10 nights a year. In some of these contests - I have

Re: Topband: Using shielded CAT5 data cable as feedline for active antenna; benefits of multi-turn K9AY loop/SAL/etc?

I should have been clearer - all his work is with small loops, typically 1 meter diameter. My interest was in the possibility of improving the performance of my omnidirectional active Skimmer antenna, currently a Clifton Labs 8-ft vertical. Since some of his antennas favor horizontal

Re: Topband: Stew Beef

Bill, I'm not familiar with what you are using on 160m or how often you get on the band, but just because you have never noticed any DX activity on a non-contest weekend does not mean it is not there. There is plenty of DX on Topband when conditions are good. And while a contest might bring