My current and only 160 meter antenna is a 160 full-length dipole that is at most 12 feet high. Despite that, and despite running only 100 watts, I do have a lot of fun in the 160 contests.
I've had 700 Qs in one of the 160 contests. In the ARRL cw contest, I did snag one or two EU with this setup, and reliably get Carribian stations. I do get both coasts, and of course the super stations VE6WZ and VE5MX. Incidentally, this is essentially the same dipole that we strung up in Vanuatu for the 2000 CQ WW contest. We didn't work any during the actual contest, but with the call YJ0PD, we did work VE1ZZ, K8MFO and a handful of other stations with 200 watts. So I have nicknamed my dipole as the "Vanuatu Dipole." The team thought I was nuts for proposing that, but getting VE1ZZ silenced criticism. W8LVN On Mon, Jan 13, 2025 at 9:04 AM Mike Smith VE9AA <[email protected]> wrote: > So, this past weekend I pretty much got skunked on Topband as my 160m > inverted L died after the first QSO in the NAQP CW contest and I had no > 160m > backup antenna.(only band I don't currently have a backup for) > > > > About the only thing I would be able to manage as a "backup" antenna here > is > a slightly ends-bent horizontal dipole, but only up 25' (that's roughly > like > having a 20m dipole up ~3.3' if I've done my math correctly.) > > > > Has anyone used a low 160m dipole at only 25'? > > > > Have you worked coast to coast (NA) or any DX? > > > > I know all about verticals, inverted L's etc. I have a yard chock full of > them. I have terrible soil conductivity here, but am at pretty good > height > ASL, so do "OK" on VHF/HF. > > > > My specific question is for a low (cloud warmer) dipole on Topband. > > > > Tnx All! > > > > CU (all of a sudden!) in the next one. > > > > Mike VE9AA "NB" > > > > Mike - Keswick Ridge, NB, Canada > > > > > > Mike - Keswick Ridge, NB, Canada > > > > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > -- --w8lvn-- _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
