I understand that I have to improve my RX antennas as currently I find the TX
antenna is better on RX that both of my current RX antennas, While I get a good
reduction in noise floor on the RX antenna's the DX just isn't workable on them
The TX antenna is 55ft of Aluminum Tube It tapers from 2.25" to 1" at the top,
I have 2 top loading wires each 50ft long tied off to Tall trees in the
distance,
The ends of the top loading wires are approximately 45ft high, I'm using a 4"
diameter coil double tapped to get Resonance and to match the feedline to
50ohms,
I have currently 48 radials mostly between 15-25m long, I hope to improve this
greatly in the spring before the grass starts to grow again,
RX antennas are a Wellbrook loop and a 450ft Beverage pointing NE for JA/OC
I need to put something up for NA and hope to do this over the holiday period
ready for CQ160 in the new year,
Thanks
Trevor
EI2GLB
----- Original Message -----
From: donovanf@starpower.net
To: "MR TREVOR DUNNE" <ei2glb@eircom.net>
Cc: Gary@ka1j.com, "topband List" <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, 7 December, 2017 15:22:26
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160
Hi Trevor,
Please share with us the details of your antenna and ground system
Better transmit performance should be achievable
73
Frank
W3LPL
----- Original Message -----
From: MR TREVOR DUNNE <ei2glb@eircom.net>
To: Gary@ka1j.com
Cc: ''''''topband List'''''' <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Wed, 06 Dec 2017 18:44:36 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160
Running 1kw to a 55ft top loaded vertical over a decent radial field I found
many many stations that I could hear quiet well that could not hear me, it's
very disheartening,
Is it my system or there's that's not working.
I'm already planning improvements for next year to try to improve my tx
performance,
Trevor
EI2GLB
----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Smith <Gary@ka1j.com>
To: topband@contesting.com
Sent: Sun, 03 Dec 2017 21:25:26 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: Topband: ARRL 160
This is the first major contest that I
have taken part in a while, at least to
the extent I actually put a real effort
into it. Its taken a bit to get back in
the game after my friend Pat became a SK
this year. That said, I almost matched my
score from two years ago when the band
conditions were for me, far better for DX
than this weekend.
I was running QRP with a less than ideal
antenna yet still managed 535 QSOs. It was
frustrating to hear so much DX and not be
able to have them hear me. I'm guessing I
must've heard at least 15 countries that I
didn't work. When running QRP on 160, you
have to go for low hanging fruit. I'm sure
it's the same for everyone.
I was grateful that there weren't any
storms happening locally this time and for
the most part bands were pretty quiet.
AMTRAK had its way with me at the Gray
lines what with commuter trains running at
that time but being a weekend made their
schedule a little easier.
One of the surprises was when K7RAT called
me Sunday Morning so at least my QRP
signals were getting up to Boring, Oregon.
The band must've been good because his
signals were truly marvelous here as well,
one of the loudest & cleanest signals on
the band and he heard me with no trouble.
If that was you at the helm, thank you
Tree for the multiplier!
Sunday morning at Gray line was really
something beautiful to see on the P3. 1/2
hour before there may have been 50-70
people CQing and then the waterfall became
a Kaleidoscope with the band packed with
people as tight as sardines up to 1875 or
so. It's obvious when the band changes and
the atmospheric noise is visualized as
color in motion, in two dimensions. If you
haven't seen the morning Gray line on a
waterfall during a 160 contest, you're
missing something interesting.
Hope all had fun.
73,
Gary
KA1J
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