Hi Mike, Captivated pin N connectors for hardline coax fits tightly over the center conductor. Captivated pin N connectors for flexible coax typically has a pin that requires solder. Floating pin N c
NOAA updated its predictions for smoothed sunspot numbers and solar flux through the end of 2022. As of last month, their predictions ended in 2019. Their prediction shows a smoothed sunspot number o
Hi Paul, I'm only the messenger! I'm very suspicious of that NOAA forecast, although its disappointing that there is scant evidence of Cycle 25 activity other than occasional very weak, tiny, very sh
Hi Yuri, There are two types of forecasts... Lucky or wrong. 73 Frank W3LPL -- Original Message -- From: "Yuri Blanarovich" <k3bu@optimum.net> To: "CQ Contest" <cq-contest@contesting.com> Cc: donovan
Hi Jim, A 13-30 DIN connector is like a flange connector used with high power transmitters (e.g., television transmitters and 50 KW AM), but it uses threads rather than a flange. 73 Frank W3LPL -- Or
Hi Stan, A horizontally polarized receiving antenna only 64 feet high on 160 meters will have exceptionally poor performance at the angles you need for DX QSOs. The performance is much worse when bot
The next MIT radio technology presentation at 2230Z today will be "Ionosphere, Shortwave Radio, and Propagation" by Phil Erickson W1PJE at: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWwWW7rc6eKh8xfLl4Pac7W9l54h
Hello Anton, One elevated wire will work, more than one will work much better. Elevated wires must be near resonant length, a good starting point is to make your wire about 125 feet (38 meters) long
Hi Todd, In my opinion you're giving up too easily on your tall antenna. I suggest that you focus more on evaluating its on-the-air performance , and not focus as intently its feed point impedance an
Hi Pete, Unfortunately you've installed your BOG so that the power line is in the near field of your antenna. Antennas fully develop their directive patterns in the far field, not in the near field.
Hi Jeff, I never heard even the slightest trace of V84SAA on topband this morning. I'll be there again starting at 1000Z tomorrow. I started to hear Krassy on 80 meters at 1213Z, 6 minutes after sunr
Simple TDoA techniques are useful for direction finding on non-ionospheric propagation modes, but TDoA-only DF techniques are very unreliable for ionospherically propagated signals A recent example i
Very low solar activity at sunspot minimum makes 40 meters nearly a 24 hour DX band, especially during December and January and especially further north where there are 14 hours or more of darkness.
Hi Iain, Simply use a relay at the base of your inverted-L to disconnect or detune the antenna when you're receiving 73 Frank W3LPL -- Original Message -- Hi, I have limited real estate. I can put up
Similar problem this morning, V84SAA had a strong enough signal from the NW from about 1155-1205Z that a QSO should have been easy, but he just kept calling CQ. Not even a hint that he heard any call
Hi George, Its apparent that times have changed. There's still a large amount of topband CW activity, but today's operators are attracted to contests and working DXpeditions. Casual mid-week CW RTTY
Many topband operators had at least one QSO with the Scout Amateur Radio Club station 3V8SF this season thanks to the efforts of ARAT, the Association des Radio Amateurs Tunisiens and their president
Hi Bill, The current computerized SWPC Solar Cycle Progression product is fatally flawed and an embarrassment to NOAA's scientists. Why they don't have the wisdom to remove it from their web site is
They've drifted only 36 miles downwind -- Original Message -- Maybe not. They seem to be in the middle of a huge storm. Sometimes, it is best to turn downwind/down-sea until things get better. Also,
Update: 0355Z March 27, 2019. We have communicated with our Rebel Pilot Andre (V51B) who Dom called just minutes ago via the Atlantic Tunas satellite phone. The 3Y0I Team and Crew of the Atlantic Tun