Re: Topband: Lack of DX CW Activity

[Renee K6FSB <k6fsb.1@gmail.com>]

80 is now next useless in the city of American canyon, california...20 
to 30 over noise.....I gave up.
still ok in the foothills on 5 acres....now need time to get the 
antennas back up, other things more pressing.
73
Renée
K6FSB

On 1/5/24 3:37 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:
> Noise is up.
> 80 is becoming the new 160!
>
> Also, it is noise that is driving a lot of ops onto FT8.
> Another contributor is RBN! While RBN is great tool, most RBN RX 
> antennas are poor on 160. Those that rely on a quick scan of RBN for 
> 160 meter activity will incorrectly assume that the band is dead.
> In the past 10 years noise has gone up by something like 10 dB in many 
> areas. What worked 10 years ago, no longer works today. We need to 
> learn to live with it. Invest in better RX antennas and other noise 
> reduction techniques. (Petition the FCC to increase the power limit by 
> 10 dB :-)
> And keep calling CQ!
> 73,
> George,
> AA7JV
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, 5 Jan 2024 19:06:33 -0000 "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:
> > Hi Steve
> >
> > Yes, I appreciate the path to you from Britain is very different (and 
> > seems
> > poor at present).
> >
> > I'm not on as regularly at OK1CF . . . but sometimes we are both on
> > together, calling CQ DX endlessly, and getting no replies (despite 
> > decent
> > RBN reports)
> >
> > I tend to pop on the band a few times during the night and put out a few
> > calls (rather than stay on for hours) . . . and if no replies, just 
> > go back
> > to bed each time.
> >
> > As a result, I rarely wake up again at our Sunrise . . . but even if 
> > I do,
> > there seems to be even less NA activity then (like people aren't 
> > staying up
> > that late) - even though I notice more other Gs coming on at that 
> > time. I
> > suspect it would be a better time to actually work YOU?
> >
> > As I said before, I am amazed at all the effort some people put into 
> > their
> > 160m antenna systems . . . yet rarely come on the band. (I actually 
> > went on 80m SSB last night, and joined Hannes DK1NO working some
> > NA stations . . . he used to be on 160m regularly, but seems to have 
> > given
> > up, again due to lack of activity)
> >
> > Anyway . . . 73 and Happy New Year to all Topbanders !
> >
> > Roger G3YRO
> >
> > _____  Roger,  I agree fully that unless someone is calling CQ, we 
> > will all
> > conclude the band is dead.
> > As Dave said, with the usual very rapid QSB on 160m this is very true.
> >
> > However, regarding conditions.
> > Here at VE6WZ I am almost always watching the band for an opening.  Like
> > virtually every night.
> > Thank goodness for OK1CF and LY7M and a few others making the effort 
> > to call
> > CQ.
> >
> > When I say "always watching the band" I mean that I am ALWAYS 
> > watching the
> > band.
> > Even when watching TV with the XYL, I have a remote session on my iPhone
> > watching the waterfall on the Flex radio.
> > If any of the EU CQs start to bubble up and make a trace....I will 
> > see it
> > and be at the radio.
> > If the band is open to EU I will know it!!
> > That has not happened much this season.  Since September I have only 
> > had 56
> > QSOs with Europe.
> >
> > Secondly, every night I am recording the entire MW (AM BCB) band.
> > I can very quickly review what's happening and see if any trans-polar 
> > EU BCB
> > stations are making it.
> > The usual big guns are Moldova Vesti on 1413 kHz, Lithuania Baltic 
> > 1386 kHz
> > and sometimes the UK on 1053, and occasionally the Ukraine and Romania.
> > At times they can be quite strong here.  At those times, I reckon 
> > 160m has a
> > good shot.
> >
> > As Dave said, without making noise there will be limited activity.
> > This season (and last), PART of the reason has been rather poor 
> > conditions
> > for us guys out west on the trans-polar path.
> > Your path to the East Coast is a completely different story.
> >
> > Steve, ve6wz
> > _________________
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> > - Topband Reflector
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