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Re: Topband: 3C0L (FCP)

To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: 3C0L (FCP)
From: Mike VE3CKO <ve3cko@interpc.ca>
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2017 14:02:47 -0400
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
ok, the details. The vertical originally was an 80m vertical comprising of a 20' 2" OD mast with a 40' spiderbeam mounted on it. Three 14 gauge wires were attached to the mast fastened along the spiderbeam, about 17' up the spiderbeam there was a loading coil made from 1/4" copper tubing and then the 3 lengths of 14 ga wire to the top of the spiderbeam. Worked pretty good on 80m with the K2AV FCP.  While soldering the wires on each end of the loading coil, I did this when it was fastened to the spiderbeam. This was a mistake as the heat must have damaged the spiderbeam at that point. It lasted just a few months, the spiderbeam snapped at the point. So what was left was the 20' aluminum mast and 3 x 14ga solid copper wire supported by about 17' of what is left of the spiderbeam.

This is nothing special, no majic certainly nothing resonant on 160m but as a receiving antenna it is a good 3 S-units less noise and other noise from what must be plasma spikes or whatever in the surrounding neighborhood are also dramatically reduce. CW and LSB too noisy to hear are very readable.

Using a Flexradio 6700 the noise floor on inverted-L is at the minimum S-7, with this vertical/K2AV FCP  it's just under S-4. I must also note, my homemade 80m double bazooka works well for a receive only antenna for 160m  about S 3.5 and it is directional so it pull out state-side station better than the vertical. I do have an Antenna Genius 8 x 2 that does make it easier to play around with various antennas.

I've had some good success in the past with my Flexradio 5000 using diversity on this band but have yet to play around with diversity with this vertical.  Still too much noise to hear anything across the pond, a move out to the country should help with that, we'll see.

73, Mike Kovacich - VE3CKO

On 10/22/2017 12:04 PM, marsh@ka5m.net wrote:
Hi Mike,

I'm very interested in your 160M receive antenna and any details you would
be willing to share.

My only 160M antenna is a bent inverted L with a loading coil in the center
of the vertical section, and one elevated radial. I live in a residential
neighborhood and my noise level is so high I could not hear 3C0L on 160M.

But, I did work 3C0L on 80M using a slightly loaded 80M vertical and FCP for
both Tx and Rx.

73,
Marsh, KA5M


-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike
VE3CKO
Sent: Sunday, October 22, 2017 8:42 AM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: 3C0L (FCP)

I've got 3C0L on 17m, 15m and 12m but the challenge is as always top band. I
have an inverted-L with just a couple radials at this time.
Noise floor at my QTH in the city is just so high with the inverted-L and
could not hear 3C0L but when I switch to an experimental vertical setup
which right now is just a 20' 2" aluminum mast on a 4 x 4 post 8'
high with a K2AV FCP (80m), 3C0L was very readable much of the night.
Using the 20' vertical as a receive antenna and the inverted-L as the
resonant tx antenna even with the help of an Alpha 87A, I too was
unsuccessful when he was making stateside and the odd VE contacts. I did
spend too much time during time frame he was working the EU. I blame the
lack of radials.

If we end up staying at this QTH I will certainly try a 160m folded
counterpoise.

73, Mike Kovacich - VE3CKO


On 10/17/2017 12:29 PM, Charlie Young wrote:
My station has not been configured for Topband for this season yet.  All
rx antennas are disconnected/removed and my inverted L has not been
inspected yet.  Usually the elevated radials need maintenance after the
summer if the wire is still up.
I saw 3C0L spotted for some time but did not listen because of the antenna
situation.   After finally deciding to listen, the station on 1821 was so
strong there was no way it could be 3C0L.  But it was.  I thought it was a
NA signal.
Found that my inverted L VSWR was good, which indicated the antenna was
still up and the elevated radials were still intact.  The pileup was big and
wide, but he seemed to be working folks above 1830 so we parked on a
frequency and started calling.  Glad to work him for a new 160 Challenge
point.
Great operator and signal.  For the time I was listening he was at least 2
S units above my noise, many times peaking over S9 on my inverted L.
Whatever he was running sure did the job on Topband, plus he was hearing
well also.
GL in the chase.

73 Charlie N8RR

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