In the day, a number of folks, me included had 160m mobiles, around central U
K in particular. Generally, we used 8ft tank whips on the roof of the car, and
a base loading coil, worked very well.I think a friend of mine did work K1PBW
one morning, on ssb. There is a bridge under a motorway in Birmingham which we
called the DX bridge , when you went UNDER it, signals would be enhanced,
guess re radiating off the oveerhead structure !73 Dave, G3NKC Sent from my
Galaxy
-------- Original message --------From: W3HKK@roadrunner.com Date: 07/01/2024
22:02 (GMT+00:00) To: "'topband@contesting.com'" <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Mobile Operations are great for long trips. And
miraculous on 160m! Yet I worked two mobiles in the latest StewPerry Contest.
Amazing ops!Also, over the years Ive enjoyed qsos with mobile cw ops who
weredriving to and from work. Never ceases to amaze me how they crank outthe cw
at 30 wpm while driving through traffic. Really fun guys towork and chat
with.Franks note also reminded me of back in the '90s when we had a familycondo
in Myrtle Beach for 10 yrs or so. The condo Home OwnersAssociation held its
annual meeting the first weekend in March!!!DXers will know thats the weekend
of the ARRLWW SSB DX Contest. Aftera few 14 hr trips each way, the XYL opted
out, so I had the conversionvan all to myself. We lived in central Ohio ( Ohio
State Buckeye land)so the van colors were scarlet and grey. It was a mighty
impressivelooking van with captains chairs, a bed and TV. The trek to MB was
long and tiring. However, with a mobile rig and anda variety of mobile antennas
for 40-20-15-10m (Both Hustlers and thePerth Outbacker). No amp. Just 100w. The
Hustler stick had a triangleon top allowing three antennas to be attached.
40-20-15 in the lateafternoons/evenings, and 20/15/10 during daytime. The
"mobile rig" was a great xcvr - the FT901dM ( all 70# of it) whichI encased in
a wooden box that sat on the floor in front of the frontpassenger seat. And for
the entire 14 hr drive ( Fri night from 0001ztil I stopped at a motel, then
again Sat morning from sunrise til Ireached my destination, I was in the
contest, changing bands, catchingthe MUF, tuning the rig, and working
JAs-VKs-ZLs-SA-CA-Europe andAfrica. I mean, 14 hrs never went by so quickly. It
was a ball, and Id putbetween 250 and 350 Q's in the log each year. Well, not
quite. I neverkept a log - but I would have loved to look back at one if I had,
andremember the Q's. I just worked them and trusted my memory not to makedupe
contacts. Im sure I did. On night in the rain I pulled into a gas station to
top off thethirsty van tanks. My "impressive" conversion van with antennas
offthe back end and on the roof looked like a porcupine. A car filledwith
teenagers pulled up at a nearby pump and began laughing at it -and me. But I
was having a ball, and actually looked forward to theannual DX Contest from the
Ford conversion van. I only caught the 14 hours on the drive South. Saturday
afternoon wasthe meeting, and Sunday I had other condo matters to attend to.
Aswell as test out the amenities. Then on Mon I would drive back to OH.Talk
about great memories. Those annual DX Contest drives to MB, aswell as many
other 5-8 hr drives to DC and other destinations where Icould tune the bands
while driving the van, or numerous rental cars.(Had installing the rig and
antenna down to a science on rentals! ) The first time I ever worked Franz
Josef Land was while mobiling toDC. He was pounding in on 10m ssb. and I worked
him from each newstate (PA-MD-VA) to make sure I got in his log. But I never
got thatQSL! ( But I got another FJL contact confirmed a few years later.) Even
took some cross country drives to rare WV counties so I couldoperate the County
Hunters Net on 20m. Never did any mobile cw though. Bob
-----------------------------------------From:topband-request@contesting.comTo:
topband@contesting.comCc: Sent: Sunday January 7 2024 12:00:21PMSubject:
Topband Digest, Vol 253, Issue 11 Send Topband mailing list submissions to
topband@contesting.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web,
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replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re:
Contents of Topband digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Lack of DX CW Activity
(Richard (Rick) Karlquist) 2. Re: Lack of DX CW Activity (Frank W3LPL) 3. Re:
Lack of DX CW Activity (Mike Smith VE9AA) 4. Re: Lack of DX CW Activity (Mike
Smith VE9AA) 5. 160 meter report (Mark Lunday) 6. HI-Z 4-8pro 8-circle array
(Andree DL8LAS) 7. AZILOOP (Tracey Gardner)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message:
1 Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2024 09:46:23 -0800 From: "Richard (Rick) Karlquist" To:
Mike Smith VE9AA , topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Lack of DX CW
Activity Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed On
1/6/2024 6:49 AM, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote: > > Bill KU8H > > > > OK, I'll be
very honest and say that I don't really understandposts like > this. > > For
nearly 30 yrs I've run 160m mobile on again/off again (more offthan on) > and
have I think 67 countries on Top Band. > KH6DX/W6 famously worked 100 countries
for his DXCC ... from hispickup truck in SoCal. He had a big fat screwdriver
antenna, and an 800 watt amplifier. He was at liberty to get away from noise
sources, and getup on hills, drive on beaches, drive on dry salt lakes, etc and
not haveto run QRP to keep the neighbors happy. One winter he drove to the N.
Dakota/S. Dakota border and worked the ARRL 160 and had a blast. Hewas plenty
readable on this coast from 2,000 miles away. He even had special QSLs printed.
You mentioned the helically loaded PVC pipe that was published inQST. That may
have worked after a fashion, but an old fashioned loading coil always works
better than helically wound. Your suggestion about top loading wires is right
on, though. 73 Rick N6RK ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Sat, 6
Jan 2024 13:01:48 -0500 (EST) From: Frank W3LPL To: topband Subject: Re:
Topband: Lack of DX CW Activity Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=utf-8 AA1K has worked 51 countries on 160 meters and 275 countries on
allbands from his car using 100 watts and KJ7U screwdriver for 160-6 meters 73
Frank W3LPL ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard" To: "Mike" ,
"topband" Sent: Saturday, January 6, 2024 9:46:23 AM Subject: Re: Topband:
Lack of DX CW Activity On 1/6/2024 6:49 AM, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote: > > Bill
KU8H > > > > OK, I'll be very honest and say that I don't really
understandposts like > this. > > For nearly 30 yrs I've run 160m mobile on
again/off again (more offthan on) > and have I think 67 countries on Top Band.
> KH6DX/W6 famously worked 100 countries for his DXCC ... from hispickup truck
in SoCal. He had a big fat screwdriver antenna, and an 800 watt amplifier. He
was at liberty to get away from noise sources, and getup on hills, drive on
beaches, drive on dry salt lakes, etc and not haveto run QRP to keep the
neighbors happy. One winter he drove to the N. Dakota/S. Dakota border and
worked the ARRL 160 and had a blast. Hewas plenty readable on this coast from
2,000 miles away. He even had special QSLs printed. You mentioned the helically
loaded PVC pipe that was published inQST. That may have worked after a fashion,
but an old fashioned loading coil always works better than helically wound.
Your suggestion about top loading wires is right on, though. 73 Rick N6RK
_________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband [1] -
TopbandReflector ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Sat, 6 Jan
2024 14:13:55 -0400 From: "Mike Smith VE9AA" To: Subject: Re: Topband: Lack
of DX CW Activity Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hey
Rick, Thanks for reminding me of his KH6 call. Yes, I have used a number of
mobile antennas on top band. Each with their own quirks. The last time I was
QRV on Top Band from the car (I think) was theSPTDC (or was it ARRL160?) a few
years back and I ran my big SA-680S mobileantenna on my mini with 4 really long
top loading wires coming down off theregular top hat on this wonderful antenna
to all corners of the car.(normal picon qrz.com) I think I might have worked 1
EU (A G-stn iirc) but heardeven more EU. I think I had to retune the
screwdriver about every 10kc or something like that. I also had an MFJ 100w
tuner in line for onecontest where I was just not getting a good enough match
to make my FT857Dhappy. NA7TB and K7RAT were the big catches. REAL DX for a
mobile stationhere in grid FN66. My whole point of talking about topband mobile
was, if it can be done mobile, then certainly, with some effort & ingenuity ,
you can get a somewhat decent signal out from a home station on a postage
stampsized lot. Thanks ! Mike VE9AA.and occasionally VE9AA/m & other calls.
KH6DX/W6 famously worked 100 countries for his DXCC ... from hispickup truck in
SoCal. He had a big fat screwdriver antenna, and an 800 watt amplifier. He was
at liberty to get away from noise sources, and getup on hills, drive on
beaches, drive on dry salt lakes, etc and not have torun QRP to keep the
neighbors happy. One winter he drove to the N.Dakota/S. Dakota border and
worked the ARRL 160 and had a blast. He was plenty readable on this coast from
2,000 miles away. He even had specialQSLs printed. You mentioned the helically
loaded PVC pipe that was published inQST. That may have worked after a fashion,
but an old fashioned loading coil always works better than helically wound.
Your suggestion about top loading wires is right on, though. 73 Rick N6RK Mike
- Keswick Ridge, NB, Canada ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date:
Sat, 6 Jan 2024 14:16:16 -0400 From: "Mike Smith VE9AA" To: "'Frank W3LPL'" ,
"'topband'" Subject: Re: Topband: Lack of DX CW Activity Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Years ago now, but I worked Jon a few
times when he was mobile on hisway to work and I seem to recall him being a
pretty darn good signalat 1000kms away from here. I think he may have even
worked Japan fromhis Jetta and KJ7U antenna. Maybe he'll see these messages and
comment. Mike - Keswick Ridge, NB, Canada -----Original Message----- From:
Frank W3LPL [mailto:donovanf@starpower.net] Sent: January 6, 2024 2:02 PM To:
topband Subject: Re: Topband: Lack of DX CW Activity AA1K has worked 51
countries on 160 meters and 275 countries on allbands from his car using 100
watts and KJ7U screwdriver for 160-6 meters 73 Frank W3LPL ----- Original
Message ----- From: "Richard" To: "Mike" , "topband" Sent: Saturday, January
6, 2024 9:46:23 AM Subject: Re: Topband: Lack of DX CW Activity On 1/6/2024
6:49 AM, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote: > > Bill KU8H > > > > OK, I'll be very honest
and say that I don't really understandposts like > this. > > For nearly 30 yrs
I've run 160m mobile on again/off again (more offthan on) > and have I think 67
countries on Top Band. > KH6DX/W6 famously worked 100 countries for his DXCC
... from hispickup truck in SoCal. He had a big fat screwdriver antenna, and an
800 watt amplifier. He was at liberty to get away from noise sources, and getup
on hills, drive on beaches, drive on dry salt lakes, etc and not haveto run QRP
to keep the neighbors happy. One winter he drove to the N. Dakota/S. Dakota
border and worked the ARRL 160 and had a blast. Hewas plenty readable on this
coast from 2,000 miles away. He even had special QSLs printed. You mentioned
the helically loaded PVC pipe that was published inQST. That may have worked
after a fashion, but an old fashioned loading coil always works better than
helically wound. Your suggestion about top loading wires is right on, though.
73 Rick N6RK _________________ Searchable Archives:
http://www.contesting.com/_topband [2] - TopbandReflector
------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2024 04:30:24 +0000
From: Mark Lunday To: "Topband@contesting.com" Subject: Topband: 160 meter
report Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Heard but could
not get through to OK1CF @ 0010 UTC. Long QSB from559 down to the noise level.
Worked OH0Z at 0005 UTC. Checked back in at 0430 UTC and signals were barely
audible amid QSB. Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be
wd4elg@arrl.nethttp://wd4elg.blogspot.com [3] SKCC #16439 FISTS #17972 QRP ARCI
#16497 ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2024 09:41:22
+0000 (UTC) From: Andree DL8LAS To: topband reflector Subject: Topband: HI-Z
4-8pro 8-circle array Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Hey
topbanders,? after checking the complete HI-Z 4-8pro 8-circle array I found a
bigmistake. The original delay lines had wrong length, prepared for
85ftdiameter array.Yesterday with help from Lee K7TJR and Dado E74AW Imade new
lines for 113 ft. Nice results in F/B and direction correction. Here two videos
from the new one. Testing with European beacon?and this morning with
signalsfrom KP4AAand W0FLS.https://youtu.be/rIH7sgznWqw?si=YGXYd8L2zO7r9TOQ />
https://youtu.be/Hko87kfIk9A?si=lO0hO4UQwU2vz4RP /> Any more videos at my
homepage? www.dl8las.com? 73 Andy DL8LAS? www.dl8las.com
------------------------------ Message: 7 Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2024 15:45:39 +0000
From: "Tracey Gardner" To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: AZILOOP
Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Interesting
new product https://www.quietradio.co.uk/ /> here are some videos of the
system.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYlWsvS63jS2XaBzzRQ-uoDPAJzaX7jBM /> 73s
Tracey G5VU ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer
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