Dick Duccini <blue356@juno.com> wrote:
>Unbelievable - just worked 3B9C on first try at 0050 UTC, about
>half hour after sunset here in Western North Carolina. And, for
>those of you that haven't tried because you don't have the big
>power or big antenna - no problem. Dipole and 100 watts is all I
>have. Just put up a small flag antenna for receiving and that made
>it easier but could still hear him on the dipole a solid 559.
>He peaked at about 0055 but still copy at 0110 UTC.
>73
>Dick - K6VKO
= = = =
Yes, it can be done with low power. I worked 3B9C with 100 Watts
for K1HTV Topband country #190 on 3/24 at 00:52 UTC from my
1/3 acre (55 ft from vertical to property lines in back).
The vertical, although it picks up lots of local QRN, was used
as the receive antenna, as I've done for almost all of the DX
worked from this Maryland QTH.
The key to using the vertical on receive is to tighten up the CW
bandwith as much as possible. Narrow CW filters are used in both
the high IF & low IF in the TS850, and the HI & LO IF slope
controls are adjusted to tighten the received bandwidth even more
to reduce to increase the SNR. It has worked for me for years and
is one of the reasons why I've been able to hear as much of the DX
that has made it into the K1HTV log over the years.
Its not always easy to work Topband DX with low power or QRP.
It takes a combination of skills, luck and persistence. But
most of all you must BELIEVE that you will succeed. If this
last element is missing, you will NOT work the DX that the
'deserving' work, even with higher power.
73 de Rich - K1HTV
k1htv@verizon.net
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