Weak signals on 160 are usually not a problem. I'd rather have an old S-40 on a
remote mountain in Montana than a K-3 here with S-8 noise.
Sure there are more guys with K-3s than $10,000 7800s, bet most are married.
You can only work a weak station if he has a good antenna, 160 isn't like 6m or
2m where low noise preamps help. It is amazing how many S-9 stations needed
repeats on my call when other very weak guys in MN and MT would answer 1st
time. It takes a pretty good location to have internal receiver noise a factor
in hearing weak signals on 160.
In the contest weak stations faded S-1 to S-9, calling them when they were on
the top of the QSB is probably a better idea than spending $10,000 on a radio
and hoping it will make a difference.
I installed an INRAD filter in my PRO III after the first night. Big difference
working weak stations next to strong but not really a magic bullet to hear
downtown Europe from So Cal. I worked a bunch of EU, AF, PAC last year, nothing
good this year.
Hearing the good DX is always a problem because as soon as it is posted to the
internet, some big gun calls CQ on that frequency, I noticed that a lot in CQWW
and the 160 contest..... great way to win !!! hi hi
I've done the 160 contest when it was paper logging and I think this was the
worst year for 1, 2 and 4s ever. Didn't stay up late or get up early because
things seemed lousy.
269 QSOs 565 Pts 75 Secs = Weak Score of 42,375
Thanks to all that stayed with me
Rick, N6PE ORG CA
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I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay checks.
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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