[TenTec] How to Hear the Weak Ones,

[Bill Tippett]

Hi Lee,

W9OY wrote:

 >Nice show, but do you really think RX choice is not
material, especially for those of us on less than 20
acres (my limiting factor)?

         For receiving weak signals, the RX would be
well down my list.  Most modern receivers have
enough sensitivity and reasonable filtering.  It's
when you have severe external QRM, such as in contests,
that factors such as IMD, BDR and phase noise come into
play.

 >I would be interested in your ordered list of station
characteristics from highest priority to lowest.

 >My guess first on the list of how to hear the weak
ones is location.  Then what?


         Correct but "location" has many different aspects
(remember we are talking 80m and 160m).  My list:

1.  Adequate room for good receiving antennas.
These are far and away the MOST important factor.
By "good", I mean arrays with RDF's >10, and more
like >14.  Small loop antennas (Flag, K9AY, etc) are
more like 8 (even two in-phase is only 10).  See
table 7-47 on page 7-97 of ON4UN's book.

2.  Low man-made noise (power lines, Part 15, etc.)
This is becoming more of a problem for everyone.
I am even beginning to see my noise floor creep up
because of encroachment of civilization and I live
on 40 acres >2 miles from a very small town of 400.

3.  Operator knowledge and experience (maybe #2).

4.  Geographical location (Cape Cod vs North Dakota).
For the low bands, the farther you are from Auroral
Zones the better, especially if they are in line
with paths to prime target areas like Europe.

5.  Proximity to salt water.

6.  "Inside shack" stuff such as RX, headphones,
waterfall displays, etc.

         The real secret to hearing weak signals is 99%
external to the shack.  The trick to hearing them ***in
the presence of strong QRM*** would weight the RX
much higher than the above list, but probably still not
above #1 above (which can significantly reduce QRM).

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV