TopBand: Update from 9M0C

[Bill Tippett]

160 (de G3XTT) 


We keep at it, but continues to be tough. Even the JAs now are down in the
noise (we've worked
the loud ones). Last night we managed to work about 40 W.Coast boys. We'll
keep hanging in there
(600 QSOs on 160 is, we consider, a pretty good 160 total after just a few
days of op'n - if we
weren't being heard so well we'd probably get fewer brickbats - maybe we
should reduce power,
hi!). I consider 14 G QSOs on 160 (and 190 EU in total) to be astounding in
the circumstances.
Wish I was at home to work it ... Think the QRN is bad (on days it has been
a problem even up to
10MHz) because the monsoons didn't come this year and clear the air (Sabah
is tinder dry, with
forest fires breaking out). The location itself is very quiet electrically.
The static, however, is
continuous, not crashes, and comes from all round the compass. We continue
to work on various rx
antennas, but most suggestions seem to assume we have local noise, and
that's not actually the case.
Has anyone out there solved this kind of problem? Thanks also to Bill W4ZV
for his report. 




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