Topband: HS72B.. the saga continues

[wb6tza at socal.rr.com]

Tonite was different- or more rather typically unusual.  ALL signals we heard from NA were heard on a very noisy low dipole-  Just as at XZ0A, except there the dipole was QUIET.  Typically at XZ0A the signals would move slowly over to the beverages over the first 1-1.5 hours.  Tonite we never saw the move to the beverages.  When the signals faded away on the dipole, that was the end.  The signals we heard and couldn’t make out over the hour or so after JI/LRL/ZV all were heard on the dipole- indicating high angle rx – very high angles - as the beverages are only one half wave & so have a pretty high lobe.  Once the signals either faded out or became covered in noise, we never heard even a hint of a signal from NA again.  Dietmar made the early contacts, I was on for the later part.  We called regularly for a long time and never heard anything.  We did announce a QRX that lasted about 20 minutes- did anyone notice the QSX change to 29?  When I came back, JT1CO was on 20.5, so 
I switched to 29.  Called for a long time, heard nothing at all.  Did have 2 ops listening on totally different receivers for a while, didn’t seem to help as there weren’t any audible signals to pick out..  We will continue to have a second set of ears whenever we can.. too few ops.

I listened to Bills recording of our signal…  if we heard signals anywhere near that well we would have a couple hundred NA QSOs in the log by now.  Only the top gun JAs are louder than that here. ( OBTW, when we listen on 20.5 or similar, we are not being bothered by JAs calling.. we hear only one or two call per evening during the NA dark period)

Yesterday didn’t go quite as scheduled, Dietmar filled in until I got back from Bangkok abt 15Z…. went yesterday and today to the parts “bazaar” in Bangkok –they have everything, but it is a 3 hour taxi round trip plus time finding the parts. We think we have enough to fix Toms PA & for me to finish several other fixits.. if I can stay awake long enough to use them.

There are 2 broken calls in the log.. I think.  W7KA from today & KH6WO from 2 days ago..

Planning to add another low dipole where it may be quieter, and possibly a closed horizontal loop…. Running out of options.. we hear sorta OK when the growling buzz is not on… that’s probably the best we can do as there are so many noise sources in the region. 

We will be on full time across the weekend & will call folks we hear.  Not being able to tell where the CQ machines are sitting, we will have to take our chances CQing. We are not allowed above 25 so we cant use the DX window..  so, we will probably continue with 15.5.

I read Bill relay post of the 9N7BCC situation & I empathize with him. I also am reluctant to beat a dead horse too long when the noise is making it impossible for even the top guns to be heard.  We dont appear to be quite as bad off as they are, but not by much.  I'll look, but I think the SSB bandwidth noise is about S9 at noon on 160 and S6 on 80 on the TX antennas

Some questions about 80, it’s a completely independent station with full & independent access to the same rx antennas, TX is a single quarter wave vertical .  We will continue to run on 80 all the time.  Considering adding radials.  Doubt we will put the second vertical back up at this point.

73

robin, dietmar & crew