Topband: phantom click cop

[Ron Feutz]

Topbanders,

Twice in the last 4 nights I have been told by an anonymous station that I 
had clicks "10 kc wide".  He wouldn't ID when requested.

After the first incident, I immediately worked another station who was 
calling CQ, and he said I had typically "hard" Omni 6+ keying, but no 
clicks that he could hear (I was 20 over at his place).

Last night, while working some DLs with my new (brand new-post click mod) 
K2/100 as the exciter, the phantom cop came on again with the same 
message.  A few minutes later he did the same to Bob, VE3OSZ, who runs low 
power, and is a fixture on 160 CW.  I called Bob and told him of my 
experience so he wouldn't worry about it.

After this experience, I set up the Omni 6+ as a test receiver with a 
little hunk of wire for an antenna.  RF gain was all the way up and both 
250 hz filters engaged.  I turned up the power on the K2 (barefoot) until 
the Omni S meter was at 20 over, and then keyed dits at 20 WPM while I 
checked the side bands with the Omni.  The keying actually sounded "soft" 
on the Omni and I could hear absolutely no clicks on either side of the 
audible signal.  I don't know if the test is valid, but it made sense to 
me.  If I should try something else, let me know.

If I have clicks, I want to know.  In three years with the Omni 6+ (high 
serial #, bought new Jan. 2000 and driving Alpha 89) operating almost all 
major contests and DX'ing regularly on 160, I have never had a click report.

If this fellow keeps annoying topbanders with his (presumably bogus) click 
reports, it would be interesting for some of you guys with lots of narrow 
RX antennas to DF him and compare notes.  Maybe we could figure out who he 
is.

73,

Ron - WA9IRV