Topband: Topband and the DX-Window

[Guy Olinger, K2AV]

Herb said: "I can't help but notice the vast difference in high 
quality of operators on 160 compared to ... 40 CW".

Perhaps some portion of "gentleman's band" persists due to issues more 
physical than personality, issues that severely reduce the ham 
population that can show up for a given pileup...

Its really hard to get up 160 antennas that work. I have this 
persistent impression that as actually implemented, most 160m antennas 
stink.

It's the only ham band with a quarter wavelength over one hundred 
feet.

It's hard to do 160m antennas on a quarter acre lot in a metro area 
with the highest available support point at 45'.

The SB-200 and SB-220 do not have 160m on them.

More than other bands, 160m will expose just about any weakness in a 
receiver.

On 160m in the summer levels of QRN are astounding, merely 
band-killing at times during the winter.

Non-intuitive receiving antennas, and learning how they work, are 
required for a lot of desirable contacts.

One must really WORK to get on 160 and be something other than a 
perpetual stompee in a pileup.

73, Guy.





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