Topband: Getting started on 160

W2RU - Bud Hippisley W2RU at frontiernet.net
Sat Jun 28 07:33:47 EDT 2008


jsloss wrote:
> Am contemplating trying top band this fall/winter with a goal toward
chatting, WAS,  and some DX.  Antenna likely will be an inverted L....The
160m station will be vintage gear.

Make sure your "vintage gear" isn't generating key clicks.  There's no
quicker way to become "persona non grata" on topband than to be taking up
excess bandwidth with your rig's keying transients -- especially if you're
loud!

Before next fall's 160 season gets underway, have a nearby 160 operator with
a discerning ear listen for clicks and other spurious emissions on both
sides of your transmit frequency during the daytime.  Remember -- your
exciter may be clean but your amp may *add* clicks.  Or....your exciter may
be "clicky" to begin with.  Operators of vintage rigs (especially exciters
like the old Heath DX-100) and amplifiers that haven't been upgraded to
include shaped and time-sequenced keying are prime candidates for punishment
with the Wouff-Hong and Rettysnitch.

Bud, W2RU 
 





More information about the Topband mailing list