Topband: Improve efficiency?

[K9AY]

> On 160 it is often reported that there are people hearing our CQ's and 
> calling that we are not hearing, that's WE'RE NOT HEARING.
> The real secret to top band is being the guy who can always hear and work
> the QRP ops.
K2AV
>
As one of those QRP ops, I've wondered how much I'm hurting myself by
not having any RX antennas yet.
 N4RP

----

Every little improvement in RX capability (antennas, radio, gray matter) 
will help you at any power level -- especially QRP or TX 
antenna/QTH-challenged. Timing your call in a pileup, ridng the waves of 
QSB, taking advantage of spotlight propagation, hearing the DX calling 
beneath a louder "local" station, all depend on your ability to hear what's 
happening on the band.

Being loud is fine, but it's not enough on Top Band. The entire 
communication system requires attention -- RX, TX, propagation, and the ops 
at both ends.

Gary
K9AY