Topband: How do we get more people on Topband?

[F8BPN]

Hi All,

How to get more people on Top Band, that's just an as big question as how to 
get more people interested in amateur radio.
But it is another problem.
When you are talking with others radioamateurs about DXing on Top Band, or 
just using this band as many are using the others amateurs band, many will 
answer that it is not possible for them, they don't have space enough to put 
up an antenna, they don't have enough power....
Of course every one knows that larger your antennas are and more power you 
have, the better will be your station and its performances, but if you 
cannot have such a nice set up, you can still have a lot of fun on Top Band.
The first thing is to try to put up something which will work on this band. 
There are verticals, Inverted L, these antennas are not very large and does 
not take so much space. Of course if you just have a balcony, forget it!
Second thing, even you just run barefoot, you can do a lot, and even work DX 
on Top Band.
I am working on Top band since 2000, I just work with an inverted L and not 
much power, far less than 1K, but I have been working barefoot for long time 
and I have been working a lot of stations into the States, the far west I 
contacted was N0AH in WY, but many QSO was done every days with east coast 
and Canada, I worked VP8SDX (Falklands Isl), all Europe, and even worked 
several times VK6HD.
I had by then, no amplifier, no receiving antennas, but I was still keeping 
calling CQ. Now I improved a bit the station, I have an amplifier, a K9AY as 
receiving antenna, but still using the same inverted L, and I am very 
statisfied with it. I have worked last week my DXCC #200 on 160 m with 
FT5GA. Ok, John ON4UN told me one day, "Mau the first 200 are easy, then it 
gets hard...!!!" Of course he was teasing me, but he must be right. I think 
I have again a few countries quite easy to work, as long as there is an 
activity.
I worked all continents,  I just need one last Zone with N°31 to complete my 
WAZ, ID and HI to complete WAS.
All that to show that with a limited set up, you can have fun on this band, 
and that the most important is to try a start one day.
It is how I am talking about 160 m with others french Hams during meetings. 
I think since 2000, we are more and more here in the country who are working 
on Top Band.

Moreover, there are many other reasons to love this band because it is 
unlike any other. This is its charm.

It's like in real life, should never be too pessimistic, but always 
optimistic, you must try before to say it doesn't work or it isn't possible. 
Never say to anyone that to work on this band you absolutely need hell a lot 
of equipment.

Beside that, not big activity last night for me during the Stew Perry warm 
up, only a few QSO here and there, I'll be there for the real one at the end 
of december.
See you on the band.

73/88 de F8BPN, Mau
f8bpn at wanadoo.fr
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/ph-martin/f8bpn