Topband: How do we get more people on Topband?

[David Hollander]

I am not new to 160 but new to this reflector. I have really enjoyed 
reading everyone's comments.

The comments about transatlantic and transpacific DX tests prompted me 
to reply.

I got on 160 in 1968 in high school in southern California with a 6L6 
transmitter that I built with a VFO that I also built. Had a Gonset G-66 
mobile receiver which had 160 as the top end of the BCB with less than 
1/4 inch of the dial. The antenna was a Hygain HyTower with no radials. 
They were still having transpacific and transatlantic DX tests in the 
late 60's. I think these were sponsored by Stew Perry W1BB who was still 
very active at that time. This was during the days of LORAN and the band 
being split up into 25 kHz segments. I managed to work a JA during one 
of the transpacific DX tests which was pretty exciting back than. Their 
was not a lot of activity back than and very few JA's operated on 160.

I am also on a small city lot in the center of Phoenix with horrendous 
noise despite having underground utilities. My ambient noise receiving 
on my vertical is S9+10. Despite that I managed to work 98 countries 
using the vertical for receive. Put up a pennant receiving antenna a few 
weeks ago and worked my 99th and 100th country the first night and am 
now up to 106. I am running a KW and the antenna is a 72 ft base loaded 
vertical which is also my 75/80 and 40 meter antenna.

I have been operating the low bands from a small lot as long as I have 
lived in Arizona which is 37 years. I published a vertical antenna 
article in QST many years ago titled "A Big Signal from a Small Lot". I 
have had phased verticals on 80/75 from a small lot using 1/4 wave 
spacing with great success in the past. The antennas phased have been 
HyTowers, homebrew 65ft verticals and I even tried it with a pair of 
Hustler 5BTV's on 75. I have managed to work over 285 countries on 75/80 
and now that I can hear a bit better am going to concentrate on 160.

The vertical I am using has an elevated ground system. My vertical is 6 
feet off the ground mounted to the side of my house. I have a flat roof 
so the ground system is on the roof about 4 feet above the base of the 
vertical. The ground system is a chicken wire ground screen that is only 
20 feet long and 6 feet wide. Where I live in Phoenix is on rock. I 
attempted to put in a ground rod and hit rock 12 inches down no matter 
where I tried.

Hope to work you all on 160!

73,

Dave N7RK

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Dave  N7RK          Boatanchors Home Page: http://members.cox.net/n7rk
Phoenix, Arizona         *DXCC Honor Roll*    *WAZ#22 - 75 Meter SSB*

ex-XE2/N7RK, N7RK/ZB2, VK2ERK, ZM0AJN, WB6NRK, WN6IWX

Boatanchor and Antique Radio Collector