Topband: HFTA, Radio Arcala, general comments

[Jan Erik Holm]

I´ve tried to inquire how it works but it has been awfully
silent from that direction.

I can tell one story, no science in this but for whatever it´s
worth.
During a CQWW CW 160 contest I was sitting on a frequency running
stations, it was around 19Z so I worked lots of Asia JA´s and
stuff. All of a sudden OH8X planted them self 200 Hz from my
frequency (go figure). I didn´t move but stayed on the fq, after
all I have confidence in my antenna and station. I could hear
what they worked and they clearly worked much less JA´s then me,
and I clearly worked more stations per hour. Even if they where
30 over S-9 on my TX antenna I could, thanks to Beverage RX antennas,
copy the stations calling me. At the time my antenna was a 100ft
top loaded vertical over a huge radial field ( about 250 radials).
IMO we would have comparable propagation, OH8X and SM2EKM are situated
at the same latitude but east/west separation is about 125 miles or so.
In any case at that time their 3 el Yagi did not beat my vertical.

This has been a interesting topic to follow. Now back into my hole again.

73 Jim SM2EKM
-----------------------------------------
On 2012-10-25 10:30, Clive GM3POI wrote:
> Yes Gary,  After blowing then away in a CQ 160m Contest by 1m points I
> figured it was rather an expensive lesson they learn.
> I was using my 51ft top loaded vertical and a lot of wire under it. 73 Clive
> GM3POI
>
>
> -----Original Message--
>
> Subject: Re: Topband: HFTA, Radio Arcala, general comments
>
> As I recall they never blew up the receiver here, unlike TF4M, GM3POI, and
> others in that direction from KL7 who were consistently available during
> times of low absorption over the N Pole.
>
> Then again, who knows what antenna array they were using or the ERP when
> heard. I'd still like to know their A/B results as there's something to be
> learned from all that hard work.
>
> 73, Gary NL7Y
>