Topband: Lightning QRN season?

[Mike Waters]

On Wed, Jul 24, 2013 at 4:26 PM, ZR <zr at jeremy.mv.com> wrote:

> I would think that with optimized F/R for your Beverages that at least one
> path would be somewhat quiet.
>

They do indeed sometimes help reduce the QRN from some thunderstorms,
particularly if they are in a nearby state (higher angle) and perpendicular
to the desired direction. But they are only 580' (1λ on 160 and a 3 dB
beamwidth of 90 degrees). And I do have one Beverage that seems to have a
degraded F/B ratio, and I need to go out there and check it out.

What I need are longer Beverages. I could put up 900' Beverages in some
directions here.
Or better yet, two parallel Beverages staggered end-fire, if it's practical
to do that and still have them bi-directional.


> I was on 160 AM for a few hours last eve and QSO's out to 300-450 miles
> was good copy with stations at the 100W level at both ends. Northern Maine,
> Buffalo, WPA, and others were worked with ... 100W ...
>

It seems that your part of the country generally has less lightning in the
evenings lately, according
http://www.intellicast.com/Storm/Severe/Lightning.aspx which I check daily.

I guess I'm just too impatient. I was hoping someone would reply to my
original question with something to the effect of "it is reasonable to
expect a few days per month with no lightning in the USA beginning around
the third week of August", but I realize that was just wishful thinking.

I was able to finish my legal limit amplifier only two weeks before the QRN
really began, and it never let up (at least in the evening, when I am most
active) for a single day so far. So, I'm really anxious to see what the
possibilities are from this QTH with the new amp, the inverted-L, and the
two bi-directional Beverages.

73, Mike
www.w0btu.com