Topband: 160 meter condx.

[Bill Cromwell]

On 07/27/2013 12:26 PM, Bruce wrote:
> Found QRN was much lower, in mid-coast Maine, Saturday morning about 0330 UTC.
> One very weak signal on my East Beverage turned out to be a very strong stateside station on the West Beverage.
>
> Did hear Luis IV3PRK at 0333 UTC. with a good signal. Was able to work him at 0344 UTC after getting the old linear
> switched and tuned for the band. Better days are coming for QRN sensitive ears.
>
> 73
> Bruce-K1FZ
> _________________
> Topband Reflector
>
Hi,

I think the lower end of 160 is more or less abandoned when there could 
be some QSOs there. I am not having much trouble hearing SSB stations up 
above 1900 anda some a little below that. With a narrower bandwidth CW 
should be easier. Some of the SSB stations I can hear are reporting 
their power output at 100 watts or even less. I do not have a world 
beater station here on 160 and i won't have unless I move back out of 
town onto acreage again. But I can work stations in the great lakes area 
and most of the time in the eastern US and Canada. Sometimes I can hear 
the DX stations. I tried some antenna stuff on 160 a day or two ago and 
tried some on air tests. Apparently the RBN stations abandon 160 for the 
"off season", too. They didn't hear anybody in North America and never 
mind about just my own modest station. The tricks did work for me on 80 
where there is also a lot of QRN. I got through okay there for an hour 
long chat with a fellow only as far away as Ohio (abt 400 miles) with 
about 30 watts output. So what if Ohio isn't DX?

Most of the trouble in summer on 160 is lack of use. I'll keep trying 
when I can get near the radios and call CQ for a while around about 1825 
(give or take a few).

73,

Bill  KU8H