Topband: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS

[K4OWR]

:::: Thanks Mark. I may have overstated it's bandwidth. It does however 
play well up to 1.9 (2:1)
, and happily, my amplifier (AL82) seems to match fairly easily.
I also did not mention that so far I have only put out 5 radials....my 
goal was to eventually get out at least 25 and more if I can in the 
spring, but it's tedious even with the little power trencher I bought 
for the purpose.
BILL K4OWR

On 12/5/2015 5:43 PM, Mark Lunday wrote:
> Bill, a question about your 160 meter antenna.  I have learned from the wise
> old-timers on this message board that a vertical antenna with broad-banded
> behavior is a lossy antenna.  Same with a vertical antenna that shows 1:1
> match.
>
> Verticals with good efficiency have sufficient ground radials/counterpoise
> and present approx 30 ohms impedance and therefore do not provide a 1:1
> match (I think it's about 1.5:1 or something like that).  In addition, the
> efficient verticals are not broad-banded.  Dipoles yes, verticals no.  Also,
> if your antenna is not a vertical on 160, then as you know it will be an
> even bigger challenge to work DX on TopBand.
>
> Please share more details?
>
> Mark Lunday, WD4ELG
> Greensboro, NC  FM06be
> wd4elg at arrl.net
> http://wd4elg.blogspot.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: K4OWR [mailto:k2owr at comcast.net]
> Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2015 2:41 PM
> To: Mark Lunday; topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS
>
> :::: Ok. That explains my experience in so few DX contacts. I'll change that
> immediately; although I do enjoy ragchewing with other similar interest
> hams. I find CW cumbersome for that since it breaks down simple conversation
> into one letter at a time; but the weak signal benefits are huge.
> Now all I have to do is commit to going up to the shack (about 150' up the
> hill) in the relative dark and cold much later in the evening, or as you
> guys recommend before sunrise.
> I do not leave the heat on up there so it will be very cold here on a
> Tennessee morning :-) In the meantime I look forward to working you guys and
> will fire up between 1820-1840 from now on. My antennas are set for 1:1 swr
> at about
> 1860 but are fairly broad for some lucky reason. I do not use antenna
> tuners, especially on 160 where I find them to be a fire hazard with my big
> amp :-)))) Thanx for all the terrific info!!
> BILL K4OWR
>
>