Topband: 160m LP to LP DX contacts in 2015

[Tom W8JI]

> In order for us to respond to your allegations you will need to provide 
> support evidence.  We will need details on his actual antenna 
> configuration, was he using a counterpoise of some sort,  is he on a hill, 
> how close is he to the water ?  Do you have proof that he was running more 
> than 5 watts ?
> Comparing his results to your test is meaningless, there are too many 
> variables to consider.

While a list like this isn't the place for accusations, I'd like to offer 
some common sense on this because it goes broadly to the actual topic.

It is difficult to tell power level of people running poor antennas. A 
coaxial dipole actually has loss over a normal dipole and is no better for 
receiving, and we all know a low dipole is generally not good except special 
times.

A low dipole, however, can be surprisingly good at certain times. During 
band peak at sunrise or sunset, it can be competitive or above a tall very 
good vertical. The same is true during geomagnetic storms.

Back in the 60's, before everyone knew a lot about antennas, many stations 
used low power and dipoles and had impressive DX. But to be sure, it took 
months and years to work the DX. Very few people could run DX, it was doing 
good to work even a half dozen DX stations in hours of great effort.  For 
me, it was good to work one or two DX in an entire evening. It took many 
years, not just a contest weekend or two, to work DXCC on 160.

This was partly because of lack of stations, but mostly because people used 
poor antennas and low power. Even high power, prior to the early 1980's, was 
a kilowatt input or about 600 watts output. A California kilowatt was 
something like a 4-1000A....which could really only make 1300 watts or so 
output normally in grounded grid, and 2 kW out if totally hammered.

If we look back at the TIME spent and the equipment and power levels, it all 
makes sense. No one ever had runs of 160 DX consistently even as late as the 
70's. It wasn't until 1500 watts and Beverages became normal that we were 
spoiled.

It is very easy to tell 5 watts from 500 because it is 20 dB, but it gets a 
little rough to tell 5 from 50. 10 dB (or even more) is easily in antenna 
and location differences even when close to the same area.

If a low dipole stands out from other similar or better antennas by a whole 
bunch, and it consistently better over a long period of time, it is not 
because it is a "special" dipole or "special" location. We know that because 
it is 1960's technology, and back in the 60's using that technology of low 
power and generally crappy antennas DX QSO's were rare and very difficult.

Antenna technology, noise, and QRM has made the spread in performance 
difference between locations much greater.

73 Tom