Topband: ARRL 160

[Clive GM3POI]

Trevor, The good news it is relatively not difficult for you to work 200. By
tracking Dxpeditions and being capable of receiving. Beyond that things get
difficult, or at least certainly over 250. This only applies to EU (You).
Unfortunately noise is likely to be the killer of what's left of 160 in EU
as well as anyone else using some of the mass produced noise generators. 73
Clive GM3POI

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of MR TREVOR
DUNNE
Sent: 08 December 2017 20:24
To: donovanf at starpower.net
Cc: topband List
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160

Thanks everyone for the replies, unfortunately I only have the small space I
have available to me, So I will have to try my best to get the most I can
out of what I have,

If it was easy it would be no fun as the say,

My current system has netted me over 40 new DXCC's in the last few weeks to
bring my tally to over 100 so my goal to achieve DXCC is reached, I just
need to confirm them all now, I will also continue to add to my tally but
the pressure is off now,

160 was my 10th band to achieve DXCC on, Time to think about 2m EME in the
future

73
Trevor
EI2GLB

----- Original Message -----
From: donovanf at starpower.net
To: "topband List" <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, 7 December, 2017 20:35:18
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160

Hi Trevor, 


I looked at your QRZ.COM page and I'm concerned that your tower and Yagis
may be degrading the performance of your nearby 160 meter vertical. It can
contribute unwanted nulls and unwanted ground loss. What is the height of
your tower to the top of your mast? 


Small loop antennas ("magnetic loops") such as the Wellbrook are great for
nulling local RFI, but they're low performance receiving antennas for DXers
as you've discovered. Beverages are very effective receiving antennas but
their directivity will be degraded by a nearby 160 meter vertical and
perhaps your tower too. 


Its will take a great deal of wire to improve your existing radial system
even marginally, perhaps four times more wire than in your current radial
system. 


73
Frank Donovan
W3LPL 





----- Original Message -----

From: "MR TREVOR DUNNE" <ei2glb at eircom.net>
To: donovanf at starpower.net
Cc: Gary at ka1j.com, "topband List" <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 7, 2017 8:19:04 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160 

I understand that I have to improve my RX antennas as currently I find the
TX antenna is better on RX that both of my current RX antennas, While I get
a good reduction in noise floor on the RX antenna's the DX just isn't
workable on them 

The TX antenna is 55ft of Aluminum Tube It tapers from 2.25" to 1" at the
top, I have 2 top loading wires each 50ft long tied off to Tall trees in the
distance, The ends of the top loading wires are approximately 45ft high, I'm
using a 4" diameter coil double tapped to get Resonance and to match the
feedline to 50ohms, 

I have currently 48 radials mostly between 15-25m long, I hope to improve
this greatly in the spring before the grass starts to grow again, 

RX antennas are a Wellbrook loop and a 450ft Beverage pointing NE for JA/OC 

I need to put something up for NA and hope to do this over the holiday
period ready for CQ160 in the new year, 



Thanks
Trevor
EI2GLB 

----- Original Message -----
From: donovanf at starpower.net
To: "MR TREVOR DUNNE" <ei2glb at eircom.net>
Cc: Gary at ka1j.com, "topband List" <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, 7 December, 2017 15:22:26
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160 

Hi Trevor, 

Please share with us the details of your antenna and ground system Better
transmit performance should be achievable 

73
Frank
W3LPL 

----- Original Message -----
From: MR TREVOR DUNNE <ei2glb at eircom.net>
To: Gary at ka1j.com
Cc: ''''''topband List'''''' <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Wed, 06 Dec 2017 18:44:36 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160 

Running 1kw to a 55ft top loaded vertical over a decent radial field I found
many many stations that I could hear quiet well that could not hear me, it's
very disheartening, 

Is it my system or there's that's not working. 

I'm already planning improvements for next year to try to improve my tx
performance, 

Trevor
EI2GLB 

----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Smith <Gary at ka1j.com>
To: topband at contesting.com
Sent: Sun, 03 Dec 2017 21:25:26 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: Topband: ARRL 160 

This is the first major contest that I
have taken part in a while, at least to the extent I actually put a real
effort into it. Its taken a bit to get back in the game after my friend Pat
became a SK this year. That said, I almost matched my score from two years
ago when the band conditions were for me, far better for DX than this
weekend. 

I was running QRP with a less than ideal antenna yet still managed 535 QSOs.
It was frustrating to hear so much DX and not be able to have them hear me.
I'm guessing I must've heard at least 15 countries that I didn't work. When
running QRP on 160, you have to go for low hanging fruit. I'm sure it's the
same for everyone. 

I was grateful that there weren't any
storms happening locally this time and for the most part bands were pretty
quiet. 
AMTRAK had its way with me at the Gray
lines what with commuter trains running at that time but being a weekend
made their schedule a little easier. 

One of the surprises was when K7RAT called me Sunday Morning so at least my
QRP signals were getting up to Boring, Oregon. 
The band must've been good because his
signals were truly marvelous here as well, one of the loudest & cleanest
signals on the band and he heard me with no trouble. 
If that was you at the helm, thank you
Tree for the multiplier! 

Sunday morning at Gray line was really
something beautiful to see on the P3. 1/2 hour before there may have been
50-70 people CQing and then the waterfall became a Kaleidoscope with the
band packed with people as tight as sardines up to 1875 or so. It's obvious
when the band changes and the atmospheric noise is visualized as color in
motion, in two dimensions. If you haven't seen the morning Gray line on a
waterfall during a 160 contest, you're missing something interesting. 

Hope all had fun. 

73, 

Gary
KA1J
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