Topband: 160 Power

[lmlangenfeld at tds.net]

My $0.02.

I have added DXCC ## 96-101 so far this season, running 100W into simple wire antennas throughout (most recently, a "Lazy L" with 32 quarter-wave radials).  It took awhile to get this far, and took some patience/determination from my upper-midwest (read: "Black Hole") QTH.  But, clearly, it's do-able. There are always circumstances where weak propagation or the DX station's receive capabilities/noise level will simply not yield a QSO at 100W.  But, for the most part, the only times I felt truly disadvantaged were in big and aggressive pileups (where, admittedly, 100W simply can't compete).

I can't argue that QRO can be a huge advantage on 160.  At the same time, we shouldn't discourage anybody that might want or have to venture onto the band barefoot.  You can have good DX success with 100W if you're willing to be persistent and invest the time. If you're the instant-gratification type, though, forget it.

Candidly, I feel far more disadvantged by my current lack of a good set of receive antennas. Often I find myself sitting on my hands while a big pileup is calling and working DX I can barely copy (or can't hear at all). You can't work 'em if you can't hear 'em. 

Good luck to all still working toward #100.  I can tell you it that feels pretty darned good to finally arrive.

73,

Mark -- WA9ETW