Topband: 3C0L (FCP)

[Mike VE3CKO]

ok, the details. The vertical originally was an 80m vertical comprising 
of a 20' 2" OD mast with a 40' spiderbeam mounted on it. Three 14 gauge 
wires were attached to the mast fastened along the spiderbeam, about 17' 
up the spiderbeam there was a loading coil made from 1/4" copper tubing 
and then the 3 lengths of 14 ga wire to the top of the spiderbeam. 
Worked pretty good on 80m with the K2AV FCP.  While soldering the wires 
on each end of the loading coil, I did this when it was fastened to the 
spiderbeam. This was a mistake as the heat must have damaged the 
spiderbeam at that point. It lasted just a few months, the spiderbeam 
snapped at the point. So what was left was the 20' aluminum mast and 3 x 
14ga solid copper wire supported by about 17' of what is left of the 
spiderbeam.

This is nothing special, no majic certainly nothing resonant on 160m but 
as a receiving antenna it is a good 3 S-units less noise and other noise 
from what must be plasma spikes or whatever in the surrounding 
neighborhood are also dramatically reduce. CW and LSB too noisy to hear 
are very readable.

Using a Flexradio 6700 the noise floor on inverted-L is at the minimum 
S-7, with this vertical/K2AV FCP  it's just under S-4. I must also note, 
my homemade 80m double bazooka works well for a receive only antenna for 
160m  about S 3.5 and it is directional so it pull out state-side 
station better than the vertical. I do have an Antenna Genius 8 x 2 that 
does make it easier to play around with various antennas.

I've had some good success in the past with my Flexradio 5000 using 
diversity on this band but have yet to play around with diversity with 
this vertical.  Still too much noise to hear anything across the pond, a 
move out to the country should help with that, we'll see.

73, Mike Kovacich - VE3CKO

On 10/22/2017 12:04 PM, marsh at ka5m.net wrote:
> Hi Mike,
>
> I'm very interested in your 160M receive antenna and any details you would
> be willing to share.
>
> My only 160M antenna is a bent inverted L with a loading coil in the center
> of the vertical section, and one elevated radial. I live in a residential
> neighborhood and my noise level is so high I could not hear 3C0L on 160M.
>
> But, I did work 3C0L on 80M using a slightly loaded 80M vertical and FCP for
> both Tx and Rx.
>
> 73,
> Marsh, KA5M
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike
> VE3CKO
> Sent: Sunday, October 22, 2017 8:42 AM
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: 3C0L (FCP)
>
> I've got 3C0L on 17m, 15m and 12m but the challenge is as always top band. I
> have an inverted-L with just a couple radials at this time.
> Noise floor at my QTH in the city is just so high with the inverted-L and
> could not hear 3C0L but when I switch to an experimental vertical setup
> which right now is just a 20' 2" aluminum mast on a 4 x 4 post 8'
> high with a K2AV FCP (80m), 3C0L was very readable much of the night.
> Using the 20' vertical as a receive antenna and the inverted-L as the
> resonant tx antenna even with the help of an Alpha 87A, I too was
> unsuccessful when he was making stateside and the odd VE contacts. I did
> spend too much time during time frame he was working the EU. I blame the
> lack of radials.
>
> If we end up staying at this QTH I will certainly try a 160m folded
> counterpoise.
>
> 73, Mike Kovacich - VE3CKO
>
>
> On 10/17/2017 12:29 PM, Charlie Young wrote:
>> My station has not been configured for Topband for this season yet.  All
> rx antennas are disconnected/removed and my inverted L has not been
> inspected yet.  Usually the elevated radials need maintenance after the
> summer if the wire is still up.
>> I saw 3C0L spotted for some time but did not listen because of the antenna
> situation.   After finally deciding to listen, the station on 1821 was so
> strong there was no way it could be 3C0L.  But it was.  I thought it was a
> NA signal.
>> Found that my inverted L VSWR was good, which indicated the antenna was
> still up and the elevated radials were still intact.  The pileup was big and
> wide, but he seemed to be working folks above 1830 so we parked on a
> frequency and started calling.  Glad to work him for a new 160 Challenge
> point.
>> Great operator and signal.  For the time I was listening he was at least 2
> S units above my noise, many times peaking over S9 on my inverted L.
> Whatever he was running sure did the job on Topband, plus he was hearing
> well also.
>> GL in the chase.
>>
>> 73 Charlie N8RR
>>
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