Topband: Wednesday Activity night

[David Olean]

I thought that conditions on Wednesday evening were pretty darn good at 
times, but some strange things were going on.  Roger G3YRO, was good 
copy running between S7 and S9, which is a great signal. I think the K3 
was showing S3 with background noise.  I noted that the RBN was 
providing some pretty loud spots from Europe around  0100 UT and much 
weaker spots after 0200 UT, and then nothing later on.  I also worked 
G3JMJ with loud signals. I really enjoyed the fact that any T-storm 
noise was not too loud. I can deal with 10-20 dB but 40 to 50 dB crashes 
cause me to spill my drink every time.  I have been trying to evaluate 
my enlarged Europe beverage. It was put together at the end of the DX 
season for most folks and activity is way down.  I am thinking that it 
is working great. I am combining two rather long wires that are spaced 
380 feet apart. The separate feed lines are combined in an NCC-1 phasing 
box. Either antenna when added to the other causes a slight increase in 
noise. The addition is the same for either wire. I can null most signals 
and then add 180 degrees and the signals get really loud.  Over the last 
few weeks I must say that signals from Europe have been better than 
normal for me. That is a good sign. It is so hard to evaluate antennas 
without a reference.


73

Dave K1WHS