Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night

[Wes Stewart]

Hi Dave,

Although I made my first 160 QSO using a DX100 and a re-tuned car radio for a 
receiver in 1959 (a VE7 no less) I've not really been a regular on topband.  
Last year it dawned on me that if I got a 160 DXCC I would have 9 bands, so that 
became a goal.  I now have it worked but need about 5 or 6 more QSLs.

As for more "goo" I dunno.  I'm 76 and am supposed to be downsizing :-).  I 
previously sold the tube amp, ripped out the 240V service and bought an Elecraft 
KPA500.  Now they have a KPA1500 but it's $6K and I have other ongoing issues 
with some of my Elecraft stuff, although the KPA500 has been almost flawless.

Plus, I've already spent an astonishing amount of $ on a simple inverted-L.  
Sonotube, concrete, chrome moly ground post, DX Engineering foldover mount, 
winch, aluminum tubing, hose clamps, guy ropes and wire for radials.  Whew.  
Whatever happened to the beer can vertical?  I was going to say I can afford 
upgrades, but the stock market just sank 700 points, so maybe not.

But, as you say, it's mostly fun and cheaper than playing golf.

Wes  N7WS



On 3/22/2018 8:21 AM, David Olean wrote:
>
> Hi Wes,
>
> I got home late (0100 UT) from a school band performance (grandkids!) and 
> found no activity to speak of. I hoped to find G3YRO but no luck.  QRN levels 
> from lightning had dropped towards Europe but there was zilch for activity. My 
> fault that I did not stick around after 0230UT.   I suspect that condx were 
> not so good that way.  I would agree on the 500 watts. On 160, you need all 
> the goo you can muster for the DX.  I love playing with QRP on 160 and I can 
> reach out maybe 800 or 900 miles on a good night, but, when calling stations 
> across the Carib, Atlantic or way out in the Pacific, even 500 watts is 
> "iffy".  So many times I hear loud DX stations and I try to call at the 100 
> watt level to no avail.  It is so easy to have 10 dB of extra noise on your 
> receiver and that prevents you from hearing anything other than the loudest 
> signals.  The nights that are truly quiet and with the band open, are few and 
> far between. I run 1500 watts out and feel that I hear much better than I can 
> transmit as well.  It is difficult.  I guess that is why I love 160!
>
> I am winding a bunch of coax chokes today to help my 160 noise problems.  I am 
> also going out to get about 80 lbs of ground rods for the same project. :-)
>
> Dave K1WHS
>
> (another 160 newbie!)
>
>
> On 3/22/2018 2:49 PM, Wes Stewart wrote:
>> Worked PJ5/SP2GCJ @0315 for a new one for me.  OA4TT would have been a new 
>> one too  (I'm a newby).  He was quite strong but the one time he replied to 
>> me he didn't have my complete call, missing the "s", and he gave up and went 
>> back to CQ very quickly (I thought).
>>
>> HC2AO was ESP, at best.
>>
>> It's interesting that I seem to hear better than I get out, even using the 
>> inverted-L on RX. 500W doesn't seem to cut it.
>>
>> Wes  N7WS
>>
>>
>> On 3/22/2018 6:36 AM, Lee. KX4TT via Topband wrote:
>>> Hmmm - local QRM (lights from nearby baseball field) made early evening copy 
>>> tough on CW, so I booted up WSJT-X and saw some EU stations there (5B4AIF 
>>> was steady copy, and some other EU stations would show up from time to 
>>> time), from 0100-0200. Not the best conditions, but also not the worst. 
>>> Worked OA4TT about 0400; Jack was QSA4-5 copy between some nasty static 
>>> crashes. That's what I get for not wanting to shovel snow -) .....
>>>
>>> 73 de Lee KX4TT
>>> Tampa, FL
>>
>> _________________
>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
> _________________
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband