Topband: Lack of NA Activity on CW

[W7RH]

Greetings Top Band,


I guess I’m truly an old fart, now in my 54^th year as a ham. I’ve done 
contests, EME, Dxing, RTTY, Fast Scan and slow scan TV and still build a 
lot of my equipment.


I do find the lack of CW activity frustrating. It’s not just 160m it’s 
all bands. I operate primarily 160 and dabble in 80 and 40m operation. 
Seldom do I venture higher, as my operations stem from the times I have 
had available to play most of my working years. Fortunately, I find many 
of the top band guys on 80 and 40m as well.


With about 46 years of operation on the 160m band there have obviously 
been some changes in operating styles. In old days we would ragchew on 
SSB about 1840 or so all the while listening or keeping the 2^nd VFO or 
receiver for listening down band. Geeze, been over 30 years since that.


Today we have panoramic receive adapters, skimmers, reflectors, chat 
rooms, Skype and RBNs. We also have numerous tools available in the form 
of ionospheric predictions and tons of NASA generated solar numbers, 
geomagnetic field sensors et all. In the case of RBNs which many seem to 
rely upon most are dreadful in RX performance. Very seldom do I get 
spotted in EU, JA, VK or ZL but work them all the time. Even with FT8 
I’ve called numerous South Pacific stations for a half hour only to get 
no response due to their high ambient noise levels.


On the Dark Side we have moved into the the digital world with computer 
operated TVs, wall warts, direct drive washers, variable speed AC units, 
clocks, WIFI, digital cable, leaky power lines, PC cabinets with glowing 
lights, no shielding and bad neutral connections just to name a few. I 
can honestly tell you that locally you have to go to 1296 mHz in order 
to have acceptable noise levels. Hence I built a remote.


In the 33 years I’ve lived in Las Vegas I’ve seen the city increase in 
population form 300K to 3 Million. The average lot size dipped from 
horse properties of 5 acres or more with modest sub division plots of 
12,000 sqft to Gated communities with CC&R and HOA antenna restrictions 
to a minuscule 4000sqft lot. Currently the objective is high density 
urban living. The resultant cramped space combined with noise sources 
has forced Amateurs worldwide to go to FT8 or not operate at all. I’m 
sorry but it’s true.


In the US the FCC has long since let electronic manufacturers submit 
self tests for part 15 interference compliance. I’m sure the rest of the 
world is even more relaxed. The amount of these devices their noise is 
out of control. Add to the problem most consumer devices here are two 
wire power AC power including most TVs. The only survivor of three wire 
power cord in NEMA equipped desktop PCs.


I grew up in the 60’s and TV antennas and ham radio antennas were 
everywhere. At that time even mid sized cities still had 2-3 radio 
stores. You didn’t have to get permission or permits to stick antennas 
up on the roof, or erect a tower. Most neighbors then didn’t give a crap 
or least kept their mouths shut. Now the consensus is antennas damage 
property values and view of the smog filled skies or are a source of 
community revenue to perpetuate lazy ass building inspectors in the name 
of safety.


To my top band friends, thanks to the many that have made the effort to 
be heard and hear! I’m QRV most nights after 0300 pending conditions and 
again in the morning 1130 UTC until sunrise. I hope I’ve put a few 
things into perspective.


I am now and forever a Analog guy.

Bob, W7RH

-- 
W7RH DM35os

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." - Albert Einstein