Topband: Very Little CW Activity

[Don Kirk]

Hi Gary,

Yes, based on how strong the RFI is on 20 meters, your un-tuned shielded
loop should definitely hear the noise on 20 meters (as an example) based on
my tests even without using an external preamp with your loop.  Your
un-tuned shielded loop works just as good as a conventional one of similar
size and turns on 14 MHz and above, so no need to use anything else for
this exercise since the signal is so strong.

Remember to use AM mode with wide filter, all noise blankers off, and
preamp on if your radio has one, and you should hear that RFI unless the
noise is internally generated in the antenna due to a bad joint, bad coax
connection, etc.  Start out near your vertical.  Also try the loop (or
piece of wire) in place of your vertical as we previously mentioned, etc.

Feel free to call me on my cell phone number which I previously provided if
needed.

We are all anxious to find out the root cause of your RFI.

(Note: you mentioned just barely hearing it in your shack on 6 meters using
your loop and it might be hearing it direct or from the open ends of your
feed line from your vertical that’s in your shack, or coupling to other
metal or wiring nearby etc.  Shorting the open end of your coax is
something you can try when using your loop in your shack if your open end
of coax sits nearby.  The real test is what you will hear outdoors and in
place of your vertical, or using simple piece of wire outdoor in place of
your vertical, etc).

73,
Don

On Fri, Mar 26, 2021 at 11:12 PM VE6WZ Steve <ve6wz at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Roger,
> Just to add some perspective from Western NA, the 160m conditions have
> been absolutely horrible for the last month.
> The goe-magnetic activity and AU levels have been so high that the
> trans-polar path to Europe has been shut down completely for 5 weeks,
> except for one evening.
>
> Perhaps working into East coast and even mid-west NA from EU has been
> possible lately, but any path transiting close to the pole has been shut
> down.
>
> This season up until late January I have worked over 1,400 EU on 160m CW
> since August. Usually working 20-30 each evening. I check the band almost
> every night and watch the RBN. Since late January, the band has been
> slammed shut at my northern latitude.
>
> 73, de steve ve6wz
>
>
>
> From Babcocks iPhone
>
> > On Mar 26, 2021, at 3:05 PM, Roger Kennedy <
> roger at wessexproductions.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > Quite a lot of us Europeans come on the band each night calling CQ DX .
> . .
> > but getting very few replies.
> >
> > According to RBN reports, DX Propagation across the pond seems
> reasonable .
> > . .
> >
> > So is it just that there are very few American stations coming on 160
> these
> > days?
> >
> > Roger G3YRO
> >
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