Topband: J28MD, conditions

[Artek Manuals]

I see this as a two sided coin

160 and 80 tough bands for CW let alone SSB. In the end it is a signal 
to noise problem. Which FT8 overcomes by several dB.   FT8 levels the 
playing field for those of us who don't have the money for a mega 
station on several acres with 100 ft towers,etc (not knocking those guys 
if I win the lottery it will be near the top of my list) .

At this point FT8 has become the defacto preferred DXpedition mode for 
many because it usually produces the most QSO's/hour on 160/80 . If I 
were a dxpedition why would I spend hours calling CQ on 160 for an hour 
only to show one or two QSO's for the effort, kinda like a DIY lobotomy 
with an ice pick....8^(,  Maybe I should use that time up on 40M 
instead, giving a smaller gun a shot at an ATNO, (argument for a 
different thread...please). For some expeditions #of QSO's is about the 
$$$, more QSO's = more donations. In this day and age the cost of a 
major DXpedition is a mind blowing amount of $$$$ (Look at upcoming 
Bouvet, which is in the hole still ..if you haven't donated time to dig 
in your pocket) not knocking anyone just stating a fact of life.

Dave
NR1DX

"before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes...that way when 
you do criticize them you will have a mile head start and you will have 
their shoes !"



On 11/5/2022 2:39 PM, kq2m at kq2m.com wrote:
>
> <SNIP>
> I am not interested in the digital modes, preferring the traditional 
> modes of CW and SSB.  I understand that others feel differently, which 
> is fine.  But it bothers me that DXpeditions are now avoiding CW on 
> 80/160 because they just don't want to bother.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, KQ2M
>
>
>
> On 2022-11-05 12:45, Tom wrote:
>> On thursday night conditions here in w1 land were outstanding!   J28MD
>> (cw) and 5V7RU (ft8) got in the log and I heard HS0ZOY (ft8) at his SR
>> at -5 for about 5 minutes.  first HS I have ever heard.
>>
>> hope i get a chance with T88.
>>
>>> On Nov 5, 2022, at 12:00 PM, David Raymond 
>>> <daraymond at iowatelecom.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Greetings Topbanders. . .
>>>
>>> I've spent a considerable amount of time on watch this past week for 
>>> J28MD on Topband (CW).  While they've spent a fair amount of time on 
>>> TB I haven't yet had success yet in spite of my ongoing efforts.   I 
>>> believe it was this past Tuesday night when Joel, W5ZN, said they 
>>> appeared briefly out of the noise (about 10 minutes or so and did 
>>> have success with his BSEF-8 and Hi-Z 8 arrays in diversity)  then 
>>> disappeared the rest of the evening. Wednesday night's opening to NA 
>>> was much longer starting on the East coast and slowly sweeping 
>>> westward with quite a few NA making it in the log (EC + 5's, 8's, & 
>>> 9s', VE).  Unfortunately the prop just never quite made it this far 
>>> west.  They barely peaked out of the noise here in Iowa Wednesday 
>>> evening (NA time) just enough to get me excited and dump my call a 
>>> few times hoping for even a marginal QSO. . . but no cigar.  It's a 
>>> little frustrating to see that they always QRT about 30 minutes or 
>>> so prior to their SR but they get credit for being on faithfully on 
>>> CW and FT8 as well.  I know they're getting close to wrapping up but 
>>> hopefully they'll be on (CW) again this evening.
>>>
>>> It's been good to have some DX operations QRV and bring some much 
>>> needed life to TB (which sure hasn't had much). . .TY0, 5V, and now 
>>> J28, A3, and T88.  The prop has been very poor. CQing here in the 
>>> evening brings no DX responses and only a handful of EU EBN hits so 
>>> far this season.  Thankfully mornings have activity from our very 
>>> stalwart VK friends (VK3HJ, VK2WF, VK6GX, VK6IR, VK6LW, others) but 
>>> only a handful of JA QSOs so far this season (8 to be exact).  
>>> JA1LZR gets kudos for being QRV almost every morning (NA time),  but 
>>> without much prop, I think only limited success.    I have yet to 
>>> hit the VK4CT RBN CQing here in the mornings.  I don't think this is 
>>> totally attributable to the increased SFI. . . prop from here was 
>>> only marginally better two seasons ago when the SFI was very low.
>>>
>>> All that said, I encourage everyone to get on and make some noise.
>>>
>>> 73. . . Dave, W0FLS (in Iowa)
>>>
>>> _________________
>>> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband 
>>> Reflector
>>
>> _________________
>> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband 
>> Reflector
> _________________
> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband 
> Reflector

-- 
Dave Manuals at ArtekManuals.com www.ArtekManuals.com

-- 
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
www.avast.com