Topband: Lack of DX CW Activity

[Jim Brown]

On 1/5/2024 3:10 PM, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote:
> I applaud your tireless ability to make your point about the terrible noise
> (especially in California?),

Noise is an issue on both sides of QSOs for most hams, having nothing to 
do with California. It's the proliferation of noise-generating 
electronics, most seriously, power-handling stuff like switch-mode power 
supplies, but also variable speed motor controllers and components of 
solar systems.

I'm surprised that you were QRP during RAC -- every time I heard you you 
were good copy. You obviously have a great TX antenna system! I tried to 
look at your QTH in Google Earth. It looks pretty sparsely populated 
compared to the vast majority of hams. I don't see any solar systems in 
satellite photos less than a year old. My guess is that your QTH is 
pretty quiet. My EU Beverage terminates about 150 ft from a solar system 
that it points to.  The house that has that system wasn't there when I 
rigged that Beverage in 2006. My JA Beverage points to a house across 
the road from me with another solar system, with the termination about 
250 ft from the house. The solar system arrived when the house changed 
hands 3-4 years ago. There's another solar system in the direction of 
South America, just past my property line. Thankfully, I only hear that 
one during the day. My SA Beverage points to that house.

You and I are both lucky in that we have room for a lot of serious 
antenna systems. Most hams live on city or suburban lots, and have a 
dozen or more neighbors within 500 ft, each with lots of noise sources, 
some with solar systems. That was true of my QTH in Chicago, and there 
were three apartment buildings across the alley!

73, Jim K9YC