Re: Topband: Aurora
Just worked LU5OM on 160 CW. I have seen spots for him, and been chasing, but could not hear, for two months. This morning Manuel was S6. New country for me on Top Band. -larry (K8UT) -Original Message- From: K1FZ-Bruce Sent: Friday, September 08, 2017 4:31 AM To: Topband Subject: Topband: Aurora Northern lights visible in coastal Maine. May have a radio black out, or enhanced propagation to a area. worked E31A in the last one, Best to keep an "ear" open. 73 Bruce-K1FZ. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Solar eclipse and 160m propagation.
Bob, For your constituents who plan to operate the Eclipse event as a QSO party (August QST, pg 94, Ward Silver), N1MM+ has a contest definition in its >File >New Log in Database... dialog window. Select "eclipse." -larry (K8UT) -Original Message- From: Robert McGwier Sent: Friday, July 14, 2017 11:21 PM To: Tom Frenaye ; topband Subject: Re: Topband: Solar eclipse and 160m propagation. Virginia Tech, New Jersey Institute of Techology and others are putting teams into field to do measurements of several sorts during the eclipse. A student of mine is building low power, inexpensive ionosondes to measure the height of the F layer using radar pulses on HF and measuring the round trip time in the 3-6 MHz region before during and after the eclipse from the West coast to the East coast along the path of totality. A student of mine designed an SDR to measure scintillation on satellite signals as it passes through the ionosphere before, during, and after the eclipse. This was her master's thesis. She just graduated and was a recipient of "Future Leadership" position with Northrup Grumman. Most of the students involved at VT are members of the VT amateur radio association (K4KDJ). Current and former students of VT were the genesis of HAMSCI. They reached out to Ward Silver and Dave Pascoe who met with the students and me at Dayton two years ago and here we are. Dr Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF and Magda Moses KM4EGE were both members of VTARA which I am honored to serve as faculty adviser. Nathaniel has moved on to NJIT and is taking RBN data during the Solar Eclipse QSO Party to try and observe shifting propagation. HAMSCI.org is something we hope leads to lots of "citizen science" by hand. Our science investigator is Dr Greg Earle, w4gde and he and this activity are supported by the national science foundation. I'm playing SDR and radio consultant to the VT team. 73s Bob N4HY On Wed, Jul 5, 2017 at 8:17 AM Tom Frenaye wrote: At 06:48 AM 7/5/2017, CT1EKD wrote: >Hi Topbanders >In 21th August we will have a solar eclipse... Do you know any >studies about propagation at eclipses, before, during and after ? Pedro - Here's a place to start. http://hamsci.org/ -- Tom e-mail: fren...@pcnet.comYCCC --> http://www.yccc.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband -- Bob McGwier Founder, Federated Wireless, Inc Founder and Technical Advisor, HawkEye 360, Inc Research Professor Virginia Tech Chief Scientist: The Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology Senior Member IEEE, Facebook: N4HYBob, ARS: N4HY Faculty Advisor Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Assn. (K4KDJ) Director of AMSAT Member of PVRC (Roanoke-Blacksburg), TAPR, life member of ARRL and AMSAT, NRVR.ORG (Rocketry) _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: K1N On Line Log
Jim, Just a minor adjustment to your statement - some might misinterpret the term "got logged." ...some Qs that got logged on the wrong band Your Qs are in the log correctly - on the right bands. The problem involved the ClubLog extract/upload. -larry (K8UT) -Original Message- From: Jim Brown Sent: Friday, February 06, 2015 12:40 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: K1N On Line Log On Thu,2/5/2015 8:24 PM, Tom Haavisto wrote: The way I look at it, I got them on 80/160, so anything else is a bonus. Chiil -- there were some Qs that got logged on the wrong band, so they started from scratch, reloading to ClubLog. My 160 and 40 Q went away, now all six are there. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: TX relay assemblies
A few weeks ago there was a helpful, spirited discussion of antenna relays here on the reflector. Can we extend that conversation to pre-built relay assemblies? As background: I have recently become involved in writing software for these new SBCs (single board computers) like the Arduino and Raspberry Pi. My latest project is a band decoder - a UDP-based CAT decoder that interprets rig-to-logging-program frequency traffic and selects relays to drive my remote antenna switches. The band decoder collects UDP CAT data via wi-fi, which means that it could be anywhere within wi-fi range - including outdoors at the location of the remote antenna switches. Hmmm... what if the Band Decoder and Remote Antenna Switches were consolidated and the Raspberry Pi were to directly drive the antenna selection? Then the question becomes whether these relay assemblies are capable of handling 1 KW RF. These relays assemblies are: inexpensive, SPDT, opto-isolated from the CPU, include reverse diode protection on the coils, rated for 220VAC at 10 amps, and the PCBs have been notched to physically isolate the relay common from the two outputs (hard to see that from the photos). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057OC5WK Will these work? How would I test them? -larry (K8UT) _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: REVERSE BEACON
Last month, W8NN and I delivered a presentation to the SouthEast Michigan DX Association (SEMDXA) titled "Using the RBN as an Antenna Performance Tool." You can download the presentation from: http://www.k8ut.com/tiki-list_file_gallery.php?galleryId=2 Among the topics is a description of our testing protocol, which we found required strict compliance to permit valid comparison of antenna A to antenna B to antenna C. Not included in the results are more recent tests that three of us, K8YTO, VE3CFK, K8UT have been performing on a variety of 160 meter antennas (inverted-L, sloper, Battle Creek special, vertical ground plane, 1/2 wave dipole). Although the results could be described as interesting, the poor band conditions on 160 only delivered spots from local stations - most within 500 miles, only one from as far away as 1200 miles. Since the three of us are more interested in 160m DX, we don't think we encountered the right conditions yet to allow us to classify anything as good, bad, or ugly. Especially on 160 meters, results varied widely from day-to-day; even from hour-to-hour. You may find the same is true by looking back through the history of spots for your old antenna as you compare it to your new antenna. My Advice (FWIW) -- You can: predict antenna performance with a modeling tool; measure actual performance under laboratory conditions; or try to gauge "in the wild" performance with something like the RBN. Proceed carefully if you decide to use the latter to make antenna decisions. -larry (K8UT) -Original Message- From: wa3...@comcast.net Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 11:16 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: REVERSE BEACON I am planning a new 160m transmit antenna to be erected in the next few weeks. Before I install it however I want to get a good history (over a few weeks) of spots from the reverse beacon network. My problem is that instead of going to WWW.DXMAPS.COM I would like to get the spots from the source. Is this possible? Is there a utility/program out there that will allow me to plug my call into it and collect all of my spots for me... displaying them on my computer ready to be archived/plotted.. whatever? My new antenna will be a 75 ft Vertical elevated about 8 ft above the ground to include 20 1/4 wave radials. This should be superior to my current Inverted L with 4 radials 6 ft above the ground that the deer keep getting into. WA3MEJ Long Live Seal Team VI http://www.qsl.net/wa3mej/index.htm ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: Tuning 160M Dipole
Paul, I use an Excel spreadsheet with calculations for all the HF bands and the most common antennas. You will find a copy of my spreadsheet here: http://www.k8ut.com/tiki-download_file.php?fileId=41 When I am tuning an antenna, I use an MFJ analyzer to determine the best SWR, and then plug that frequency into the calculation. The spreadsheet then reveals the difference between the length of my ideal frequency and the measured frequency. I adjust the antenna by that difference and it usually gets me real close. For example: Let's plan to build a 160 meter dipole that is resonant (lowest SWR) at 1.85 MHz. Open the spreadsheet and you will see three formulas for 160 meters in rows 37, 38, and 39. The calculated lengths for dipoles on 1.800, 1.850, and 1.900 MHz are in columns O (full length) and P (length per side). Imagine that you measure the lowest SWR of your new antenna on your MFJ259 analyzer and find it resonant at 1.765 MHz. Replace the reference 1.900 frequency entry at cell B39 with your measured resonant frequency of 1.765. Notice that the calculated length at 1.765 (in cell P39) is 132.58 feet per side. Since you want your new antenna to be resonant at 1.850 MHz, you can subtract the calculated length for 1.850 MHz (cell P39 - 126.49 feet) from your new antenna measured frequency (cell P39 - 132.58 feet). In this case, you know that your new antenna is 6.09 feet too long, per side. Shorten your antenna by 12 feet, and measure again. I hope my explanation and example make sense. 73! -larry (K8UT) -Original Message- From: paul ecker Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2012 10:01 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Tuning 160M Dipole Last week I posted: I put up a 160m dipole but now need to tune it. SWR at low end of band is abt 3 and at top end abt 5. From what I have read this means I need to shorten it. My question is how much should I take off? A foot off each end?? Any good links to sites that may explain this in some detail so I can learn? So in response to a number of questions I got, I remeasured the SWR to find the minimum SWR - SWR checked at base of vertical coax run to 1:1 Balun, using a MFJ 259 analyzer: - Freq- mhzSWRImpedance (X) - 1.776.2130 - 1.84.3106 - 1.8453.374 - 1.863.773 - 1.894.877 - 1.916.083 - 1.948.189 So minimum SWR at - 1.845 3.374 The dipole antenna length - each leg was cut to 126' and it is 30 ft above sandy ground As I may have said previously, I am weak on antenna theory but anxious to learn. Any advice or direction welcome. 73 Paul kc2nyu ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com ___ Topband reflector - topband@contesting.com
Re: Topband: VK0M on 160m
But as far as I know, nobody has worked Macca from Europe on 160m during the last 30 years? I hope I'm wrong. [CAUTION: Shameless plug follows] In the 2012 Topband Most Wanted Survey (which ends today!) includes responses from 154 Europeans. Of those, 21 indicated that they do not need VK0/M on 160m. Not filled out a survey yet? http://survey.hamdocs.com/index.php?sid=11389 -larry (K8UT) -Original Message- From: Jari Jussila Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 5:03 AM To: Steve Ireland ; topband@contesting.com ; vk...@vk3pa.com Subject: Re: Topband: VK0M on 160m Steve ... I'm don't know the full history of VK0M 160m activity. But as far as I know, nobody has worked Macca from Europe on 160m during the last 30 years? I hope I'm wrong. I was in an active contact with the last operator on the island, Trevor, VK0TH. He didn't mention anything about any HF rhombic antenna and he would surely have used it if it would have been possible. I remember him saying that most of the big antennas had been removed for environmental reasons. He, in fact, even had some problems to keep the old vertical that was left behind by earlier operators not speaking about erecting any temporary new antennas. The situation reminds the situation on Prince Edward & Marion Is., ZS8, were the big rhombic antennas have been removed for same reason. The old multiband vertical that Trevor used broke at the end of his operation and can not be repaired. Trevor used a long wire the last weeks and we could work him even on 80m CW. Trevor used the longwire also on 160m and worked a couple of VK's and ZL. He was heard even in KL7 and in Scandinavia but no QSO's were made outside VK/ZL. As far as I understand, there's absolutely no amateur antenna on the island at the moment. I would suggest that VK3PA or his friend contacts Trevor, VK0TH; to get good advise for the antennas. If you want, I can provide you with his new VK-email address. Cu no 160m Jari, OH2BU On 26.8.2012 13:24, Steve Ireland wrote: Hi Allan In the past I am pretty sure the radio amateurs who have taken up the radio technician position on Macquarie Island have had some access to the commercial antennas used on the island and used them on 160m. My memory (which isn't always good) is that there is an HF rhombic, which has been loaded up on 160m as an end-fed wire type antenna. In the past, the problem seems to have been for the operator to find time to actually operate ham radio much. My impression is that the job is really full-on. If your friend can get hold of a Spiderbeam 17m fiberglass telescoping pole to take with him, then that could support an quarter wave inverted-L antenna, with a sloping top. If someone could make up a K2AV folded counterpoise (and matching transformer) that could be rolled up and also taken with him, then the operator would have a fair 160m signal. As the FCP would only be 33 feet long, ANARE may let him put this up? I guess if there are enough amateurs who were interested in 160m operation from VK0M and everyone put in a few dollars each, so these items could be purchased for your friend to take with him, that may be worth a go. Vy 73 Steve, VK6VZ -- Message: 4 Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2012 17:50:09 -0500 From: vk...@vk3pa.com Subject: Topband: VK0M To: topband@contesting.com Message-ID:<20120824175009.ivu1k3pvtccso...@webmail.opentransfer.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; DelSp="Yes"; format="flowed" Hi all, hve a ham friend going to VK0M.He will be mainly cw, es he is a "gud" op can handle dog piles hi hi.. his main Q is wot type of Ant is best ? he can not hve radials or wires up in the air ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK