Re: Topband: Spot ti9/3z9dx 1844 cw up 1 to 2
On 2/21/2015 9:40 PM, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote: Worked fairly easily. Worked them with one call, only running 200 watts. Out of 10 band slots, this one was the easiest. Just like with K1N. Can a threepeat be possible with PQ0T? This has been another great DXPedition. Also worked 6Y2T and HC1PF in the DX contest tonight on 160. Rick N6RK _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Spot ti9/3z9dx 1844 cw up 1 to 2
Worked fairly easily. -- Mike W0MU _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: [Bulk] RX cables in woods
Rock ledges probably mean directional drilling would be prohibitively expensive. Even in soft soil it costs A LOT more than trenching. Same for a Ditch Witch over ledge even with carbide teeth, but you might get a lot of it underground.I put in 6000' of 1" water line (mostly PVC) to a spring and Ditch Witched with my ride on in loose rock, pulled it in with a ripper blade on the tractor in adobe, and used galvanized sch40 where I had to go above ground over ledge. Pasture land with 100+ grazing cattle at a prior QTH. PVC conduit/pipe/well tubing is fragile when cold, so deer might damage it in the winter. EMT is cheap and will withstand any deer hoof, but will rust thru eventually. A 3/16" EHS catenary cable stoutly attached to strong trees will withstand fairly large branch drops with the cables tie wrapped to it. You might get a Beverage for free with it but I would run the coax/control underground for at least the last 100' to the array. What radius are you planning? I ran the RG6 and control line for my DXE 4sq receive in an underground 1 1/4" conduit, about 220', and rented a walk behind Ditch Witch look alike to do the digging, mixed forest, soft ground. I rented it at Home Depot. (I sold the ride on DW3500 and it was too wide to navigate among the trees) You might need to tweak the supply voltage or control wire gauge for a 900' run. I think liquid tight flexible conduit is much more expensive than 1 1/4. 1 1/4 pvc sch 40 flexes quite a bit in warm weather or get a PVC bending blanket heater for sharper bends. 900' is long for a single pull, you may need a junction pull box or two. Use plenty of pulling lube. You might be able to use 1" PVC if there are few bends, and large radius bends are easy in 1". Any sch40 or EMT galvanized required for above ground will be cheaper. (EMT to sch 40 PVC requires an adapter, the OD's are different.) Underground is better for the antenna's performance. Grant KZ1W On 2/21/2015 4:34 PM, Greg Zenger wrote: This spring I plan to augment my station receive capabilities by installing a array of receive verticals (DXE 8 circle). I live in New England on a glacial moraine; the soil is very rocky and uneven in the woods that surround my station. I have found a plateu large enough to place my array, however it its about 900 feet from my station. I am wondering what the best method for routing the recieve coax and array control cable through the woods might be. The land is highly poplulated with wildlife (deer, fox, wild cats, turkey, rodents etc.) and the path between my station and the antenna site is very uneven with rock ledges. I suspect running the cables on the ground will lead to damage, from animals and suspending from trees (10' high for deer clearance) will be susceptible to damage from branches falling (a problem I currently face with my beverages). I have been thinking of running the coax and control cable in a liquid tight flexable pvc conduit along the ground for added protection, though this adds considerable cost. Id love to hear any suggestions or insight on how to route 1000' of cable through the woods. Greg N2GZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Modeling a BOG
Here is a PDF that has the plots and the NEC Model. http://www.wolfrfsystems.com/BOG.pdf Jim – KR9U From: Mike Waters [mailto:mikew...@gmail.com] Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2015 9:34 PM To: jbw...@comcast.net Cc: topband Subject: Re: Topband: Modeling a BOG Can you upload your patterns as GIF or PNG files somewhere, so that we all can see them? 73, Mike www.w0btu.com _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: RX cables in woods
On Sat,2/21/2015 4:34 PM, Greg Zenger wrote: Id love to hear any suggestions or insight on how to route 1000' of cable through the woods. Maybe I've just been lucky, but the long runs of plain vanilla Commscope coax laying on the ground in my woods from my Beverages are still fine after 7 years. The runs are about 250 ft each. Bobcat, mountain lions, and cayote are spotted around here pretty often, lots of deer, rats, and gophers, but the predators have gotten the squirrel population down to almost nothing. All my cable lay on the ground -- coax, rotator, SteppIR control line. It's a very temperate climate, but lots of rain during what the folks out here laughingly call winter. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Modeling a BOG
Can you upload your patterns as GIF or PNG files somewhere, so that we all can see them? 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Sat, Feb 21, 2015 at 7:50 PM, James Wolf wrote: > Mike, > > > > The reason the beverage wire in the model is 2 ft. below the surface is to > have it away from the ground somewhat and have a nice segment length from > the wire to ground on each end. The model shows only about 2 dB difference > in gain and no pattern difference between the wire 1” below ground and > 2ft., which I suspect could be correct for 160 meter frequencies. Of > course, the pattern is the problem. > > > > In practice, I would lay it on the ground and after a few years, it would > be just below the surface. > > > > Hmmm. BBG – Beverage Below Ground. > > > > Jim – KR9U > > > > *From:* Mike Waters [mailto:mikew...@gmail.com] > *Sent:* Saturday, February 21, 2015 8:26 PM > *To:* jbw...@comcast.net > *Cc:* topband > *Subject:* Re: Topband: Modeling a BOG > > > > I have never heard of anyone burying a BOG. The radials could be buried an > inch or so, but a BOG should lay on the ground or slightly above. 2 ft. is > two feet too deep. > > About 200' is a common length for a BOG on 160. > > 73, Mike > > www.w0btu.com > > > > On Sat, Feb 21, 2015 at 6:51 PM, James Wolf wrote: > > I am trying to model a BOG (Beverage On or in the Ground). ... As soon as > I drop the antenna below ground level, approx. 2 ft. without errors, I > lose all indication of directivity except for a few dB. I have tried > different lengths from 200 ft. to 800 ft. > > > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Modeling a BOG
Mike, The reason the beverage wire in the model is 2 ft. below the surface is to have it away from the ground somewhat and have a nice segment length from the wire to ground on each end. The model shows only about 2 dB difference in gain and no pattern difference between the wire 1” below ground and 2ft., which I suspect could be correct for 160 meter frequencies. Of course, the pattern is the problem. In practice, I would lay it on the ground and after a few years, it would be just below the surface. Hmmm. BBG – Beverage Below Ground. Jim – KR9U From: Mike Waters [mailto:mikew...@gmail.com] Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2015 8:26 PM To: jbw...@comcast.net Cc: topband Subject: Re: Topband: Modeling a BOG I have never heard of anyone burying a BOG. The radials could be buried an inch or so, but a BOG should lay on the ground or slightly above. 2 ft. is two feet too deep. About 200' is a common length for a BOG on 160. 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Sat, Feb 21, 2015 at 6:51 PM, James Wolf wrote: I am trying to model a BOG (Beverage On or in the Ground). ... As soon as I drop the antenna below ground level, approx. 2 ft. without errors, I lose all indication of directivity except for a few dB. I have tried different lengths from 200 ft. to 800 ft. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: RX cables in woods
I have some RG-6 coax inside some 1/2" PVC rigid conduit laying on the ground. It feeds my 160m inverted-L ~250' behind my house. But whenever a heavy tractor or truck drives over it, it breaks the conduit in two and damages the coax. If you are speaking of Sealtite flexible conduit, that'll crush. The plans are to either replace it with rigid steel galvanized conduit or run it all about 15' overhead. 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Sat, Feb 21, 2015 at 7:23 PM, Bill Wichers wrote: > The cheapest protection would be Polyethylene sprinkler pipe. Better would > be rigid pvc electrical conduit. > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Modeling a BOG
I have never heard of anyone burying a BOG. The radials could be buried an inch or so, but a BOG should lay on the ground or slightly above. 2 ft. is two feet too deep. About 200' is a common length for a BOG on 160. 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Sat, Feb 21, 2015 at 6:51 PM, James Wolf wrote: > I am trying to model a BOG (Beverage On or in the Ground). ... As soon as > I drop the antenna below ground level, approx. 2 ft. without errors, I > lose all indication of directivity except for a few dB. I have tried > different lengths from 200 ft. to 800 ft. > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: RX cables in woods
The cheapest protection would be Polyethylene sprinkler pipe. Better would be rigid pvc electrical conduit. Either will be much cheaper than liquid tight pvc conduit. The sprinkler pipe would probably fight you and try to be "coily", so I suspect the rigid pvc conduit would be a better option. If you are willing to spend the money, a directional drilling contractor could run the entire 900 feet underground in about a day. They could install an HDPE duct for you (I'd recommend at least 1.25", but 2" would be better). If it's rocky soil ask for SDR11 pipe which is heavier wall than SDR13.5 (and a little pricier). If it's all private land (no permits), and you can be flexible with scheduling the work, then you can probably get it done for around $6-8 per foot including materials. They can put the duct 3-4 feet deep with ease. You might want a handhole or two installed due to the length of the run. In the woods you can use the cheaper fiberglass handholes instead of the precast kind needed near roads. I had one of my crews from work run a 2" duct from my house into the woods to feed all my remote antennas. It was only about 225 feet or so so it wasn't a huge expense. I also had them pull a 4 gauge copper wire *outside* the duct which is bonded into my ground system to help with lightning. -Bill KB8WYP Sent from my iPad > On Feb 21, 2015, at 7:34 PM, Greg Zenger wrote: > > This spring I plan to augment my station receive capabilities by installing > a array of receive verticals (DXE 8 circle). I live in New England on a > glacial moraine; the soil is very rocky and uneven in the woods that > surround my station. I have found a plateu large enough to place my array, > however it its about 900 feet from my station. I am wondering what the best > method for routing the recieve coax and array control cable through the > woods might be. The land is highly poplulated with wildlife (deer, fox, > wild cats, turkey, rodents etc.) and the path between my station and the > antenna site is very uneven with rock ledges. I suspect running the cables > on the ground will lead to damage, from animals and suspending from trees > (10' high for deer clearance) will be susceptible to damage from branches > falling (a problem I currently face with my beverages). I have been > thinking of running the coax and control cable in a liquid tight flexable > pvc conduit along the ground for added protection, though this adds > considerable cost. > > Id love to hear any suggestions or insight on how to route 1000' of cable > through the woods. > > Greg N2GZ > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Modeling a BOG
I am trying to model a BOG (Beverage On or in the Ground). I have access to NEC4 and I am using the 4NEC2 interface. As soon as I drop the antenna below ground level, approx. 2 ft. without errors, I lose all indication of directivity except for a few dB. I have tried different lengths from 200 ft. to 800 ft. If someone has experience modeling a BOG, can you provide suggestions, a model? NEC or EZNEC will do. The other thing I have not been able to understand is how the insulated wire (IS) card works in NEC. Does it only change the velocity factor or does it actually isolate the wire from ground conductivity? I have not been successful in getting the IS card working in 4NEC2 where the program is happy with it. Thanks, Jim - KR9U _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: RX cables in woods
This spring I plan to augment my station receive capabilities by installing a array of receive verticals (DXE 8 circle). I live in New England on a glacial moraine; the soil is very rocky and uneven in the woods that surround my station. I have found a plateu large enough to place my array, however it its about 900 feet from my station. I am wondering what the best method for routing the recieve coax and array control cable through the woods might be. The land is highly poplulated with wildlife (deer, fox, wild cats, turkey, rodents etc.) and the path between my station and the antenna site is very uneven with rock ledges. I suspect running the cables on the ground will lead to damage, from animals and suspending from trees (10' high for deer clearance) will be susceptible to damage from branches falling (a problem I currently face with my beverages). I have been thinking of running the coax and control cable in a liquid tight flexable pvc conduit along the ground for added protection, though this adds considerable cost. Id love to hear any suggestions or insight on how to route 1000' of cable through the woods. Greg N2GZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Idaho on 160 m --- DRAT !!
* Dreadful error MST is - 7 hours from UTC, not -6 hours Anyway 0500 UTC is the correct time for 10 PM Mountain Standard Time. Tod, K0TO On 2/21/15, 4:33 PM, "Tod Olson" wrote: >I will make an effort to be on starting at 10 PM MST [ I think that should >be 0400 UTC } _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Idaho on 160 m
Worked a few guys with the 80 dipole last night. CONDX did not seem great. I will try again tonight. Not that CO is rare but points are points! Mike W0MU On 2/21/2015 4:33 PM, Tod Olson wrote: If you are a serious contest op you should not be reading this ‹ get back in the chair and work some more stations. I have been asked to operate 160m this evening by several Caribbean stations. Since they are all multi¹s they may have time to read this. I will make an effort to be on starting at 10 PM MST [ I think that should be 0400 UTC } My physical ability to operate these days is limited, but I will see if IO can help with the ID multiplier. I will be listening/calling at about 1812 Khz to avoid the 160m stations calling higher in the band by people with better setups than I have. Tod, K0TO Other Idaho, WY, UTAH ops who read this might consider getting on at that time too; it would increase the odds of the fellows getting a 160 multiplier. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Idaho on 160 m
If you are a serious contest op you should not be reading this get back in the chair and work some more stations. I have been asked to operate 160m this evening by several Caribbean stations. Since they are all multi¹s they may have time to read this. I will make an effort to be on starting at 10 PM MST [ I think that should be 0400 UTC } My physical ability to operate these days is limited, but I will see if IO can help with the ID multiplier. I will be listening/calling at about 1812 Khz to avoid the 160m stations calling higher in the band by people with better setups than I have. Tod, K0TO Other Idaho, WY, UTAH ops who read this might consider getting on at that time too; it would increase the odds of the fellows getting a 160 multiplier. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: New Function on Low Band Chat
Nifty feature, Alain Congrats Warrants another donation. 73 George W8UVZ -Original Message- From: Bill Tippett Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2015 7:17 AM To: topband Subject: Topband: New Function on Low Band Chat Thanks to Alain ON4KST: Sunrise/Sunset now available after a new login (click on the user locator) or dubble click inside the Dx map *Example: * *SERVER* message (W4ZV) The RA4LW locator is LO44WI (QRB 8952 km, QTF 27°). Sunrise: 03.52 Sunset: 13.56 73, Bill W4ZV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: K1N 5,399 q's on 160 M
The joys of "Internet DXing"!! Everybody that comes on is swamped by "packet-rats"!! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Kenneth Grimm Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2015 10:37 AM To: GALE STEWARD Cc: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: K1N 5,399 q's on 160 M And how about the clown last night, around 10pm his local time, when TI9/3Z9DX was working EU, who got on his frequency and said, "NA NA NA, I'm tired and need my sleep." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 73, Ken - K4XL On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 8:18 AM, GALE STEWARD via Topband < topband@contesting.com> wrote: > Exactly the point, Steve! A bunch of the guys around here worked them > on > 160 at 0800Z (that's 3AM here). My 160 QSO was around 1030Z. > I'm really dating myself but "back in the day" the only way to snag > some new ones on 80/160 was to be checking the bands in the middle of the > night. > No internet cluster, etc. It's actually a lot easier these days (my > opinion). > > When my daughter was an infant this was easier as I was usually up in > the middle of the night at least once! > 73, Stew K3ND > > From: Steve Flood > To: topband@contesting.com > Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2015 6:25 AM > Subject: Re: Topband: K1N 5,399 q's on 160 M > > Great points Chet. > > Under the "Be there" category, consider getting up in the middle of > the night to work them on the low bands. Even in the first days of > their operation, I got up at 2 a.m. and worked them easily on > 160-80-40 with 100 watts and no pileups. > > Steve KK7UV > > > > > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > http://www.avast.com > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > -- Ken - K4XL BoatAnchor Manual Archive BAMA - http://bama.edebris.com "Show me a politician who is poor, and I'll show you a poor politician." - Carlos Hank González _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: New Function on Low Band Chat
Thanks to Alain ON4KST: Sunrise/Sunset now available after a new login (click on the user locator) or dubble click inside the Dx map *Example: * *SERVER* message (W4ZV) The RA4LW locator is LO44WI (QRB 8952 km, QTF 27°). Sunrise: 03.52 Sunset: 13.56 73, Bill W4ZV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
