Topband: Shipping Radio Items to Cuba
Is there anyone who knows how to ship radio components to Cuba from the US without going afoul of the law? Please reply off list. 73, Guy K2AV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: VP8SGI tonight on 160M
I was able to work them last night, was listening on 1.823 the same freq STI was often using and hearing nothing but a CP calling CQ, finally noticed a small pileup higher in the band. I listened up a bit, found them on 1.8265 and was able to barely copy them but because the band was clear, no crazies interfering and with great luck, made the Q. I checked back a little while later and the ether was just burning with RF. Lucky timing for me. It wasn't a DXCC ATNO, I'd worked VP8SGP back in 95 but it was an ATNO on 160! I'm at 326 for DXCC (would be 327 but my 5A1AL Libya card is not being accepted by the ARRL) and its rare to find an ATNO activation any more. That's part of the joy of 160 for me; I have so many more entities I need on Topband DXCC that the challenge is likely the next one is waiting just around the corner. And that is why I put my efforts into hearing and transmitting better on 160, the other bands just aren't as fun for me. Cheers & 73, Gary KA1J > The team from VP8SGI just announced that they will be on 160M tonight > > http://dxnews.com/vp8sgi-south-georgia/ > > -- > 73, > > Gary K9GS > > Greater Milwaukee DX Association: http://www.gmdxa.org > Society of Midwest Contesters: http://www.w9smc.com > CW Ops #1032 http://www.cwops.org > > > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: How can I tune an FCP without isolation transformer ???
Correction: I mean i CAN NOT get an isolation transformer... 73Douglas, CO8DM "No creo que haya alguna emoción más intensa para un inventor que ver alguna de sus creaciones funcionando. Esa emoción hace que uno se olvide de comer, de dormir, de todo." - Nikola Tesla - Original Message - From: "Douglas Ruz (CO8DM)" To: Sent: Monday, February 01, 2016 2:49 PM Subject: Topband: How can I tune an FCP without isolation transformer ??? Hi Topbanders, I am building an Inv L for 160m with FCP. As i can get an isolation transformer i will add a series loading coil (about 17uH) to my FCP and then an RF choke. How can i tune my FCP + Loading coil ??...i need a balance between FCP+Loading coil and the Radiator. Can i build 2 FCP with loading coils and tune like a dipole with my MFJ-259???...then remove one of the FCP´s or keep both. Thoughts ?? 73Douglas, CO8DM _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: How can I tune an FCP without isolation transformer ???
Hi Topbanders, I am building an Inv L for 160m with FCP. As i can get an isolation transformer i will add a series loading coil (about 17uH) to my FCP and then an RF choke. How can i tune my FCP + Loading coil ??...i need a balance between FCP+Loading coil and the Radiator. Can i build 2 FCP with loading coils and tune like a dipole with my MFJ-259???...then remove one of the FCP´s or keep both. Thoughts ?? 73Douglas, CO8DM _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: NA from HS propagation spotlights
Bob, thanks for the Q and mult!!! tnx Mike / W5JR On Maui - KH6RS @ NH6Y > On Jan 31, 2016, at 9:05 PM, Bob Kupps via Topband > wrote: > > Hi the first-ever topband NA QSO from here with K7CA went in to the log at > 1237. Sigs were quite strong at times with long QSB and arriving from NE. The > only 2 KH6s heard were also NE then logged at 1243 and 1256. Then beginning > 1305 N7DD K5KC N7AT and N5UL went into the log during a 15 minute window when > sigs all came in strong from S/SE. NX6T was then heard weak direct SP NE but > faded out. Finally K7CA was accidentally worked again at 1344, still going > strong on the direct path over an hour later! Other than that I heard no > other NA during the random times I was able to operate, even in the clear > bottom 10kHz that ironically only HS hams seem to have anywhere around here... > The HiZ 8 circle seems to be performing very well. We will be QRT for a while > but looking forward to getting on topband from here this coming fall season. > 73 Bob HS0ZIA > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX condx better higher in the band?
Yeah, it's funny how readable all those 75W DL's were that were calling on 1863. 73, Barry N1EU On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 12:41 PM, Jim Brown wrote: > On Mon,2/1/2016 8:09 AM, Tim Shoppa wrote: > >> I have been told by a DL that above 1850 they are limited to 75W (and >> other >> Europeans may have similar limits). That makes the very nice run of >> Europeans I had at 1863kc Saturday night (more DL's than I have ever >> worked >> in a night on 160M, much less an hour) even more impressive. >> > > Like Italians are limited to 500W? > > 73, Jim K9YC > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX condx better higher in the band?
On Mon,2/1/2016 8:09 AM, Tim Shoppa wrote: I have been told by a DL that above 1850 they are limited to 75W (and other Europeans may have similar limits). That makes the very nice run of Europeans I had at 1863kc Saturday night (more DL's than I have ever worked in a night on 160M, much less an hour) even more impressive. Like Italians are limited to 500W? 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX condx better higher in the band?
On your last point Tree, I believe that back then the west coast could only do high power at the high end of the band, and the east coast could only do high power at low end of band. I have been told by a DL that above 1850 they are limited to 75W (and other Europeans may have similar limits). That makes the very nice run of Europeans I had at 1863kc Saturday night (more DL's than I have ever worked in a night on 160M, much less an hour) even more impressive. Tim N3QE On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 11:03 AM, Tree wrote: > Sometime about 15 years ago - I ran some tests by putting a beacon up that > bounced between the top and bottom of the band (up around 1995 kHz) - and > solicited signal reports. I was hoping to prove the top of the band would > work better than the bottom. > > The data wasn't very conclusive - although logic would day things should be > a little more like 80 meters at the top than the bottom of the band. > > I often end up above the main activity in hopes to get a clear frequency to > the East coast. On SSB - this is often above 1900 kHz. > > Back in the old days - we all used to operate between 1975 and 2000 as we > could run more power there. > > Tree N6TR > > On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 4:36 AM, Barry N1EU wrote: > > > It's easier to get across the pond because it is easier to find a > frequency > > clear of US and EU stations, not because of propagation. It is fairly > > typical in contests to find US and EU stations cq'ing on top of each > other > > because they don't have good receiving antennas (or are in noisy > > locations). It's generally easier to be clear of this mess by going > higher > > in the band. > > > > 73, Barry N1EU > > > > On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 6:52 AM, Tim Shoppa wrote: > > > > > I could not help notice, that several prominent well-known DX'ers were > > > CQ'ing up well above 1850kc over the weekend. > > > > > > One reason I'm sure was that the QRM was thinner up there, and the mix > > > certainly was tending towards more low-power Europeans than lower in > the > > > band. > > > > > > But I wonder if there is some magic corner frequency for topband > > > propagation, where sometimes getting across the pond is easier up there > > > than just 40kc lower? > > > > > > Tim N3QE > > > _ > > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > > > _ > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX condx better higher in the band?
Sometime about 15 years ago - I ran some tests by putting a beacon up that bounced between the top and bottom of the band (up around 1995 kHz) - and solicited signal reports. I was hoping to prove the top of the band would work better than the bottom. The data wasn't very conclusive - although logic would day things should be a little more like 80 meters at the top than the bottom of the band. I often end up above the main activity in hopes to get a clear frequency to the East coast. On SSB - this is often above 1900 kHz. Back in the old days - we all used to operate between 1975 and 2000 as we could run more power there. Tree N6TR On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 4:36 AM, Barry N1EU wrote: > It's easier to get across the pond because it is easier to find a frequency > clear of US and EU stations, not because of propagation. It is fairly > typical in contests to find US and EU stations cq'ing on top of each other > because they don't have good receiving antennas (or are in noisy > locations). It's generally easier to be clear of this mess by going higher > in the band. > > 73, Barry N1EU > > On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 6:52 AM, Tim Shoppa wrote: > > > I could not help notice, that several prominent well-known DX'ers were > > CQ'ing up well above 1850kc over the weekend. > > > > One reason I'm sure was that the QRM was thinner up there, and the mix > > certainly was tending towards more low-power Europeans than lower in the > > band. > > > > But I wonder if there is some magic corner frequency for topband > > propagation, where sometimes getting across the pond is easier up there > > than just 40kc lower? > > > > Tim N3QE > > _ > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: DX condx better higher in the band?
I could not help notice, that several prominent well-known DX'ers were CQ'ing up well above 1850kc over the weekend. One reason I'm sure was that the QRM was thinner up there, and the mix certainly was tending towards more low-power Europeans than lower in the band. But I wonder if there is some magic corner frequency for topband propagation, where sometimes getting across the pond is easier up there than just 40kc lower? Tim N3QE _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX condx better higher in the band?
It's easier to get across the pond because it is easier to find a frequency clear of US and EU stations, not because of propagation. It is fairly typical in contests to find US and EU stations cq'ing on top of each other because they don't have good receiving antennas (or are in noisy locations). It's generally easier to be clear of this mess by going higher in the band. 73, Barry N1EU On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 6:52 AM, Tim Shoppa wrote: > I could not help notice, that several prominent well-known DX'ers were > CQ'ing up well above 1850kc over the weekend. > > One reason I'm sure was that the QRM was thinner up there, and the mix > certainly was tending towards more low-power Europeans than lower in the > band. > > But I wonder if there is some magic corner frequency for topband > propagation, where sometimes getting across the pond is easier up there > than just 40kc lower? > > Tim N3QE > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: CQ WW 160 from VK Land.
Hello Ron, many thanks for informations. It is explaining a lot... :) We tried to catch VKs but no way this weekend. Short report from our OK5T event this week is here: http://160mband.blogspot.ch/2016/02/cq-160m-dx-cw-contest-2016-at-ok5t.html I am sending my big apologize if we accidentally QRMed someone during the contest. I really adhere to good manners and gentleman's operation. We always tried to stay at least 300Hz far from another station when looked for QRG for RUN but sometime it was hard job on so crowded band. I hope to hear and work you again in the contests as OK5T or as my own call OK1RP. 73 - Petr, OK1RP http://160mband.blogspot.com http://ok1rp.blogspot.com On Mon, Feb 1, 2016, at 11:50 AM, vk3io wrote: > Hi all Top Banders. > > This year's contest was almost a total wipe out as far as VK was > concerned, due to summer storms on the east coast and the usual topical > storms up north and a cyclone off the west coast made it impossible. > > I did hear a few good signals from North America during our Saturday > evening in amongst the constant S9+20dB static crashes and some great > signals from Europe at around our Sun rise time on our Sunday and Monday > mornings, as the static level subsided. > > I managed only 12 qso's, only to Europe. > > It seemed like there was going to be a good peak to Europe on our Monday > morning at our Sun Rise, but I had to depart early for work. Some great > signals, some S9 and if I had been on at the peak, maybe even stronger. > > Cheers, until next contest, CQ WW 160 Phone. > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: CQ WW 160 from VK Land.
Hi all Top Banders. This year's contest was almost a total wipe out as far as VK was concerned, due to summer storms on the east coast and the usual topical storms up north and a cyclone off the west coast made it impossible. I did hear a few good signals from North America during our Saturday evening in amongst the constant S9+20dB static crashes and some great signals from Europe at around our Sun rise time on our Sunday and Monday mornings, as the static level subsided. I managed only 12 qso's, only to Europe. It seemed like there was going to be a good peak to Europe on our Monday morning at our Sun Rise, but I had to depart early for work. Some great signals, some S9 and if I had been on at the peak, maybe even stronger. Cheers, until next contest, CQ WW 160 Phone. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
