Re: Topband: Spring Stew Perry in a few more days
Hi Jim, Thanks. I started getting RF power out on transmit! I still have a lot to do. It's rude and crude! I spent enough time with the scope and generator today that as soon as I had some RF out of it I quit for the day. Staying at it too long leads to mistakes and frustration :) Alignment, balancing, phasing are next. And oh by the way - nice to have some idea of operating frequency. The dial still needs repair. I can tell when I'm inside the ham band but more precision than that - not yet. 73, Bill KU8H On 03/02/2016 01:37 PM, James Rodenkirch wrote: I'll be lookin' for ya as a QRP contestant, BillGL getting that Atlas up and runnin' 71.5/72 de Jim R. K9JWV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: ARRL DX Phone Contest
Given personal commitments for the weekend, I was considering operating the ARRL DX contest 160m single band. Given the recent discussion regarding the CQ 160m contest, I downloaded a Top Ban World Allocations worksheet at http://www.qsl.net/n1eu/topband/ Given, the discussion, it looks like the place to be would be 1.843-1.850 for much of the dx, 1.830 to 2.000 for other DX. As was discussed previously, makes for a small amount of spectrum for a single band 160m contest. But, please look for me. I am starting to operate more on 160m for DXCC. I will have an Inverted L and likely another TX antenna. I hope to have a BOG or two and maybe a K9AY deployed again. 73 Doug NA1DX d...@ellmore.net Computer Scientists do precision guess work based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Capacitors and Coil
Hi all,Not trying to push a sale but thought someone on topband could use the variables and roller inductor I just put on sale on QRZ. 73,jim/k2hn _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Spring Stew Perry in a few more days
I'll be lookin' for ya as a QRP contestant, BillGL getting that Atlas up and runnin' 71.5/72 de Jim R. K9JWV From: Topband on behalf of Bill Cromwell Sent: Wednesday, March 2, 2016 11:28 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Spring Stew Perry in a few more days Hi, Somebody mentioned the Stew is coming 'round again so I finally remembered to look it up. It will be here a week from Saturday. I have been 'on a roll' at my workbench getting the old radios operational again. I am going to flog myself attempting to have the station ready to get on the air with a patched up antenna (frost is still in the ground). My Atlas 180 is coming along pretty well. I stopped using it about twenty years ago (where did the time go!) and it has deteriorated just sitting on the shelf. Magic? It is receiving pretty well now. Most of the transmitter is trying to work now. It wouldn't even think about it last week. No RX. No TX. Nada. I printed a copy of the voltage charts and I'll use that to isolate the trouble. I can see that somebody in the past made some "improvements" or at least some repairs. I suspect a broken wire or a solder joint. Maybe one of those pesky electrolytic caps. At high volume the RX audio is "raspy" and I have been ignoring that - keep the volume down to just my garage. And the DX-100 is wanting to work. It would be great to have both available. The Kenwood R-599 has 160 on it and works as well as it ever did. Just needs a TX to go with. The matching T-599 does NOT have Top Band. What's up with that? I do have a real life aside from ham radio (like most of us) so I will have to *focus* to be on 160 in time for the Stew. I hope to see you on the air - *soon*. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Spring Stew Perry in a few more days
Hi, Somebody mentioned the Stew is coming 'round again so I finally remembered to look it up. It will be here a week from Saturday. I have been 'on a roll' at my workbench getting the old radios operational again. I am going to flog myself attempting to have the station ready to get on the air with a patched up antenna (frost is still in the ground). My Atlas 180 is coming along pretty well. I stopped using it about twenty years ago (where did the time go!) and it has deteriorated just sitting on the shelf. Magic? It is receiving pretty well now. Most of the transmitter is trying to work now. It wouldn't even think about it last week. No RX. No TX. Nada. I printed a copy of the voltage charts and I'll use that to isolate the trouble. I can see that somebody in the past made some "improvements" or at least some repairs. I suspect a broken wire or a solder joint. Maybe one of those pesky electrolytic caps. At high volume the RX audio is "raspy" and I have been ignoring that - keep the volume down to just my garage. And the DX-100 is wanting to work. It would be great to have both available. The Kenwood R-599 has 160 on it and works as well as it ever did. Just needs a TX to go with. The matching T-599 does NOT have Top Band. What's up with that? I do have a real life aside from ham radio (like most of us) so I will have to *focus* to be on 160 in time for the Stew. I hope to see you on the air - *soon*. 73, Bill KU8H _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Ground screen ????
On Wed,3/2/2016 8:02 AM, Joshua M. Arritt wrote: Galvanized Fe material is problematic from an R standpoint as well (vs. Cu). This results in a "lossy" ground plane. That condition has real impact the effectiveness of the antenna system, when compared to an all-Cu (or at least a lower-R metal) plane. That's insignificant because of the much greater surface area of the ground screen as compared to a conventional radial system of comparable size. 73, Jim K9YC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Ground screen ????
Galvanized Fe material is problematic from an R standpoint as well (vs. Cu). This results in a "lossy" ground plane. That condition has real impact the effectiveness of the antenna system, when compared to an all-Cu (or at least a lower-R metal) plane. Immediately perceived consequence of the poor inter-section bonds is walking VSWR, but other factors (including rad efficiency) are also walking around. Bonding of dissimilar metals (Cu <-> Fe) requires careful method consideration to hold corrosion at bay. Whatever scheme is used to connect to this ground plane should keep that in mind. The PIM issue was rightly treated from a TX standpoint by KZ1W. However, the PIM issue /may/ be more salient from an RX standpoint -- not necessarily as coherent intermod from surrounding transmitters per se, but rather as perceived as elevated RX noise. Inv.L over a sectioned-Fe-plane-counterpoise may make a markedly worse RX antenna than the same Inv.L over a modest, well-constructed Cu plane. The local ambient noise environment will be a factor in the magnitude of noise contribution from this issue (might be quiet vs. power lines, for instance). Certianly, one will want to investigate alternative RX antennae anyway. I don't feel as though lightning protection is any bit a "more-complicated" an issue here; bonding the coax with a good low-Z method to earth before it enters the shack is an important first step. Including good common-mode elimination at the feedpoint should increase protection to some degree as well. There are methods beyond these steps -- situation-dependent -- which may help further reduce risk. Risk /reduction/ is all we can do in this department anyway All the problems in mind, a metal roof is better than no ground plane at all. It's not an ideal situation by any means, but armed with the sound knowledge presented in this thread, I would not be "above" of employing just such a scheme if: - I were severely limited in land space, - had a means of separate RX aerial operation, - a willingness to forget tuner settings often for a given F(x), and - a BIG bug bite for low band operation! 73, - Josh / KF4YLM On 01.03.2016 22:09, Douglas Ruz (CO8DM) wrote: Hi, Need some ideas from your side... I am trying to find a good solution for my 160/80m antenna. I am thinking about some kind of Inv L with an 80m trap as a radiator for both bands. But, what about the counterpoise...Unfortunately in my small city lot I can´t install radials and I can´t get parts for the FCP yet...what about a Ground screen ???...I have a galvanized roof...it is about 50 ft long and 16 ft wide...galvanized sheets are 3 by 8 ft long and all are bolted together. The roof is about 15 ft high. Can I use this roof as a ground screen for the 160/80m antenna ??? Thoughts ?, 73Douglas, CO8DM P.S:1- I finish my 50 ft tower installation. 2- Thanks for all QSO´s on 160m before ARRL CW contest with me and with our contest station T48K. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
