Re: Topband: 160m Condx
Thanks, How about JA? 1810-1824.9 Where is better not CQ? Sam LY5W Just back home from W6 2018-11-12, pr 20:27 Mike Waters Perfect! Thanks for sharing. > > 73, Mike > www.w0btu.com > > On Mon, Nov 12, 2018 at 12:13 PM VE6WZ_Steve wrote: > > > Know bad frequencies- great resource here: > > http://www.k8nd.com/TopbandBadFreqs.pdf > > > > However…a “best practice” on 160m is NEVER call CQ on an exact frequency. > > Why is it ever necessary to call on 1830, 1820, 1822 etc. exactly? Call > CQ > > on 1820.3, or 1820.4 or 1822.6 or 1827.8. > > Perhaps its human nature to want to use a nice “round” number, but this > > accomplishs nothing except increase the chances of being on a harmonic > QRG. > > Its surprising how many DX-peds will do this too. We don't need a nice > > frequency with no decimal points! You will be found just fine with all > the > > skimmers and spotters out there. > > > > de steve ve6wz. > > > > > > > > On Nov 12, 2018, at 9:31 AM, Filipe Lopes wrote: > > > > Hi > > > > Is there a listing of such frequencies? Want to avoid those in the coming > > contests > > > > 73's Filipe > > CT1ILT CR5E CR6K > > > > Sent from my Huawei Mate 8 > > > > Na(o) Seg, 12 de nov de 2018, 17:28, Mike Waters > > escreveu: > > > > I wish we could get the word out to avoid frequencies like that: 1810, > > 1820, 1830, etc. There are almost always AM BC harmonics on those freqs. > > > > 73, Mike > > www.w0btu.com > > > > On Sun, Nov 11, 2018 at 4:24 PM k1zm--- via Topband < > > topband@contesting.com> > > wrote: > > > > > > Band still down a bit from last week but 4k6fo good sigs now on 1830.0 > > from Alim. > > 73 JEFF > > _ > > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > > Reflector > > > > _ > > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > > Reflector > > > > _ > > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > > Reflector > > > > > > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: K9AY loop -- adding additional radials?
Peter when testing listening to various stations you should be mindful as to the likely incoming wave angle. I.e do not expect a very good F/B ration if the station is not low angle. Try it and see but make your judgments on EU signals not locals. 73 Clive GM3POI -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Peter Bertini Sent: 13 November 2018 22:34 To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: K9AY loop -- adding additional radials? Hello to the group. I installed a K9AY system last week and added four 21 foot radials on ground radials with a ground rod at the center. The antenna didn't seem to have much directivity, so today I added another four 4-ft inexpensive TV type ground rods at the ends of each of the radials. We've had some heavy rain, but tonight I am noticing excellent nulls on European stations when changing directions. The antenna is located in a wooded area, and I had assumed the ground was fairly conductive, but apparently not... would adding another set of four radials in between the existing four improve the system? I am not sure how much the change relates to the heavy rains or adding the grounds. Pete _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: YCCC op amp preamp...
You can find a schematic on p.54 of the user's manual which can be download from the DXE Web site: https://static.dxengineering.com/global/images/instructions/dxe-yccc-switch. pdf. 73, John W1FV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Peter Bertini Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2018 5:35 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: YCCC op amp preamp... Is there a schematic available online for the YCCC preamp? I see DX Engineering is long sold out of kits and I'd like to try dead bugging a few amplifiers to play with. Pete _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: K9AY loop -- adding additional radials?
Pete, I added 4 radials and a 4' ground rod like you did. I am not sure if adding more will help, but I am pretty sure it could not hurt, so it might be an easy test. Another thing I did which seemed to help was to cut the trace as described in the documentation to isolate the feedline shield from the ground of the antenna. I also put a feedline choke on the coax near the antenna to try and make sure the feedline was not picking up signals and disrupting the pattern. My choke was 6 turns through 5 stacked #31 cores. I am quite happy with the performance of it. Good luck! On Tue, Nov 13, 2018 at 4:34 PM Peter Bertini wrote: > Hello to the group. I installed a K9AY system last week and added four 21 > foot radials on ground radials with a ground rod at the center. The > antenna didn't seem to have much directivity, so today I added another four > 4-ft inexpensive TV type ground rods at the ends of each of the radials. > We've had some heavy rain, but tonight I am noticing excellent nulls on > European stations when changing directions. The antenna is located in a > wooded area, and I had assumed the ground was fairly conductive, but > apparently not... would adding another set of four radials in between the > existing four improve the system? I am not sure how much the change > relates to the heavy rains or adding the grounds. > > Pete > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: YCCC op amp preamp...
Is there a schematic available online for the YCCC preamp? I see DX Engineering is long sold out of kits and I'd like to try dead bugging a few amplifiers to play with. Pete _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: K9AY loop -- adding additional radials?
Hello to the group. I installed a K9AY system last week and added four 21 foot radials on ground radials with a ground rod at the center. The antenna didn't seem to have much directivity, so today I added another four 4-ft inexpensive TV type ground rods at the ends of each of the radials. We've had some heavy rain, but tonight I am noticing excellent nulls on European stations when changing directions. The antenna is located in a wooded area, and I had assumed the ground was fairly conductive, but apparently not... would adding another set of four radials in between the existing four improve the system? I am not sure how much the change relates to the heavy rains or adding the grounds. Pete _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: FCP for lower power
I am planning an inverted L over a folded counterpoise as K2AV. My power levels will likely be about one third of the design levels for the K2AV design. I can imagine during tune up or adjustments that I might hit half the power level for short periods, so my component values need not be so extreme. I'm thinking mainly of the vacuum variables and other caps. I intend to use the 80m option, so relays will also have a relaxed spec. Has anyone made a lower power version or can advise thereon? David G3UNA/G6CP _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Wednesday 160m Activity Night
Well DX propagation has certainly been up and down the past few weeks . . . one day it can be rubbish . . . the next day really good. But here's the thing . . . sometimes the band is wide open (as shown by getting really strong RBN reports) . . . but there's only one or two stations on! So I'm going to suggest again what I suggested last season . . . one night in the week where as many people as possible make an effort to come on the band and have lots of QSOs. This certainly worked last season . . . on many Wednesdays I had over 30 North American contacts, it was great ! So I'll be on the band from around 23.30Z tonight . . . and then popping on a few times during the night too (although I'm still noticing no peak these days at my Sunrise - if anything signals drop off as dawn approaches!) Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m Condx
>Why is it ever necessary to call on 1830, 1820, 1822 etc. exactly? Call CQ on >1820.3, or 1820.4 or 1822.6 or 1827.8. This only started with plastic radios and digital displays and got worse with dial resolution down to one cycle. Back when everyone had VFOs like the HA-5 with dial markers only every 50 kc no one ever thought about it. All that mattered was being inside the band and zero beat to the fellow being worked. Now for some reason hams act like the bands are channelized every 5 kc. Rob K5UJ _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Bad Frequencies and Loop Pre-amps
Hi John, Is that harmonic generated at the Tx site, or in non-linearities close to the victim receivers? Of course, the answer to that question does not affect any recommendation on frequencies to be avoided on TB, but we should be careful about blaming broadcasters for every spurious signal heard on the band. 73, Greg, ZL3IX On 2018-11-14 03:44 a.m., John Farrer via Topband wrote: Roger As Lee KX4TT stated, a harmonic on 1818kHz is a problem for us in southeast England in the vicinity of the Brookmans Park transmitter for Radio 5 on 909kHz. 73 John G3XHZ Sent from my iPhone On 13 Nov 2018, at 13:24, Roger Kennedy wrote: I have never received ANY harmonics or intermod products from any of our British Medium Wave (AM) broadcast stations. That's at several different QTHs, some of which were quite near the transmitters. (and never heard of anyone else having issues) They have to meet VERY high specs . . . but also, most are less than 1kW ! (one of the stations I worked for had such a good Tx site - a salt marsh - they had to turn the power down to 150 watts!) Even the very big ones are usually only 10kW. So no need to avoid the 9kHz harmonics as far as us Brits are concerned! What IS a problem is all the Russian Navigation Beacons in the Baltic that pretty much wipe out everything between 1810 and 1820 kHz, so please try and avoid that part of the band if you want to work any EU ! (they sometimes turn them all off . . . but they are on most of the time.) The pre-amp I use on my 6ft 160m receiving loop is actually the design MFJ use in their 1026 noise canceller (I have a 1025 but copied their preamp design, as it uses the same pcb) . . . I get no intermod during contests, even though many EU stations are 45dB over S9 ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Bad Frequencies and Loop Pre-amps
Roger As Lee KX4TT stated, a harmonic on 1818kHz is a problem for us in southeast England in the vicinity of the Brookmans Park transmitter for Radio 5 on 909kHz. 73 John G3XHZ Sent from my iPhone > On 13 Nov 2018, at 13:24, Roger Kennedy wrote: > > > I have never received ANY harmonics or intermod products from any of our > British Medium Wave (AM) broadcast stations. That's at several different > QTHs, some of which were quite near the transmitters. (and never heard of > anyone else having issues) > > They have to meet VERY high specs . . . but also, most are less than 1kW ! > (one of the stations I worked for had such a good Tx site - a salt marsh - > they had to turn the power down to 150 watts!) Even the very big ones are > usually only 10kW. > > So no need to avoid the 9kHz harmonics as far as us Brits are concerned! > > What IS a problem is all the Russian Navigation Beacons in the Baltic that > pretty much wipe out everything between 1810 and 1820 kHz, so please try and > avoid that part of the band if you want to work any EU ! (they sometimes > turn them all off . . . but they are on most of the time.) > > The pre-amp I use on my 6ft 160m receiving loop is actually the design MFJ > use in their 1026 noise canceller (I have a 1025 but copied their preamp > design, as it uses the same pcb) . . . I get no intermod during contests, > even though many EU stations are 45dB over S9 ! > > Roger G3YRO > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Poor conditions in 2018??
I have to disagree with Steve VK6VZ and Dave W0FLS about conditions so far this season on topband. Although talking about different paths and times, regular daily long path skeds between myself with several other G's and ZL3IX, have been remarkably successful and I have logged 23 completed QSOs since 21st September this year. That's not quite a complete Q per day, but taking into account the days one of us didn't show up, it's not far short! Also, the RBNs have indicated good propagation to USA/Canada most days at UK sunrise. West coast stations have been conspicuous by their absence though, with the exception of a couple of big signals from AZ and AB. US activity is not particularly good at our sunrise, probably explained by most folks needing 8 hours sleep! 73, Tom G3OLB _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Bad Frequencies and Loop Pre-amps
The main issue with IMD is the passive IMD generated by oxidation between two metal structures or wires. The IMD's on 1810,1820, 30 40 50 etc, most of the time is irradiated on your own back yard from things like. 1- Aluminum copper oxidized contact. 2- Mast not grounded to the tower, it needs a flat cable to ground it, rotor is not a grounding point. 3- Rust bolts on towers. 4- Bad overheated BALUN on low band antennas. 5- House wires connected direct to diodes on security devices power supply, like cameras or motion detectors. I don't have any nearby IMD on 160m during the night. Sometimes a weak signal come and go during day time. About the remote preamplifier, please don't believe on most project construction pictures you see on internet using plastic box, open frame relays, coaxial open at the end soldered on connectors. The real issue here is to amplify only the signal received from the loop and not add common mode noise from the cable, DC line, and the circuit itself if not shielded with a good metal box. 2000 ft of cable is a good antenna even if grounded 10 inches or more. Choke is a "must" but does not fix everything. Balanced feed line does help a lot, you can parallel to coaxial cable, ground the shield and use the two center conductors. Like the center connector of two RG58 give you 100 ohms, two RG8 150 ohms, then you need a good BALUN and lots of shield. Best is unshielded twisted pair, no common mode ground. No pain no gain! 73's N4IS JC -Original Message- From: Topband On Behalf Of Roger Kennedy Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2018 8:25 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Bad Frequencies and Loop Pre-amps I have never received ANY harmonics or intermod products from any of our British Medium Wave (AM) broadcast stations. That's at several different QTHs, some of which were quite near the transmitters. (and never heard of anyone else having issues) They have to meet VERY high specs . . . but also, most are less than 1kW ! (one of the stations I worked for had such a good Tx site - a salt marsh - they had to turn the power down to 150 watts!) Even the very big ones are usually only 10kW. So no need to avoid the 9kHz harmonics as far as us Brits are concerned! What IS a problem is all the Russian Navigation Beacons in the Baltic that pretty much wipe out everything between 1810 and 1820 kHz, so please try and avoid that part of the band if you want to work any EU ! (they sometimes turn them all off . . . but they are on most of the time.) The pre-amp I use on my 6ft 160m receiving loop is actually the design MFJ use in their 1026 noise canceller (I have a 1025 but copied their preamp design, as it uses the same pcb) . . . I get no intermod during contests, even though many EU stations are 45dB over S9 ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Bad Frequencies and Loop Pre-amps
I have never received ANY harmonics or intermod products from any of our British Medium Wave (AM) broadcast stations. That's at several different QTHs, some of which were quite near the transmitters. (and never heard of anyone else having issues) They have to meet VERY high specs . . . but also, most are less than 1kW ! (one of the stations I worked for had such a good Tx site - a salt marsh - they had to turn the power down to 150 watts!) Even the very big ones are usually only 10kW. So no need to avoid the 9kHz harmonics as far as us Brits are concerned! What IS a problem is all the Russian Navigation Beacons in the Baltic that pretty much wipe out everything between 1810 and 1820 kHz, so please try and avoid that part of the band if you want to work any EU ! (they sometimes turn them all off . . . but they are on most of the time.) The pre-amp I use on my 6ft 160m receiving loop is actually the design MFJ use in their 1026 noise canceller (I have a 1025 but copied their preamp design, as it uses the same pcb) . . . I get no intermod during contests, even though many EU stations are 45dB over S9 ! Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Preamp on RX antenna`s in contest environment.
Hi We have developed a preamp for contest purposes and it was tested during CQ WW SSB @ CR6K in M/S environment. It is a 15dB preamp, with High pass filter @1.7MHz and the preamp is controlled by a bias-t. It has also an HF limiter in/out and a polyfuse protection. here are a couple of pics: https://twitter.com/dxfmfr/status/106132375575296 if interested let me know off list. 73's Filipe Lopes CT1ILT - CR6K - CR5E F4VPX - TM3M David Cutter via Topband escreveu no dia terça, 13/11/2018 à(s) 11:41: > Cross Country Wireless pre-amp have exceptionally high IP3 using FEMPT > transistors. He is also developing units for contesters. Contact owner > Chris Moulding. > > David G3UNA /G6CP > > -Original Message- > From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Rune > Øye > Sent: 13 November 2018 09:58 > To: topband@contesting.com > Subject: Topband: Preamp on RX antenna`s in contest environment. > > All, > > I am currently building two RX loops for 160 meter band and to be used at > LA8W contest station. Output signals from these loops is not that great and > I need to add a preamp. From RX antennas to shack is approx. 1500 to 2000 > feet. I would like to have the preamps at the loops and use DC inject on > coax cable but wonder if these 15dB preamps will be saturated. I guess the > will have an “easier life” in the shack and behind some band pas filters. > Distance from TX antennas is not more than 700 feet on 160. I am building > the VE3DO loops and will space them 5/8 wave broadside and then feed each > loop to a DX-Engennering phase box. Any suggestions from the experts J > > 73 Rune LA7THA > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Preamp on RX antenna`s in contest environment.
Cross Country Wireless pre-amp have exceptionally high IP3 using FEMPT transistors. He is also developing units for contesters. Contact owner Chris Moulding. David G3UNA /G6CP -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Rune Øye Sent: 13 November 2018 09:58 To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Preamp on RX antenna`s in contest environment. All, I am currently building two RX loops for 160 meter band and to be used at LA8W contest station. Output signals from these loops is not that great and I need to add a preamp. From RX antennas to shack is approx. 1500 to 2000 feet. I would like to have the preamps at the loops and use DC inject on coax cable but wonder if these 15dB preamps will be saturated. I guess the will have an “easier life” in the shack and behind some band pas filters. Distance from TX antennas is not more than 700 feet on 160. I am building the VE3DO loops and will space them 5/8 wave broadside and then feed each loop to a DX-Engennering phase box. Any suggestions from the experts J 73 Rune LA7THA _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Preamp on RX antenna`s in contest environment.
All, I am currently building two RX loops for 160 meter band and to be used at LA8W contest station. Output signals from these loops is not that great and I need to add a preamp. From RX antennas to shack is approx. 1500 to 2000 feet. I would like to have the preamps at the loops and use DC inject on coax cable but wonder if these 15dB preamps will be saturated. I guess the will have an “easier life” in the shack and behind some band pas filters. Distance from TX antennas is not more than 700 feet on 160. I am building the VE3DO loops and will space them 5/8 wave broadside and then feed each loop to a DX-Engennering phase box. Any suggestions from the experts J 73 Rune LA7THA _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: UK MEDIUM WAVE SPACINGS.
HI, UK and European LW and MW are definitely 9 KHz. Tony. G3PFM. Sent from Samsung tablet _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
