Re: Topband: E51D Oct 1

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hi Patrick,
This is a custom unit that I built. While this version would be very 
difficult to reproduce, there are some commercial pre-amps that come close. 
Specifically, the DX engineering SV-BF-99X5 by KD9SV, (Just set the gain to 
20 dB. Don't bother with higher gain as the noise figure gets worse.) In my 
case, I put the pre-amp into a small Pelican case along with a bias T (100 
nF series C and a100 uH and a 47 uH inductor in series.) I have also added a 
GND terminal to the line end (to output side that goes to the receiver) 
which, in combination with a choke (#31 core with 8 turns of coax) ensures 
that noise travelling on the outside of the coax does couple into the 
antenna. Whether you use 50 Ohms and 75 Ohms coax is entirely up to you. 
Just make sure the connectors are good and well sealed against moisture.


I you want to reproduce my pre-amp, I am happy share the circuit diagram, 
but even I would not try do it again!


GL and LMKO if you need more info.
73,
George

On Thu, 3 Oct 2024 23:26:30 + W7TMT - Patrick  wrote:



George,

If you have a moment a few more details about the feed-point amplifier would be 
appreciated. Is this a custom unit or an of-the-shelf commercial unit please?

Thanks for your time. 

Patrick, W7TMT 





From: Topband  on behalf of GEORGE WALLNER 
Sent: Wednesday, October 2, 2024 7:55:20 PMTo: ws6x@gmail.com 
; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: 
E51D Oct 1



Thank you Wes, but it wasn't my "ears" (which are not what they are used tobe) but a new 
RX antenna and a very low noise pre-amplifier, that we installed yesterday morning. Your signal was 
an easy copy with this new antenna. There was no trace of it on the TX antenna! (You also set your 
frequency well: a couple of hundred Hertz away from the other callers but still withing the RX 
passband.)There is a timely thread going on about a "Low Frequency RX Antenna". The 
antenna we installed yesterday is a single support variant of this VE3DO loop, which is essentially 
a delta loop. This type of antenna is easy to install and gives you an RDF that is just a few of 
dB-s shy of a small Beverage, but at a much lower gain. The key is a low noise amplifier located at 
the antenna. This is a must in almost all situations. The amp is remote not to overcome the coax 
losses (which it does), but to ensure
that amplification takes place before noise is introduced into the RX 
system. We have a single RIB on a small cay with two Honda 22i generators. 
Like most temporary installations, grounding is less then perfect and some 
noise couples into the RX circuit. A low noise pre-amp at the antenna, turns 
a -30 dBi RX antenna into a -10 dBi RX antenna with an RDF of 7 dB. That is 
sufficient tooverpower the noise that inevitably gets into the receiver.I 
will be on TB again tonight.73,George,E51DPS: You can easily expand this 
antenna to cover four directions by adding a second loop on the same support 
at 90 degrees, and use switchable transformers to change directions.On Wed, 
2 Oct 2024 11:12:43 -0400  wrote:>As a tribute to George's incredible ears 
on E5-N, this morning, at 1107 UTC,>just before local SR, I worked E51D QRP, 
using a "nothing special" Inv-L.>This is from Northwest Rockingham County,
VA, FM08. The signal was solid>copy, averaging around S7. Signal strength 
was not quite as loud as 2 days>prior, when peaks reached nearly S9.>Oddly, 
yesterday, morning, on FT8, I couldn't work E51D with a kW!>Thanks, 
George.>Jim - WS6X _>Searchable Archives: 
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Re: Topband: E51D Oct 1

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Thank you Wes, but it wasn't my "ears" (which are not what they are used to 
be) but a new RX antenna and a very low noise pre-amplifier, that we 
installed yesterday morning. Your signal was an easy copy with this new 
antenna. There was no trace of it on the TX antenna! (You also set your 
frequency well: a couple of hundred Hertz away from the other callers but 
still withing the RX passband.)
There is a timely thread going on about a "Low Frequency RX Antenna". The 
antenna we installed yesterday is a single support variant of this VE3DO 
loop, which is essentially a delta loop. This type of antenna is easy to 
install and gives you an RDF that is just a few of dB-s shy of a small 
Beverage, but at a much lower gain. The key is a low noise amplifier located 
at the antenna. This is a must in almost all situations. The amp is remote 
not to overcome the coax losses (which it does), but to ensure that 
amplification takes place before noise is introduced into the RX system. We 
have a single RIB on a small cay with two Honda 22i generators. Like most 
temporary installations, grounding is less then perfect and some noise 
couples into the RX circuit. A low noise pre-amp at the antenna, turns a -30 
dBi RX antenna into a -10 dBi RX antenna with an RDF of 7 dB. That is 
sufficient to


overpower the noise that inevitably gets into the receiver.
I will be on TB again tonight.
73,
George,
E51D
PS: You can easily expand this antenna to cover four directions by adding a 
second loop on the same support at 90 degrees, and use switchable 
transformers to change directions.





On Wed, 2 Oct 2024 11:12:43 -0400  wrote:

As a tribute to George's incredible ears on E5-N, this morning, at 1107 UTC,
just before local SR, I worked E51D QRP, using a "nothing special" Inv-L.
This is from Northwest Rockingham County, VA, FM08. The signal was solid
copy, averaging around S7. Signal strength was not quite as loud as 2 days
prior, when peaks reached nearly S9.
Oddly, yesterday, morning, on FT8, I couldn't work E51D with a kW!
Thanks, George.
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Topband: E51D Oct 1

[GEORGE WALLNER]

E51D will be on 1828.5 CW from 0430 Z. Then from 0900 on 1836.0 FT8 FH.
From 1600 to 1700 on 1828.5 CW.

73,
George
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Re: Topband: Promoting CW Activity.

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Steve,
QSB: I did not experience much QSB, but that is hard to tell with callers 
who are on for 20 seconds at a time. Almost all the callers had solid 
signals here. After about 10:30 Z noise crashes increased, making copy a bit 
harder, as around that time the terminator reaches Indonesia/Borneo, a 
region of heavy lightning activity. Also, form about 10:30 JA callers start 
coming in with good signals, making NA copy harder.


This 38 foot antenna would not work well on land, unless it had lots of 
radials. Probably more radials than a DXpedition would have the time (and 
material) for. A short antenna like this has very low radiation resistance, 
which requires a low impedance GND to be efficient. (I measured 6 -j60 Ohms 
feed point impedance, while NEC modelling indicates 4.5 - j60 Ohms. I guess 
the difference is the actual ground.) This antenna was very specifically 
designed for islands where one can take advantage of the salt-water GND to 
reduce antenna height and the potential for interaction with birds. I see 
this development of low profile antennas as essential to being able to 
access USFWS controlled islands with large bird populations.
At this point we have not been on 80. I want to keep working 160 as long as 
conditions (and demand) allow.

TKS for the reports and 73,
George




On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:15:17 -0700 Steve Harrison  wrote:

Geprge, we worked on 160 the other night but you seem to keep getting
louder and louder; so maybe I'll call again some time when traffic is
zilch  8-) However, last night, the QSB had very deep nulls, down to ESP
level then back up a minute or two later to S9. I didn't notice such
deep QSB the first night; it was there but not nearly as deep. Hard to
give an overall qualitative "antenna-worthiness" report under those
conditions 8-D For me, the QSB did not correlate with the times you and
the East coasters were hearing/working; some easily worked you when I
couldn't hear you, some seemed to have a hard time hearing when you came
back and were S7-S9.

The more I listened, the more it struck me that the QSB seemed to be
following the infamous bell-shaped statistical curve; that is, most the
time you were at least S5, almost always between S3 and S7, with the
occasional dip to nothingness and other rare peaks to S9. I listened for
FK8IK when he was supposed to be CQing after working you but only had
ESP on him, if anything. (I wonder whether Bob, W7RH, could have copied
him then??) I don't think he stuck around long enough to give the band
much chance to peak on him very often. His QRQ also hurts often when
he's so weak to begin with. I could hear around a third of the JAs that
you worked but none got very loud, S3 at best for me.

Another thing I'd like to see you check out is how your shortie antennas
work when the radials are entirely on land; i.e., not "grounded" in the
ocean. I'm wondering how much degradation there would be if, say,
another DXpedition (such as CY0S or CY9C) were using your verticals but
they had to be located on a hill or mountain hundreds of yards from a
beach with the excellent salt water ground.

Having said all that, I'll admit I've kept checking 80m for you when I
didn't hear you on 160 (aren't you using 3527.5??) but so far, zilch;
yer having too much fun on top band, I gess. (Is that a possibility:
having TOO MUCH fun on top band??)  8-)

Steve, K0XP



On 9/30/2024 12:34 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:


Richard,Thanks for the report, which is much appreciated. I am testing a newantenna. 
Extra "bird friendly" only 38 feet tall. Seems to get out.
TKS and 73,George
On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:23:20 -0500 Richard Thorne  wrote:

George,

Thanks for the qso on 160 this morning.

We worked twice.  I called the 2nd time as you were very loud, 599+.
Conditions were very quiet on the 1/4 wave sloping vertical.  My receive
array is not on line and there was no need for it.

Rich - N5ZC

On 9/30/2024 2:20 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:



TopBand is certainly open.From E51D I worked EA8 last night shortlyafter my SS. Later, 
fromabout 10:00 Z most NA signals were S6 to S7,including East Coaststations. Felt more like 
80 m, but slower.Still, worked around 80stations in 2 hours. It was a good night for 
TB.George,AA7JVOn Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:12:46 +0100 "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:>There 
is an email circulating around Top Band DXers, asking us to try

and
encourage more CW activity . . . so I said I would post on here (as
this is
something I have always tried to do).

The problem is that if nobody comes on the band and puts out a call,
many
people presume that there is no Propagation. This is made worse if
all you
do is look at the DX Cluster, or look at your Waterfall Display.

I also know that some people only ever come on the band to work some
rare
Prefix or DX-pedition . . . but that is such a waste of a decent 160m
setup!

However, there are many of us

Re: Topband: Promoting CW Activity.

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Ray,
We may try FT8 tonight starting around 0900 Z (regular F/H on 1836.0).

George


On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:54:29 -0700 Raymond Benny  wrote:
George, I worked you this morning at 1012z. You were Q5 with QRN  & QSB. Good copy, 569.I'll be waiting for you on 160m FT8 when ever you show up. I need E5/N on 160m FT8 with W7YA. 

Ray,N6VR, CWW7YA,  FT8 



On Mon, Sep 30, 2024, 1:07 PM GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:

Richard,
Thanks for the report, which is much appreciated. I am testing a new 
antenna. Extra "bird friendly" only 38 feet tall. Seems to get out.


TKS and 73,
George

On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:23:20 -0500 Richard Thorne  wrote:

George,

Thanks for the qso on 160 this morning.

We worked twice.  I called the 2nd time as you were very loud, 599+. 
Conditions were very quiet on the 1/4 wave sloping vertical.  My receive
array is not on line and there was no need for it.

Rich - N5ZC

On 9/30/2024 2:20 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:


TopBand is certainly open.From E51D I worked EA8 last night shortly after my 
SS. Later, fromabout 10:00 Z most NA signals were S6 to S7, including East 
Coaststations. Felt more like 80 m, but slower. Still, worked around 80stations 
in 2 hours. It was a good night for TB.
George,AA7JV
On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:12:46 +0100 "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

There is an email circulating around Top Band DXers, asking us to try
and
encourage more CW activity . . . so I said I would post on here (as
this is
something I have always tried to do).

The problem is that if nobody comes on the band and puts out a call,
many
people presume that there is no Propagation. This is made worse if
all you
do is look at the DX Cluster, or look at your Waterfall Display.

I also know that some people only ever come on the band to work some
rare
Prefix or DX-pedition . . . but that is such a waste of a decent 160m
setup!

However, there are many of us that get a buzz out of working ANY DX (no
matter how often we may have worked that station before) . . . and DX on
160m is really anything over 3,000 miles away.

Top Band is certainly now open for DX most nights, certainly for
those of us
in the Northern Hemisphere . . . there 's just so little activity (it
gets
boring just looking at your signal reports on RBN!)

So come on guys . . . a lot of you put a lot of trouble into having
decent
Tx and Rx aerials for Top Band . . . what's the point in all that
effort if
you never come on the band ?!

73 Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: Promoting CW Activity.

[GEORGE WALLNER]

TopBand is certainly open.
From E51D I worked EA8 last night shortly after my SS. Later, from about 
10:00 Z most NA signals were S6 to S7, including East Coast stations. Felt 
more like 80 m, but slower. Still, worked around 80 stations in 2 hours. It 
was a good night for TB.


George,
AA7JV



On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:12:46 +0100 "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

There is an email circulating around Top Band DXers, asking us to try and
encourage more CW activity . . . so I said I would post on here (as this is
something I have always tried to do).

The problem is that if nobody comes on the band and puts out a call, many
people presume that there is no Propagation. This is made worse if all you
do is look at the DX Cluster, or look at your Waterfall Display.

I also know that some people only ever come on the band to work some rare
Prefix or DX-pedition . . . but that is such a waste of a decent 160m setup!

However, there are many of us that get a buzz out of working ANY DX (no
matter how often we may have worked that station before) . . . and DX on
160m is really anything over 3,000 miles away.

Top Band is certainly now open for DX most nights, certainly for those of us
in the Northern Hemisphere . . . there 's just so little activity (it gets
boring just looking at your signal reports on RBN!)

So come on guys . . . a lot of you put a lot of trouble into having decent
Tx and Rx aerials for Top Band . . . what's the point in all that effort if
you never come on the band ?!

73 Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: Promoting CW Activity.

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Richard,
Thanks for the report, which is much appreciated. I am testing a new 
antenna. Extra "bird friendly" only 38 feet tall. Seems to get out.


TKS and 73,
George

On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:23:20 -0500 Richard Thorne  wrote:

George,

Thanks for the qso on 160 this morning.

We worked twice.  I called the 2nd time as you were very loud, 599+. 
Conditions were very quiet on the 1/4 wave sloping vertical.  My receive
array is not on line and there was no need for it.

Rich - N5ZC

On 9/30/2024 2:20 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:


TopBand is certainly open.From E51D I worked EA8 last night shortly after my 
SS. Later, fromabout 10:00 Z most NA signals were S6 to S7, including East 
Coaststations. Felt more like 80 m, but slower. Still, worked around 80stations 
in 2 hours. It was a good night for TB.
George,AA7JV
On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:12:46 +0100 "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

There is an email circulating around Top Band DXers, asking us to try
and
encourage more CW activity . . . so I said I would post on here (as
this is
something I have always tried to do).

The problem is that if nobody comes on the band and puts out a call,
many
people presume that there is no Propagation. This is made worse if
all you
do is look at the DX Cluster, or look at your Waterfall Display.

I also know that some people only ever come on the band to work some
rare
Prefix or DX-pedition . . . but that is such a waste of a decent 160m
setup!

However, there are many of us that get a buzz out of working ANY DX (no
matter how often we may have worked that station before) . . . and DX on
160m is really anything over 3,000 miles away.

Top Band is certainly now open for DX most nights, certainly for
those of us
in the Northern Hemisphere . . . there 's just so little activity (it
gets
boring just looking at your signal reports on RBN!)

So come on guys . . . a lot of you put a lot of trouble into having
decent
Tx and Rx aerials for Top Band . . . what's the point in all that
effort if
you never come on the band ?!

73 Roger G3YRO


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Topband: E51D

[GEORGE WALLNER]

E51D is now on the air. We will be on 160 starting around 0900 Z.
On subsequent nights will start on 160 around 0430 for EU for one hour, Then 
for NA SR starting around 0930. Will be on again for east EU starting around 
1500. In between we will be mostly on 80 m.


GL and CU,
George
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Re: Topband: George/E51D

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Bob,
Looking forward to working you on TB. Not sure about the frequency yet, Will 
have to see the QRN.



I have 6 m gear but we will not have the time to set up for 6 m. Anyway, 
E51WL lives on Penhryn and he is mainly on 6 m.


GL and 73,
George


On Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:50:54 + w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:

Mni thanks for the good news, George. Be looking for you next week.
Around 1827.5 ?

Do you have 6m capabilities? Keep reading 6m is expected to open via
F2 and TE any day now, and esp. during Oct-Nov. You could have a ball
from there. And 6m cw needs more activity. Smooth sailing.

Bob

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Topband: 160 m Propagation Report from the Pacific,

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello Topbanders,
Finally 160 is coming alive.

Last night (Sep 25) I was operating as E51D/MM, at anchor in Suwarrow Atoll, 
North Cook Islands (AH86).

Starting at 0925 the only signal on the band was K1ZM. He had a solid 579.
Until about 10:00 I had a few callers with very weak signals, just above the 
noise (on the TX vertical). Then at 10:04 W7DT came in with a solid 589 
signal with a pronounced echo, that sounded like it was coming from the 
bottom of a well. Many subsequent callers were S6 to S7 and by 10:30 some 
were S9. The echo went away by 10:10 and most copy was a true 5. It was 
amazing to hear signals going from barely above the noise to S8 in less than 
5 minutes.

Very encouraging!
E51D will be QRV (from land) next week from Penhryn Atoll. We will be on 160 
at NA SR starting around 10:00. Will also try for EU starting around 0430.

73,
George,
AA7JV
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Re: Topband: CY9C

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Jamie,
The PTT is simple. Either transmitter's PTT can turn on the PA. RX is via a 
separate antenna port, so there is no RX/TX switching in the PA.


George


On Sun, 08 Sep 2024 01:28:43 + WW3S  wrote:

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the PTT for the amp.and imagine the 
duty cycle, that amp must be cooking !!!

73 (thanks for the N5J new one)

Jamie WW3S



-- Original Message ------
From "GEORGE WALLNER" 
To "Rudy Bakalov" 
Cc "Rudy Bakalov via Topband" 
Date 9/7/2024 9:14:33 PM
Subject Re: Topband: CY9C



As Jim points out: This is non-trivial.I have not published the details as so 
far nobody has asked for them.
Indeed, it has to be a serious DXpedition to justify the effort needed.
George,AA7JV
On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 17:07:01 -0400 Rudy Bakalov  wrote:

Is this only for 160? Are the schematics published?
Rudy N2WQ

Sent using a tiny keyboard.  Please excuse brevity, typos, or inappropriate 
autocorrect.




On Sep 7, 2024, at 4:59 PM, GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:
Rudy,Info at https://www.qrz.com/db/C6AGU73,George
On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 14:17:45 -0400 Rudy Bakalov via Topband  wrote:

How does this work? IF this is indeed the case, this would be agreat solution 
for multi-op contest stations.

Rudy N2WQ

Sent using a tiny keyboard.  Please excuse brevity, typos, or inappropriate 
autocorrect.





On Sep 7, 2024, at 2:01 PM, Jim Brown  wrote: 
George developed a sophisticated combining network that allowed the two best weak 
signal modes, CW andFT8, to operate simultaneously into the same TX antenna, and to 
use the same weak signal RX antennas, allowing them tobe active all night every 
night! The magnitude of this achievement technically is to realize that the two modes 
areworking within 20 kHz of each other, and listening within 10 kHz, and the CW 
station is running high power!


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Re: Topband: CY9C

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Jamie,
The amp is water cooled. It is driven to provide 800 W output for the CW 
signal and 200 W for the FT8 signal. The heat spreader temp rarely goes over 
55 C, even in the middle of the day. Water cooling is very effective and of 
course, a must for removing the heat from an enclosed case.


The much (much) bigger challenge for the amp is linearity. The CW and FT8 
signals mix and create an in-band mixing (IMD) product somewhere between 
1,880 and 1,896 kHz, which with poor IP3 could be a couple of Watts. (The 
other mixing products are outside the band and are easily filtered.) The 
signal is CW which is FM modulated by FT8.
Anyway, for anything but a very serous DXpedition, this is way too complex 
and hard to set up. But when you are faced with antenna restrictions and 
limited time to get on the air, it is justified.

73,
George


On Sun, 08 Sep 2024 01:28:43 + WW3S  wrote:

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the PTT for the amp.and imagine the 
duty cycle, that amp must be cooking !!!

73 (thanks for the N5J new one)

Jamie WW3S



-- Original Message --
From "GEORGE WALLNER" 
To "Rudy Bakalov" 
Cc "Rudy Bakalov via Topband" 
Date 9/7/2024 9:14:33 PM
Subject Re: Topband: CY9C



As Jim points out: This is non-trivial.I have not published the details as so 
far nobody has asked for them.
Indeed, it has to be a serious DXpedition to justify the effort needed.
George,AA7JV
On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 17:07:01 -0400 Rudy Bakalov  wrote:

Is this only for 160? Are the schematics published?
Rudy N2WQ

Sent using a tiny keyboard.  Please excuse brevity, typos, or inappropriate 
autocorrect.




On Sep 7, 2024, at 4:59 PM, GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:
Rudy,Info at https://www.qrz.com/db/C6AGU73,George
On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 14:17:45 -0400 Rudy Bakalov via Topband  wrote:

How does this work? IF this is indeed the case, this would be agreat solution 
for multi-op contest stations.

Rudy N2WQ

Sent using a tiny keyboard.  Please excuse brevity, typos, or inappropriate 
autocorrect.





On Sep 7, 2024, at 2:01 PM, Jim Brown  wrote: 
George developed a sophisticated combining network that allowed the two best weak 
signal modes, CW andFT8, to operate simultaneously into the same TX antenna, and to 
use the same weak signal RX antennas, allowing them tobe active all night every 
night! The magnitude of this achievement technically is to realize that the two modes 
areworking within 20 kHz of each other, and listening within 10 kHz, and the CW 
station is running high power!


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Re: Topband: CY9C

[GEORGE WALLNER]

As Jim points out: This is non-trivial.
I have not published the details as so far nobody has asked for them.

Indeed, it has to be a serious DXpedition to justify the effort needed.

George,
AA7JV




On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 17:07:01 -0400 Rudy Bakalov  wrote:

Is this only for 160? Are the schematics published?
Rudy N2WQ

Sent using a tiny keyboard.  Please excuse brevity, typos, or inappropriate 
autocorrect.



On Sep 7, 2024, at 4:59 PM, GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:

Rudy,
Info at https://www.qrz.com/db/C6AGU
73,
George


On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 14:17:45 -0400 Rudy Bakalov via Topband  wrote:

How does this work? IF this is indeed the case, this would be agreat solution 
for multi-op contest stations.

Rudy N2WQ

Sent using a tiny keyboard.  Please excuse brevity, typos, or inappropriate 
autocorrect.



On Sep 7, 2024, at 2:01 PM, Jim Brown  wrote: 
George developed a sophisticated combining network that allowed the two best weak signal modes, CW andFT8, to operate simultaneously into the same TX antenna, and to use the same weak signal RX antennas, allowing them tobe active all night every night! The magnitude of this achievement technically is to realize that the two modes areworking within 20 kHz of each other, and listening within 10 kHz, and the CW station is running high power!




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Re: Topband: CY9C

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Rudy,
Info at https://www.qrz.com/db/C6AGU

73,
George


On Sat, 7 Sep 2024 14:17:45 -0400 Rudy Bakalov via Topband  wrote:

How does this work? IF this is indeed the case, this would be a great solution 
for multi-op contest stations.

Rudy N2WQ

Sent using a tiny keyboard.  Please excuse brevity, typos, or inappropriate 
autocorrect.




On Sep 7, 2024, at 2:01 PM, Jim Brown  wrote:
George developed a sophisticated combining network that allowed the two best 
weak signal modes, CW and FT8, to operate simultaneously into the same TX 
antenna, and to use the same weak signal RX antennas, allowing them to be 
active all night every night! The magnitude of this achievement technically is 
to realize that the two modes are working within 20 kHz of each other, and 
listening within 10 kHz, and the CW station is running high power!


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Re: Topband: N5J

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Maybe a bit tonight.
George

On Mon, 19 Aug 2024 20:46:46 + (UTC) Wes Stewart via Topband  wrote:

You popped up on 12 and 40 SSB and I missed you.  Any chance for another 
opportunity before you QRT?
Wes  N7WS

  On Monday, August 19, 2024 at 12:13:41 PM MST, GEORGE WALLNER 
 wrote:  N5J was on 160 from 0450 to 0530 last night with 
reduced power. We reduced power due to issues with the 160 m antenna, which we have 
shortened to reduce danger to birds. Birds have entered a very active season on the 
island and we try to minimize out impact. Tonight (Aug 20) we will be back on 160 
with full power at 0500 - 0600 and then later at 0800 Z. Note that this will be our 
last night on the air.
GL and 73,

George,
N5J




On Mon, 19 Aug 2024 11:32:31 -0700 Wilson Lamb via Topband  wrote:


I tried the sched they posted...not a peep.Yesterday there were quite a few QSO 
around 1000Z.I tried that today and not a peep.Nor did I hear anyone 
calling.There was one spot, from Spain, but I don't think it was meant as a QSO 
report.Has their plan changed?Is the band as bad as it seems?  I haven't been 
on 160 for a couple of years...used to work EU, VK, ZL with no trouble.RBN 
shows my KW getting to New England and the Midwest only.Is something wrong 
here?I have five bands and hoped to add 160, but can't do a lot of the late 
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Re: Topband: N5J

[GEORGE WALLNER]

N5J was on 160 from 0450 to 0530 last night with reduced power. We reduced 
power due to issues with the 160 m antenna, which we have shortened to 
reduce danger to birds. Birds have entered a very active season on the 
island and we try to minimize out impact. Tonight (Aug 20) we will be back 
on 160 with full power at 0500 - 0600 and then later at 0800 Z. Note that 
this will be our last night on the air.

GL and 73,

George,
N5J




On Mon, 19 Aug 2024 11:32:31 -0700 Wilson Lamb via Topband  wrote:

I tried the sched they posted...not a peep.
Yesterday there were quite a few QSO around 1000Z.
I tried that today and not a peep.
Nor did I hear anyone calling.
There was one spot, from Spain, but I don't think it was meant as a QSO report.
Has their plan changed?
Is the band as bad as it seems?  I haven't been on 160 for a couple of 
years...used to work EU, VK, ZL with no trouble.
RBN shows my KW getting to New England and the Midwest only.
Is something wrong here?
I have five bands and hoped to add 160, but can't do a lot of the late stuff.
Wilson
W4BOH
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Topband: N5J on 160

[GEORGE WALLNER]

We have been improving our 160 m set up every day. We have added more ground 
wires that connect the TX antenna base to the water and have built a very 
effective RX antenna. Now we can comfortable hear most callers.
Last night we got on 160 first around 0530. There were a few NA, callers. 
Most had 100% QSB: going from 5 CPY to nothing in seconds. Got back on TB 
around 0830. Signals were much steadier with a slow but continuous stream of 
NA callers. TS noise started up around 0900 and got steadily stronger all 
night. (This noise comes from T storms in the Solomons, Papua and Indonesia, 
reaching us after their SS. It gets progressively worse as the night 
progresses.


We are at the 1000 TB QSO mark. Given the fact the Aug is about the worst 
time of the year for 160, this is OK. There would be many more in the log if 
callers used better tactics:
1. Send your call twice. We need narrow filter settings because of the noise 
(we are on the Equator). Unless you are "tail-gating" it takes time for us 
to tune the RX to the caller's frequency. Often we only get the last few 
letters of the call ... and then wait. If we CQ again, another caller will 
jump in and the first caller will lose the Q. This happens a lot. If you are 
tail-gating -- calling on the last Q-s frequency -- once is enough!
2. There are callers who are not hearing us. We keep on replying with no 
result. Probably most people listening on our TX frq can hear this taking 
place. Sure, QSB and QRM will often make two or three attempts necessary. 
But there have been some to whom I have replied to dozens of times over many 
hours. They are just causing QRM and wasting their time as they will not 
make into the log by accident.
3. Insurance QSO-s are perfectly justified. But they make no sense the 
third, fourth -- and sometimes the sixth time. If we are not busy, a dupe 
call is welcome as it reassures us that the band is still open. But when 
there is a pile up, a third insurance Q just takes someone else's Q.
4. JA-s tend to have this habit (not all, TKS). It springs from good 
intentions, but... When calling they send their call only once. We often 
catch only part of it, just like in point 1. But once we reply with the 
correct call. they then come back sending their call three times. This gets 
us to the next point:
5. The ideal sequence is: CQ N5J UP -- N4xx N4xx  --- N4xx 5NN -- 5NN TU -- 
TU. Sending the call ahead of the 5NN can create doubt under difficult RX 
conditions. Sending 5NN is really a confirmation that tells the operator 
that the callsign is correct. The TU further confirms that the QSO is good 
and can go into the log. Less is more!
6. For NA callers: JA callers have an all-water path to us and are often 
louder. They start coming in after 1000 Z, some with astonishingly strong 
signals. Plan you time accordingly: waiting for your SR-bump may not be 
worth it if it puts you in competition with stronger (and numerous) signals.
7. Actual signal reports are very welcome. (Even the 339 ones.) They help us 
adjust to the conditions.


We will keep coming on around 0500 for a short time -- there is a tiny 
chance of working EU. And then come on again around 0830 ahead of NA SR. 
During the next few nights we will also work FT8 F/H. It seems that 
SuperFox, which has been very effective on other bands, it not as good under 
poor conditions on TB. Hence F/H.


TKS for all the calls and GL,
George,
N5J




On Wed, 14 Aug 2024 11:40:34 -0400 WW3S  wrote:

A couple of mornings ago, they were ESP, maybe 339 when sending UP, for maybe 
90 seconds or so…..this morning I got in the shack around 0900z and they were 
449/559 with peaks to 579 or so, I worked them easily with an inv l and 1000w 
or so from NW PA…..tu George and team for the new one !!! They were in there 
solid until my SR…..


Sent from my iPad



On Aug 14, 2024, at 10:57 AM, Ron Spencer via Topband  
wrote:
Was listening last night (8/14) to N5J pound out CQs on 1828.5. Hats off to the 
folks operating for their patience and dedication to 160. The rate, at least 
while I was listening, was pretty low. Certainly not what most dxpeditions are 
after. But George and crew continue to spend quality time working hard to pull 
out Qs in this very noisy time for 160. THANK you to all the ops for 160 and 
all the other bands too. WELL DONE!!!
Ron
N4XD (portable 5 in DM64 right now)
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Re: Topband: Caribbean Operations On 160m?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Wes,
Schedules are very hard to follow. We need to work the bands that are good 
and work them as long as they are open. Propagation has been so erratic the 
last few days that all that is unpredictable. Hopefully by tomorrow things 
will settle down.


GL,
George


On Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:58:56 + (UTC) Wes Stewart  wrote:


George,

You've pretty much staked out 7056+ for SFH.  If you're on CW you won't be 
using that for FT8, why not use it for CW?

On another note, I would like to get you on 80 and 160 FT8 to fill out my Bingo 
card. I'm sure I'm not alone.  But I keep rolling out of bed at 2AM to check 
160 only to find that I missed you on 80 at 1AM.  Could you give us a schedule 
of some kind for these bands? (I need to manually retune my one antenna and I'm 
not about to go out to the cactus patch in the dark and disturb the 
rattlesnakes at their mealtime)

Thanks, keep up the good work.

Wes  N7WS



   
   On Monday, August 12, 2024 at 05:18:05 PM MST, GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:
   
   
   
Steve,40 m has been a problem at N5J. Often we have S9+20 dB over-the-horizon radar signal blanketing from 6.95 to 7.050 for hours at a time. We are considering operating at 7050, but that is very close to the FT8 frequencies. We hope to find a break in the QRM to work NA.GL and 73,GeorgeN5J Team





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Re: Topband: Caribbean Operations On 160m?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Tonight I will get on 160 at 0830 Z.
Will go to FT8 if there are no too few CW callers.

GL,



On Mon, 12 Aug 2024 17:41:32 -0700 Raymond Benny  wrote:

George,

I am patiently waiting for a 160m FT8 QSO. This morning, I was up at 2:30 am 
local and saw that N5J had called two CQ on 1.836 at 0900z with no replies. I 
got there 30 minutes too late!

I know it's not productive to sit on 1.836 calling CQ all night and get only a few resposes. So, I'd like to ask if you could give us a time between, say, 0600z and 1300z, 11pm -6am West Coast time, so that we could look for N5J on FT8? 
Another option would be to say you will call CQ on 1.836 on the hour, or half hour.


I'll be 80 yo in a few months and getting up at odd dark hours is getting hard 
on the body...

Thanks for understanding and for the other band QSOs.

Ray,
Arizona,
N6VR - CW
W7YA - FT8

Oh, a 60m QSO would be nice too.

[img]  <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Virus-free.www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> 
#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2


On Mon, Aug 12, 2024 at 5:22 PM GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:

Steve,
40 m has been a problem at N5J. Often we have S9+20 dB over-the-horizon 
radar signal blanketing from 6.95 to 7.050 for hours at a time. We are 
considering operating at 7050, but that is very close to the FT8 
frequencies. We hope to find a break in the QRM to work NA.


GL and 73,
George
N5J Team



On Sun, 11 Aug 2024 18:46:31 -0700 Steve Harrison  wrote:

Anybody know what the parameters or requirements for operating 160m from
KG4/Guantanamo Bay are these days? Looking at my 160m worked list, I see
that I'm missing one heck of a lot of Caribbean entities that should be
like shooting fish in a barrel 8-D But we don't hear many of those guys
too often, other than stalwarts like Kenny-KP4AA, KP4TF, and a few
others. Yeah, I know: t-storm QRN can be horrendous, especially around
hurricane season, out there. Still, once that's over, we still don't
seem to hear too many of those "rarer" Caribbean entities on topband much.

Another that I'd dearly-love to work is PY2RO; but the last several
times I've heard him, although he was well above my noise floor and
working JAs, he never responded to my calls (almost like trying to work
9M2AX!).

Right now, I'm waiting for N5J to show up on 40m CW, the last band I
need them on. I saw them spotted a few days ago working JAs... four
hours after my sunrise!

Steve, K0XP


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Re: Topband: Caribbean Operations On 160m?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Steve,
40 m has been a problem at N5J. Often we have S9+20 dB over-the-horizon 
radar signal blanketing from 6.95 to 7.050 for hours at a time. We are 
considering operating at 7050, but that is very close to the FT8 
frequencies. We hope to find a break in the QRM to work NA.


GL and 73,
George
N5J Team



On Sun, 11 Aug 2024 18:46:31 -0700 Steve Harrison  wrote:

Anybody know what the parameters or requirements for operating 160m from
KG4/Guantanamo Bay are these days? Looking at my 160m worked list, I see
that I'm missing one heck of a lot of Caribbean entities that should be
like shooting fish in a barrel 8-D But we don't hear many of those guys
too often, other than stalwarts like Kenny-KP4AA, KP4TF, and a few
others. Yeah, I know: t-storm QRN can be horrendous, especially around
hurricane season, out there. Still, once that's over, we still don't
seem to hear too many of those "rarer" Caribbean entities on topband much.

Another that I'd dearly-love to work is PY2RO; but the last several
times I've heard him, although he was well above my noise floor and
working JAs, he never responded to my calls (almost like trying to work
9M2AX!).

Right now, I'm waiting for N5J to show up on 40m CW, the last band I
need them on. I saw them spotted a few days ago working JAs... four
hours after my sunrise!

Steve, K0XP


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Re: Topband: N5J Live Stream?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Mike,
We have done all those things to the generators and more. Even shielded the 
ignition coils. Some of the noise is impulse noise that comes from the low 
voltage input to the ignition coil. We can't do much about that, because 
when we add even a small capacitor to this wire the generator becomes hard 
to start. We have added more ground wires around the generators and that has 
helped.


Will also add the radials you've suggested at the RX antenna feed point.
TKS and 73,
George


On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:21:23 -0700 Michael Tope  wrote:

Hi George,

Is this noise you are hearing impulse noise from the generator ignition or 
switching hash from the inverter electronics?

If it is ignition noise, shielding the spark plug wire fixed the problem for me:

http://www.dellroy.com/W4EF
's-Ham-Radio-Page/EU2000i/Ignition.htm

For inverter hash, a #31 toroid in series with the AC output works (trifilar 
wound with THHN house wire). The idea was to keep the extension cord from 
becoming an antenna or conducting noise current back to the rig chassis and 
then along the coax to the antenna feed. I didn't even need to bother grounding 
the generator, but in my case it was located a fair distance from the antenna:

http://www.dellroy.com/W4EF
's-Ham-Radio-Page/CQ160/2006.htm (scroll down to the photo of the generators 
and gas cans). The filter in the Cantex box is mostly for higher bands (uses 
#43 toroids), but I believe the unhoused toroid with the green THHN on it is a 
#31 type.

If you need one at the antenna, 6 to 8 eight short radials 30 to 60 feet long 
would probably make a decent counterpoise to provide a low impedance to shunt 
against the series Z of a common-mode choke you are putting on your antenna 
coax. I built one of those W8JI receiving 4 squares many years ago and I used 
eight 60ft long radials for each vertical. That seemed to work very well (IIRC 
that is what Tom recommended and I just followed his recipe). Critters chewed 
the guy ropes and the vertical all fell down, but that's another story :-)

Hope that helps.

73, Mike W4EF...

On 8/10/2024 12:00 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:


Jim,We are using all of the cores you have given me. They help, but it is hard 
to get a good ground at the top-end of the beach where the sand is very dry and 
rocks prevent rods getting driven deep enough to reach moist ground. Yesterday, 
a bit desperate, ran a 70 foot long GND wire to water, but I doubt it is doing 
much good. We got chokes on most coax and control cables but without good GND 
their effect is limited.
Using a single #31 2" core, how many turns of RG-6 do you think will give 
decent choking effect? (I know, it depends on the GND and other loading factors.)TKS 
for all the ferrite cores! Will let you know if we need more!
GW
On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 11:48:34 -0700 Jim Brown  wrote:

Hi George,

Remind me where to send you more cores for your next trip. :)

In the meantime, try grounding the generator chassis (and/or grounding pin) to 
a driven rod (or to screen/radials if you can't drive a rod). I've seen reports 
that this can be effective with some generators on some bands.

73, Jim K9YC




Set up a DHDL RX antenna yesterday but it was picking up generator noise. Will 
move it today to reduce noise.




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Re: Topband: N5J Live Stream?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Wes,
We are using EU22i generators, which are the newer version of the EU2000. 
You can only hear their noise in a quite place, Also, we are running three 
of them paralleled and their noise adds up because they are synchronized. 
Anyway, using a bunch of chokes and additional grounding, we got the noise 
on 160 m down to an acceptable level. Also, we now have a well situated DHDL 
RX antenna that is pointed towards NA . Last night had no problem copying 
NA.


TKS for all the suggestions.
GL and 73,
George


On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 21:51:45 + (UTC) Wes Stewart  wrote:



   George,

I'm not being critical, just curious, I don't have a lot of experience, but 
I've used my EU2000 for a couple of Field Days and from a lot of RV sites and 
have never even tried to ground the thing.  I park it 50-75 feet away, run an 
extension cord to the equipment and have at it. Of course I've never been on a 
quiet island but I've not had issue.

Also, you've done this before from Samoa and other places (200K QSOs I believe) 
have you not seen this before?  What is different this time?

Wes  N7WS

   
   On Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 12:03:21 PM MST, GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:
   
   
   
Jim,
We are using all of the cores you have given me. They help, but it is hard 
to get a good ground at the top-end of the beach where the sand is very dry 
and rocks prevent rods getting driven deep enough to reach moist ground. 
Yesterday, a bit desperate, ran a 70 foot long GND wire to water, but I 
doubt it is doing much good. We got chokes on most coax and control cables 
but without good GND their effect is limited.


Using a single #31 2" core, how many turns of RG-6 do you think will give 
decent choking effect? (I know, it depends on the GND and other loading 
factors.)

TKS for all the ferrite cores! Will let you know if we need more!

GW



On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 11:48:34 -0700 Jim Brown  wrote:

Hi George,

Remind me where to send you more cores for your next trip. :)

In the meantime, try grounding the generator chassis (and/or grounding pin) to 
a driven rod (or to screen/radials if you can't drive a rod). I've seen reports 
that this can be effective with some generators on some bands.

73, Jim K9YC



Set up a DHDL RX antenna yesterday but it was picking up generator noise. Will 
move it today to reduce noise.





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Re: Topband: N5J Live Stream?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Jim,
We are using all of the cores you have given me. They help, but it is hard 
to get a good ground at the top-end of the beach where the sand is very dry 
and rocks prevent rods getting driven deep enough to reach moist ground. 
Yesterday, a bit desperate, ran a 70 foot long GND wire to water, but I 
doubt it is doing much good. We got chokes on most coax and control cables 
but without good GND their effect is limited.


Using a single #31 2" core, how many turns of RG-6 do you think will give 
decent choking effect? (I know, it depends on the GND and other loading 
factors.)

TKS for all the ferrite cores! Will let you know if we need more!

GW



On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 11:48:34 -0700 Jim Brown  wrote:

Hi George,

Remind me where to send you more cores for your next trip. :)

In the meantime, try grounding the generator chassis (and/or grounding pin) to 
a driven rod (or to screen/radials if you can't drive a rod). I've seen reports 
that this can be effective with some generators on some bands.

73, Jim K9YC



Set up a DHDL RX antenna yesterday but it was picking up generator noise. Will 
move it today to reduce noise.





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Re: Topband: N5J

[GEORGE WALLNER]

We will get around to FT8 on 160 soon.
TKS for the Q-s.

George


On Fri, 9 Aug 2024 15:22:13 -0700 Raymond Benny  wrote:


George,
Tnx for the 160m QSO. Do not need Jarvis  on other bands with N6VR.
I do need Jarvis Is. on 160m and other bands, with W7YA on FT8. I have worked 
three bands so far.
I know you are busy and you have your priorities. 
So, I'll wait patiently..

Tnx,
Ray,N6VR,W7YA, FT8 



On Fri, Aug 9, 2024, 2:12 PM GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:
Generally, we go to 160 around 0500 until we run out of callers. We are 
trying for EU at that time, but NA is much appreciated too. Then we QSY to 
80 and come back to 160 around 0830 Z. Stay on 160 as long as we are working 
people but it has been slow the past two nights and we had to QSY to a more 
"productive" band. We come back to 160 one hour before our SR.

GL and 73,

George


On Fri, 9 Aug 2024 07:50:41 -0600 Mike Fatchett W0MU  wrote:

It doesn't appear that they made it back to 160.  Maybe today!

W0MU

On 8/9/2024 2:31 AM, Steve Harrison wrote:


He'll be back on 160m again soon (probly 08Z or so), for the east coastSR as 
well as the JA SS (although he may QSY down the band for the JAs).I heard one 
of the HL3s say something about being restricted to below1820, possibly from 
QRM, since I've worked HL5IVL on 1823.5.
Steve, K0XP
On 8/9/2024 1:18 AM, Mike Fatchett W0MU wrote:

The came on early and I nearly worked them but my KAT500 tuner was not
up to the task.  I did work them on 80cw easy.  I hope they show soon
on 160 again.

W0MU

On 8/8/2024 4:22 PM, Ron Spencer via Topband wrote:


George, thanks for the Q last night. I'm out in NM and have a verysmall set up. 
Inverted L and maybe 40', beverages to NE and SW (500'long) and just 500W.
As you certainly heard, almost constant QRN. I have no idea how manytimes you 
may have come back to me but finally, enough of a breakwhere I heard you, 
clearly, for just long enough to make the Q.
On this set up you were maybe S1 or 2. Great ears at your end.
Thanks for putting Jarvis on the air!
Ron
N4XD/5 DM64
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Re: Topband: N5J Live Stream?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Jim,
It is hard for me to come on TB at 0600 as on most days as we go to the 
island late afternoon to avoid the heat while we work on things. (Yesterday 
we rearranged our filters to reduce interference.) By the time we get back 
it is dark and often past 0600. Will keep on trying to come on just after 
our SS but also at least by 0800 for NA SR. Tonight I was on TB until our 
SR, trying for E. EU but only worked to R7.


Set up a DHDL RX antenna yesterday but it was picking up generator noise. 
Will move it today to reduce noise.

GL and 73,
George


On Fri, 9 Aug 2024 17:47:12 -0400 Jim Fielder  wrote:

George,
Thanks for the update.  I will look for you on 160 and 80.   On those low 
bands, are you HP and CW?  Still 6:00 UTC for east coast?

Thanks for all you do for this hobby.  73

Jim, KE0L



On Aug 9, 2024, at 4:54 PM, GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:
We are super busy, Updating Clublog once a day is all we got time for.The 160 m 
antenna (actually 160 - 10) is at the water's edge -- a good location. Two of 
the higher bands antennas are up on a berm but these stations run 100 W only.
We have built yesterday a DHDL for RX but we need to move it away from the 
generators as it is picking up generator noise. I hope to improve our RX 
capability within a couple of days. Last night we worked CU two hour after our 
SS -- not the same as EU, but it suggests that there is a small chance. At our 
SR we were on 160 for EU SS but only got as far west as R7. Will keep on 
trying. Ihave been amazed by the huge difference between signal strengths on 
160 and 80 m. The same stations that are barely detectable are 599+ on 80! It 
can not be just their antennas. For sure November would be better for TB, 
but...Keep Trying!73,George


On Fri, 9 Aug 2024 10:22:02 -0700 Steve Harrison  wrote:


On 8/9/2024 7:11 AM, Wes wrote:
IT would be nice if they updated Clublog more often.  With all of thesuper 
duper remote capabilities one would think this would be easy.

I'm sure that George is doing the best that he can, with what he's got.
With so many players in the game (including the non-ham scientists that
accompanied them), it must be tough trying to keep track and control of
everything going on!

Being on the west coast and thus closer than many to Jarvis, I've been
astonished at how well they have radiated on both 160m and 80m; at
least, to SoCal. Seems to me that the weakest signals have been on all
of the higher bands, but that's likely because propagation to Jarvis
from the desert of SoCal just hasn't "bounced" quite right for those
bands very often.

Steve, K0XP





Wes  N7WSOn 8/9/2024 6:26 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:>Hover over your QSO in 
ClubLog's Expedition Charts:

<

https://clublog.org/charts/?c=N5J




That will show who was at the controls for your QSO.

73,

 ... Joe, W4TV



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Re: Topband: N5J

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Generally, we go to 160 around 0500 until we run out of callers. We are 
trying for EU at that time, but NA is much appreciated too. Then we QSY to 
80 and come back to 160 around 0830 Z. Stay on 160 as long as we are working 
people but it has been slow the past two nights and we had to QSY to a more 
"productive" band. We come back to 160 one hour before our SR.

GL and 73,

George


On Fri, 9 Aug 2024 07:50:41 -0600 Mike Fatchett W0MU  wrote:

It doesn't appear that they made it back to 160.  Maybe today!

W0MU

On 8/9/2024 2:31 AM, Steve Harrison wrote:


He'll be back on 160m again soon (probly 08Z or so), for the east coastSR as 
well as the JA SS (although he may QSY down the band for the JAs).I heard one 
of the HL3s say something about being restricted to below1820, possibly from 
QRM, since I've worked HL5IVL on 1823.5.
Steve, K0XP
On 8/9/2024 1:18 AM, Mike Fatchett W0MU wrote:

The came on early and I nearly worked them but my KAT500 tuner was not
up to the task.  I did work them on 80cw easy.  I hope they show soon
on 160 again.

W0MU

On 8/8/2024 4:22 PM, Ron Spencer via Topband wrote:


George, thanks for the Q last night. I'm out in NM and have a verysmall set up. 
Inverted L and maybe 40', beverages to NE and SW (500'long) and just 500W.
As you certainly heard, almost constant QRN. I have no idea how manytimes you 
may have come back to me but finally, enough of a breakwhere I heard you, 
clearly, for just long enough to make the Q.
On this set up you were maybe S1 or 2. Great ears at your end.
Thanks for putting Jarvis on the air!
Ron
N4XD/5 DM64
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Re: Topband: N5J Live Stream?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

We are super busy, Updating Clublog once a day is all we got time for.
The 160 m antenna (actually 160 - 10) is at the water's edge -- a good 
location. Two of the higher bands antennas are up on a berm but these 
stations run 100 W only.


We have built yesterday a DHDL for RX but we need to move it away from the 
generators as it is picking up generator noise. I hope to improve our RX 
capability within a couple of days. 
Last night we worked CU two hour after our SS -- not the same as EU, but it 
suggests that there is a small chance. At our SR we were on 160 for EU SS 
but only got as far west as R7. Will keep on trying. I
 have been amazed by the huge difference between signal strengths on 160 
and 80 m. The same stations that are barely detectable are 599+ on 80! It 
can not be just their antennas. For sure November would be better for TB, 
but...

Keep Trying!
73,
George



On Fri, 9 Aug 2024 10:22:02 -0700 Steve Harrison  wrote:

On 8/9/2024 7:11 AM, Wes wrote:


IT would be nice if they updated Clublog more often.  With all of thesuper 
duper remote capabilities one would think this would be easy.

I'm sure that George is doing the best that he can, with what he's got.
With so many players in the game (including the non-ham scientists that
accompanied them), it must be tough trying to keep track and control of
everything going on!

Being on the west coast and thus closer than many to Jarvis, I've been
astonished at how well they have radiated on both 160m and 80m; at
least, to SoCal. Seems to me that the weakest signals have been on all
of the higher bands, but that's likely because propagation to Jarvis
from the desert of SoCal just hasn't "bounced" quite right for those
bands very often.

Steve, K0XP




Wes  N7WS
On 8/9/2024 6:26 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:

Hover over your QSO in ClubLog's Expedition Charts:
<
https://clublog.org/charts/?c=N5J




That will show who was at the controls for your QSO.

73,

  ... Joe, W4TV


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Topband: N5J (Jarvis) on 160 m

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello Top-Banders,
The N5J DXpedition is planning to go QRV on Aug 7 (maybe 8th on 160 if there 
are WX issues).


While Aug is not the best time to work KH5 on TB, this is the only time we 
got. To make it easier to work us, here are some key points:
We will have only one station capable of 160 m (what we call Local 1). The 
time of the year and the cycle favor the high bands and there will be demand 
for Local 1 on other bands. Therefore the station will be on 160 only during 
certain times of the night: At our SS from 0600 to 0645 Z, for NA SR from 
0800 to 1000 and if conditions warrant, at our SR for a possible East. EU 
opening at 1600. (Otherwise 80 m.) After 1000 we will stay on 160 if traffic 
warrants, otherwise we will QSY to 80. These times will likely change as we 
gain experience with the conditions.
Note for NA stations: Don't wait for your SR. From about 1000 JA stations 
will start coming in with possibly strong signals. You will have a better 
chance before 1000 and that is why we will start early at 0800.
Most of you know this, but...: When you hear your correct callsign and 5NN, 
just reply with 5NN. Don't send your call because it will create 
uncertainty. Also, when calling, it is better to send you call twice, 
especially if conditions are poor and the pile-up is dense. Also, we are 
likely to have a lot of TS noise (you too, probably).

There is more information on our web-site: https://jarvisisland2024.com/

GL and CU on TB!
George,
N5J/AA7JV
PS: We will stay on 160 past 0645 if we have a continuous stream of EU 
callers :-)

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Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 259, Issue 14

[GEORGE WALLNER]

It make it easier if you think of the loading coil as a transformer: the 
current is lower on the "top" but the voltage is higher. Power is the same 
(minus losses).



73,
George,
AA7JV


On Sun, 4 Aug 2024 15:27:00 -0700 "Richard (Rick) Karlquist"  wrote:

On 8/4/2024 12:25 PM, Jim Brown wrote:


On 7/28/2024 2:03 AM, Tom Boucher wrote:>Sorry Jim K9YC but it is incorrect to 
say that a loading coil at the base

of an antenna, which is less than a quarter wave, will affect the high
current point of the antenna. Assuming the coil is pure L with no
distributed C, the current exiting the coil will be the same as that
entering it.


This is an Alice in Wonderland statement -- most practical loading coils DO 
have distributed shunt capacity between turns. And yes, that is the simplifying 
assumption in the model. But it is part of an antenna, and currents in any 
antenna are complex, needing both magnitude and phase to describe them. And 
phase is established by the boundary condition, which is the open end.
73, Jim K9YC

We interrupt Alice for this reality check:

Refer to this URL:

🔗 
https://rioarc.org/Barrys%20Articles.html

<
https://rioarc.org/Barrys%20Articles.html




Boothe, QEX, 2014.  Figure 42, Page 31.

and download the 2 part QEX article on mobile loading coils.
Near the end of the 2nd part, it shows a mobile loading coil
with RF ammeters at top and bottom, with the top one indicating
only 42% of the reading on the bottom one.  The article contains
a lot of test data showing how the current ratio varies
depending on various parameters like the placement of the coil.
In all cases, the current out of the top is less than the
current into the bottom.

Also, IMHO, while there may be some capacitance between the turns, the
main capacitance of interest is actually the isotropic capacitance
of the coil to free space, as was established by R. G. Medhurst:
"H.F. and Self-Capacitance of Single Layer Solenoids."  March 1947 Wireless 
Engineer, page 80ff.  See Table V. If capacitance between turns were important, then 
close wound coils using insulated wire would differ markedly from coils with spaced bare 
wire.  But they don't.

73
Rick N6RK

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Topband: K8R on 160 using SuperFox

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello TopBanders,
As you may know, K8R is a test run for N5J, Jarvis. The season is not ideal 
for 160. However, we have been testing FT8 SuperFox on the higher bands and 
the performance with the latest version has been impressive. Importantly, SF 
can handle up 9 QSO-s at a time without dividing the power, and therefore it 
is much faster than FT8 F/H. This is especially important for 160 meters! 
The propagation bump at SR and SS is often short, only10 to 15 minutes long. 
SF, being able to handle many calls simultaneously, is ideal for taking 
advantage of these short openings. While we love CW, the reality is that SF 
FT8 may be the workable alternative this time of the year.



Starting at 0630 UTC (Jul 20) K8R will be on 160 meters using SF FT8. For NA 
SR we will come on at or before 0930, For details on how to work us see:

https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/SuperFox_User_Guide.pdf
GL and 73,
George,
AA7JV

PS: N5J will on 160 m both on CW and SF FT8 most nights. We will not neglect 
CW.

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Re: Topband: QRP on 160?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

QRP on 160 is possible but you need a very good antenna, especially for DX. 
(It is still painful, though.)
On the TX3A Chesterfield DXpedition I worked a W7 on TB, good signal, no bid 
deal. About an hour later he called me again and I worked him again. Then 
another 30 minutes later I heard him calling. He was very weak but we 
completed the QSO. I was thinking, why all the dupes? Next day I saw his 
email: The first QSO was with 100 W. The second with 5 W and the third with 
700 mW! From New Mexico to Chesterfield! TX3A  had a good DHDL RX antenna 
pointing towards NA, which helped to keep down all the tropical noise. 
Still... The guy had a full size 4-SQ. Aha...


In a contest however, I think QRP is a bit unfair to the other guy. Except 
in the SP, other contests do not reward you for working a QRP. You do all 
the hard work of digging him out of the noise, needing many cycles to put 
together the call-sing -- dealing with all the people wanting to take the 
frequency -- just to complete a QSO that you get no extra points for.
But working DX on 160 with 5 W is a unique thrill. Well worth the effort. 
The trick is to wait until conditions are right. Otherwise, you will be 
wasting your time.


George,
AA7JV




On Mon, 1 Jul 2024 10:57:15 -0700 Radio KH6O  wrote:

Is anyone regularly using say, 25W or less on 160?

--
73,
Jeff KH6O / 6



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Re: Topband: FW7JV

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I got on TB last night at 0905. For the first 30 mins I only worked one VK, 
despite a few NA beacons showing copy. I worked W3 at 0938 and a few more 
East Coast stations, but it was very slow.



Will come on again 0900. Depending on how many callers I get, I will stay on 
until 1100. Note that starting around 10300 JA-s start coming in. They can 
be pretty strong. NA has a better chance earlier.


Conditions here are decent. Almost no TS noise, only some noise from one the 
new generators (we run two) and we will fix that today.


CU and GL,
73,
George


On Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:24:19 -0400  wrote:

SR here in W1 is at 0905Z.  Saw him spotted by a couple of VK's but after
our SR.  Hopefully George will be on a bit sooner.  The QRN wasn't too bad
hear this morning.

Dale AA1QD

-Original Message-
From: Topband  On Behalf
Of topband-requ...@contesting.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2024 12:00 PM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband Digest, Vol 258, Issue 6

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Today's Topics:

 1. FW7JV (Wes)


--

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2024 06:42:56 -0700
From: Wes 
To: Topband 
Subject: Topband: FW7JV
Message-ID: <29eb717f-3d1c-4ef1-8d80-80c997d3d...@triconet.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed

George,

Can you give us a schedule?? Looked for you at 0600 UTC (2300 local) and
heard nothing through QRN.? See spots that you were on later but not late
enough.? SR here is ~1200 UTC.

Wes? N7WS

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Topband: T32JV

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello TopBanders,
T32JV will be on tonight again on 160 and 80 meters. Again, we will be 
testing the antennas for Jarvis and will appreciate reports. I am not sure 
how we will be allowed to operate form here. We hope to be on the air until 
Friday (UTC) night. I hope that propagation has recovered enough to work 
some of you.


GL and 73,
George,
AA7JV
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Re: Topband: T32 on earlier than 10z for W1?

[GEORGE WALLNER]

John,
T32JV will not be on tonight. We took down the station to be ready to leave 
tomorrow.


But, because of weather, we may stay another weak in which case we will put 
it back up again.

I will post if that's the case.

GW

On Fri, 10 May 2024 22:43:44 -0400 John Vogel  wrote:
George 
Do you think you’ll be trying TB again tomorrow with all the solar activity going on?


73John
N1PGA

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Re: Topband: T32JV on160 and 80 morning of 5/10

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Ron,
TKS for the report. Much appreciated as I am testing a new antenna.

On 80 m I was running 100 W.
Rapid QSB here on most 160 m signals. Also, TS noise.
80 m was solid.
TKS,
73,
George


On Fri, 10 May 2024 12:13:23 -0400 Ron Spencer via Topband  wrote:
George, T32JV, was quite loud this morning on 160. I worked him from here in NC at 1000Z. Pretty easy copy with the array listening NW to escape most of the QRN from the ongoing storms in Georgia. George was not nearly as loud on 3523 when I worked him a few minutes later. 




As Dave, W0FLS posted, nice to see some life left in the band. George, you're 
RIB certainly works very, very well. Always a strong signal. Thanks for getting 
on!



Ron

N4XD


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Topband: T32JV -- Test before Jarvis

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello Topbanders,
I am in T32, Christmas Island. I just got a license to put up a station 
operate as T32JV. I will be on 160 during the next three nights (starting on 
tonight, May 9). Christmas Island is the closest land to Jarvis and for 
those who need Jarvis this may be a good opportunity to see what signals are 
like from this region. This time of the year is equally poor time for 160 as 
August, so this may be a good test to see what to expect.



I will be on the air on 1827.5 (+-) shortly after my SS around 0500 Z and 
then again around NA SR 1000 Z. Will also try 80 m.


GL and 73,

George
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Re: Topband: DXpedition Beverage Termination Grounding Schemes??

[GEORGE WALLNER]

On K1N we had two ~ 100 foot length radials at right angle at each end of 
the Beverage. Because of the thick bushes, the radials were about 3 feet 
above the rocky ground. The antenna worked reasonable well (18 JA QSO-s and 
hundreds of EU0-s.)

George,

AA7JV

On Fri, 8 Mar 2024 16:32:21 -0800 Steve Harrison  wrote:

When on a DXpedition, and Beverages are quickly tossed and laid out
within several hours, how is the termination resistor "grounded" at the
far end, and the transformer at the near end; with counterpoises, ground
rods, or what?

And with either of those, how long and how many wires for the
counterpoises, and/or how many and how long the ground rod??

I've seen photos of expeditioners laying out Beverage wire through, over
and under thickets full of brambles and thorny bushes; but never have I
seen them laying out counterpoises or pounding in ground rods.

Curious Steve, K0XP


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Re: Topband: [TowerTalk] New N6LF Ground Probe Designs

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Salt water, salt marshes, alkaline soil, soil with a high water-table should 
be good.

George



On Mon, 4 Mar 2024 18:11:34 - "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

But what is GOOD Ground for RF?

I've always presumed that the reason I do so well for DX with a horizontal
160m Dipole is because the Ground conductivity is POOR . . . so my Dipole is
effectively a lot higher.

Plus I have always wondered how deep below the surface the ground matters,
when it comes to RF. (and especially on Top band, where the wavelength is so
long)

For these reasons I've always been very sceptical about Computer Modelling
of a low Dipole on 160m.

Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: DX Conditions

[GEORGE WALLNER]

On RBN Sensitivity/Antennas:
Whenever I CQ-d from any of our Pacific operations -- FO/M, FO, VP6A, E51D, 
KH8, KH8S -- I always had the RBN screen on. Most of the time I would be 
working stations in the mid-west, or even the East Coast,  before the first 
RBN report would pop up, if at all. As Steve points out, they do not have 
high performance RX antennas for 160 m and you can not rely on them to 
indicate weak openings. Of course, if you see your call on the RBN, the band 
is solidly open.


73,
George




On Tue, 23 Jan 2024 21:24:52 -0800 Steve Harrison  wrote:

On 1/23/2024 10:31 AM, Roger Kennedy wrote:


Regarding RBN . . . are there many decent 160m receiving sites in Florida .. . 
or even in the Mid-West or West Coast?

There are over two dozen RBN setups west of our Mississississippi River, 
including VE; I don't rember seeing many in FL but then, I don't look for those 
when I'm watching the RBN. ZF9CW is a good, sensitive setup down in the Carib 
that I do look for, however. One of the more-sensitive out west may be W6YX, 
another VE6WX, both with at least two reporting receivers. There are several 
others at large contest stations such as ND7K who seem to report much less 
frequently. There are even several KH6 stations on the RBN. BUT...


It's just that nearly all the North American 160m RBN sites that show 
usEuropeans are mainly all in the North-east . . . yet often you will 
haveactual QSOs with stations further west.

You have to rember that MOST "serious" 160 ops are using low-noise antlers such 
as Bevs or Flags, when they give out those 559 or 579 reports to you Euros. The RBN 
stations are invariably NOT using such sensitive (and directive) antlers; so of course, 
they're only going to hear what their low elevation, RBN-receiver antlers are hearing, 
amongst their local noise. Thus, it's rare that I see a west coast station report even a 
JA, let alone 9M2AX or similar, never mind in-the-noise European. Rember: the signal must 
be a dB or more out of the noise, long enough to copy a complete callsign at least 
several times, before it will even consider reporting you.

Steve, K0XP


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Re: Topband: Lack of DX CW Activity

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Noise is up.
80 is becoming the new 160!

Also, it is noise that is driving a lot of ops onto FT8.
Another contributor is RBN! While RBN is great tool, most RBN RX antennas 
are poor on 160. Those that rely on a quick scan of RBN for 160 meter 
activity will incorrectly assume that the band is dead.
In the past 10 years noise has gone up by something like 10 dB in many 
areas. What worked 10 years ago, no longer works today. We need to learn to 
live with it. Invest in better RX antennas and other noise reduction 
techniques. (Petition the FCC to increase the power limit by 10 dB :-)

And keep calling CQ!
73,
George,
AA7JV




On Fri, 5 Jan 2024 19:06:33 - "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

Hi Steve

Yes, I appreciate the path to you from Britain is very different (and seems
poor at present).

I'm not on as regularly at OK1CF . . . but sometimes we are both on
together, calling CQ DX endlessly, and getting no replies (despite decent
RBN reports)

I tend to pop on the band a few times during the night and put out a few
calls (rather than stay on for hours) . . . and if no replies, just go back
to bed each time.

As a result, I rarely wake up again at our Sunrise . . . but even if I do,
there seems to be even less NA activity then (like people aren't staying up
that late) - even though I notice more other Gs coming on at that time. I
suspect it would be a better time to actually work YOU?

As I said before, I am amazed at all the effort some people put into their
160m antenna systems . . . yet rarely come on the band. (I actually went on 80m 
SSB last night, and joined Hannes DK1NO working some
NA stations . . . he used to be on 160m regularly, but seems to have given
up, again due to lack of activity)

Anyway . . . 73 and Happy New Year to all Topbanders !

Roger G3YRO

_  Roger,  I agree fully that unless someone is calling CQ, we will all
conclude the band is dead.
As Dave said, with the usual very rapid QSB on 160m this is very true.

However, regarding conditions.
Here at VE6WZ I am almost always watching the band for an opening.  Like
virtually every night.
Thank goodness for OK1CF and LY7M and a few others making the effort to call
CQ.

When I say "always watching the band" I mean that I am ALWAYS watching the
band.
Even when watching TV with the XYL, I have a remote session on my iPhone
watching the waterfall on the Flex radio.
If any of the EU CQs start to bubble up and make a traceI will see it
and be at the radio.
If the band is open to EU I will know it!!
That has not happened much this season.  Since September I have only had 56
QSOs with Europe.

Secondly, every night I am recording the entire MW (AM BCB) band.
I can very quickly review what's happening and see if any trans-polar EU BCB
stations are making it.
The usual big guns are Moldova Vesti on 1413 kHz, Lithuania Baltic 1386 kHz
and sometimes the UK on 1053, and occasionally the Ukraine and Romania.
At times they can be quite strong here.  At those times, I reckon 160m has a
good shot.

As Dave said, without making noise there will be limited activity.
This season (and last), PART of the reason has been rather poor conditions
for us guys out west on the trans-polar path.
Your path to the East Coast is a completely different story.

Steve, ve6wz
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Re: Topband: W8UVZ/SK2023

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Very sad news, indeed. Hard to absorb.
George got me into Low-Band DXing and helped with our first DXpedition to 
Willis Islets in 2007 (VK9WWI).


George always had a great signal and a fantastic operating style that made 
him stand out.

Already missing him!
George,
AA7JV



On Tue, 26 Dec 2023 14:41:39 +0200 uy0zg via Topband  wrote:

Very sad news :


https://www.qrz.com/db/W8UVZ/SK2023?aliasFrom=W8UVZ



https://www.farleyestesdowdle.com/obituaries/george-taft?fbclid=IwAR2Pb2SL1z3TddRL1ZG8kaQAp0_8WiKJRp-3TNklHZVJ8GIPTyaGMJxkBec

Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2001-01-19 05:12:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2008-12-24 04:17:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2009-10-18 00:06:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2010-01-04 00:20:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2011-02-23 02:34:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2011-10-22 01:13:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2011-12-17 03:22:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2012-10-05 03:46:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2012-11-22 03:34:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2013-01-13 00:32:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2013-10-14 02:47:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2013-11-25 02:55:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2013-12-05 02:42:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2013-12-06 23:07:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2013-12-28 04:13:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2015-02-18 04:11:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2015-02-21 02:59:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2015-03-03 04:12:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2015-10-30 02:59:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2015-12-09 02:59:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2016-11-18 03:11:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2017-11-07 03:29:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2018-01-08 03:03:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2018-02-14 02:19:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2018-10-17 01:44:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2018-11-24 03:27:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2019-11-02 01:48:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2019-12-24 02:49:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2020-02-07 02:00:00 160MCW  1.8
Details UY0ZG   W8UVZ   2020-11-12 03:24:00 160MCW  1.8

--
Nick, UY0ZG

http://www.topband.in.ua

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Re: Topband: ARRL 160m Contest

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I came on Saturday morning only for a short time, starting around 1015 Z. 
The boat was anchored off Christmas Island, T32.
NA signals were generally strong. Many East Coast stations were S6 to S7. 
West coast stations were often S9. ZF2VE was S9+. I thought that conditions 
(here) very very good. (T32 is about 1200 miles south of KH6.)


I tried later for EU SS, but no luck.
I had a kW and a 50 foot vertical (plus salt-water all around).
73,
AA7JV/MM


On Mon, 4 Dec 2023 11:58:02 -0800 Jim Brown  wrote:

On 12/4/2023 10:59 AM, Roger Kennedy wrote:


I worked 2 NA stations on Friday night . . .
Didn't hear a single one on Saturday night !

I'm near San Francisco. I was on only Saturday night; only DX longer than 2,000 
miles were K1LZ in ME, KB1EFS in NNY, WJ9B in  NFL, and PJ2T. With 1.5kW to a 
100 ft Tee and four Beverages, working east of Ohio was a challenge.

73, Jim K9YC

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Re: Topband: Timor Leste report #10

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Dietmar,
FT8: I share your understanding of the DXCC rules. Somebody must be there 
and do something to initiate the contact. That is how I see it, but 
realistically, if you can not tell the difference, how do you police it? 
While I don't agree with automated FT8 operation, at least the those using 
it today are honest about it. Invalidating their QSO-s will mean that in the 
future they will not declare when they are automated. I prefer honesty over 
perfection.


On CW I use the same standard as you have described. I take a note of  where 
I am not sure and later use that when receiving correction requests. If it 
is not on my "doubtful" list, and it is just one letter off, and everything 
else matches, it is probably a legit request. But, I received a log 
correction request, which had everything right and only one letter off, I 
corrected the call, and next day the real "owner" complained that his QSO 
has disappeared. 
Many 160 m contacts are marginal and we have to work hard at them. That is 
why it is more fun than FT8!

TKS for your efforts and 73,
George,
AA7JV
K8R and KH8/AA7JV

On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 04:39:54 +0100 Dietmar Kasper  wrote:

Dear Topbanders
90% of the equipment is in the container. We still have 2 1/2 stations running 
(one without amp in phone only)
the 160m antennas and beverages are still up and some simple wire verticals 
have been added to continue beeing
QRV the next days and nights.

It seems we are in rain season now. No afternoon without close thunderstorms 
and all the noise on the bands.
Propagation is still poor however last night was a short window around 12:30 to 
work a few lucky W4´s.

In the thunderstorm noise call sign logging is guessing. I am sure that I am 
not almost right with the call.
I called a W4 for about 5 minutes and thought it was K4SV. At the end I was 
logging K4SV but I had the feeling
that this station was not happy with that call and I may have it wrong ... as 
much as you can hear in the crashes...
(QSO interpretation later)

When it comes to the question if a QSO is a QSO or not there is no unique 
standard. Thanks to all for discussing
the question about FT contacts that must be initiated by an operator. I feel 
that the discussion is still open
and a solution accepted by the majority of topbanders is not there so far. It 
was clearly indicated that the
station must be observed during the contacts so automated contacts do not count 
for DXCC. Still open is if the
contacts must be initiated by the operator or just by software. Some said it is 
OK that the operator is still
watching that everything goes well. In my opinion an operator (and ARRL clearly 
uses the word OPERATOR) is only
an operator if HE OPERATES, means, a visitor cannot be an operator by just 
watching the traffic.
So my personal conclusion is that every contact MUST BE INITIATED by an 
operator MANUALLY - like in old days
before MSHV software. I have the feeling that this cn start a revolution in 
DXpeditions of today because I FEEL AND KNOW that most DXpeds are running FT 
contacts unintended and uninitiated however nobody has prove of
it as long as the DXped guys state that they are work in strict order of DXCC 
rules - do they ? what do you think :-) ?

Also in CW mode its interesting to define if a QSO is a QSO. A QSO is not just 
happen that one operator calls
and the DXped picks him up and give him a report. Station must hear that the 
call was given correct and the report
is for him and he has to answer without delay. Even then QSO is not sure as 
long as both partners have not confirmed
the contact by TU. Very often on topband QSB has prevented a QSO to finish.

However this is a hobby and rules give room for interpretation. One station 
told me that I worked him 3 times
but logged his call wrong so he does not define this contacts as good. He wrote: 
"at the 3rd time you came close
to my call but it still was wrong so I continue trying next nights". This is a 
pretty high QSO standard!

I am not so strict. I know that under this hard QRN situation call errors 
happen and I will have contacts wrong for sure.
I still log it even I know it may be wrong but there is no penalty in 
DXpedition compared to a contest
If a station gives me proof that it was HIS CONTACT by telling me the wrong 
call, his call, the date+time and the
exact QRG he transmitted - we might correct his call sign, as long as the noted 
call in log is not requested by another
station. However his call must be close to the logged call, mostly wrong just 
by one letter.
I wonder if topband community agrees with me or not.
These are some "contacts once in a liftime" so I do not want to make it harder 
as neccessary.

Long writing, sorry for that. I hope it is still interesting for you readers. 
Topband is a very serious part of the
hobby and who else as the topbanders should define the standards of a GOOD QSO.
I do not want to create confrontation and bad discussions but I think its 
essential to think about

Topband: K8R -- Swains on 160

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello Topbanders.
We are at Swains (KH8S) for the CQWW contest.

Only doing a little bit of TB activity during the contest; it is not the 
most productive band.
I will be on TB after the contest for one night: starting at my SS (Sunday 
evening here)
at 0530 Z (Nov 27) I will be QRV for EU. After that back on 160 from 1030 
for NA SR and back again for my SR at 1600 Z. We will be tearing down the 
station starting 1800 Z.

GL and CU,
George,
AA7JV
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Topband: KH8/AA7JV RIB CW Operation -- Low Band Experience Summary

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello TopBanders,
Many thanks for all those who called.

We were on the air 8 nights. We had a good 160/80 m vertical with top 
loading and salt-water ground. Time was split between 80 and 160 meters. 
Conditions on 160 were often so poor that time was better spent giving out 
KH8 on 80 meters. Nevertheless, the main effort went into 160, with 600 
QSO-s (plus dupes), vs 350 on 80.
Conditions were the best the first night. Although we had generator noise, 
the Flex radio's noise blanker dealt with it. Anyway, conditions were so 
good that it mattered little.

 The following is from memory:
I started calling for EU around 0530 (Nov 03) with no signs of EU callers. 
NA started to come in with some strong (S8) signals around 0600 Z. A short 
while later JA-s appeared with even better signals (S9+), while NA-s were 
getting weaker. Starting around 1400 Z, eastern European stations "R and U" 
started coming in. Most signals were very week but a few were were strong 
around S5. I have worked  a total of 34 stations. But nothing further west 
than the Ukraine.
The weekend nights were very poor. Zero EU either at my SS or SR. Both NA 
and JA-s were weak but plentiful.
Propagation started to improve by Monday night, but there was now a lot of 
TS noise. (It is almost summer here.) Tuesday night (Wed AM in EU) around 
1650, just before their SR, I listened for and managed to work two CT 
stations. Barely. Their signals popped out of the noise at their SR. No EU 
was worked around my SR (1500 to 1700 Z).
The next night, soon after my SS, I heard one caller form EU for about 10 
minutes with QSB, but it was too weak to work. Then suddenly, between 1612 
and 1626, I worked four S. EU stations in a row. They had suspiciously clear 
(but not too strong) signals, they all sounded the same with the same 
operator style, and they all showed a strange delay, noticeable because it 
was the same for all four of them. They sounded similar to good NA signals. 
Hmm...
On Thursday night (our last night) conditions were much better. I worked one 
EU at my SS, then the usual NA and JA (plus other far east). Starting about 
three hours before my SR central Siberian stations were calling with some 
very good signals (S6). Later there were a few good signals (S4) form the 
UA3 region, but then almost suddenly, any signal coming from further west 
was much weaker, some at ESP level. This was may be all due to the 
attenuation of signals travelling through (or around) the auroral oval. The 
difference was very distinct. (I have spent 6 to 8 hours each of the past 8 
nights listening to 160 m signals and noise. After a while you get a feel 
for them.)
Summary: EU contacts from KH8 at SS and SR were possible but mostly 
difficult. Some contacts were suspicious but most sounded legit. Nothing 
west of the Ukraine, except S. EU. The entire swath from Poland to the UK 
was missing (polar path). During the entire time, 80 was more like 160.


Top-Band Strikes Again,

TKS and 73,
George,
AA7JV

PS: Signal strength comparison over many days on a TB DXpedition are 
influenced by the tendency of  strongest stations being worked on the first 
few nights, with progressively weaker stations as time goes 
on. Nevertheless, this distribution is not absolute and a reasonable 
estimate of changing conditions is possible.
We will post the log on Clublog soon and then LoTW in a couple of weeks' 
time.




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Re: Topband: George in KH8 Land

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Bob,
I hope conditions will improve. Apart from the weekend, which was very poor, 
the last two nights I had strong noise (atmospherics). Even if the noise 
continues, stronger signals will help.



We will stay two more nights, trying to capture the improved conditions on 
the low bands.


After American Samoa we will be heading to Hawaii. We have a couple of 
applications in for landing permits for early next year, but, it is the 
government and they take their time and tell you nothing...


GL and 73,
George,
AA7JV

On Wed, 08 Nov 2023 21:30:23 + w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:

I heard you this morning between 1145 and 1200z ( in and out.) but a
big improvement over the past two nights when there was no copy. The K
was down to 2 and might be down to 1 by morning. Hope so since there
usually is a correlation between low K and good 160 DX. So, if things work out 
and the trend continues, tomorrow will be the
best and you will have saved the best for last. :) I'll be in the Ohio
window from 1130-1215z looking to find out. Will this be your last stop before 
heading home, or are more stops
still planned?

Bon voyage

Bob - W3HKK

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Topband: KH8/AA7JV

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Tomorrow (Nov 9) will be our last day/night here. (The station will come 
down early Thur morning.)
Tomorrow night I will start at 0430 Z on 3521.0 then from 0600 on 1831.5 
until about 0730, depending on QRN. If too noisy, I will go back to 80.


Will be back on 1831.5 for NA SR at 1100, and again for my SR from 1530 
until 1700. If too much QRN than QSY to 3521.0.
It has been tough here on the low bands, We had thunderstorm noise most 
nights, then very poor conditions over the weekend, then last night a 100 
km/h storm that shook the boat and put us on standby in case the anchor 
chain broke, and tonight again TS noise.(Nov is the equivalent of late 
spring in NA.) Hopefully we got a few new ones into some logs...
Because of the noise, when you call,n please send your callsign at least 
twice.

GL and 73,
George,
AA7JV
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Re: Topband: KH8/AA7JV (GEORGE WALLNER)

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Jose.
I will be on 1831.5 starting at 0630. Call me 500 Hz up. That way I can keep 
sending CQ and hopefully you will no be covered by the NA callers.


I will especially listen for CT1 around 0700.
GL and 73,
George


On Mon, 6 Nov 2023 21:15:12 - "Jose Emanuel Ribeiro de Sa"  wrote:

06:30 to 07:15 utc is perfect for us in Portugal Rino, and we are in
Southern Europe.
My Sunrise is at 07:10 utc, Hi!

73  José  CT1EEB

-Mensagem original-
De: Topband
[
mailto:topband-bounces+zemurtosa=mail.telepac...@contesting.com
] Em nome de
Salvatore Borace
Enviada: segunda-feira, 6 de novembro de 2023 20:36
Para: topband@contesting.com
Assunto: Re: Topband: KH8/AA7JV (GEORGE WALLNER)

George 06:30 Is too late for S.Europe, anyway this morning no signal at all
but you have many websdr users calling you, hope condizioni improve next
day.                               Rino ik7jtf
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Topband: KH8 Update

[GEORGE WALLNER]

A mostly wasted night on 160. Starting at 0600, the TS noise was very 
strong. KN4EEI was running FT8 later but even that was marginal. There was 
almost no propagation from about 1100 Z until my SR. Even the JA-s, who are 
normally S7 - 9, were marginal CPY. Switched to 80 at 0630 for a good run of 
EU stations. Just before my SR, on 80 we had very strong OTH radar that 
wiped everything out for about 10 minutes. 160 was dead.
Will be on again at my SS on 80 from 0500 to 0545 then 160. If 160 is too 
noisy, QSY to 80 at 0630 for EU.


Back on 160 again for NA SR at 1100 and then again at 0500 for EU. FT8 with 
KH8/KN4EEI in between.

GL and 73,
George,
AA7JV
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Re: Topband: KH8/AA7JV

[GEORGE WALLNER]

James,
We had very heavy TS noise all night. 160 m was almost impossible and 80 was 
just plane difficult. FT8 worked on both bands.



TKS for the report,
73,
George


On Sun, 5 Nov 2023 06:32:40 -0700 James Cizek  wrote:

I've been listening for KH8 as it would be ATNO for me.
This morning, KH8/KN4EEI had a great FT8 signal (-5 to about -9 every
period) into Colorado for the 30 minutes I was trying to work him (roughly
1100-1125Z) but didn't seem like they were hearing too well.  They were
answering mostly Japan and answering them many times over before
completing.  I was never heard (or at least responded to)

When they switched to CW on 1.836.5, the signal was very weak, but probably
workable. Unfortunately I have a local birdie *exactly* on 1.836.5 so I was
hearing occasional CW beating with the local carrier but was unable to copy
well enough to call back.  The signal faded completely about an hour before
my local SR (gone about 1230Z)

George, will there be more days there?  Looking forward to trying again if
so!
73
James
KI0KN

On Sat, Nov 4, 2023 at 8:37 PM GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:



Tonight (Nov 5) will start on 80 m at 0500 Z. Will QSY to 160 around 0600and 
will stay there for EU at least until 0745. Then probably back to 80after 0745 
for an hour. On 160 again for NA SR around 1100 and then for EUat 1500.
Last night ,just at SS, we had a line of thunderstorms go through withlotsof 
lightning noise. The noise persisted all night until SR. (But, we gotridof the 
generator noise.)
CU and GL,73,George,AA7JV_Searchable Archives: 
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Re: Topband: KH8/AA7JV sigs into Ohio were really good

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Bob,
TKS for the info and keep trying.

Conditions here have been noisy withTS-s. Should improve.
TKS and 73,
George,
AA7JV


On Sun, 05 Nov 2023 03:19:11 + w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:

George, you built up out of the noise to a nice 579 at around 1130z
and remained strong til our sunrise at c. 1200z. You faded out by
1210z. Heard an impressive pile up of callers between 1 to 3 khz up, so you
sure were in demand! :)
You replied to a lot of JAs and so were clearly hearing them better
than here in the Midwest, and SE US. I'll be back for another try around 
1130z-1200z. Thanks for making a great effort to work all those in need. Good 
luck
with the generator noise. Bob


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Topband: KH8/AA7JV

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Tonight (Nov 5) will start on 80 m at 0500 Z. Will QSY to 160 around 0600 
and will stay there for EU at least until 0745. Then probably back to 80 
after 0745 for an hour. On 160 again for NA SR around 1100 and then for EU 
at 1500.



Last night ,just at SS, we had a line of thunderstorms go through with lots 
of lightning noise. The noise persisted all night until SR. (But, we got rid 
of the generator noise.)


CU and GL,
73,
George,
AA7JV
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Topband: KH8/AA7JV on Low Bands from Manu-a -- Update

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Had an interesting night.
We used this generator on many operations and we've never heard its noise. 
Because the mountains block noise form an arc of almost 210 degrees, the TX 
antenna is very quiet on RX! Quiet enough to make the generator noise heard. 
Will try to eliminate the generator noise today, hopefully for an even 
better RX setup.


Started calling on 160 at 0530 Z. No EU heard at all. A steady but slow 
stream of NA stations with very clear and strong signals started around 0600 
Z. K0RF had an amazingly clear and strong signal.  Starting at 0720 JA-s 
started to come in with even stronger and clearer signals. It was like 20 on 
a good day. Atmospheric noise started to rise as the terminator reached SE 
Asia but signals remained well above the noise. Tried 80 for a few minutes 
but the generator noise was annoying and I went back to 160. NA sunrise 
brought in a few NA callers but JA-s dominated with much stronger signals 
until about 1040 Z. Came back at 1445. Lots of strong JA-s. East EU started 
at 1455 with good signals. Made over 30 E EU contacts until about 1600, but 
never heard anything further west than the Ukraine. 
Will repeat the same routine tonight/tomorrow morning and hopefully get some 
W EU (or at least C EU).

TKS for all the calls,
73,
George,
AA7JV

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Re: Topband: KH8

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Robin,


Thanks for the advice. It appears that if I fix the generator noise, the TX 
antenna will also be a good RX antenna, but only for signals from 270 
degrees (W) to 50 degrees (NE). The mountain shields the noise (and signals) 
from any other direction.

May try the low dipole.

TKS,
George,
AA7JV


On Fri, 3 Nov 2023 04:02:12 -0700 "m.r.c."  wrote:

Hi George

if you have the opportunity, a high angle receive antenna for the hours at and 
just after sunset may serve you well

a receiving dipole at 15 ft accounted for a large percentage of contacts during 
that period from XZ0A - unlikely you can do that but any horizontal dipole 
might serve, the typical semi and full beverages heard nothing.

on the other end, the path was invariably a skew path arriving from the 
southwest.

it has been proposed that the propagation is along the actual grey line, and 
not any normal great circle path.  This seems to occur during periods of high 
solar activity when the traditional paths are blocked by the polar Oval

this was consistent and repeatable

explanations vary, but the symptoms seem to match the greyline being treated 
like a duct, and the incoming signals near and after sunset were dumped out 
almost right over our heads

Signals from us were repeatedly heard best on southwest facing directional 
receive arrays east stateside.  for your longitude, it becomes possible that 
this same process might take your signal to Europe as the path plot looks 
somewhat similar, just shifted well east of our path stateside from XZ0A

good luck

Robin WA6CDR, XZ0A, VP6DX



- Original Message ----- From: "GEORGE WALLNER" 
To: "John Farrer" ; "John Farrer via Topband" ; 
"Bill Weaver" 
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2023 18:06
Subject: Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 250, Issue 20




John,Originally my inquiry was general, but it has now morphed into a European 
one, as working EU seems to be the most challenging, and that is where the need 
seems to be most acute.
There will be some common darkness both at my SS (W-EU) and SR (E-EU), but 
signals to N. and central EU will have to go right over the pole. EA and G will 
have a slightly better path at my SS.There will be lots of time for NA and SA 
(and Asia if there will be demand).GL and 73,George,AA7JV
On Tue, 31 Oct 2023 23:48:04 + John Farrer via Topband  wrote:

Hi George
Is your question aimed at North Americans or the all of us? I’m sure it’s at 
least that rare here in Europe. We’d love you to try 160m.
73
John G3XHZ

Sent from my iPhone




On 31 Oct 2023, at 17:29, Bill Weaver  wrote:I missed 
you guys on KH8/S (multiple tries 😊). Would love to take a crack at KH8 at sunrise 
here (1100Z - 1200Z). Safe travels and 73,Bill WE5PComfortably Numb


Message: 7
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:53:27 -0400
From: "GEORGE WALLNER" 
To: "Topband Reflector" 
Subject: Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format="flowed"

Hello TobBanders,
I am in American Samoa (KH8) and will be in the Manua Islands, AH54 (OC-77),
later this week. I may have a chance to set up a 160 m station and operate
for a few days. How much wanted is KH8 on TB? ClubLog indicates that it is
quite rare at #30 on 160 m, but I find that hard to believe for a place
recently activated by a number of groups.


TKS,
George,
AA7JV




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Topband: KH8/AA7JV on Low Bands from Manu-a Islands

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello Topbanders,


We did manage to get ashore with a full RIB station and raised a 60' top 
loaded vertical, which stands in the water most of the time (except at low 
tide). Right behind the antenna there is virtually vertical 1200' mountain 
wall to the south, but take off is clear to directions from NW (280 degrees) 
to NE (50 degrees). That is from JA to W4 (and  N. EU to N. Africa). SA may 
be blocked but you never know with TB.
We will start operating on 160 tonight at UTC 0530 (Nov 3) from the Manu-a 
Islands, Olosega Island (AH55eu, OC-077, -14.16476, -169.62122), American 
Samoa. This is another precarious location where we are anchored off the 
shore in open waters. (But not as crazy as Ducie was.)
Will start on 160 meters CW at 0530 UTC, listening for Europe, but will 
switch to 80 if TB is not productive. We will be back on TB for NA sunrise 
around 1030 UTC. FT8 in a few days' time.
There is some generator noise on both 160 and 80, which I will try to 
eliminate tomorrow, but for tonight we are stuck with it. (It is hard to get 
to the shore at low tide. We can only do it on paddle boards.)
We hope to be QRV at this location until Nov 9 (WX and other factors 
permitting).

GL and 73,
George (AA7JV) and Mike (KN4EEI)
Note: We will be on 15, 12 and 10 at times during the day.



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Re: Topband: Topband from KH8 ..... Manu-a

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Bob,
Thanks for info. Will be listening for you on 160.


CU and GL,
George
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Topband: KH8 from Manu-a -- Update

[GEORGE WALLNER]

We have dropped anchor at Manu-a this afternoon. We tried to get to the 
beach in the tender, but it was way too rocky and we could not even get 
close to the beach. I have swam out to the shore and have scouted out a 
channel that we will attempt tomorrow morning at high tide. Fingers crossed.
The location has a 1200' almost vertical mountain-side to the S, SE and SW. 
Open to the NE, N and NW.


(Google maps -14.164769 -169.621227.) I hope that a skewed path opening will 
get me to  W EU just after my SS, starting around 0530 Z. And then E EU 
maybe around my SR at 1630 Z.

I will post if we make is ashore in one piece and get the radio working.
You never know
73,
George,
AA7JV
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Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 250, Issue 20

[GEORGE WALLNER]

John,
Originally my inquiry was general, but it has now morphed into a European 
one, as working EU seems to be the most challenging, and that is where the 
need seems to be most acute.


There will be some common darkness both at my SS (W-EU) and SR (E-EU), but 
signals to N. and central EU will have to go right over the pole. EA and G 
will have a slightly better path at my SS.

There will be lots of time for NA and SA (and Asia if there will be demand).
GL and 73,
George,
AA7JV

On Tue, 31 Oct 2023 23:48:04 + John Farrer via Topband  wrote:

Hi George
Is your question aimed at North Americans or the all of us? I’m sure it’s at 
least that rare here in Europe. We’d love you to try 160m.
73
John G3XHZ

Sent from my iPhone



On 31 Oct 2023, at 17:29, Bill Weaver  wrote:
I missed you guys on KH8/S (multiple tries 😊). Would love to take a crack at 
KH8 at sunrise here (1100Z - 1200Z). Safe travels and 73,Bill WE5P
Comfortably Numb


Message: 7
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:53:27 -0400
From: "GEORGE WALLNER" 
To: "Topband Reflector" 
Subject: Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format="flowed"

Hello TobBanders,
I am in American Samoa (KH8) and will be in the Manua Islands, AH54 (OC-77),
later this week. I may have a chance to set up a 160 m station and operate
for a few days. How much wanted is KH8 on TB? ClubLog indicates that it is
quite rare at #30 on 160 m, but I find that hard to believe for a place
recently activated by a number of groups.


TKS,
George,
AA7JV



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Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hi JC,
Thanks for the info on propagation. I am sure you are right, but we will be 
on a north facing beach, with not much chance for LP to anywhere.


EU and NA East Coast will be very challenging, but that is why we do 160.
I will be testing a new vertical antenna for 160 that meets USFWS 
requirement for a maximum height of 45 feet (13.7 m) and no top loading 
wires! I am fairly confident that it will work (with salt-water ground) but 
if necessary, I will extend the antenna to 65 feet and add top loading 
wires. It may be that we will be a bit weaker in the first few days.


73,
George


On Tue, 31 Oct 2023 15:51:19 -0400  wrote:

Hi George

During solar maximum the 160m propagation  is different, sometimes a long
path surprise us, but every 28 days there are a couple of good nights with
good propagation. We just never know, the best QSO of your life time could
be any night on 160m, on any given month or any given year.

73;'s
JC
N4IS


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Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Jose,
Will get something going, either from Ofu Island (part of the Manua group) 
or from the main island of American Samoa (Tutuila Island).


The problem for any low band operation from the main island of American 
Samoa is geography. Only the south side of the the island is easily 
accessible, with very steep mountains to the north blocking the NA and EU 
directions. There are a couple of mountain tops that recent DXpeds used, but 
these places have no room for large antennas and are very noisy with a lot 
of MW, TV, FM, cell and other sites. I don't think anybody ever operated 
from the Manua Islands, as they are pretty remote, but they have much better 
locations for the low bands. (I have to go there to do survey for a dive 
operation.)
On Ofu Island we may be able to set up on the beach on the north shore, 
which is open enough to the north to give us a chance to work EU on 160 
meters. 80 should be easier. I know that conditions are poor but we got 
power and will use the salt-water for ground. Noise should not be a problem. 
Weather may be, however.
As a fallback, I have also scouted out a beach on the north shore of the 
main island (Tutuila) and got permission form the land-owner, but that 
location is less open to the NE and the southern part of EU. If we have to 
set up there, that would be towards the end of November.

I will post when we know for sure that we can set up on Ofu.
Fingers crossed!
73,
George,
AA7JV




On Tue, 31 Oct 2023 10:09:39 + zemurt...@mail.telepac.pt wrote:



Hi George,

Here KH8 is a most-wanted in both 160m and 80m... Hi!


Can you try both for us?


We have chances between 05:15 utc and 07:15utc (your sunset, my sunrise).


Let's hope you can try it!


73  José  CT1EEB




- Mensagem de GEORGE WALLNER  -

Data: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:53:27 -0400

De: GEORGE WALLNER 

Assunto: Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB

Para: Topband Reflector 




Hello TobBanders,

I am in American Samoa (KH8) and will be in the Manua Islands, AH54 (OC-77), 
later this week. I may have a chance to set up a 160 m station and operate for 
a few days. How much wanted is KH8 on TB? ClubLog indicates that it is quite 
rare at #30 on 160 m, but I find that hard to believe for a place recently 
activated by a number of groups.



TKS,

George,

AA7JV



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Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB

[GEORGE WALLNER]

How did W8S do in EU on 160?
TKS,

George,
AA7JV

On Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:40:02 +0100 Jan Erik Holm via Topband  wrote:

Nick,

This is not true at all. As I wrote in a previous mail
I could copy the W8S exp on 160m for at least 45 minutes.
I know they had high noise level so that was the problem.
Sure propagation was much better some years ago during
sun spot minima but it is very much wrong to say that
there is no propagation at all to Europe.

/ Jim SM2EKM

Den 2023-10-31 kl. 16:03, skrev uy0zg via Topband:



In 2013, conditions were normal.
Let's look at the log:
https://clublog.org/charts/?c=W8A
From normal Europe (zones 14, 15, 20) there are only two Finns in the magazine.
There are no conditions today.
Feed the crooks from zone 16?
For what ?
There is enough injustice as it is.
---Nick, UY0ZGhttp://www.topband.in.ua
uy0zg via Topband писал 2023-10-31 16:28:

Hi


Conditions for Europe are completely absent.


---
Nick, UY0ZG

http://www.topband.in.ua



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Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Conditions or opportunities?
George

AA7JV

On Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:28:12 +0200 uy0zg via Topband  wrote:

Hi


Conditions for Europe are completely absent.


---
Nick, UY0ZG

http://www.topband.in.ua

Przemysław Gołembowski писал 2023-10-31 15:11:


Hi George,
80 & 160m are very intresting in EU.
Mek SP7VC
https://www.facebook.com/sp7vc/https://www.facebook.com/SP7VC-Radio-Expeditions-1490541124357044https://www.facebook.com/groups/566363128142032http://sp7vc.pl/
-Original Message-From: Topband 
[mailto:topband-bounces+sp7vc=wp...@contesting.com] On BehalfOf GEORGE 
WALLNERSent: Tuesday, October 31, 2023 9:53 AMTo: Topband ReflectorSubject: Re: 
Topband: KH8 Demand on TB
Hello TobBanders,I am in American Samoa (KH8) and will be in the Manua Islands, 
AH54 (OC-77),
later this week. I may have a chance to set up a 160 m station and operatefor a 
few days. How much wanted is KH8 on TB? ClubLog indicates that it isquite rare 
at #30 on 160 m, but I find that hard to believe for a placerecently activated 
by a number of groups.
TKS,George,AA7JV
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Re: Topband: KH8 Demand on TB

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello TobBanders,
I am in American Samoa (KH8) and will be in the Manua Islands, AH54 (OC-77), 
later this week. I may have a chance to set up a 160 m station and operate 
for a few days. How much wanted is KH8 on TB? ClubLog indicates that it is 
quite rare at #30 on 160 m, but I find that hard to believe for a place 
recently activated by a number of groups.



TKS,
George,
AA7JV


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Re: Topband: Last night on top band for E51D

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hi Jim,
I never got anything on TB at or just after our SS. We are south of the 
Equator and the ITCZ thunderstorms are still pretty strong this early in the 
evening, putting a lot of QRN between us and NA (and EU). Things calm down 
after 0900 Z and NA comes in mostly strong.


73,
George

On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 21:39:50 -0700 Jim Brown  wrote:

Hi Guys,

Have been looking for you B4 and around your sunset, but don't see you. I 
usually have decent prop down that way.

73, Jim K9YC (Near San Francisco)

On 9/7/2023 2:54 PM, Don Greenbaum wrote:


E51D will QRT at 17:00 UTC Sept 8.
Tonight will be our last night on top band and it will be on FT8, 1848 
Fox/Hound Mode.
George has made 1238 qsos in the past 10 days.
Last night we made an additional 194.
We hope to add another 200 tonight before going QRT.
See  you then.
AA7JV and N1DGDuxbury, MA 02332
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Topband: E51D on 160 FT8

[GEORGE WALLNER]

A lot of people have been requesting FT8 on TB. Probably because it has a 
better chance of getting through given the "summer" conditions.



I will try to get FT8 going tonight in the F/H mode starting around 0530 and 
then again starting at 0900 Z.
I have strong wideband noise centered on 1828. I may have to be at or above 
1846.

Please bear with me, I have never done this before!
73 and GL,
George
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Re: Topband: E51D

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Ray,
I can't do it tonight. Flex wants to update the software but I can't do it 
tonight.


Should be ready by tomorrow.
GL,
George


On Mon, 4 Sep 2023 20:13:42 -0700 Raymond Benny  wrote:

Any chance of 160m FT8 this evening or night?
I'm leaving for 4 days and hoping to make a qso on 160m FT8 if possible. 

Tnx 
Ray,
N6VR/W7YA 


On Sat, Sep 2, 2023, 4:58 PM GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:

Rino,
I have been working EU on 80 m every SS (around 0500) and every SR (around 
1630). I have worked mostly W. EU (including Italy) after my SS and E EU 
(including SV) at my SR.



I keep on trying 160 for EU. So far, only two contacts, both just after my 
SR, but it is worth trying as the window gets wider at summer's end.


GL and 73,
GW

On Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:24:03 +0200 Salvatore Borace  wrote:

Hi George, how about 80m for EU? I think 160 Is good only from cheater of
EU but maybe 80 Is possibile. Rino
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Re: Topband: E51D Approximate Low Band Schedule Sep02

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Mike
Thanks for the recording.

The ground under the TX antenna is salt-water. No radials.
73,
George

On Mon, 4 Sep 2023 06:08:50 -0400 Michael Walker  wrote:

Thanks George for the Q

Here at 6am ET north of Toronto, you are booming in at S7 on my inverted
L.  I didn't even need the beverage antenna.

Mike va3mw

On Sun, Sep 3, 2023 at 7:24 PM Mike Smith VE9AA  wrote:



I made a couple vy incomplete less than studio quality handheld 
cellphonerecordings of E51D on TB this morning a while after we ourselves 
worked.
I think the K3TN QSO was the only complete end-to-end QSO I was able toget(by 
accident). (I was just hoping to get a peak around my SR, whichnever came)
I think E51D was in for about an hour…pretty much the same strength asthis the 
entire time. If not for the VFO readout, you’d almost think it was20m, the band 
was so quiet.  Just a lazy Inverted L in the woods here inFN66na
Thanks again.  The RIB is very cool !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JFaNHy-ou0
Mike VE9AA
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
From: Mike Smith VE9AA [mailto:ve...@nbnet.nb.ca]Sent: September 3, 2023 7:58 
AMTo: 'GEORGE WALLNER'; 'topband@contesting.com'Subject: RE: Topband: E51D 
Approximate Low Band Schedule Sep02
Tnx very much for the 160m QSO George & group.
I could not get over how gosh darn quiet topband was this morning.
Like 20m !
You were about 90% copy for about an hour before my SR til SR.
73 es safe travels.
Mike VE9AA
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
From: GEORGE WALLNER [mailto:aa...@atlanticbb.net]Sent: September 2, 2023 9:03 
PMTo: Mike Smith VE9AA; topband@contesting.comSubject: Re: Topband: E51D 
Approximate Low Band Schedule Sep02
Mike,
More or less the same every SS and SR. Keep an eye on the clusters.
But last night I called CQ on 1810.5 from 0815 to 0930 with only onecaller, 
despite multiple RBN reports. I QSY to 80 when no takers on 160.
GL and 73,
George
On Sat, 2 Sep 2023 15:45:04 -0300 "Mike Smith VE9AA" wrote:
I hope I am not reading this message 1 day too late.  Been swamped at work
and could not look 4 U before now.
Today was my birthday and I overslept for the 160m @ 0900z thing.  Rats !~
Will you be on again at 0900Z on Sept 3rd/4th too George?
VE9AA (GL/SR ~ 0930z-0945z)
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
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Re: Topband: E51D Approximate Low Band Schedule Sep02 (GEORGE WALLNER)

[GEORGE WALLNER]

John,
Earlier (0900 Z) most NA signals were weak but solid and very readable, 
yours included. I probably worked 100 NA-s by 1030, when the QSB got very 
bad. Strong signals would disappear in moments without a trace -- and never 
come back. Same with the JA-s, who can be pretty strong here because of the 
"all-water" path. I have also noticed that there were persistent callers who 
never heard me. Some of them kept calling for hours. Most were dupes ... but 
the point is that these guys heard me when they worked me the first time, 
but not tonight.


Every night has been different so far.
TKS for the Q,
73,George


On Sun, 3 Sep 2023 10:25:33 + (UTC) jpescatore--- via Topband  wrote:

George - you were very readable in the QSB here in Maryland this am at 1045 on 
my 51' T that I use for TX and RX. And you heard me! That NE listening antenna 
seems to be working FB.
73 John K3TN
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Re: Topband: E51D Approximate Low Band Schedule Sep02

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Mike,
More or less the same every SS and SR. Keep an eye on the clusters.

But last night I called CQ on 1810.5 from 0815 to 0930 with only one caller, 
despite multiple RBN reports. I QSY to 80 when no takers on 160.

GL and 73,
George


On Sat, 2 Sep 2023 15:45:04 -0300 "Mike Smith VE9AA"  wrote:

I hope I am not reading this message 1 day too late.  Been swamped at work
and could not look 4 U before now.



Today was my birthday and I overslept for the 160m @ 0900z thing.  Rats !~



Will you be on again at 0900Z on Sept 3rd/4th too George?



VE9AA (GL/SR ~ 0930z-0945z)







Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB



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Re: Topband: E51D

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Rino,
I have been working EU on 80 m every SS (around 0500) and every SR (around 
1630). I have worked mostly W. EU (including Italy) after my SS and E EU 
(including SV) at my SR.



I keep on trying 160 for EU. So far, only two contacts, both just after my 
SR, but it is worth trying as the window gets wider at summer's end.


GL and 73,
GW

On Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:24:03 +0200 Salvatore Borace  wrote:

Hi George, how about 80m for EU? I think 160 Is good only from cheater of
EU but maybe 80 Is possibile. Rino
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Topband: E51D Approximate Low Band Schedule Sep02

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello Topbanders,


Yesterday I have built an RX antenna that points to the NE. It helped last 
night with the QRN and I had a decent run from 0900 to 1100, although most 
signals were weak.
This morning I was on 1832.5 from 1600 to 1630, during my SR. A good number 
of Central Asian callers came in with S6 and S7 signals. I worked one R3 
around 1630, when propagation stopped. QSY-d to 80 to work numerous stations 
all the way to OH. At 1655 propagation was cut off, virtually instantly. S6 
signals disappeared within 15 seconds.
More would have made it into the log if they were sending their calls more 
than once. It takes me time to find a signal (with the narrow filter 
settings) and when a call is sent only once, I only get last few letters.

Below is our approximate schedule tonight:
  80: 0410 - 0445
160: 0450 - 0530
  80: 0530 - as long as 80 is good then maybe 40
160: 0900 - 1100 (but may QSY to 80 if 160 is too slow)
160: 1600 - 1630
  80: 1630 - 1700

HPE to CU,
George
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Re: Topband: E51D on 160 Tonight

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Many on 80. F, DL, OZ, G, EA and I after my SS and R, SP, OH and SV at my 
sunrise.

No EU on  160 yet.

George,
AA7JV


On Wed, 30 Aug 2023 20:40:31 +0200 Paolo Zaffi  wrote:

Il 30/08/2023 19:55, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:

Will start on TB at 0930 tonight. 


Any EU in your log on low bands?

GL!


Paolo I4EWH


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Re: Topband: E51D on 160 Tonight

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Roger and Top-Banders,
Will start on TB at 0930 tonight. Note that I got local inverter-type noise 
that I have not been able to track down. Its center wanders between 1820 and 
1830, so I may be on 1810.5 or 1823.5 or 1832.5 or even higher. The radios 
are on a very small island (motu) with a long sand-spit. The TB/80 m antenna 
is at the end of the sand-spit, with salt-water all around, I have put 
chokes on the coax and the tuner control cables, and enough ferrites to sink 
the island, but I can't seem to be able to get rid of the noise.


Although we are in one of the most remote places on Earth, there is a solar 
farm at the village about a mile to the south. Maybe that's the source of 
the noise, and the price of progress...

GL and 73,
George




On Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:34:39 + (UTC) Roger Parsons via Topband  wrote:

Very grateful for your efforts, George. Would appreciate it if you could manage 
to get on 160m earlier than 1100 - my sunrise is at 10.40!
Incidentally, you were a huge signal on 80m at that time today.

73 Roger
VE3ZI
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Re: Topband: E51D on 160 Tonight

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Wes,
Very few NA made it into the log on TB last night. You must have a great 
signal to punch through.


TKS and 73,
George


On Wed, 30 Aug 2023 13:46:00 + (UTC) Wes Stewart  wrote:



   George,

I feel your pain.

I'm 1/8 mile from the street and power line, which has recently developed 
enough noise to wipe out an AM broadcast station while I'm driving down the 
street.  The power company RFI guy has yet been unable to find the source since 
it's so widespread.

Yesterday, it became somewhat intermittent and during quiet periods I could 
hear you.  I called at 1154Z  and was pretty sure we completed but the noise 
popped up just at the end, so I wasn't positive.  Fortunately, it appeared that 
enough JAs were keeping you on so I waited until my sunrise when you peaked up 
and managed to work you again at 1242Z.  This time I had no question.  I see by 
your log, we did work twice.  Thanks!

Wes  N7WS

   
   On Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 04:15:45 AM MST, GEORGE WALLNER  wrote:
   
   
   
G'day Top Banders,
I got on TB at 1100 Z. Noise from a tropical system north of us (we are -9 
degrees, south of the Equator) was causing extreme QRN. I could barely copy 
S9+ stations. Normally TS noise comes in crashes separated by seconds. This 
time the crashes were virtually continuous. QSY-d to 80, where the noise was 
less, but still troublesome. I know that many wanted me to work TB, but it 
was impossible tonight. Will be back tomorrow at 1100 Z, hoping for better 
CONDX.


73,
George
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Topband: E51D on 160 Tonight

[GEORGE WALLNER]

G'day Top Banders,
I got on TB at 1100 Z. Noise from a tropical system north of us (we are -9 
degrees, south of the Equator) was causing extreme QRN. I could barely copy 
S9+ stations. Normally TS noise comes in crashes separated by seconds. This 
time the crashes were virtually continuous. QSY-d to 80, where the noise was 
less, but still troublesome. I know that many wanted me to work TB, but it 
was impossible tonight. Will be back tomorrow at 1100 Z, hoping for better 
CONDX.


73,
George
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Re: Topband: E51D N. Cook on 160 and EU (GEORGE WALLNER)

[GEORGE WALLNER]

CW mostly. FT8 only a few nights.


George


On Sun, 20 Aug 2023 12:53:06 -0400  wrote:


On Aug 22 in W1 land SR is at 0955 so a bit before 1000 would work.  160 is
the last band I need E5-N.  Looking forward to working you.  Will you be CW
or FT8?

Mni tnx

73,

Dale AA1QD

--

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2023 01:13:04 -0400
From: "GEORGE WALLNER" 
To: "topband@contesting.com" 
Subject: Topband: E51D N. Cook on 160 and EU
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format="flowed"

Good Day Topbanders,


We are waiting for the "authorities" to let us start operating, which should
be around Aug 22 or 23rd. If all goes well, we will be on the air until Sep
9.

We will get on 160 soon after our SS around 04 45 Z. There should be a
window for EU to work us until about 06 00, when we will QSY to 80 or 40 m
for a few hours. We will be back on 160 for the NA East Coast SR (and JA SS)
around 10 00 and stay there as long as there will be callers. Note, however,
that on some evenings we will start on 80 to give EU a chance.

GL and 73,
George


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Topband: E51D N. Cook on 160 and EU

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Good Day Topbanders,


We are waiting for the "authorities" to let us start operating, which should 
be around Aug 22 or 23rd. If all goes well, we will be on the air until Sep 
9.


We will get on 160 soon after our SS around 04 45 Z. There should be a 
window for EU to work us until about 06 00, when we will QSY to 80 or 40 m 
for a few hours. We will be back on 160 for the NA East Coast SR (and JA SS) 
around 10 00 and stay there as long as there will be callers. Note, however, 
that on some evenings we will start on 80 to give EU a chance.


GL and 73,
George
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Re: Topband: VP6A

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Thank You, Ray,
George,


On Sat, 24 Jun 2023 20:47:41 -0700 Raymond Benny  wrote:

Hello Robin,
Hear you call two nights ago on CW. I worked George a few minutes later.
Now have 5 acres here in AZ to grow antenna and they seem to work. QTH is
quiet too.


George,  thanks for the FT8 qso last night with W7YA, 3:30 am, with my AZ
call I use on FT8.  That makes 9 bands.

73,

Ray,
N6VR/W7YA

On Fri, Jun 23, 2023, 3:06 PM m.r.c.  wrote:



Hi George
I could hear you well enough on 1827.5 to ID over my city lot S8 noise 
inSoCalif, but no chance you would hear my 100 watts and a random wire
The guys fussed at me when I added a dozen full length radials to theTitanex 
-we already had about 8 -  it was up on the hard pan of the lava bed notdown 
atthe water.
and we had stagger paired 1000 ft beverages that made it work like a 
5elementbeam -  and in the MUCH better part of the solar cycle.
I don't think getting the radials into the water would be of any benefit 
-justfull length so that the RF current had someplace to flow with the 
shortradiator..
thanks for making this possible.  Its a huge improvement over the 
monsterinfrastructure we had to set up.   More antenna of course is 
alwaysbetter, butnot having to build and maintain living and operating quarters 
is anincredibleimprovement- even to just operator fatigue - we had 7 stations 
and only 12ops
73
RobinWA6CDR/VP6DX
- Original Message -From: "GEORGE WALLNER" To: 
Sent: Friday, June 23, 2023 10:12Subject: Re: Topband: VP6A

I was on 1827.5 from 0200 and form 0930 but there very very few callers.Most>signals that I've copied were just barely above the noise.> Apart form the lack of activity and high QRN in the northern hemisphere,we> have very poor 
ground at the antenna. We put out a lot of radials butcould> not connect directly to the salt water.>>> Anyway, this is not a good time for TB here.> 73,> George>>>> On Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:33:45 -0700 Wes  
wrote:>>I saw this when I got out of bed at 1000Z  :-)>>>>Not that it mattered.  One peep was about all I heard. Saw you spottedon 60>>but nothing seen. That's okay, worked you on 6/20.>>>>Still need 10 
and 40 SSB too to fill my Bingo card.>>>>Wes  N7WS>>>>On 6/22/2023 9:12 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:>>>>>I will start around 
0930.>>>GL,George>>>>>_>>Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband>> - Topband Reflector>>>>
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Re: Topband: VP6A

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I was on TB on Jun 24 from 0200 to about 0200. Did not hear any EU.(Two days 
earlier I heard OK1CF calling CQ.) We have gone QRT at 1600. This was not a 
good time for TB from Ducie. (But great on the higher bands.)

TKS and 73,

George




On Sat, 24 Jun 2023 12:19:07 +0100 "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

I came on 160m around 0200Z last night . . .

Saw you had just been spotted by a US station George . . . but couldn't hear
you at all.

I did put out a few CQ calls, but no replies (although there was propagation
- RBN report)

Anyway, I shall be on around the same time tonight.

73 Roger G3YRO

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Re: Topband: VP6A

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I was on 1827.5 from 0200 and form 0930 but there very very few callers. 
Most signals that I've copied were just barely above the noise.
Apart form the lack of activity and high QRN in the northern hemisphere, we 
have very poor ground at the antenna. We put out a lot of radials but could 
not connect directly to the salt water.



Anyway, this is not a good time for TB here.
73,
George



On Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:33:45 -0700 Wes  wrote:

I saw this when I got out of bed at 1000Z  :-)

Not that it mattered.  One peep was about all I heard.  Saw you spotted on 60 
but nothing seen. That's okay, worked you on 6/20.

Still need 10 and 40 SSB too to fill my Bingo card.

Wes  N7WS

On 6/22/2023 9:12 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:


I will start around 0930.
GL,George


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Re: Topband: VP6A

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Ray,
We have been trying to load the WSJT and SmartSDR software on the "local" 
station's computer to get FT8 going but something is right and I can't get 
it working. (I have installed it on four different computers, but this one 
got me.) Will try for tomorrow night (Fri).



George

On Thu, 22 Jun 2023 19:39:36 -0700 Raymond Benny  wrote:

George,

I've worked Ducie on all bands with N6VR,  but am using W7YA, Arizona, on
FT8.
With W7YA,  I need you only on 60m & 160m, FT8.
I will get up at 1000z (3am) to look for you. Seems you've been on 60m at
that time. Can you try some FT8 on 160m at that time too?

Tnx & 73

Ray,
N6VR/W7YA
Arizona

On Thu, Jun 22, 2023, 6:57 PM Wes  wrote:



If you stay on a little longer sunset in AZ is 0240Z
On 6/22/2023 5:09 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:> I was calling CQ from 0200 to 0230, but only had one 
caller.> At the same time I heard OK1CF calling CQ. There seems to be a path toEU from> VP6 around that 
time.>> I will be on 1827.5 again at 0200 to 0230 (Jun 23) and then for NA at1000 Z .> GL and 
73,> George> VP6A> _> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - 
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Re: Topband: VP6A

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I will start around 0930.


GL,
George

On Thu, 22 Jun 2023 18:46:53 -0700 Wes  wrote:

I've put my inverted -L back together just for you.  See you at 1000Z  (3AM in 
AZ, yikes)

Wes  N7WS

On 6/22/2023 5:09 PM, GEORGE WALLNER wrote:


I was calling CQ from 0200 to 0230, but only had one caller.At the same time I 
heard OK1CF calling CQ. There seems to be a path to EU from VP6 around that 
time.
I will be on 1827.5 again at 0200 to 0230 (Jun 23) and then for NA at 1000 Z 
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Topband: VP6A

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I was calling CQ from 0200 to 0230, but only had one caller.
At the same time I heard OK1CF calling CQ. There seems to be a path to EU 
from VP6 around that time.


I will be on 1827.5 again at 0200 to 0230 (Jun 23) and then for NA at 1000 Z 
.

GL and 73,
George
VP6A
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Re: Topband: Stew Perry Topband Challenge this weekend

[GEORGE WALLNER]

VP6A will be on TB for the for some of the time of the SP contest. Local SS 
is around 0230 Z and SR is around 1500 Z. Common darkness with EU will be 
very short, just after my SS. I will be listening for EU callers from . 
There will be plenty of common darkness with EU and JA.

CU in the contest,

George,
VP6A


On Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:09:30 -0400 Charles Morrison  wrote:

CU tonight Roger
The map shows Lightning in N.J.
-Charlie N1RR

On Fri, Jun 16, 2023 at 8:53 AM Roger Kennedy 
wrote:



I shall be on for the Contest . . .
But how are conditions in North America at the moment . . . are you gettinga 
lot of QRN?  (we have hardly any over here)
Roger G3YRO
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Re: Topband: We need better preamps for 160 because FT8 activity

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I have built, for DXpedition use,  a very selective RX front-end for 160 m 
for simultaneously operating CW and FT8 on shared TX and RX antennas with 
800 feet of separation. The LC filter had 8 dB loss at 1825 kHz and it was 
about 10 dB down from that at 1840 kHz (-8dB at 1825 and -18dB at 1840). 
That is a 10 dB difference, which should be enough to prevent a good preamp 
from saturating.



(I also built a XTAL filter that was 40 dB down, but only had a 2.5 kHz 
bandwidth -- OK for a DXpedition that can nominate its RX frequency.)


73,
George,
AA7JV

On Tue, 23 May 2023 20:04:24 -0600  wrote:

"Any new ideas on high performance preamps for 160m?? "

The only thing I can suggest is to build the front end of the
preamp as if it were a JW Miller style crystal radio, followed by the
amp itself.  Yep, crystal radio.  Those sets had a bandwidth of ~10khz.
Super selective and, yes, on 160m the user would have to retune often
when browsing the band.  Of course, a nice feature could be automatic
tracking.

73,
Charlie, N0TT  On Tue, 23 May 2023 12:55:36 -0400  writes:


Hi Folks

I am following the conversation about LOG RX antennas, I understand the 
painfrom a noise city lot on 160m. it is hard. I am using Waller 
Flag'svertical, since 2006, and horizontal since 2010, however vertical noise 
isso bad with new solar panels and EV charges , on top of LED lights, that Ino 
longer have my Vertical WF, it is inefficient  for a city lot. My HWF isworking 
very well.

The reason I started a new tread is what I noticed during the last DXseason. 
The number of KW station on 1840 is growing exponentially. If youhave 100 
station with 1kW on a small portion of the band, it is equivalent a100 KW 
single station. Imagine 500 station, 500KW, My HWF preamp is in usesince 2010, 
my first QSO with my 6xBF981 preamp was XU7ACY, long path (160mCW), from the 
same city lot, not so noise as it is today. However now withthe number of FT8 
KW's, and most of them very bad linearity, with phasenoise several KHz on each 
side,  my old preamp IP3 is not strong enough asit used to be.

I will be back to old NORTON's preamp on my station with new high Q frontend. 
With all the power of 100's FT8 station at the same time, theconsideration for 
a new RX antenna and new preamplifier is raising the baron overall performance.

Any new ideas on high performance preamps for 160m?? We will need it.

73's
JC
N4IS

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Topband: FO/AA7JV RX Conditions

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hello Topbanders,
It is surprising how many ops still don't know how to call on 160 a DX form 
the tropics. Many more would make it into the log, and the DX would be 
making more Q-s, if callers would adjust their calling pattern to match the 
RX conditions at the DX. TB is not 20. Dropping a call once, is not the 
right way in poor CONDX. (Unless you are very sure of your power and antenna 
and have picked your calling frequency well.) When conditions are difficult 
the call should be sent three times.


As typical in the tropics, there is a constant barrage of lightning crashes 
that are often S7 to S9+. These crashes occur ever two to three seconds. If 
the call is sent once, there is a pretty good chance of it getting partially 
wiped out. Now the DX has maybe one or two letters and a number. He now has 
to wait until the caller calls again, but by then QSB may have the signal 
down and perhaps another caller has come up. The caller has just lost his 
chance despite having a pretty strong S7 signal!

Please, always keep in mind the conditions at the other end.
TKS and 73,
George,
FO/AA7JV


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Re: Topband: Fine sigs from George, FO/AA7JV on 80 cw this morning

[GEORGE WALLNER]

TobBanders,
I will be on 1827.5 every evening at my SS from 0400 to 0430 (mainly for EU) 
and then from 1000 to 1200 and again from 1545 to 1615 (my SR), until Apr 8. 
(Times are +- depending on conditions.)


I normally QSY to 80 at 0430 just after EU SR. Yesterday at my SS conditions 
on 160 were terrible, but 80 was doing great. Then later, starting around 
1000 Z signals on 160 were amazingly strong, both from NA and JA (and Korea) 
but the lightning crashes were even stronger!


I have a lot of t-storm noise here (and no RX ANT). My noise level goes from 
-125 dB to -80 dB during the crashes that come every two to three seconds! 
Please send your call three times to give me chance to "assemble" it. (-80 
dB is about equivalent to S9 +5 dB!)


GL and 73,
George,
FO/AA7JV


On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 12:32:20 -0500 David Raymond  wrote:

George has been QRV 160 cw most mornings NA time, sometimes earlier rather than 
later.  He's typically Q5 for the most part but not strong here. . .usually S3 
or S4 peak with QSB to virtually nil.

73. . . Dave, W0FLS

On 4/4/2023 12:09 PM, w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:


I looked for George for the 3rd straight day on 160, but no copy.However there 
he was on 3527.5 at 1107z, with a very nice 579 sig andI quickly put him in the 
log. Well after my sunrise hr in Ohio I sawspots for him on 160 cw from several 
West Coast US stations.
Havent heard a dx station on 160 at my SR for at least three days now,but had 
some nice short contacts with assorted VK's on 40 and 20 ssbaround 1130z. 
Pulled 9U5RU out of the noise on 10m ssb shortlythereafter, so some sigs have 
been there for the taking.
The VKs on 20 ssb were 5 S units stronger on the LP when I firstcontacted them, 
but at the end of the qso they were just 2 S unitsstronger LP. Wonder what else 
was coming through that I may havemissed?

-From:topband-request@contesting.comTo: 
topband@contesting.comCc:Sent: Tuesday April 4 2023 12:00:44PMSubject: Topband 
Digest, Vol 244, Issue 4
 Send Topband mailing list submissions to  topband@contesting.com
 To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, 
visithttp://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband  /> or, via email, 
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 When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific  than "Re: 
Contents of Topband digest..."
 Today's Topics:
 1. Re: High Impedance RX Antennas (Dennis W0JX)  2. Re: High Impedance RX 
Antennas (Frank W3LPL)  3. Re: High Impedance RX Antennas (Tree)  4. Re: High 
Impedance RX Antennas (Don Moman VE6JY)  5. Re: High Impedance RX Antennas 
(John Kaufmann)  6. Re: [PVRC] 2-element receiving arrays (Dave Cuthbert)  7. 
Re: High Impedance RX Antennas (Jim Brown)
 --
 Message: 1  Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2023 16:42:37 + (UTC)  From: Dennis W0JX  To: 
"topband@contesting.com"  Subject: Re: Topband: High Impedance RX Antennas  
Message-ID:  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
 There is an old saying "The enemy of good is perfect."? You will bedriven 
crazy by chasing down every slight variance from the ideal.That being said, it is 
important to check out the obvious areas whereflaws can create big problems. Indeed, the 
feedline coax, typicallyRG6 CATV line, is a major contributor to array performance 
problems.?The cheap, big box cable is covered with PVC and that stuff hardensand tightens 
up over the years. This allows water to enter the shieldand the water easily migrates for 
long distances, creating a highresistance. Spend the money upfront and buy quality cable 
that isflooded.  The idea of using cable that has a solid copper conductor has merit.But 
even with that, a bare copper conductor will oxidize over time. Ifind myself cleaning 
these conductors on an annual basis with theeraser end of a pencil (recommended by Lee 
K7TJR).  I have also had F connector
failures on my combiner box and on acommon mode choke. Sometimes the 
imported female connector centercontact just fails for no reason. The 
alternative Amphenol connectorsare very expensive at about $8+ each but I am 
considering replacingthe connectors with these higher grade parts.  Also, 
the so-called "water-proof" compression connectors are oftennot. The 
connection must be waterproofed effectively.? Also,condensation from 
humidity can be a big problem. Here is northeastOhio, the environment is 
humid for the majority of the year. I havepoured water out of a 75 ohm 
preamp that was sheltered in a goodenclosure!  These complex phasing arrays 
are by no means plug and play. Eachinstallation will be unique depending on 
layout and surroundingobjects. There are three tools necessary to get them 
and keep themworking:? 1.) a good portable signal source to feed the 
antennapreamps (I use an
Elecraft XG-3 with a home

Re: Topband: FO/AA7JV

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Mark,


It was noisy here earlier but by the time the band opened to ZL it got 
quieter.


TKS for the call and QSO-s.

George

On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:57:50 +1300 Mark  wrote:

Hi George

Thanks for the qsos on 160m and 80m last night.

You were booming in here on 160m. After our qso I realised I hadn't flicked
the amp on so only worked you with 25 watts.

You can't be hearing too badly!

73
Mark ZL3AB
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Topband: FO/AA7JV

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Hi Top-Banders,
FO/AA7JV will be on 160 around 1827.5 starting Mar 30, form approximately 
0800 Z (local SS) every night until Apr 4.


QTH is Tikehau Atoll, in the Tuamutu Group. (Not Marquesas anymore.) I got a 
good TX antenna and power but no RX antenna.


73 and CU,
George

Also on 80 at very low end of the band.

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Re: Topband: FO/AA7JV 160m

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Bob,
I only managed to work 8 stations from NA. Apparently my signal was weak. 
Unfortunately, it was low tide and water table was out and grounding was not 
very good. I have very little luck on the low bands form this location. 
Anyway, we are now QRT from the Marquesas. Next the Tuamutus around Mar 27, 
which is just ordinary FO.


73,
George



On Mon, 20 Mar 2023 20:27:30 + w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:

Thanks for the qsos on 10 and 30m cw. Sounds like your having a lot
more fun than the guys at Bouvet! :)

Got up at 0900z Monday morn(today) looking for you on 160 cw but didnt
hear a thing. The only station I worked was VK2WF-Adrian. Nothing else
from the Pacific. Hung around til past my SR ( 1140z) but nothing
heard from FO.

Did you guys hear anything stateside?

Bob W3HKK
nr Columbus, OH

-From:
topband-requ...@contesting.com
To: topband@contesting.com
Cc: Sent: Monday March 20 2023 12:00:20PM
Subject: Topband Digest, Vol 243, Issue 11

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than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..."

Today's Topics:

1. FO/AA7JV on TB (Marquesas) (GEORGE WALLNER)

--

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:02:43 -0400
From: "GEORGE WALLNER" To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: FO/AA7JV on TB (Marquesas)
Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format="flowed"

FO/AA7JV will be on TB Sunday night /Monday AM (Mar 21), from about
0530
UTC.

CU and 73,
George,
AA7JV





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Topband: FO/AA7JV on TB (Marquesas)

[GEORGE WALLNER]

FO/AA7JV will be on TB Sunday night /Monday AM (Mar 21), from about 0530 
UTC.



CU and 73,
George,
AA7JV





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Re: Topband: 160 ain't dead yet.

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I heard OK1CF calling CQ. Karel was a real 599. He came back and gave me 
599+.
Later, OM2WX called with a very solid signal. A couple of other weak EU 
stations later, but I had to go on watch and could not continue.


QTH: Abut 30 miles from Cocos Island (TI9), in EJ65.
1 kW and a 50 foot vertical.
Ain't Dead for sure,

73,
George
AA7JV


On Thu, 23 Feb 2023 09:21:48 - "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

Sorry I couldn't copy you calling me last night Guy . . . I've still got
this local noise problem (OFCOM back again next week, so keep hoping they
will shut the source down)

I popped on a couple of times last night . . . but didn't stay on long. as
reports from RBN stations were very poor !

It's always fascinating how very localised DX Propagation can be on Top
Band, I noted how several Europeans said that propagation to NA was very
poor over the weekend, whereas I found it pretty good.

73 Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: spot

[GEORGE WALLNER]

What size a rhombic would be "large" on 160 m?
Perhaps long enough for far end to be close to the other station.


73,
George

On Mon, 9 Jan 2023 07:07:53 -0700 Steve London  wrote:

Did he say which ocean ?

Sorry, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

73,
Steve, N2IC

On Mon, Jan 9, 2023 at 4:34 AM Paul Mcl  wrote:



I recently worked WB6CJT twice on CW:
160m on 24Nov22 @ 2130Z80m on 7Dec/22 @ 2215Z
I emailed to ask if he was transmitting from CA per his QRZ.com details andhe 
confirmed that was correct and he was using a large rhombic by theocean.   Both 
contacts are confirmed in LoTw as California.
Regards
Paul MM0ZBH
On Sun, 8 Jan 2023 at 23:31,  wrote:

Interesting spot..? 2324Z 1.832.Ø TN8K DL3DXX wkd> NM6V,W6AEA,WB6CJT big remo Republic of 
the Congo (TN)>> _> Searchable Archives: 
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Re: Topband: Small Loop does not receive weak signal on 160m BOUVET RX SPOILER

[GEORGE WALLNER]

In my experience, a DXpedition does not need an RX antenna on 160 for the 
first two to three days. During that time they are working the big guns with 
strong signals. The RX antenna is needed to give the weaker stations a 
chance once the big guns are out of the way.
In case of Bouvet, most of the signals will be coming from the NE or NW 
direction. Their "back" will be towards Antarctica, which is not a major 
source of noise. The F/B of an RX antenna will contribute little (but not 
zero).


The bigger problem will be that Bouvet Island is in the southern hemisphere, 
where it is summer this time of the year. Late-afternoon or evening 
thunderstorms taking place south of the Equator will generate a lot of noise 
(think of Africa, Amazon). Most of that noise will be coming from the same 
direction as the the NA and EU signals, in which case an RX antenna may not 
help (much). Their biggest challenge will be working the Far East (JA 
especially). That is where a good RX antenna, pointed in the right 
direction, could help because most of the noise would be coming from its 
side. With marginal TB QSO-s even a fraction of a dB in S/N can make the 
difference . Also, they wont have much darkness to work with. It will be 
tough. I would make the loop bigger to improve the S/N ratio and improve the 
JA-s' chances.

73,
George,
AA7JV/C6AGU
On Fri, 23 Dec 2022 23:03:36 -0600  wrote:

I was one of the 160m ops at "nearby" FT5XO.  I can tell you that when
the
WX was good the TX antennas worked very well for receiving.  When the
WX turned bad, such as during the snow storm we worked through, the 160m
TX antennas
were very noisyjust as noisy as those anywhere on the planet.

Don't get me started about those awful 160m fishing buoy transmitters!!

73,
Charlie, N0TT

On Fri, 23 Dec 2022 19:45:28 -0700 Wes  writes:


All interesting.  But let me ask (and standby for flames) what is wrong with 
them simply listening on the TX antenna?
I know, I know, conventional wisdom says that you can't possibly work 160 DX 
without a separate RX antenna.  I'll confess that I am a little pistol and will 
never be on the TB Honor Roll, but I got on the band just to add another DXCC 
band to my collection (now nine).  I'm now at 144 confirmed, running just 500W 
and a 55' inverted-L on both TX and RX. Generally speaking I hear better that I 
get out.
Looking at my chances of working 3Y the optimum time is their sunrise (~3:30Z) 
when I am in complete darkness and straight across the terminator. They will 
have the sunlit ocean to their rear and the S. American landmass toward me.  
Maybe someone can enlighten me, but I fail to see how a directional antenna 
will improve the SNR of my signal at their end.
Wes  N7WS

On 12/23/2022 6:46 PM, JC wrote:> Hi topband lovers>>   >> Some friends contact me with deep concerns about the next Bouvet DX expedition receiver antenna called SALAD>>   >>   

<
http://www.lz1aq.signacor.com/docs/active-wideband-directional-antenna.p
hp> 

Salad antenna>>   >> I understand the concerns, Bouvet on 160m is a lifetime opportunity for most top-banders!>>   >> When Doug 
NX4D, me N4IS and Dr Dallas started to try to understand the limitation of the new Waller Flag, the first big question was;>>   >> How 
small a loop antenna can be to receive weak signal on 160, or MW?>>   >> Dr. Dallas Lankford III (SK), measured the internal noise of a 
small loop. 15x15 FT on his quiet QTH, and wrote a paper with the derivation necessary to calculate the thermal noise of a small loop. The study most 
important point was:>>   >> The sensitivity of small loop antennas can be limited by internally generated thermal noise which is a 
characteristic of the loop itself. Even amplifying the loop output with the lowest noise figure preamp available may not improve the loop sensitivity 
if manmade noise drops low enough>>   >> The noise on Bouvet
island will be very low, < -120 dBm at 500Hz,  and for sure the internal 
thermal noise of the prosed RX antenna will limit the reception of weak 
signals on 160m, it may work on 80 and above, but for 160 m, it will be a 
set up for failure.>>   >> Why not a single, trustable beverage antenna over 
the ice or snow?? Or a proved K9AY or a DHDL??>>   >> Below is the almost 
good transcript of the original pdf Flag Theory, for the long answer.>>   >> 
  >> 73?s>> JC>> N4IS>>   >> Flag Theory> Dallas Lankford, 1/31/09, rev. 
9/9/09>>> The derivation which follows is a variation of Belrose's classical 
derivation for ferrite rod loop antennas,> ?Ferromagnetic Loop Aerials,? 
Wireless Engineer, February 1955, 41? 46.>>> Some people who have not 
actually compared the signal output of a flag antenna to other small 
antennas have expressed their opinions to me that the signal output of a 
flag antenna has
great attenuation compared to those other small antennas, such as loops and 
passive verticals. Their opinions are wrong. One should never express 
opinions which are based, say, on computer 

Re: Topband: Antennas and saltwater

[GEORGE WALLNER]

On boat you need to put a capacitor (22 nF or greater) in series with the 
GND connection. That will stop DC from "melting" your sacrificial anodes.



GW


On Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:27:59 -0700 Mark Schoonover  wrote:
I did the same thing unfortunately all the sacrificial zincs disappeared in a few months. 


On Mon, Dec 19, 2022, 16:18 W7TMT - Patrick  wrote:

I run an 80' high vertical on 160M from my sailboat in the saltwater of Puget 
Sound/Salish Sea near Seattle. After experimenting with a number of different 
saltwater connections I've simplified it to a single piece of 1/2" dia. copper 
pipe 10' long and tapped in the middle. I hang it horizontally over the side just 
below the water surface. Works great.

I recently ran across a post by SE0X running  an 160/80M vertical on a floating dock who uses two lengths of suspended pipe. His RBN testing suggested that adding a second one made a difference. Details here: 
http://blog.se0x.info/?p=3442#more-3442

73
Patrick, W7TMT

-Original Message-
From: Topband  On Behalf Of GEORGE WALLNER
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2022 14:19
To: Radio KH6O <
radio.k...@gmail.com>; 
topband@contesting.comSubject: Re: Topband: Antennas and saltwater


If the antenna stands in the salt-water or if you have a short, low impedance 
connection to the water, you don't need radials.
During the VK9WWI DXpedition to Willis Islets, we installed a vertical on a sand spit that was covered by water most of the time. We had 12 radials of various lengths a couple of feet above the water. The antenna was fed via an antenna coupler (tuner) mounted on its base. Every night during high tide the waves knocked down and washed the radials into a tangled mess. For the first three days we restored the radials every morning. But we never noticed any difference between when the radials were up or when they were in a heap at the base of the antenna. After three days we got rid of the radials. The antenna had a heavy metal base which was always in contact with the water. 
Ever since then, on various DXpeditions (TX3A, VK9GMW, PT0S, etc.), we always put the antennas into the water (or the very edge of it where we drive into the sand a grounding stake) and never bothered with radials.


Years ago I had a vertical at C6AGU standing in the water. During one night a 
storm knocked it down. I reinstalled it up the beach about 75 feet from the 
high tide line. I added 16 radials about 3 feet above the sand, I was told that 
my 160 m signal was down 10 dB. I put the antenna back in the water and had a 
good signal again. Whether the difference was really 10 dB, I don't know. But 
it was substantial. (That was before RBN.) 73, George, AA7JV/C6AGU

On Mon, 19 Dec 2022 09:23:54 -0800 Radio KH6O  wrote:
Ideal is if you can run some RG58 out to the beach and plunk it next 
to thewater.  Also use 4 radials there.Enjoy.Ed  N1UR


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Re: Topband: Antennas and saltwater

[GEORGE WALLNER]

If the antenna stands in the salt-water or if you have a short, low 
impedance connection to the water, you don't need radials.
During the VK9WWI DXpedition to Willis Islets, we installed a vertical on a 
sand spit that was covered by water most of the time. We had 12 radials of 
various lengths a couple of feet above the water. The antenna was fed via an 
antenna coupler (tuner) mounted on its base. Every night during high tide 
the waves knocked down and washed the radials into a tangled mess. For the 
first three days we restored the radials every morning. But we never noticed 
any difference between when the radials were up or when they were in a heap 
at the base of the antenna. After three days we got rid of the radials. The 
antenna had a heavy metal base which was always in contact with the water. 
Ever since then, on various DXpeditions (TX3A, VK9GMW, PT0S, etc.), we 
always put the antennas into the water (or the very edge of it where we 
drive into the sand a grounding stake) and never bothered with radials.


Years ago I had a vertical at C6AGU standing in the water. During one night 
a storm knocked it down. I reinstalled it up the beach about 75 feet from 
the high tide line. I added 16 radials about 3 feet above the sand, I was 
told that my 160 m signal was down 10 dB. I put the antenna back in the 
water and had a good signal again. Whether the difference was really 10 dB, 
I don't know. But it was substantial. (That was before RBN.)

73,
George,
AA7JV/C6AGU

On Mon, 19 Dec 2022 09:23:54 -0800 Radio KH6O  wrote:

Ideal is if you can run some RG58 out to the beach and plunk it next to 
thewater.  Also use 4 radials there.Enjoy.Ed  N1UR


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Re: Topband: Conditions for Stew Perry Contest

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I was operating /MM from St. Martin (FK88) and both the NA and EU stations 
were weak. OK2CF, who is normally a solid S7 in FL was barely above the 
noise. Conditions were either very poor or everybody was in the QRP 
category. The only strong signals were form the Virgin Islands.

73,

George,
AA7JV


On Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:23:49 - "Roger Kennedy"  wrote:

I came on about 4 times during the night, but propagation this side of the
pond was really poor. NA Stations that are normally over S9 were around S5 . . 
. so couldn't hear
weaker signals at all. Even Europeans weren't very strong.

I did mange to work 16 NA stations, including Colorado and Virgin Islands.

73 Roger G3YRO


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Re: Topband: Cndx in the ARRL 160 Test.

[GEORGE WALLNER]

Bob,
Before the contest we were on 160 a number of nights. Only a few nights were 
we able to work more than a handful of EU stations and they were all much 
weaker than normal. Regular S7 stations, like DL8LAS and OK1CF were barely 
audible. Two years ago, from the same spot and a very similar antenna, we 
were able to work EU-s 45 minutes before SS, in almost full daylight. This 
time, EU came in weakly around 2100 local and than again between midnight 
and 1 AM.  Interestingly, noise levels were below normal. (But not during 
the ARRL 160, when noise was high due to a front passing through.)



GL with 3Y0J!
73,
George,
C6AGU


On Sun, 11 Dec 2022 00:02:48 + w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:

George, thats a big drop off in Q's from a very reliable QTH. Bn dabbling in 
the 10m Contest today...216 Q's so far. Vy strong FR4
called a guy I was calling, so I called him for a quick Q. He was
59+10 on ssb. The 3B8 was more like 57. One of the three Alaskans I
worked was 59+20, the other 55 and 57. Lots of fun but have some new
power line noise to the west. Heard the gal in Saudi, but too weak to
call through the Euros.

Hoping the prop isnt too unstable next month when 3Y0J reaches Bouvet!
They have a terrific video on QRZ.

Bob

-From:
topband-requ...@contesting.com
To: topband@contesting.com
Cc: Date: Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:54:24 -0500
From: "GEORGE WALLNER" To: w3...@roadrunner.com, "'topband@contesting.com'"

Subject: Re: Topband: 160 contest; dits and dahs; propagation
Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format="flowed"

We normally make 1300 Q-s in this contest. This year, with a lot of
hard
work, only 994. Propagation had to be very selective. C6AGU was
consistently
20 - 24 dB on the W3LPL RBN, but not heard at W3HKK. At the same
time, EU
stations were causing QRM on the RX antenna, which is 10 dB down
towards EU.
Strange conditions, indeed.

73,
George,
C6AGU

On Thu, 08 Dec 2022 17:12:30 + w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:

Interesting comments!

I specifically listened at my SR but heard no JA's.

Also typically in this contest at certain hours I get a steady

stream

of W6, W7 replies - many surprisingly strong. This time it was less
than 20. The West was fairly sparse, there were many cracks in the

QRM

wall, and it seemed most sigs were from the NE, Mid-Atlantic

regions.

4 Land is usually a big contributor to the log, but again this time
much less so. Probably goes to show just how telescopic propagation

can be on TB, ie

spotty. Re: DX: I looked for every DX spot and heard none from EU.

The

Carrib was about it. No CA or SA ( other than XE.) Or Pacific other
than KH6. Dits and dahs: My CQ CW Contest submission feedback

results get hit

pretty hard by penalties, and one of the major errors is the other

guy

logging me as SKK - so now I try to repeat it an extra time, slowing
way down on the H. I thought I might have a sending problem with my
7610 memories, but now chalk it up to noise/qsb/haste to move on to
the next guy. I do hear and appreciate when the other guy slows down
his call. Really helps me get it right by minimizing guesses. Worked

KH6 around 11:30 pm local time here..a bit of a surprise, and

then later saw a spot for KL7 but he was buried in the noise and

never

got him in the log. Usually hear them well around my midnight and
sometimes before my SR. Nothing else heard from the Pacific or JA,
even though I had worked JA two mornings before.

Bob

-
***

End of Topband Digest, Vol 240, Issue 10


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Re: Topband: 160 contest; dits and dahs; propagation

[GEORGE WALLNER]

We normally make 1300 Q-s in this contest. This year, with a lot of hard 
work, only 994. Propagation had to be very selective. C6AGU was consistently 
20 - 24 dB on the W3LPL RBN, but not heard at W3HKK. At the same time, EU 
stations were causing QRM on the RX antenna, which is 10 dB down towards EU.

Strange conditions, indeed.


73,
George,
C6AGU

On Thu, 08 Dec 2022 17:12:30 + w3...@roadrunner.com wrote:

Interesting comments!

I specifically listened at my SR but heard no JA's.

Also typically in this contest at certain hours I get a steady stream
of W6, W7 replies - many surprisingly strong. This time it was less
than 20. The West was fairly sparse, there were many cracks in the QRM
wall, and it seemed most sigs were from the NE, Mid-Atlantic regions.
4 Land is usually a big contributor to the log, but again this time
much less so. Probably goes to show just how telescopic propagation can be on 
TB, ie
spotty. Re: DX: I looked for every DX spot and heard none from EU. The
Carrib was about it. No CA or SA ( other than XE.) Or Pacific other
than KH6. Dits and dahs: My CQ CW Contest submission feedback results get hit
pretty hard by penalties, and one of the major errors is the other guy
logging me as SKK - so now I try to repeat it an extra time, slowing
way down on the H. I thought I might have a sending problem with my
7610 memories, but now chalk it up to noise/qsb/haste to move on to
the next guy. I do hear and appreciate when the other guy slows down
his call. Really helps me get it right by minimizing guesses. Worked KH6 around 
11:30 pm local time here..a bit of a surprise, and
then later saw a spot for KL7 but he was buried in the noise and never
got him in the log. Usually hear them well around my midnight and
sometimes before my SR. Nothing else heard from the Pacific or JA,
even though I had worked JA two mornings before.

Bob

-
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Re: Topband: Skirted vertical antennas for MF broadcast

[GEORGE WALLNER]

I have been using at C6AGU a similar design that I call "Fat Vertical". 
Scroll down on the C6AGU QRZ.com page to see a picture of it. The antenna is 
60' tall with sloping loading wires attached to the outer corners of the 
"fat wires". Feed point impedance is 12 - 120 Ohms, which is matched by a 
remotely controlled antenna coupler. The antenna stands in salt water on an 
aluminum base that provides grounding. No radials.
We used a 43' version on 160 on the 2018 Baker Island DXpedition (43' was 
max height allowed by USFWS). The antenna stood at the edge of the water 
with two slightly elevated radials. It had decent performance: N4IS in FL 
heard me tuning up with 10 W -- in July!


73,
George,
AA7JV/C6AGU



On Thu, 7 Apr 2022 16:00:05 + (UTC) Robert Parkes via Topband  wrote:

The design or at least many like it have been around for years.Otherwise known 
as a Conical Monopole
73sBobG3REP
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