Re: Topband: E51D and OHQP
And conversely (not that I'm an expert topbander), it might be true that a good DX antenna is more than *adequate* for close in contacts in most situations. -Steve K8LX On 08/24/23 6:28 PM, Mike Waters wrote: Contrary to what you hear repeated on the bands year after year, what Jim said is *exactly* right! :-) I'll add that NVIS is rarely —if ever— useful for working DX on 160m. 73 Mike W0BTU https://web.archive.org/web/20190827040547/http://w0btu.com/ On Thu, Aug 24, 2023, 1:40 PM Jim Brown wrote: ... the optimum height for an NVIS antenna is a quarter-wave. Higher reduces upward radiation, lower increases ground loss. This study was peer reviewed. 73, Jim K9YC _ Searchable Archives:http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: For sale?
On 07/06/20 16:53 PM, K4SAV wrote: It's easy to remember the old days, but not so easy sometimes to remember that now those listings are no longer allowed. It's the short term memory that goes first :-) -Steve K8LX _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Herbert Schoenbohm, KV4FZ: Silent Key
Wow, even though I haven't been very active on 160, I'm pretty sure Herb was one of my very first DX contacts in 1964 on whatever band, probably 15. Seems like he was still posting on the reflectors just a few days ago. Very Sad, -Steve K8LX On 04/29/20 14:21 PM, d...@np2j.com wrote: It is with great regret that I have been informed that Herb Schoenbohm KV4FZ has passed away this morning at his home. Herb was 84 years of age. Herb has been a fixture on Topband since the very beginning, having 160 DXCC #2 (I believe) and has been active in all 160 Meter contests over the years setting many records. I personally have been amazed at his stamina in contests, even recently, he would stay up all night CQing long after this 62 year old called it quits...I hope I live as long as Herbie, and be able to put half the rare ones in the log as he did routinely 73 Herb Best wishes to Herbs wife of over 50 years Monica and Sons Tom, Timmy and Eric _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: [TowerTalk] RG-6 Delay cables
Any connector with a captured (non-solder) center pin will accomplish this, such as the Times EZ series (EZ-400-NM, etc) or many of the corrugated hardline connectors. As long as the connector was not installed in cold weather with the center conductor pushed in as far as it will go. If the cable is prepped according to the instructions, that won't happen. -Steve K8LX On 04/08/20 17:11 PM, Lee STRAHAN wrote: Robin WA6CDR mentioned this to me in an earlier exchange this AM. It was not me. Should have mentioned that before. Sorry Robin, You the Man! Lee K7TJR -Original Message- From: Richard (Rick) Karlquist Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2020 2:00 PM To: Lee STRAHAN ; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: RG-6 Delay cables On 4/8/2020 1:28 PM, Lee STRAHAN wrote: Even if the copper center conductor expands, the way the cable connectors are made allows the copper to simply push in the connector past the connection point maintaining its physical length. Very astute. You may have explained this paradox. I didn't think of this type F effect. Some type N connectors also work this way. 73 Rick N6RK _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector ___ ___ TowerTalk mailing list towert...@contesting.com http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Recording Off the Air
Yup. There are dozens of little recorders that work well for making continuous recordings, I've been using a Roland R09 that I've had for many years. If I want to go to the trouble, I chop up the recording into one hour files using the wonderful MP3DirectCut, which is extremely fast at that task because it doesn't do any re-encoding - it merely cuts on MP3 frame boundaries, and creates the proper header info for each file. I was interested in the OP's suggestion because it purports to make one hour recordings on the fly, which would save that step, and also be a safer way to do a whole contest without having to worry about a glitch in hour 47 that ruins the whole file. -Steve K8LX On 01/28/20 11:53 AM, j...@kk9a.com wrote: I use a Sony ICD-UX560 Its MP3 files names are just numbers with an underscore which are easy to transfer to a PC. It is a tiny 2oz device that takes almost no operating space and it works quite well. John KK9A Steve Maki K8LX wrote: There was one comment on Amazon complaining about the file naming by this recorder - that after some number of 1 hour files, characters not allowed by Windows started appearing in new file names (<, ?, etc.). That would be a fatal flaw of course. What do the file names look like in your experience when you plug the SD card into a PC? Easily identifiable by hour? Have you tried recording for 48 hours? Thanks, -Steve K8LX On 01/25/20 10:21 AM, W7RH wrote: Someone asked about recording off the air. Outside of using a PC and associated resources here is an excellent device that is inexpensive and works extremely well. It records 1 hour segments and clock can be set to UTC time. Fast forward and reverse and a over one thousand hours recording on a 16Gb memory card using 64kbs bitrate. It goes up to 192kbs for high quality recording. Internal mic, external mic and line in connections. Analog and digital output. Very cool. works extremely well and very easy to use. https://www.amazon.com/Sangean-DAR-101-Professional-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003XU76QK/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=sangean+digital+recorder&qid=1579965300&sr=8-2 Bob, W7RH _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Recording Off the Air
There was one comment on Amazon complaining about the file naming by this recorder - that after some number of 1 hour files, characters not allowed by Windows started appearing in new file names (<, ?, etc.). That would be a fatal flaw of course. What do the file names look like in your experience when you plug the SD card into a PC? Easily identifiable by hour? Have you tried recording for 48 hours? Thanks, -Steve K8LX On 01/25/20 10:21 AM, W7RH wrote: Someone asked about recording off the air. Outside of using a PC and associated resources here is an excellent device that is inexpensive and works extremely well. It records 1 hour segments and clock can be set to UTC time. Fast forward and reverse and a over one thousand hours recording on a 16Gb memory card using 64kbs bitrate. It goes up to 192kbs for high quality recording. Internal mic, external mic and line in connections. Analog and digital output. Very cool. works extremely well and very easy to use. https://www.amazon.com/Sangean-DAR-101-Professional-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003XU76QK/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=sangean+digital+recorder&qid=1579965300&sr=8-2 Bob, W7RH _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 4.3 -10 Re: Rather use N-type (was Re: The answer to PL-259 soldering/reliability problems)
It's doubtful that 4.3-10 will ever be popular for larger cables, because large diameter feedlines in the cellular industry are no longer being installed. It's all Remote Radios behind the antennas, and short 1/2" jumpers. So be happy with N or 7-16 for your main lines. I recommend 7-16 of course. -Steve K8LX On 12/10/18 4:35 AM, ly...@qrz.lt wrote: Hi Frank, 4.3-10 can't be so expensive if compare new to new. E.g. 7/16 to 4.3-10 "brand" adapter bulk price is 10-15% higher than N to 7/16, also price of few meters prefabricated "jumper cables" with 4.3-10 vs 7/16 differs in 10-15%. I hope it revers soon as and also cellular antenna life span is getting so short -down to few years according some report - so we will have lot of dismounted stuff soon ;) The question is if they get popular for other cables than 1/2 and we get right price there. 2018-12-07 22:05, donov...@starpower.net rašė: Hello Arunas, While the relatively new 4.3-10 family of "mini DIN" connectors is far superior to any connectors we've discussed in this thread, their cost is nearly ten times higher. On the other hand, the much bulkier 7/16 DIN connectors offer similar high performance and they're widely available at much more affordable prices. For example, do this Google search 7/16 DIN connector site:ebay.com _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Rather use N-type (was Re: The answer to PL-259
Hmm, how do solder that center pin if you can't pull it out of the connector? If it comes out of the connector easily, it's not a true captured pin connector (which is made for solid center conductor coax like LMR-400, LDF4, etc.), not RG-213, etc. -Steve K8LX On 12/07/18 19:10 PM, Mike Waters wrote: The one I have in my hand has a solder hole in it. I take it that there are newer ones that have contacts that grip the coax center conductor? On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 6:04 PM Steve Maki wrote: Well here's the advantage of captivated center pins: the pin is NOT bonded to the center conductor. IOW, if the coax center conductor shrinks a bit, it can slide in the center pin and the pin stays put. And that's exactly what you want it to do - especially with an N connector. _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Rather use N-type (was Re: The answer to PL-259
Well here's the advantage of captivated center pins: the pin is NOT bonded to the center conductor. IOW, if the coax center conductor shrinks a bit, it can slide in the center pin and the pin stays put. And that's exactly what you want it to do - especially with an N connector. -Steve K8LX On 12/07/18 14:25 PM, Mike Waters wrote: Exactly my experience, even with captivated pins!! And my coax runs were only about 100' long. The captivating washers were made of Teflon®, *and Teflon cold flows*. This was when I lived in Toledo, Ohio when the temperature dropped well below zero. Four photos of those N connectors are at http://www.w0btu.com/files/misc/N_plugs . See the last two. On Fri, Dec 7, 2018, 1:02 PM Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote: My two 500 foot RG-216 military surplus cables both eventually exhibited retracted pins on the type N connectors at both ends. I replaced them with PL-259's. ... Success anecdotes about install once and never touch again commercial sites are probably not relevant to ham applications. _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Isolated F81 F Barrel Connector
Can't you just use a non-metallic plate? -Steve K8LX On 10/21/18 15:08 PM, Paul Christensen wrote: Google isn't my friend today... I am looking for an isolated "F" barrel connector, commonly known as the F81. I am designing an aluminum interface plate for use with a Hi-Z 8-circle receive array. The panel will contain multiple F81 barrel connectors that attach to the side of a large PVC tool box with gasket weather seal. An isolated F81 is probably a very odd item since it's a connector that's not normally used for baseband signal distribution like video and data. Each of the RG-6 lines run into a Hi-Z switched phasing box where each line is connected to a toroid transformer. As such, measuring resistance from the ground of one antenna port to another shows about 30 ohms resistance, necessitating isolation at my connection plate. The Hi-Z phasing box is made of PVC material and each antenna input is isolated by virtue of the plastic box. In the alternative, I could use isolated BNC or TNC connectors with F between-series adapters. Insulating each F81 with its own insolation strip is definitely not an option in this application. The last option is to run all lines directly into the large box and make a direct connection to the Hi-Z phasing unit. However, I would really like the option to disconnect on the *outside* of the box so that it can be quickly wheeled in for maintenance. Thoughts? Paul, W9AC _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Location of WF RX Antenna. Need Expert Advice
I've just recently been reading up on Waller Flags, and am certainly no expert, but my impression so far is that an HWF (horizontally polarized flag), mounted up in the air on a tower, should be less affected by tall vertical thingies in the area; and less prone to local noise in the area which is normally vertically polarized, all of which is a major attraction of the antenna. So if your nearby horizontal items are not long ones in terms of wavelength on the frequencies of interest using the flag, I wouldn't expect a problem. If your plan is a vertically polarized flag, than ignore the previous comments. -Steve K8LX On 7/29/2018 6:58 PM, Joe Giacobello, K2XX via Topband wrote: I am hoping to construct a Waller Flag RX antenna on a 56' Heights aluminum tower for 80 and 160M RX. The ideal location from aesthetic, RF and maintenance-of-a-civil -family-climate standpoints is midway (150' separation) between two existing LM-470 towers now separated by about 300'. One has a 4-element Steppir and a 13-element 2M yagi on it and the other a 2 element 30/40M quad. Obviously, the WF would not be used simultaneously as the two existing antennas, and the Heights tower would be well grounded.. Am I asking for a round of battles of trying to mitigate interaction problems on either TX or RX on any of the bands involved? Would an easy answer to my question be obtained from an EZNEC simulation, especially since I already have models of the two current antennas? I suspect other people on this reflector have been here before. I'd appreciate any practical advice. Many thanks and 73, _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: low inv-vee
Interesting. Some say that on 160 vertical polarization rules, while on 80, horizontal polarization rules (or at least *often* rules). Of course polarization and angle of arrival are two different things... -Steve K8LX On 03/28/18 17:23 PM, Roger Kennedy wrote: Well I've said it before and I'll doubtless say it again . . . In my experience, most DX propagation on 160m ISN'T low angle (unlike 80m when it nearly always IS.) For the past 45 years, at several different QTHs I've always used a horizontal co-ax fed halfwave dipole, only 50ft high . . . I'm sure most people would agree I put a respectable DX signal. I've regularly worked all over the world on Top band, and I've never had trouble getting through pile-ups to work Dx-peditions. Plus a dipole at 40 feet will never really be an inverted vee ! (just a horizontal antenna with drooping ends) - You'd have to have the centre at least 100ft high for it to be an inverted vee. Roger G3YRO _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
