Re: Topband: Radial wire
You in America have no idea how cheap and easy it is there to buy stuff, all sorts of stuff for our hobby. I used 2.5 mm galvanised high-tensile steel wire for my beverages. 1500 metres cost me $170. For my buried ground radials, my cheapest option is 2.5 mm Building Wire, at $29/100 metre roll. I am looking forward to removing my elevated counterpoise as it is just too much work to keep in the air. I have a couple of very large hairy people living in the home paddock, who insist on scratching themselves on the support poles and with the wet winter we've had, there are poles being pushed over and wires are breaking. On ground radials are not an option, as I have cattle in the paddock sometimes, and they will just eat PVC insulated wire on the ground. Looking forward to hearing more of you on Top Band over the next few months as we go through the Spring equinox. I had a decent opening a few evenings ago to NA, plus one JA. 73, Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: Kenneth Grimm Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2018 4:21 AM To: Herbert Schoenbohm Cc: n0os...@gmail.com ; TopBand List ; n...@n4is.com ; Richard (Rick) Karlquist ; Grant Saviers Subject: Re: Topband: Radial wire If you have a Tractor Supply store near you, the price for 1/4 mile of 17 ga. galvanized electric fence wire is $14.99. You can get 1/2 mile roll for $29.99. Just how long it will last will vary depending on your soil. However, at that price it is worth a try. 73, Ken - K4XL _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Air wound coil
-Original Message- From: Eugene Colton Sent: Monday, September 03, 2018 12:25 PM To: donov...@starpower.net Cc: topband@contesting.com ; MU 4CX250B Subject: Re: Topband: Air wound coil Jim, @ say, 1.83 MHz, the electrical length of your vertical is about 47.4 deg, necessitating a top hat of about 42.6 deg. I followed the prescription of John, ON4UN and calculated out a surge impedance of 377 ohms based on an average radiator diameter of 2.25 inches; the hat capacitance would be about 212 pf. If you did a disc cap hat, it would need to be maybe 6m diameter, pretty big. If you just used T-wire loading you need maybe 35m of top hat. Not sure how you would use this antenna on 80m.<<< *** Install a trap below the top hat wires. I have an approximately 21 m tall radiator with three top hat wires to resonate on 1825 kHz. Just below the top hat wires is a trap consisting of a coil of aluminium tubing and doorknob capacitors resonated around 3600 kHz. On 160 m I use an L-match network. On 80 CW I switch out the capacitor and use the series inductance of the L-match. On the DX Window, I bypass the network and feed the radiator directly. It is resonant above 3800 kHz, where I cannot transmit, but it is quite ok for just below 3800 kHz. It is all controlled by a toggle switch at the operating position, with two relays in the feed point matching box. Later this spring, this is coming down, as the telescopic aluminium mast joints are causing me grief with corrosion and intermittent conductivity. Up will go a wind up telescopic mast supporting continuous wires from feed to top hat. I am enjoying the exchange of information on this thread. Keep it up! 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Air Wound Coil
I wind my air wound coils using 4 mm copper tubing on a form such as a baked bean can. It holds its shape when the form is removed and I then stretch out the coil longitudinally to achieve the pitch required. Inductance can be easily calculated. The copper tubing is very easy to solder and taps can be made where required. Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160 sloper readings
What wire have you used for the radiator? Could it have stretched? Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: WD8DSB & LU5OM 160 meter year long test complete
I have heard Manuel a couple of times, just, but VK3 to anywhere east of the west coast of South America is difficult. Thankfully, I do have one QSO confirmed with him from two years ago. As far as regulars heard, I would have to mention AA1K, N0FW and K4IQJ, amongst others. At the very least, I can hear them pretty well every evening here. One particularly notable station worked here many times was HC1PF. Luis was a beacon every evening here a few years ago, until he moved back to Italy. I have six 268 m Beverage antennas, on a quiet rural property, so I do year very well. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Baker Island DXpedition on 160
In the Southern Hemisphere, we work MOST of our DX during the Summertime! However, this DXpedition is on during our Winter, so for a change we have an advantage of reduced QRN and long openings. 73 es GL, Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: Guy Olinger K2AV Sent: Friday, June 15, 2018 4:39 AM To: Bruce Cc: TopBand List Subject: Re: Topband: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160 Methinks hamdom underestimates 160 propagation in the summertime. Working DX through QRN and having reduced opening time during summer, these make working the DX irritating to the ears and inconvenient, but not impossible. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Laying ground radials
Thanks all. I have located a supplier of 1.5 mm building wire for a similar price as mentioned. This will save me a couple hundred bucks and give me more robust wire. I have been looking at the various sources for details of a suitable radial plow and will consider my options. Close in to the base of the mast I will have to work out something to fill in the first metre or so radius, as the density of the radials will be too great to plow them in. Maybe I'll build a fence to exclude the stock and lay the first metre or so on top of the ground. I have a quantity of scrap earth wire that I may use for this purpose and solder the radial wires to this. This will be a job for later in the winter, when I have time and resources to do this. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Laying ground radials
Later this year, I plan to lay down an in-ground radial field. I have sourced a copper wire supplier and have costed approximately 2000 m of 1.2 mm bare copper at around $800. Presently, I use an elevated counterpoise of 4 x quarterwave radials each for 180 and 80 m. I need to lay the wire just under the turf as I have livestock in the paddock. The radial field will be mostly in shallow mountain soil, with a couple of surface granite rocks to negotiate, as well as a large gum tree on one edge with many surface roots. I have a tractor, but feel that this will churn up the ground too much with the density of the work to be done. I have a ride-on mower that may be more useful. I will need to lay in the radials by hand around the rocks and tree roots, but would like to do it more easily for the rest of the job! What sort of implement can I obtain or create for this job? 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: FT8 Observations
Having no interest in FT8 or JT modes (for now), I don't have much to comment on that, but do have a few comments on the subsequent discussion. My feeling is that, as mentioned already, many stations haven't made a decent job of improving their receiving capability, or are unable to do so. These stations may be 20 - 30 dB or more behind those who have, and therefore much of the receiving gain of FT8 is lost. In many cases, it's much easier to put out a decent signal, than to reciprocate by being able to receive decently. I have three two-wire Beverages out of 280 m each in a quiet rural location. The nearest neighbour is several hundred metres away, and the nearest town is around 10 km away. I have used the design on Mike W0BTU's website, and am switching directions with 12 Vdc down each of the three feedlines giving me six switchable directions in the shack. I am pleased with the results, but haven't used the reverse directions much yet. In the control box, I am just using a rotary switch, with mini coax carrying the RF. It would be interesting to devise a switching arrangement to allow diversity reception between any two Beverages. I currently can use diversity with by transmitting vertical in one receiver and one Beverage in the other. We are well into Autumn here, but are still getting many evenings with thunderstorms in the region. Some call this an "Indian Summer". I was still able to work Dave K1WHS last evening despite a thunderstorm off our east coast. See you on Top Band, on CW. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DXCC
Congratulations Rick! Who was your 100th country worked? Mine was SV3RF. In Victoria and New South Wales, a 10 m tower may be put up without Planning Permit, Building Permit, etc from local municipality. Even then, there's the likelihood of neigbours' objection. I live in the country, so at least I don't have neighbours who will make a fuss. I'm guessing it's easier to put in an oil well in Yorba Linda than a decent tower. I visited there in 1997. 73, Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: rick darwicki via Topband Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2018 7:04 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: DXCC Well it has only taken 20 years but I finally made DXCC on Topband so my super powerful station will not be knocking you out of the pile ups anymore hi hi You have to love Yorba Linda's 35 foot tower limit :-) Thanks to all that dug me out of the noise. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night
The past few evenings all I've been noticed by are RBN, apart from a few die-hard Top Banders like AA1K, K4IQJ and DU7ET. These are some of the blokes who don't let a few summer atmospherics deter them. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Straws in the Wind ....A 160m Dx'ing Sea Change is Upon us!
Having gone from 100% phone operations to more than 90% CW in the past ten years, I have my opinions on mode use, but I'll attempt to keep them relevant. I have played a bit with RTTY and PSK, and have made a few Hellschreiber and Olivia contacts. Digital modes are technically interesting, but not attractive to me, at this time. I'll never say never! The above modes can be used to converse, compared with the very technically clever JT modes which are so pared-down, that only the very bare essentials are passed. That appeals to some, even many amateur operators, for various reasons already discussed. I will not criticise those who enjoy operating that way. After an unproductive session on Top Band last night, I went to 40 m for an "easy" DX CW QSO before retiring to bed. I don't feel the need to field pileups of "short QSO" every time I transmit, and really do enjoy a few or several minutes of exchanges with the other operator. Nor do I feel the need to log "x" number of QSO every time I light my station. On most, if not all of our DX bands, there is adequate, if not plenty of spectrum to separate the various modes and type of digital modes into their sub-bands to reduce or hopefully eliminate conflict. One good thing about the new very narrow-band digital modes is that one can fit a bunch of activity into a few kilohertz of spectrum. My point is, how about we keep mode sub-bands harmonised internationally, so each can co-exist without upsetting the neighbours? We don't need an IARU Conference every time a new mode is invented. There are plenty of interest groups that can coordinate internationally, given the almost universal common medium of the Internet. This year, I resolve to become proficient in the use of my Vibroplex Bug! 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160m polarization and elevation angles
-Original Message- From: donov...@starpower.net "160 meter long distance propagation is much more efficient to the south " Do you mean "between higher latitudes and lower latitudes"? To my south there are only penguins, and Tasmanians. Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night
It must have been "your turn" again Adrian! I worked DU7ET (more or less local), JA5BIN, and heard VE3MGY. N0FW reported my signal as "loud". There are very few folks on lately, even with an open band to many areas. I only lit up the local RBN. Finished with a QSO with Steve VK7CW, enjoying his very nice bug sending. Our storm static generally subsides as we come away from Summer. I am active year-round on Top Band. Most of my interesting DX is worked over Summer. 73, Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: Adrian Van Der Byl Sent: Friday, March 30, 2018 10:00 AM To: 'VK3HJ' ; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night Hi Steve This evening (29 March) was much better, a number of RBN responses from AA4VV, VE7CC-7 and W4KKN. It opened up around 10:45z. Thanks for the QSOs with VE3MGY, N0FW and N7UA. 73 Adrian VK2WF _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night
Adrian, You are about 600 km north of me. That is certainly a sufficient distance to make a difference. Steve VK7CW is about 550 km south of me. I forgot to mention, Wednesday morning around 2030z I tried for Europe, and as per Wednesday evening, absolutely nothing in the log, nor any signals above the grass. Let’s see if this evening is any good! 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night
Wednesday night was positively awful from VK3. I called CQ for nearly an hour and gave up with no calls, and only local RBN reporting. By contrast, Tuesday night was quite good to NA, with a number of USA and a handful of Canadian stations, and one Japanese station calling! 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Tuesday evening DX
This evening I was pleased to be hearing North America again at last. I worked one here, one there, then a pileup started. About two dozen stations across 14 states was a most enjoyable bounty! There was even a 100 watt station who worked me for his first VK on TB! Also heard was DU7ET in the Philippines, a few JAs, and I heard XX9B calling CQ but not working anyone. I will attempt to rise early and see if the band is open to Europe! My sunrise is 2014z and I find Europe starts to come in best in the twenty minutes after sunrise. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160m DX Activity Night
This morning around 2000z I worked several European stations. The band seemed quite lively today. Stations were worked from Russia to England and Italy, with others heard from the north. Conditions seemed reasonable again, although it seems that many operators are occupied doing other things. The digital sub-band appeared busy. I will be back on calling CQ again Monday around 2000z, as there is the SSB Contest on this weekend. As George mentioned elsewhere, a contest doesn't do much for DX! 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160m DX Activity Night
I am happy to work anyone again, as many times as they choose to answer my CQ. Just about every signal on Top Band is DX from this part of the world. 73, Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: Mark K3MSB Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2018 12:20 PM To: Roger Kennedy Cc: topBand List Subject: Re: Topband: 160m DX Activity Night So what's the accepted practice of working stations again and again on 160M? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night
You will have to excuse me, as 2330z is 1030l and the sun will have been up for 3.5 hours. I will be trying around my sunrise from now until the end of summer, around 2000z for Europe, except on contest weekends. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160m DX Activity Night
Top Band has been quite dismal on my sunrise lately (1950z) to the point of me wondering why I should even bother getting out of bed early. I have heard Z60A and the pileup, but there is no point in even trying to call them, as they are only working Europe. Our evenings have been mostly good to Asia, but very poor to NA, as is typical over summer time. Our local noon is 0100z. I did have a few highlights over the past week in working two new ones in P29VXG (first time I have ever heard any TB activity from PNG) and OA4TT. "DX" from my QTH is anything over about 5000 km. There is very little TB activity inside this radius, apart from a few "locals". 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: E31A on Topband
E31A was quite good copy here this morning when I was on around my sunrise 1915z and still audible 20 minutes later. I'm sure a QSO will be quite impossible with their proximity to Europe. Some quite good signals in the pileup too. 73 es GL, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Supporting Ladder line
I'm in the process of setting up three switched two-direction Beverages. Since September, I have had a standard Beverage up with good results. These are all 268 metres and use a pair of 2.5 mm diameter galvanised high tensile steel wires. This cost me about $170 for a 1500 metre coil. Supports are 40 - 60 metres apart and use a pair of screw-in electric fence insulators, which let the wire slide. Wires are spaced about 40 mm, but so far I haven't bothered with intermediate spacers, as the wires seem to remain at that spacing even in the wind. I have mainly used treated pine poles to support the wires, but some places I have supported on trees. In the case of tree support, I have used a long coach screw with a pair of round porcelain electric fence insulators side-by-side. These give the required spacing, and the wire remains in place with a tie wire. I tensioned the wires using a fencing strainer. Wires are mostly at about 3 metres so the horses and I can walk under them, and are raised to 4-5 metres over laneways in case a fire truck needs to pass under. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Capacity Hat Wire Size
In my station for the past several years I have run a top loaded vertical of similar dimension to what you propose. A Spider pole is something I would only use in a portable application, not a permanent home station antenna. My antenna uses telescopic aluminium tubing tapering from about 65 mm to 25 mm and is around 19 m in length. I originally used six top loading wires of around 6 m each of Flexweave wire. This turned out to be too heavy and unwieldy and made the antenna unstable, especially when erecting it. I changed the top hat to three wires of about 9 m each using medium duty hookup wire (14x0.32, 1.13 sq mm). Now what I did, I think is rather ingenious if I may say so, in that I used 4 mm poly rope to guy the top (and three levels below) and wove the top loading wire into the top guy rope, so that the rope did the supporting as a guy, and also carried the top loading wire. This has the advantage of holding up the top loading wires, which are terminated in a lug onto a small stainless bolt at the top of the aluminium, and also does not seem to attract the cockies with their bolt-cutter beaks. The wire is light, and does not cause excessive sag. I secure the top guys out about 20 m from the centre. This has survived some decent storms, and bird attack. Current at the top of the antenna should not be an issue. The main concerns would be mechanical. When I have used a Spider pole on DXpedition, medium duty hookup wire as described above seems ok, even to the feed point, but I've only used a low duty cycle mode like CW. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Big 160m openings just before K index spikes
I also have experienced the same as Tim, with all bands, and particularly the higher bands opening just as the geomagnetic storm builds. Then it is rubbish for a few or several days after. On the evening of the 4th, I could barely hear Ken XW4ZW. The next evening 6th, he was S9 and I worked him with one call. I also worked a few other Asian stations with big signals - not that unusual here, but a nice change from poor signals lately. BD4WN was also booming in, but was not workable. He was working locals and a few NA stations. Thankfully I have China confirmed with a QSO about a year ago with Dale BA4TB. I haven't been on air since that evening, as I came home from a visit to Melbourne the next day ill with the flu. Feeling better today. This morning will be running the remaining five wires for my Beverage constellation, and will have a listen on air tonight. 73, Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: Tim Shoppa Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2017 2:19 AM To: Bob Lawson N6RW Cc: topBand List Subject: Re: Topband: Big 160m openings just before K index spikes I don't think it's just topband. I've observed exceptionally good conditions right before a solar disturbance hits earth, on any and all bands. Tim N3QE _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: FT8 discussion
Many people on Top Band want to work DX. Some use digital modes. Remember there are countries outside the USA (that have different band plans). Not everyone has the full 1800 - 2000 kHz to use. For example, inn VK we have 1800 - 1875 kHz only. 73, Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: Chuck Dietz Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2017 12:09 PM To: Mike Waters ; Tree Cc: topband Subject: Re: Topband: FT8 discussion I know this has been “Discussed Out,” but I just want to ask why the window is in the 1840 area instead of the 1990 area? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: FT8 qrm & Bandplanning History on 160m
The 160 m Band Plan was only fairly recently formalised in Australia, a decade or so ago. We have 1800 - 1875 kHz, with the CW sub-band 1810 - 1840 kHz. The digital narrow band modes seem to have established themselves on 1838 here with no great problems, but there are few users of the band here. At their recent meeting, IARU Region III directors agreed to consider how to bring the Region III band plans into closer alignment with the Region I and II band plans. It will be revisited at the next Region III Conference next year. (From TAC Notes by John VK3KM, in December AR). So this is being looked at in IARU. It would be worthwhile contacting your IARU rep with constructive direction regarding Band Plans for 160 m. From time to time I am irritated by someone testing their AM transmitter in the evening on 1825 kHz. There is an AM net in Melbourne at 11 am local on that frequency. Had there been any DX of interest around that frequency, I may have cause for complaint, but there generally isn't! I turned off the radio and disconnected antennas here last weekend, due to thunderstorms. I will be doing the same this weekend for the same reason. We have a major weather event forecast for the east coast over the next three days. I have asked my local sawmill about Gopher Wood. 73, Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: CQ WW CW 160m observations
East Coast of Australia was smashed by thunderstorms all weekend, and I disconnected my antennas. My usual experience of Top Band on contest weekends, is that it just becomes very difficult to work any DX. Luke VK3HJ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160m Vertical matching Help
I also concur with JC's recommendation. Antenna analysers are useful, but you change the circuit when you remove the feed line and connect the analyser. What your analyser sees is different to what your transmitter sees. Luke VK3HJ -Original Message- From: MR TREVOR DUNNE Sent: Friday, November 03, 2017 1:46 AM To: Russ Tobolic Cc: 'Wes Attaway (N5WA)' ; JC ; 'topband List' ; 'Ronald Gorski' Subject: Re: Topband: 160m Vertical matching Help I Don't think we even have any AM stations in the country never mind close enough to bother my MFJ but thanks for the info, Trevor EI2GLB _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
