Re: Topband: Help on 3V8SF Toploaded Vertical - THANK YOU
Hello Ash I listened to you last night. For 100w you had a good signal with some WEB. I was listening on a 1/4 wave 80m vertical. 73, Gary K9GS Original message From: Ashraf Chaabane Date: 9/22/18 12:58 PM (GMT-06:00) To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Help on 3V8SF Toploaded Vertical - THANK YOU Hi all, The toploaded vertical is up and running. I had to put the antenna wire 1.5m away from the mast which was making the SWR curve weird. Then everything went good after hairpin match adjustment! I put in my website a map of the QSOed stations last night with 100W CW. The antenna worked amazingly nice! Many thanks to all those who helped with advice here in the reflector or private! I hope we will QSO on 160 soon! 73 Ash 3V8SF/KF5EYY www.kf5eyy.info _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: FT8 - the end of 160m old school DXing? (long)
I was riding to a DX club meeting on Monday night with a friend who recently started playing around with FT8. He said he's worked 60+ countries in a week or so using 100w. Not on 160m. He said that many of the QSOs were 10 or more db below the noise and many he could not hear at all. All it would take is a few lines of additional code (the QSO itself is already automated) to log and find the next contact and one could go to work in the morning and come home to find out what you've worked. The software even highlights the "new ones". He described making a QSO as much fun as watching paint dry. Not for me. This is kind of like the driverless cars that everyone is saying will revolutionise transportation. I just don't get the attraction. Both technologies sound boring. I'll go read a good book instead. Yeah, maybe I'm old fashioned but I'm only 55. 73-Gary K9GS Original message From: "Wes Attaway (N5WA)" Date: 10/25/17 8:11 AM (GMT-06:00) To: 'Steve Ireland' , 'Topband reflector' Subject: Re: Topband: FT8 - the end of 160m old school DXing? (long) I agree with all the comments re digital modes such as FT8. I was discussing this recently with a local ham and I told him that I thought ARRL could create a new "DXCC While Being Asleep" award. With FT8 all you have to do is to click your mouse once in a while. The rest of the time you could just be dozing while the computer is making a few QSOs. You really don't have to be awake while the QSOs (if you want to call them that) are being made. --- Wes Attaway (N5WA) (318) 393-3289 - Shreveport, LA Computer/Cellphone Forensics AttawayForensics.com --- -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Steve Ireland Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2017 3:25 AM To: Topband reflector Subject: Topband: FT8 - the end of 160m old school DXing? (long) G'day As a committed (yeah, that's probably the right word - complete with white jacket that laces up at the back) topbander since 1970, I've never been so intrigued and disturbed by anything on the band as the emergence of the Franke-Taylor FT-8 digital mode. For me, radio has always been all about what I audibly hear. I love all the sounds that radio signals make - and even miss the comforting sound of Loran that I grew up with around 1930kHz as a teenager in south-east England. Yeah, I am one sick puppy. With the emergence of high resolution bandscopes through SDR technology over the last decade, I embraced that as it meant that I could find what DX stations I wanted to hear and contact quicker and more easily (and, in particular, before those stations who didn't have the same technology). It was really exciting and enhanced the sensual experience of radio by being able to see what I could hear (and no dinosaur me, I was an SDR fan boy!). During this period, there has also been an extraordinary development in digital radio modes, in particular by Joe Taylor K1JT. As a topbander I could see that these modes in which you 'saw' signals through the medium of computer screen or window as being a remarkable technical achievement, but had relatively little to do what I and the vast majority of active radio amateurs practiced as radio on 160m, as it had nothing to do with the audible. The good thing was that I could see that good old CW and Silly Slop Bucket (you can see where my prejudices lie) that I like to use were still the modes of choice for weak signal DX topband radio contact as these fancy digital modes were either very slow or, if they weren't, were not good at dealing with signals that faded up and down or were covered in varying amounts of noise. While some amateurs seemed to have lost the pleasure of actually hearing signals in favour of viewing them on their computer screens, I felt secure that these digital modes were just a minor annoyance and any serious DXer or DXpedition was never going to seriously going to use them, particularly on my first and all-time love topband, for other than experimentation. Then, out of the blue, along comes FT-8. Joe and Steve Franke K9AN have quietly created the holy grail of digital operation with a mode that can have QSOs almost as fast as CW and SSB and over the last eight weeks 160m DXing has changed, perhaps for ever. Where once there were a few weak CW and SSB signals (I am in VK6, which is a looong way from anywhere with a population so we only ever hear a few), I can see that the busiest part of the band is 1840 kHz - FT-8 central. On some nights I can see FT-8 signals on the band but no CW or SSB. There are countries I've dreamed for 20 years of hearing on 160m SSB/CW (for example, KG4) regularly appearing on DX clusters and I can see the heap of FT-8 activity on my band scope. Frustration sets in and I even downloaded the FT-8 software but, when it comes down to it, I just can't use it. My heart isn't in it. My computer will
Re: Topband: Inverted L successes
No problem Carl. Ax they say in real estate, "location, location, location " :) 73, Gary K9GS Original message From: Carl Date: 8/31/17 7:42 PM (GMT-06:00) To: garyk9gs , topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes I was only referring to its physical characteristics, not location. Having been raised on LI it was not a good place for verticals, especially a Gotham! OTOH I worked lots of 160M AM mobiles there out to 20 miles or so during their evening commuting hours. I was running a Viking I at 100W to a 40M dipole fed with 72 Ohm twinlead with the ends tied together. Absolutely no ground...at about 15-16 I didnt know better! Sorry for the confusion. Carl 301 DXCC 39 Zones on 160 CW all from one NH town, no remotes EVER - Original Message - From: "garyk9gs" To: Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2017 5:15 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes > But being 800+ miles closer to EU (many countries there compared to North > America) and a path that is largely over salt water is a huge advantage, > particularly on the low bands. > > > 73-Gary K9GS > Original message From: Carl Date: > 8/31/17 3:08 PM (GMT-06:00) To: GaryK9GS , > topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes > Most of LI is glacial sand and only the coastal areas benefit verticals. > > Carl > > > - Original Message - > From: "GaryK9GS" > To: > Sent: Monday, August 28, 2017 8:22 PM > Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes > > >> >> I suspect that your success is largely due to your location on Long >> Island. >> >> 73, >> Gary K9GS >> Original message From: jayb1...@optonline.net Date: >> 8/28/17 5:22 PM (GMT-06:00) To: Doug Ellmore , >> topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes >> Last fall I installed an “S-9” 43 ft vertical, added a tapped loading >> coil >> at the base, with 10 on-the-ground radials about 100 ft long randomly run >> all over my 60x90 house plot. Rig is 300 watts - Started on 160 DXCC with >> 32 entities, finished DXCC in one winter season. >> My secret: JT65 (tnx K1JT) >> Try anything – you will be amazed how successful you can be on top-band >> with a little patience and VERY modest antennas. 73, Jay NY2NY >> _ >> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband >> _ >> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > http://www.avg.com > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Inverted L successes
But being 800+ miles closer to EU (many countries there compared to North America) and a path that is largely over salt water is a huge advantage, particularly on the low bands. 73-Gary K9GS Original message From: Carl Date: 8/31/17 3:08 PM (GMT-06:00) To: GaryK9GS , topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes Most of LI is glacial sand and only the coastal areas benefit verticals. Carl - Original Message - From: "GaryK9GS" To: Sent: Monday, August 28, 2017 8:22 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes > > I suspect that your success is largely due to your location on Long > Island. > > 73, > Gary K9GS > Original message From: jayb1...@optonline.net Date: > 8/28/17 5:22 PM (GMT-06:00) To: Doug Ellmore , > topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes > Last fall I installed an “S-9” 43 ft vertical, added a tapped loading coil > at the base, with 10 on-the-ground radials about 100 ft long randomly run > all over my 60x90 house plot. Rig is 300 watts - Started on 160 DXCC with > 32 entities, finished DXCC in one winter season. > My secret: JT65 (tnx K1JT) > Try anything – you will be amazed how successful you can be on top-band > with a little patience and VERY modest antennas. 73, Jay NY2NY > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. http://www.avg.com _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Inverted L successes
I suspect that your success is largely due to your location on Long Island. 73, Gary K9GS Original message From: jayb1...@optonline.net Date: 8/28/17 5:22 PM (GMT-06:00) To: Doug Ellmore , topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L successes Last fall I installed an “S-9” 43 ft vertical, added a tapped loading coil at the base, with 10 on-the-ground radials about 100 ft long randomly run all over my 60x90 house plot. Rig is 300 watts - Started on 160 DXCC with 32 entities, finished DXCC in one winter season. My secret: JT65 (tnx K1JT) Try anything – you will be amazed how successful you can be on top-band with a little patience and VERY modest antennas. 73, Jay NY2NY _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 160 4 square
Take a look at the K3LR website. This is essentially what Tim does, only instead of a 4-square, his array is a 5 element parasitic array with three active elements. K3LR just gave a presentation on his station this weekend for the Society of Midwest Contesters and this was mentioned. 73, Gary K9GS Original message From: Greg Date: 8/27/17 1:56 PM (GMT-06:00) To: 'topband' Subject: Topband: 160 4 square Question for the group... From a 140 foot freestanding tower, I will suspend 4 pieces of phillystran 90 degrees apart from the top of the tower. Antenna wire will be attached to the phillystran such that verticals will be dropped to create a 4 square. I will have as much vertical length as practical and still obtain the 4 square spacing required -- but the vertical length certainly will not be close to a quarter wave. The intent is to use the verticals as a 4 square. In thinking of ways to increase the electrical length, should I run wire back toward the tower from the top of the vertical section to get the full 1/4 or use a T with wire going back toward the tower and down the phillystran to create a "top hat" effect -- or does it matter? Obviously this is a compromise but hopefully still an effective antenna with directional gain. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. 73, Greg-N4CC _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: KP1
I think you only have to look at who's on the team to KNOW they'll be on 160. 73, Gary K9GS Original message From: David Raymond Date:10/22/2014 2:45 PM (GMT-06:00) To: Mike Waters ,topband Subject: Re: Topband: KP1 One of the participants indicated to me they would be on 160. 73. . .Dave, W0FLS - Original Message - From: "Mike Waters" To: "topband" Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2014 2:20 PM Subject: Re: Topband: KP1 > Thanks to you and to all who replied privately. > I didn't doubt that they would be on 160, I was just looking for more > information about this event. I didn't realize who this was. :-) > > 73, Mike > www.w0btu.com > > On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:48 PM, Chortek, Robert L < > robert.chr...@berliner.com> wrote: > >> The KP5 operation had almost 2000 160 meter contacts, so we can be sure >> they will have a big presence on the low bands, including 160! >> >> Bob/AA6VB >> >> >> -Original Message- >> From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike >> Waters >> Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2014 11:38 AM >> Cc: topband >> Subject: Re: Topband: KP1 >> >> I couldn't find a thing there about 160 (or any other band). Did I miss >> something? >> >> 73, Mike >> www.w0btu.com >> >> On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:27 PM, wrote: >> >> > A new one for many on 160 coming in January. I’m sure the team will >> > welcome any and all support. >> > >> > http://kp1-5.com/new/news.htm >> > >> _ >> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband >> > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Verifying integrity of 75 ohm coax.
Lolol 73, Gary K9GS Original message From: Bill Aycock Date:11/22/2013 9:41 AM (GMT-06:00) To: Jim GM ,topband Subject: Re: Topband: Verifying integrity of 75 ohm coax. Jim-- I wish you would NOT do this. Vaseline is a Petroleum based product and has nothing to do with Lanolin, which a a natural animal based Wax. The unnecessary broadcast of errors like this make me wonder if anything you say is fact-based. Bill--W4BSG -Original Message- From: Jim GM Sent: Friday, November 22, 2013 8:22 AM To: topband Subject: Re: Topband: Verifying integrity of 75 ohm coax. Vaseline will work keeps moisture out, non conductive. You can cover a lot of surface. Over years it drys out gets crusty. Vaseline is made of lanolin mostly, I believe. Neverseizes or anitseize compound found in any hardware store, Works very well drys out some but keeps working for years. buried cables with claps and wrapped with electrical tap connects look like new when taken apart. Underground cable going to house for Time Warner cable has it in inpregnanted in the shielding jacket. -- Jim K9TF _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
