Re: Topband: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS
Ok. That explains my experience in so few DX contacts. I'll change that immediately; although I do enjoy ragchewing with other similar interest hams. I find CW cumbersome for that since it breaks down simple conversation into one letter at a time; but the weak signal benefits are huge. Now all I have to do is commit to going up to the shack (about 150' up the hill) in the relative dark and cold much later in the evening, or as you guys recommend before sunrise. I do not leave the heat on up there so it will be very cold here on a Tennessee morning :-) In the meantime I look forward to working you guys and will fire up between 1820-1840 from now on. My antennas are set for 1:1 swr at about 1860 but are fairly broad for some lucky reason. I do not use antenna tuners, especially on 160 where I find them to be a fire hazard with my big amp :- Thanx for all the terrific info!! BILL K4OWR On 12/5/2015 2:14 PM, Mark Lunday wrote: Bill, all of my DX is on CW. Anywhere from 1820 to 1840. In fact, the only DX I have on SSB on 160 is a handful of Carib stations. Because of the challenging conditions of TopBand, CW for me is the way to go. Some folks have a lot of luck with WSJT or other digital modes...I have not tried that yet as the DX I am chasing is not common and is not on digital. Check out ON4KST chat room for real-time info. Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be wd4...@arrl.net http://wd4elg.blogspot.com -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of K4OWR Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2015 1:15 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS Although I can work CW, I don't usually. It's not clear what mode you guys use most. I often go up to the shack around 9pm and listen around for an hour or so, but rarely hear much activity other then the local obnoxious ragchewers who will complain to me that I'm "splattering" on their conversation 10 khz away. I always find that they are using their noiseblankers out of habit and don't seem to comprehend what this does to their selectivitysigh. Anyway, I would appreciate hearing what Fx most of you find best for DX, and is phone only hampering me? BILL K4OWR _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS
Thanks Mark. I may have overstated it's bandwidth. It does however play well up to 1.9 (2:1) , and happily, my amplifier (AL82) seems to match fairly easily. I also did not mention that so far I have only put out 5 radialsmy goal was to eventually get out at least 25 and more if I can in the spring, but it's tedious even with the little power trencher I bought for the purpose. BILL K4OWR On 12/5/2015 5:43 PM, Mark Lunday wrote: Bill, a question about your 160 meter antenna. I have learned from the wise old-timers on this message board that a vertical antenna with broad-banded behavior is a lossy antenna. Same with a vertical antenna that shows 1:1 match. Verticals with good efficiency have sufficient ground radials/counterpoise and present approx 30 ohms impedance and therefore do not provide a 1:1 match (I think it's about 1.5:1 or something like that). In addition, the efficient verticals are not broad-banded. Dipoles yes, verticals no. Also, if your antenna is not a vertical on 160, then as you know it will be an even bigger challenge to work DX on TopBand. Please share more details? Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be wd4...@arrl.net http://wd4elg.blogspot.com -Original Message- From: K4OWR [mailto:k2...@comcast.net] Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2015 2:41 PM To: Mark Lunday; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS Ok. That explains my experience in so few DX contacts. I'll change that immediately; although I do enjoy ragchewing with other similar interest hams. I find CW cumbersome for that since it breaks down simple conversation into one letter at a time; but the weak signal benefits are huge. Now all I have to do is commit to going up to the shack (about 150' up the hill) in the relative dark and cold much later in the evening, or as you guys recommend before sunrise. I do not leave the heat on up there so it will be very cold here on a Tennessee morning :-) In the meantime I look forward to working you guys and will fire up between 1820-1840 from now on. My antennas are set for 1:1 swr at about 1860 but are fairly broad for some lucky reason. I do not use antenna tuners, especially on 160 where I find them to be a fire hazard with my big amp :- Thanx for all the terrific info!! BILL K4OWR _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS
Bill, a question about your 160 meter antenna. I have learned from the wise old-timers on this message board that a vertical antenna with broad-banded behavior is a lossy antenna. Same with a vertical antenna that shows 1:1 match. Verticals with good efficiency have sufficient ground radials/counterpoise and present approx 30 ohms impedance and therefore do not provide a 1:1 match (I think it's about 1.5:1 or something like that). In addition, the efficient verticals are not broad-banded. Dipoles yes, verticals no. Also, if your antenna is not a vertical on 160, then as you know it will be an even bigger challenge to work DX on TopBand. Please share more details? Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be wd4...@arrl.net http://wd4elg.blogspot.com -Original Message- From: K4OWR [mailto:k2...@comcast.net] Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2015 2:41 PM To: Mark Lunday; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS Ok. That explains my experience in so few DX contacts. I'll change that immediately; although I do enjoy ragchewing with other similar interest hams. I find CW cumbersome for that since it breaks down simple conversation into one letter at a time; but the weak signal benefits are huge. Now all I have to do is commit to going up to the shack (about 150' up the hill) in the relative dark and cold much later in the evening, or as you guys recommend before sunrise. I do not leave the heat on up there so it will be very cold here on a Tennessee morning :-) In the meantime I look forward to working you guys and will fire up between 1820-1840 from now on. My antennas are set for 1:1 swr at about 1860 but are fairly broad for some lucky reason. I do not use antenna tuners, especially on 160 where I find them to be a fire hazard with my big amp :- Thanx for all the terrific info!! BILL K4OWR _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: DX on 160, was: Topband QRP WAS
On 12/5/2015 5:43 PM, Mark Lunday wrote: Bill, a question about your 160 meter antenna. I have learned from the wise old-timers on this message board that a vertical antenna with broad-banded behavior is a lossy antenna. Same with a vertical antenna that shows 1:1 match. Some people might believe that myth, but it isn't true. Bandwidth is a meaningless determinant of efficiency. SWR is meaningless also, by itself, in indicating efficiency. Verticals with good efficiency have sufficient ground radials/counterpoise and present approx 30 ohms impedance and therefore do not provide a 1:1 match (I think it's about 1.5:1 or something like that). In addition, the efficient verticals are not broad-banded. Dipoles yes, verticals no. Also, if your antenna is not a vertical on 160, then as you know it will be an even bigger challenge to work DX on TopBand. A 1/4 wave tall tower with a perfect ground system will cover all of the band with reasonable SWR change. If series fed they will be around 30 ohms depending in many things, but that still does not tell us efficiency. efficient verticals are not broad-banded. Dipoles yes, verticals no. Also, if your antenna is not a vertical on 160, then as you know it will be an even bigger challenge to work DX on TopBand. Actually that is exactly backwards, Mark. Dipoles are narrower than 1/4 wave verticals, all things equal. This is because a 1/4 wave vertical has half the resonant length. 73 Tom _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
