Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[Charles Moizeau]

Incorrect date and day.  According to NAQCC their annual NAQCC 160m sprint will 
occur in North America on FRIDAY, 15 January 2016.  This can be seen at:

http://www.naqcc.info/SprintEastern.txt

72,

Charles, W2SH 

> Date: Sat, 5 Dec 2015 14:49:47 -0500
> From: tsho...@gmail.com
> To: j...@audiosystemsgroup.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS
> CC: topband@contesting.com
> 
> Jim, since you bring up QRP on 160M, I would like to promote the upcoming
> NAQCC 160M QRP sprint. 0130Z-0330Z January 13 2016 (which I think means
> it's our Tuesday night). http://naqcc.info/sprint201601_160.html
> 
> I usually participate and enjoy it, but do not always send in my log due to
> the required obtuse log format.
> 
> Tim N3QE
> 
> On Sat, Dec 5, 2015 at 12:50 PM, Jim Brown <j...@audiosystemsgroup.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > On Sat,12/5/2015 8:40 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
> >
> >> Last night, I worked several CT, KY, and SC, and at least 1 MS.
> >>
> >
> > I found condx pretty stinko last night to the east coast. Lots of W1
> > spotted, none heard. K8JQ was heard, but not loud. The very dependable NO3M
> > and WD5R were not very loud and didn't hear me. Let's hope tonight is
> > better.
> >
> > Yes, N4OGW and WQ5L are good ops with a decent signal from MS, but both
> > seem to go to bed too early to work from W6. :)
> >
> >
> > On Sat,12/5/2015 8:01 AM, K4OWR wrote:
> >
> >> I have had great success contesting on this band (avg 1000qs) but not
> >> really much DX. My country total is about 15. I'm reading here about some
> >> people working DX and wondering about when I need to get on to hear this
> >> stuff. I see the word "overnight" but wondering around what time is best.
> >> I'm in east TN.
> >>
> >
> > 160M is an all night band, and 160 contests are all night contests.
> > Conditions often vary quite a lot through the night and from one night to
> > another.  From the beginning of the contest (around 5 pm EST) work EU, AF,
> > SA, and NA until local sunrise at the DX QTH. Through the night and until
> > about 30 minutes after your own sunrise, work west.  Signals to the west
> > will peak at their sunset and again in the hour or so around your sunrise.
> > Beverages and other dedicated RX antennas will help pull out weaker signals.
> >
> > In addition to all of that, with legal limit power and decent vertical
> > antenna, I can work 800 miles in the daylight hours.
> >
> > 73, Jim K9YC Santa Cruz, CA
> >
> > _
> > 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: Topband QRP WAS

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 12/4/2015 9:38 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

I'm still working on this, and need a handful of states. They are CT,
VT, WV, KY, SC, andMS.  I'm 70 miles S of San Francisco, on the coast.

The best time to make these QSOs has been in the 90 or so minutes before
local sunrise at the east coast end, and for perhaps 30-45 minutes after
local sunrise. If you're calling CQ, I'll find you and do my best to
make you hear me. :)

Thanks and 73, Jim K9YC


Last night, I worked several CT, KY, and SC, and at least 1 MS.
However, these were before 0730Z. I too got up at 1130Z and I
think I only worked KY on your list this morning. OTOH, JA's
were booming in this morning, especially JA3YBK who can be
counted on to be the strongest JA, yet I didn't hear him
CQ'ing on 1811 as usual.  He called me.

Activity seemed to be down, so I didn't have a lot of trouble
getting a run frequency (even running low power) in the
"dime quarter" band (1810-1825) where JA's hang out. In the
past, this has virtually been a combat zone.

Still need (for the contest) WV and VT (always tough to find
and work from here).

Rick N6RK

_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[Jim Brown]

On Sat,12/5/2015 8:40 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
Last night, I worked several CT, KY, and SC, and at least 1 MS. 


I found condx pretty stinko last night to the east coast. Lots of W1 
spotted, none heard. K8JQ was heard, but not loud. The very dependable 
NO3M and WD5R were not very loud and didn't hear me. Let's hope tonight 
is better.


Yes, N4OGW and WQ5L are good ops with a decent signal from MS, but both 
seem to go to bed too early to work from W6. :)



On Sat,12/5/2015 8:01 AM, K4OWR wrote:
I have had great success contesting on this band (avg 1000qs) but not 
really much DX. My country total is about 15. I'm reading here about 
some people working DX and wondering about when I need to get on to 
hear this stuff. I see the word "overnight" but wondering around what 
time is best. I'm in east TN. 


160M is an all night band, and 160 contests are all night contests. 
Conditions often vary quite a lot through the night and from one night 
to another.  From the beginning of the contest (around 5 pm EST) work 
EU, AF, SA, and NA until local sunrise at the DX QTH. Through the night 
and until about 30 minutes after your own sunrise, work west.  Signals 
to the west will peak at their sunset and again in the hour or so around 
your sunrise.  Beverages and other dedicated RX antennas will help pull 
out weaker signals.


In addition to all of that, with legal limit power and decent vertical 
antenna, I can work 800 miles in the daylight hours.


73, Jim K9YC Santa Cruz, CA
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[Art Snapper]

I'm a relative newbie on 160 (about 5 years) but it seems most DX hangs out
on CW between 1820 and 1835. The situation may be different during
contests, due to channel availability.

73
de NK8X
ᐧ

On Sat, Dec 5, 2015 at 1:14 PM, K4OWR  wrote:

>  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
>
>
>
>
> On 12/5/2015 12:50 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
>
>> On Sat,12/5/2015 8:40 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
>>
>>> Last night, I worked several CT, KY, and SC, and at least 1 MS.
>>>
>>
>> I found condx pretty stinko last night to the east coast. Lots of W1
>> spotted, none heard. K8JQ was heard, but not loud. The very dependable NO3M
>> and WD5R were not very loud and didn't hear me. Let's hope tonight is
>> better.
>>
>> Yes, N4OGW and WQ5L are good ops with a decent signal from MS, but both
>> seem to go to bed too early to work from W6. :)
>>
>>
>> On Sat,12/5/2015 8:01 AM, K4OWR wrote:
>>
>>> I have had great success contesting on this band (avg 1000qs) but not
>>> really much DX. My country total is about 15. I'm reading here about some
>>> people working DX and wondering about when I need to get on to hear this
>>> stuff. I see the word "overnight" but wondering around what time is best.
>>> I'm in east TN.
>>>
>>
>> 160M is an all night band, and 160 contests are all night contests.
>> Conditions often vary quite a lot through the night and from one night to
>> another.  From the beginning of the contest (around 5 pm EST) work EU, AF,
>> SA, and NA until local sunrise at the DX QTH. Through the night and until
>> about 30 minutes after your own sunrise, work west.  Signals to the west
>> will peak at their sunset and again in the hour or so around your sunrise.
>> Beverages and other dedicated RX antennas will help pull out weaker signals.
>>
>> In addition to all of that, with legal limit power and decent vertical
>> antenna, I can work 800 miles in the daylight hours.
>>
>> 73, Jim K9YC Santa Cruz, CA
>> _
>> 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: Topband QRP WAS

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 12/5/2015 10:30 AM, Jim Brown wrote:

160M is a CW band for anything but mindless ragchewing.

73, Jim K9YC
_


During the sunspot minimum a few years ago, I
worked European Russia on 160 phone.

Rick N6RK
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[Jim Brown]

On Sat,12/5/2015 10:38 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:

I worked a station in ENY in the contest yesterday at 3:30 PM local
time, well over an hour before sunset. 


Yes. Stations in w8, W9, and VE3 are often loud and clear during these 
hours, but are mostly using RX antennas aimed at EU, so are very 
difficult to work. I once worked a VE3 and/or a W9 in this time frame, 
but only one, and I've not bothered trying again. This was with legal 
limit on my end, not QRP. :)


73, Jim K9YC


_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 12/5/2015 9:50 AM, Jim Brown wrote:


In addition to all of that, with legal limit power and decent vertical
antenna, I can work 800 miles in the daylight hours.

73, Jim K9YC Santa Cruz, CA


I worked a station in ENY in the contest yesterday at 3:30 PM local
time, well over an hour before sunset.

Rick N6RK
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[DL1AMQ]

During last few days/weeks I see a dramatic difference of DXpropagation in 80m 
vs. 160m band. On 80m I worked US states CA and WA during US SS contest while 
no one US station can be really heard on TopBand.
This difference appears in a gap of frequency of about 1,7 Mhz only.

I assume, the smaller the gap the smaller the difference in DXpropagation.
My question is: why all intercontinental DX happens at the band edge of 1.8 MHz 
instead of the "faster" band edge at 2.0 MHz to get closer to the "good DXprop 
range" ?

One possible reason I see is DX window to JA.
I would like to check DXprop between US <=> EU at TopBands both edges to 
compare in practice. 
Any comments ?

73 de Thomas, DL1AMQ


> Gesendet: Samstag, 05. Dezember 2015 um 19:30 Uhr
> Von: "Jim Brown" <j...@audiosystemsgroup.com>
> An: topband@contesting.com
> Betreff: Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS
>
> On Sat,12/5/2015 10:14 AM, K4OWR wrote:
> > Anyway, I would appreciate hearing what Fx most of you find best for 
> > DX, and is phone only hampering me? 
> 
> 160M is a CW band for anything but mindless ragchewing.
> 
> 73, Jim K9YC
> _
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
> 
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[Tim Shoppa]

Jim, since you bring up QRP on 160M, I would like to promote the upcoming
NAQCC 160M QRP sprint. 0130Z-0330Z January 13 2016 (which I think means
it's our Tuesday night). http://naqcc.info/sprint201601_160.html

I usually participate and enjoy it, but do not always send in my log due to
the required obtuse log format.

Tim N3QE

On Sat, Dec 5, 2015 at 12:50 PM, Jim Brown 
wrote:

> On Sat,12/5/2015 8:40 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
>
>> Last night, I worked several CT, KY, and SC, and at least 1 MS.
>>
>
> I found condx pretty stinko last night to the east coast. Lots of W1
> spotted, none heard. K8JQ was heard, but not loud. The very dependable NO3M
> and WD5R were not very loud and didn't hear me. Let's hope tonight is
> better.
>
> Yes, N4OGW and WQ5L are good ops with a decent signal from MS, but both
> seem to go to bed too early to work from W6. :)
>
>
> On Sat,12/5/2015 8:01 AM, K4OWR wrote:
>
>> I have had great success contesting on this band (avg 1000qs) but not
>> really much DX. My country total is about 15. I'm reading here about some
>> people working DX and wondering about when I need to get on to hear this
>> stuff. I see the word "overnight" but wondering around what time is best.
>> I'm in east TN.
>>
>
> 160M is an all night band, and 160 contests are all night contests.
> Conditions often vary quite a lot through the night and from one night to
> another.  From the beginning of the contest (around 5 pm EST) work EU, AF,
> SA, and NA until local sunrise at the DX QTH. Through the night and until
> about 30 minutes after your own sunrise, work west.  Signals to the west
> will peak at their sunset and again in the hour or so around your sunrise.
> Beverages and other dedicated RX antennas will help pull out weaker signals.
>
> In addition to all of that, with legal limit power and decent vertical
> antenna, I can work 800 miles in the daylight hours.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC Santa Cruz, CA
>
> _
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: Topband QRP WAS

[Tim Shoppa]

Rich, you comment on the "combat zone" aspect of ARRL 160M in past years
and how it's not so bad this year.

I agree that past couple years it was brutal but last night, not so bad. I
don't feel activity was down, just maybe a little bit more rationally
spread out. DX window wasn't perfectly respected but did have some useful
sparseness, and the DX certainly did not feel confined to that window
either.

I had some hugely successful runs high in the band (1850-1860), others were
running up there plus a little more, and we were not chased away by the
usual phone nets reserving "their frequency". I think reduced QRM from
phone nets, allowing a busy CW night to have just a little breathing room,
was the big improvement.

Tim N3QE

On Sat, Dec 5, 2015 at 11:40 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist <
rich...@karlquist.com> wrote:

>
> On 12/4/2015 9:38 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
>
>> I'm still working on this, and need a handful of states. They are CT,
>> VT, WV, KY, SC, andMS.  I'm 70 miles S of San Francisco, on the coast.
>>
>> The best time to make these QSOs has been in the 90 or so minutes before
>> local sunrise at the east coast end, and for perhaps 30-45 minutes after
>> local sunrise. If you're calling CQ, I'll find you and do my best to
>> make you hear me. :)
>>
>> Thanks and 73, Jim K9YC
>>
>
> Last night, I worked several CT, KY, and SC, and at least 1 MS.
> However, these were before 0730Z. I too got up at 1130Z and I
> think I only worked KY on your list this morning. OTOH, JA's
> were booming in this morning, especially JA3YBK who can be
> counted on to be the strongest JA, yet I didn't hear him
> CQ'ing on 1811 as usual.  He called me.
>
> Activity seemed to be down, so I didn't have a lot of trouble
> getting a run frequency (even running low power) in the
> "dime quarter" band (1810-1825) where JA's hang out. In the
> past, this has virtually been a combat zone.
>
> Still need (for the contest) WV and VT (always tough to find
> and work from here).
>
> Rick N6RK
>
>
> _
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband