On 07/27/2013 12:26 PM, Bruce wrote:
Found QRN was much lower, in mid-coast Maine, Saturday morning about 0330 UTC.
One very weak signal on my East Beverage turned out to be a very strong
stateside station on the West Beverage.
Did hear Luis IV3PRK at 0333 UTC. with a good signal. Was able to work him at
0344 UTC after getting the old linear
switched and tuned for the band. Better days are coming for QRN sensitive ears.
73
Bruce-K1FZ
_
Topband Reflector
Hi,
I think the lower end of 160 is more or less abandoned when there could
be some QSOs there. I am not having much trouble hearing SSB stations up
above 1900 anda some a little below that. With a narrower bandwidth CW
should be easier. Some of the SSB stations I can hear are reporting
their power output at 100 watts or even less. I do not have a world
beater station here on 160 and i won't have unless I move back out of
town onto acreage again. But I can work stations in the great lakes area
and most of the time in the eastern US and Canada. Sometimes I can hear
the DX stations. I tried some antenna stuff on 160 a day or two ago and
tried some on air tests. Apparently the RBN stations abandon 160 for the
off season, too. They didn't hear anybody in North America and never
mind about just my own modest station. The tricks did work for me on 80
where there is also a lot of QRN. I got through okay there for an hour
long chat with a fellow only as far away as Ohio (abt 400 miles) with
about 30 watts output. So what if Ohio isn't DX?
Most of the trouble in summer on 160 is lack of use. I'll keep trying
when I can get near the radios and call CQ for a while around about 1825
(give or take a few).
73,
Bill KU8H
_
Topband Reflector
