Re: Topband: 160 meter propagation

[Victor Goncharsky via Topband]

We have worked a new one last night VU2CPL on CW and played a little in 
Russian-160 contest. Few NA folks were there as well. So the band is alive and 
well. We don't care about FT8 junk.


>Воскресенье, 17 декабря 2017, 15:53 UTC от K1FZ :
>
>
>
>Been wondering what is going on with  160 meters. 
>
>I  expected  meteor showers  to  add ionization that would be beneficial for 
>propagation..
>
>
> VHF and UHF  hams do find  their tails  useful to make  contacts .
>
>Over the years I  have noticed  a reduction of DX signals on  160 meters  
>during  these times.
>
>
>73
>Bruce-K1FZ
>http://www.qsl.net/k1fz/beverage_antenna.html
>_
>Topband Reflector Archives -  http://www.contesting.com/_topband


-- 
73, Victor Goncharsky US5WE/K1WE (UW5W in VHF contests, ex UB5WE), P.E.
UARL Technical and VHF Committies
DXCC Honor Roll #1 (Mixed, Phone), 9BDXCC, 8BWAS
DXCC card checker (160 meters).
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Topband: 160 meter propagation

[K1FZ]

Been wondering what is going on with  160 meters. 

I  expected  meteor showers  to  add ionization that would be beneficial for 
propagation..


 VHF and UHF  hams do find  their tails  useful to make  contacts .

Over the years I  have noticed  a reduction of DX signals on  160 meters  
during  these times.


73
Bruce-K1FZ
http://www.qsl.net/k1fz/beverage_antenna.html
_
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: 160-Meter propagation

[David Raymond]

 Also on Dec 6, George W8UVZ commented that the band isn't as poor as some 
 would suggest.

 With respect to solar min versus solar max, the old adage that 160-Meters 
 is best at solar min is somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy. We've 
 heard 160 is worse at solar maximum, so we don't get on much then. Anyway 
 it's easier to work the world on 10-Meters with S9 signals at solar max 
 rather than signals at our noise level on 160. If you dig into the physics 
 of the nighttime ionosphere at solar min and solar max, you won't find a 
 huge difference. In my opinion, based on this and on log data by those who 
 hang around on 160 during solar max, there's lots of DX to be worked at 
 solar max, too. I remember W8JI worked over 200 countries and all 40 zones 
 at solar max of Cycle 23 around 2000. Sure, he's got a great station and 
 locale, but much of that effort was just being there day after day.


It's been interesting to read different people's perspectives of conditions 
on TB.  I'm an active topbander, being on the band at least three or four 
times a week both morning and evening.  I've continued this pattern of 
activity since 1987.  I have been at my present rural, low noise QTH since 
1996.  The station here consists of a full size four square, a quarter wave 
vertical w/elevated ground radials, and various receive antennas over the 
years (currently a Hi-Z 8 circle array which works quite well).

While I can't speak for others, the propagation conditions here in the 
Midwest (Iowa) have been very poor.  This is in keeping with the consistent 
inverse correlation between the QSOs in my log and SFI over the past 24 
years.  That correlation during the past year or so when the SFI has 
increased substantially is striking.  Gone are the days when it was common 
to work 15 or 20 EU stations (or more) during an evening session with 
signals from the more prominent stations being S9.  With conditions this 
season it's often been a struggle work two or three EU stations in an 
evening.  Prominent EU stations are often just workable.  Many evenings 
yield no EU contacts at all even though DX stations are spotted and are 
actually QRV.  The same thing goes for working JA stations in the morning. 
Big stations such as JR7VHZ or JA7NI are now just copyable as opposed to 
having S9 signals.  Two and three years ago it was not uncommon for me to 
work Zones 17, 18,  19 both morning and evening.  That would never happen 
today (and it doesn't!).

Of course, there are occasional exceptions when conditions are a little 
better but  nothing approaching conditions during the sunspot low.  While I 
am no expert on the physics of propagation, my log speaks for itself.  The 
overall pattern and inverse relationship between QSOs and the SFI over the 
past 24 years has been consistent.

73 and Seasons Greetings to all. . .Dave
W0FLS 

___
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK

Re: Topband: 160-Meter propagation

[Slavek Zeler]

Hi David
Gone are the days when it was common
to work 15 or 20 EU stations (or more) during an evening session with
signals from the more prominent stations being S9

The same situation is in Eu. Im daily on TB but only few new stations from 
US is active. GD dxing on TB to all
Slavek ok1tn 

___
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK