Topband: 160m CW Activity
Yes, there's no point in blaming FT8 for a decline in CW activity . . . If more people make an effort to come on 160m on CW, there WILL be more activity . . . it's as simple as that! And I get that some people who have been DX-ing on Top Band for 50+ years (like me) have kind of lost interest . . . but I also know that there are plenty of others (like me) who still have a passion for the band! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Having received a couple of emails, I thought it would be worth coming on last night. . . . I was doing a gig in town, so didn't get home until nearly 2.30am (01.30 GMT). I put out a CQ DX call, and had a call from Jon AA1K. Put out a few more calls, but couldn't hear anyone else calling me. RBN reports weren't very good, so went to bed. But good to see some NA stations coming back on the band, so will start coming on more often during the night. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
Was recently talking on 160 to one of my G3 acquaintances at his dawn. He was apparently hearing me quite nicely. I gave him an honest, accurate RST 289. Maybe closer to 189. In between rapidly recurring S9/20 QRN crashes he was an honest S8 on the K3, 3 or 4 S units above daytime noise levels. Never would have kept it up, except for whose call sign it was. That kind of QRN is the kind of thing one gets when it's -4C on one side and 18C on the other of a front running from the Gulf of Mexico up and down eastern US to Canada. That plus tornados, roof-ripping straight line winds, etc. Won't get into the why business. But whatever it is going on, it's real. Getting on and working Top Band DX is something done for fun, not a religious obligation, like making Sunday Mass. Time zone differentials, people sleeping during their local nighttime. and northern/southern hemisphere upside down seasonal differences are not going to go away. 73, Guy K2AV On Sat, Apr 3, 2021 at 7:25 PM List Mail wrote: > > We typically have storm static from September till April, but winter > thunderstorms are possible as well. In addition, there is always Tropical > noise that may propagate in, when there are otherwise no thunderstorms > apparent across all of Australia. > I’m still working a handful of European stations most mornings, but this > morning, the Polish DX Contest was on, so that made working any DX impossible. > Most of our interesting DX is worked during our summer time, so we just have > to put up with the noise. Very little happens over winter, when it is nice > and quiet. > 73, Luke VK3HJ > > Sent from Mail for Windows 10 > > From: Roger Kennedy > Sent: Sunday, 4 April 2021 4:16 AM > To: topband@contesting.com > Subject: Topband: 160m CW Activity > > > I know a lot of you guys in North America are complaining that you are > already getting a lot of QRN on the band, so aren't coming on . . . > > I guess we're pretty lucky here in Britain, as we only usually get > thunderstorms in August . . . and even then, only for a handful of nights, > so we don't get too many problems with static. > > But I just wanted to let you know that there are still quite a lot of us > Europeans on 160m CW every night, looking for DX contacts . . . but most of > us are calling CQ DX for ages, and lucky if we have more than 2 or 3 QSOs. > > However, propagation is still pretty good (I managed an S7 report from Texas > last night), so if your noise level isn't too bad, hope a few more stations > might make it on the band ! > > 73 Roger G3YRO > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
We typically have storm static from September till April, but winter thunderstorms are possible as well. In addition, there is always Tropical noise that may propagate in, when there are otherwise no thunderstorms apparent across all of Australia. I’m still working a handful of European stations most mornings, but this morning, the Polish DX Contest was on, so that made working any DX impossible. Most of our interesting DX is worked during our summer time, so we just have to put up with the noise. Very little happens over winter, when it is nice and quiet. 73, Luke VK3HJ Sent from Mail for Windows 10 From: Roger Kennedy Sent: Sunday, 4 April 2021 4:16 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: 160m CW Activity I know a lot of you guys in North America are complaining that you are already getting a lot of QRN on the band, so aren't coming on . . . I guess we're pretty lucky here in Britain, as we only usually get thunderstorms in August . . . and even then, only for a handful of nights, so we don't get too many problems with static. But I just wanted to let you know that there are still quite a lot of us Europeans on 160m CW every night, looking for DX contacts . . . but most of us are calling CQ DX for ages, and lucky if we have more than 2 or 3 QSOs. However, propagation is still pretty good (I managed an S7 report from Texas last night), so if your noise level isn't too bad, hope a few more stations might make it on the band ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
Last Wednesday night QRN on my TX antenna was fluctuating between -100 dBm and -80 dBm (as shown on the Flex 6700 + Maestro waterfall) and S9 to S9+10dB on the S meter. I was on the band and could copy only a few signals, and only when the noise dropped to -100 dBm. OK1CF was the only solid DX copy here, S9+10 dB, stood out like a beacon. Location: Near Eleuthera Island, Cape Eleuthera, 24 47 N, 76 25 W. It is probably much quieter at higher latitudes. 73, George, C6AGU/MM On Sat, 3 Apr 2021 19:16:12 +0100 "Roger Kennedy" wrote: I know a lot of you guys in North America are complaining that you are already getting a lot of QRN on the band, so aren't coming on . . . I guess we're pretty lucky here in Britain, as we only usually get thunderstorms in August . . . and even then, only for a handful of nights, so we don't get too many problems with static. But I just wanted to let you know that there are still quite a lot of us Europeans on 160m CW every night, looking for DX contacts . . . but most of us are calling CQ DX for ages, and lucky if we have more than 2 or 3 QSOs. However, propagation is still pretty good (I managed an S7 report from Texas last night), so if your noise level isn't too bad, hope a few more stations might make it on the band ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
I know a lot of you guys in North America are complaining that you are already getting a lot of QRN on the band, so aren't coming on . . . I guess we're pretty lucky here in Britain, as we only usually get thunderstorms in August . . . and even then, only for a handful of nights, so we don't get too many problems with static. But I just wanted to let you know that there are still quite a lot of us Europeans on 160m CW every night, looking for DX contacts . . . but most of us are calling CQ DX for ages, and lucky if we have more than 2 or 3 QSOs. However, propagation is still pretty good (I managed an S7 report from Texas last night), so if your noise level isn't too bad, hope a few more stations might make it on the band ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Good to hear that more stations are coming back on the band ! I'll be popping on at various times during the night tonight and over the rest of the weekend, so will hopefully work some of you. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
Hi Roger, I'd hoped to be able to chat this evening, but the QRN is 10 to 20 dB over S9 now. The receive antenna isn't available yet, so I can only listen on the inverted-V TX antenna. But I doubt that anything can hear enough better to penetrate this racket. 73, Brad KV5V On Sat, Aug 29, 2020 at 9:42 PM Roger Stein wrote: > Hi Roger, > Nice to work you to begin your Topband season. Also worked OH2IS, YO3APJ, > and SN1T. A few others heard but high QRN from > lightning offshore! > 73, Roger VA1RST Halifax NS > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Aug 29, 2020, at 12:36 PM, Roger Kennedy < > ro...@wessexproductions.co.uk> wrote: > > > > > > Well DX Conditions have been pretty good lately . . . > > > > So I shall be on tonight and tomorrow night from about 0200 GMT, seeing > if > > there are any of my NA friends to work. > > > > 73 Roger G3YRO > > _ > > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
Hi Roger, Nice to work you to begin your Topband season. Also worked OH2IS, YO3APJ, and SN1T. A few others heard but high QRN from lightning offshore! 73, Roger VA1RST Halifax NS Sent from my iPhone > On Aug 29, 2020, at 12:36 PM, Roger Kennedy > wrote: > > > Well DX Conditions have been pretty good lately . . . > > So I shall be on tonight and tomorrow night from about 0200 GMT, seeing if > there are any of my NA friends to work. > > 73 Roger G3YRO > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Well DX Conditions have been pretty good lately . . . So I shall be on tonight and tomorrow night from about 0200 GMT, seeing if there are any of my NA friends to work. 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
Hi Don, You right, propagation was very poor last night. Now, I know what contest I heard. I heard some stations, but the went to QRT just after the end. I met only 2 stations, NO3M and AI2N. With noice on my beverage. Maybe tomorrow, depens of my sleep deprivation. take care. Jean-Paul F6FYA en direct depuis son iPad. > Le 16 avr. 2020 à 14:38, Don Kirk a écrit : > > Hi Roger, > > I believe your having a big 40 dB S/N report from NH on the RBN is not as > telling as what the RBN did not show for you. If you look at the last 100 > RBN spots of you last night which was from 0107 UTC until 0317 UTC you were > only picked up in the US by the RBN's in NH, and then one time by an RBN in > very eastern PA (all very close to the Ocean). You were not heard anywhere > else in the US on the RBN network during the 0107 to 0317 UTC time slot > even though the noise floor in most of the US was likely very low based on > the lack of lightning activity (only lightning I saw over the US was over > Florida). The noise floor was very low at my location in the Midwest > (Indiana). > > I was not on when you were on, but I was on slightly later from 0345 until > 0515 UTC and conditions were very poor into Europe from the Midwest US > which is why I suspect I don't see any RBN reports of you during the above > 0107 UTC to 0317 UTC time slot into any areas except the very most Eastern > part of the US (NH and Eastern PA). > > I heard EU stations ON7PQ and F6FYA when I was on slightly later than you > and they were just barely above my noise floor which was very low last > night. F6FYA peaked about 2 db above my very low noise floor and Pat ON7PQ > was always in the mud (right at my noise floor) which is unusual for him. > The only other EU station I heard was John G3PQA when he answered my CQ > right at his sunrise (I only run 100 watts), and he was right at my noise > floor when he called but peaked 1 minute later to about 4 to 6 dB (most > likely due to brief sunrise enhancement). > > I also called CQ numerous times but was not heard by any EU RBN stations, > but that's not unusual for my 100 watts. > > P.S. there was a CWT (CW ops test) from 0300 to 0400 UTC which overlaps > when you were on last night and I heard numerous stations in the US on 160 > meters taking part in the CWT and if you were not hearing many of them > that's another indication that conditions were not very good from the > Midwest US into Europe. > > Keep pounding away, and we will keep listening. > 73, > Don (wd8dsb) > >> On Thu, Apr 16, 2020 at 5:48 AM Roger Kennedy >> wrote: >> >> >> Yes, conditions seemed good last night (had several 35 - 40dB S/N reports >> from NA stations on RBN) >> During the night there were several EU stations calling CQ . . . but very >> few NA stations on the band ! (I know a lot of you guys over there have >> much >> lightning and resultant static crashes now) >> I did have a few QSOs . . . and a nice email from John N1PGA. >> I guess I'm still surprised there isn't MORE activity, given that we're all >> supposed to be staying home ! >> Hope you're all staying well in these crazy times . . . >> Best 73 >> Roger G3YRO >> >> _ >> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband >> Reflector >> > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
Hi Roger, I just checked with Brad (W1NT), and he said he currently has 3 RBN receivers running, and it looks like all 3 spotted you this morning. All 3 of his receivers are located on the same property in NH. Two of them use beverages and one uses a vertical. One beverage is pointed NE and the other is pointed NNE. Just FYI, Don (wd8dsb) On Thu, Apr 16, 2020 at 9:59 AM Roger Kennedy wrote: > Hi Don > > Yes, maybe the band was only open to the East Coast last night . . . or > perhaps I didn't actually stay on long enough for it to be dark much > further West (although I did work one station in Alabama) > > I'm not sure how you tell WHERE each RBN site is . . . > > Sure, you can tell where the MAIN station is . . . but some people have as > many as 6 RBN sites . . . presumably at different remote sites . . . so are > they all in the same State? (that seems pointless to me) > > The trouble is that if I end up staying up til 0300Z (4am local time) I > find it hard to get out of bed again a couple of hours later at our Sunrise > ! > > 73 Roger G3YRO > > -- > > Hi Roger, > > I believe your having a big 40 dB S/N report from NH on the RBN is not as > telling as what the RBN did not show for you. If you look at the last 100 > RBN spots of you last night which was from 0107 UTC until 0317 UTC you were > only picked up in the US by the RBN's in NH, and then one time by an RBN in > very eastern PA (all very close to the Ocean). You were not heard anywhere > else in the US on the RBN network during the 0107 to 0317 UTC time slot > even though the noise floor in most of the US was likely very low based on > the lack of lightning activity (only lightning I saw over the US was over > Florida). The noise floor was very low at my location in the Midwest > (Indiana). > > I was not on when you were on, but I was on slightly later from 0345 > until 0515 UTC and conditions were very poor into Europe from the Midwest > US which is why I suspect I don't see any RBN reports of you during the > above 0107 UTC to 0317 UTC time slot into any areas except the very most > Eastern part of the US (NH and Eastern PA). > > I heard EU stations ON7PQ and F6FYA when I was on slightly later than you > and they were just barely above my noise floor which was very low last > night. F6FYA peaked about 2 db above my very low noise floor and Pat ON7PQ > was always in the mud (right at my noise floor) which is unusual for him. > The only other EU station I heard was John G3PQA when he answered my CQ > right at his sunrise (I only run 100 watts), and he was right at my noise > floor when he called but peaked 1 minute later to about 4 to 6 dB (most > likely due to brief sunrise enhancement). > > I also called CQ numerous times but was not heard by any EU RBN stations, > but that's not unusual for my 100 watts. > > P.S. there was a CWT (CW ops test) from 0300 to 0400 UTC which overlaps > when you were on last night and I heard numerous stations in the US on 160 > meters taking part in the CWT and if you were not hearing many of them > that's another indication that conditions were not very good from the > Midwest US into Europe. > > Keep pounding away, and we will keep listening. > 73, > Don (wd8dsb) > > On Thu, Apr 16, 2020 at 5:48 AM Roger Kennedy < > ro...@wessexproductions.co.uk> wrote: > >> >> Yes, conditions seemed good last night (had several 35 - 40dB S/N reports >> from NA stations on RBN) >> During the night there were several EU stations calling CQ . . . but very >> few NA stations on the band ! (I know a lot of you guys over there have >> much >> lightning and resultant static crashes now) >> I did have a few QSOs . . . and a nice email from John N1PGA. >> I guess I'm still surprised there isn't MORE activity, given that we're >> all >> supposed to be staying home ! >> Hope you're all staying well in these crazy times . . . >> Best 73 >> Roger G3YRO >> >> _ >> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband >> Reflector >> > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Hi Don Yes, maybe the band was only open to the East Coast last night . . . or perhaps I didn't actually stay on long enough for it to be dark much further West (although I did work one station in Alabama) I'm not sure how you tell WHERE each RBN site is . . . Sure, you can tell where the MAIN station is . . . but some people have as many as 6 RBN sites . . . presumably at different remote sites . . . so are they all in the same State? (that seems pointless to me) The trouble is that if I end up staying up til 0300Z (4am local time) I find it hard to get out of bed again a couple of hours later at our Sunrise ! 73 Roger G3YRO _ Hi Roger, I believe your having a big 40 dB S/N report from NH on the RBN is not as telling as what the RBN did not show for you. If you look at the last 100 RBN spots of you last night which was from 0107 UTC until 0317 UTC you were only picked up in the US by the RBN's in NH, and then one time by an RBN in very eastern PA (all very close to the Ocean). You were not heard anywhere else in the US on the RBN network during the 0107 to 0317 UTC time slot even though the noise floor in most of the US was likely very low based on the lack of lightning activity (only lightning I saw over the US was over Florida). The noise floor was very low at my location in the Midwest (Indiana). I was not on when you were on, but I was on slightly later from 0345 until 0515 UTC and conditions were very poor into Europe from the Midwest US which is why I suspect I don't see any RBN reports of you during the above 0107 UTC to 0317 UTC time slot into any areas except the very most Eastern part of the US (NH and Eastern PA). I heard EU stations ON7PQ and F6FYA when I was on slightly later than you and they were just barely above my noise floor which was very low last night. F6FYA peaked about 2 db above my very low noise floor and Pat ON7PQ was always in the mud (right at my noise floor) which is unusual for him. The only other EU station I heard was John G3PQA when he answered my CQ right at his sunrise (I only run 100 watts), and he was right at my noise floor when he called but peaked 1 minute later to about 4 to 6 dB (most likely due to brief sunrise enhancement). I also called CQ numerous times but was not heard by any EU RBN stations, but that's not unusual for my 100 watts. P.S. there was a CWT (CW ops test) from 0300 to 0400 UTC which overlaps when you were on last night and I heard numerous stations in the US on 160 meters taking part in the CWT and if you were not hearing many of them that's another indication that conditions were not very good from the Midwest US into Europe. Keep pounding away, and we will keep listening. 73, Don (wd8dsb) On Thu, Apr 16, 2020 at 5:48 AM Roger Kennedy wrote: Yes, conditions seemed good last night (had several 35 - 40dB S/N reports from NA stations on RBN) During the night there were several EU stations calling CQ . . . but very few NA stations on the band ! (I know a lot of you guys over there have much lightning and resultant static crashes now) I did have a few QSOs . . . and a nice email from John N1PGA. I guess I'm still surprised there isn't MORE activity, given that we're all supposed to be staying home ! Hope you're all staying well in these crazy times . . . Best 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: 160m CW Activity
Hi Roger, I believe your having a big 40 dB S/N report from NH on the RBN is not as telling as what the RBN did not show for you. If you look at the last 100 RBN spots of you last night which was from 0107 UTC until 0317 UTC you were only picked up in the US by the RBN's in NH, and then one time by an RBN in very eastern PA (all very close to the Ocean). You were not heard anywhere else in the US on the RBN network during the 0107 to 0317 UTC time slot even though the noise floor in most of the US was likely very low based on the lack of lightning activity (only lightning I saw over the US was over Florida). The noise floor was very low at my location in the Midwest (Indiana). I was not on when you were on, but I was on slightly later from 0345 until 0515 UTC and conditions were very poor into Europe from the Midwest US which is why I suspect I don't see any RBN reports of you during the above 0107 UTC to 0317 UTC time slot into any areas except the very most Eastern part of the US (NH and Eastern PA). I heard EU stations ON7PQ and F6FYA when I was on slightly later than you and they were just barely above my noise floor which was very low last night. F6FYA peaked about 2 db above my very low noise floor and Pat ON7PQ was always in the mud (right at my noise floor) which is unusual for him. The only other EU station I heard was John G3PQA when he answered my CQ right at his sunrise (I only run 100 watts), and he was right at my noise floor when he called but peaked 1 minute later to about 4 to 6 dB (most likely due to brief sunrise enhancement). I also called CQ numerous times but was not heard by any EU RBN stations, but that's not unusual for my 100 watts. P.S. there was a CWT (CW ops test) from 0300 to 0400 UTC which overlaps when you were on last night and I heard numerous stations in the US on 160 meters taking part in the CWT and if you were not hearing many of them that's another indication that conditions were not very good from the Midwest US into Europe. Keep pounding away, and we will keep listening. 73, Don (wd8dsb) On Thu, Apr 16, 2020 at 5:48 AM Roger Kennedy wrote: > > Yes, conditions seemed good last night (had several 35 - 40dB S/N reports > from NA stations on RBN) > During the night there were several EU stations calling CQ . . . but very > few NA stations on the band ! (I know a lot of you guys over there have > much > lightning and resultant static crashes now) > I did have a few QSOs . . . and a nice email from John N1PGA. > I guess I'm still surprised there isn't MORE activity, given that we're all > supposed to be staying home ! > Hope you're all staying well in these crazy times . . . > Best 73 > Roger G3YRO > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160m CW Activity
Yes, conditions seemed good last night (had several 35 - 40dB S/N reports from NA stations on RBN) During the night there were several EU stations calling CQ . . . but very few NA stations on the band ! (I know a lot of you guys over there have much lightning and resultant static crashes now) I did have a few QSOs . . . and a nice email from John N1PGA. I guess I'm still surprised there isn't MORE activity, given that we're all supposed to be staying home ! Hope you're all staying well in these crazy times . . . Best 73 Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
