Re: Topband: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160
Just a little more info regarding the 160 meter experiment that I mentioned which is now 11 months old, and quickly approaching 1 year. The station in South America that I'm experimenting with is my good friend LU5OM, and his TX antenna is currently a 64 foot tall top loaded vertical mounted very close to his tower that now supports a HEX beam. Just FYI, Don (wd8dsb) On Fri, Jun 15, 2018 at 8:30 AM, Don Kirk wrote: > Guy (K2AV) said "Methinks hamdom underestimates 160 propagation in the > summertime.", and I totally agree with him. > > For the past 11 months I have been running a daily early morning > experiment on 160 meters CW trying to copy a specific station in South > America running 500 watts (4700 mile path, 160 degree bearing from my > location), and I'm able to copy him more than approximately 95% of the days > which I would have previously said was impossible (copy meaning I can hear > him send CQ and his call sign). My RX antenna is just a small pennant > (51.6% the size of a full size pennant) using one W7IUV preamp, an old > Kenwood TS-180s with 500 Hz filter and a 200 Hz hi-per mite active audio > filter. A few times we have checked to see if sunrise enhancement would > help, but have noticed very little if any sunrise enhancement improvement. > > There are very rare days where propagation is exceptional (like 12 dB > increased signal level compared with a normal day), and all other days > signals are just above my noise floor to 6 dB above my noise floor (noise > floor not including static crashes from thunder storms). During my summer > months the signal level is much less than the static crash peaks, but still > able to copy nonetheless. > > As I said, this is something I would have never thought possible before > investing so much test time. > > Just FYI, > Don (wd8dsb) > > > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160
Hi Don et al, Just an example: Late last night I made a brief CQ DX and got a prompt answer from Jeff, in TZ4 (Mali) Nobody else to be heard on 160. Let us see if the upcoming Stew Perry will bring some more 160 activity. 73 Len SM7BIC -Ursprungligt meddelande- Från: Topband För Don Kirk Skickat: den 15 juni 2018 14:30 Till: Guy Olinger K2AV Kopia: TopBand List ; Bruce Ämne: Re: Topband: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160 Guy (K2AV) said "Methinks hamdom underestimates 160 propagation in the summertime.", and I totally agree with him. For the past 11 months I have been running a daily early morning experiment on 160 meters CW trying to copy a specific station in South America running 500 watts (4700 mile path, 160 degree bearing from my location), and I'm able to copy him more than approximately 95% of the days which I would have previously said was impossible (copy meaning I can hear him send CQ and his call sign). My RX antenna is just a small pennant (51.6% the size of a full size pennant) using one W7IUV preamp, an old Kenwood TS-180s with 500 Hz filter and a 200 Hz hi-per mite active audio filter. A few times we have checked to see if sunrise enhancement would help, but have noticed very little if any sunrise enhancement improvement. There are very rare days where propagation is exceptional (like 12 dB increased signal level compared with a normal day), and all other days signals are just above my noise floor to 6 dB above my noise floor (noise floor not including static crashes from thunder storms). During my summer months the signal level is much less than the static crash peaks, but still able to copy nonetheless. As I said, this is something I would have never thought possible before investing so much test time. Just FYI, Don (wd8dsb) _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160
Guy (K2AV) said "Methinks hamdom underestimates 160 propagation in the summertime.", and I totally agree with him. For the past 11 months I have been running a daily early morning experiment on 160 meters CW trying to copy a specific station in South America running 500 watts (4700 mile path, 160 degree bearing from my location), and I'm able to copy him more than approximately 95% of the days which I would have previously said was impossible (copy meaning I can hear him send CQ and his call sign). My RX antenna is just a small pennant (51.6% the size of a full size pennant) using one W7IUV preamp, an old Kenwood TS-180s with 500 Hz filter and a 200 Hz hi-per mite active audio filter. A few times we have checked to see if sunrise enhancement would help, but have noticed very little if any sunrise enhancement improvement. There are very rare days where propagation is exceptional (like 12 dB increased signal level compared with a normal day), and all other days signals are just above my noise floor to 6 dB above my noise floor (noise floor not including static crashes from thunder storms). During my summer months the signal level is much less than the static crash peaks, but still able to copy nonetheless. As I said, this is something I would have never thought possible before investing so much test time. Just FYI, Don (wd8dsb) _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160
Methinks hamdom underestimates 160 propagation in the summertime. Working DX through QRN and having reduced opening time during summer, these make working the DX irritating to the ears and inconvenient, but not impossible. Even with no more than an inverted L, I still hit European RBN later in the evening, and routinely hit west coast RBN that are not covered with lightning strikes on Blitzortung. That's not so much my antenna, as the fact that 160 is a lot more open in the summer than people think. If there's no good reason to listen to all that QRN, or set an alarm to be on the band in the narrow darkness hours, they won't be listening. Was on in the CWOPS last night (June 14, Z) on 160m, between 03 and 04Z, RBN spots included: N7TR * G3WW * WA7LNW WB6BEE * VE6WZ * GW8IZR * VE7CC 3V/KF5EYY * AC0C * *multiple spots That's coverage Vancouver to Reno in the west and the UK to Tunisia in the east. Not exactly my definition of a dead band. Sparse 160 population in the summer is a habit ham radio has gotten into. Maybe we should put that aside for the rest of the solar minimum. We'll be watching for KH1... Summer Stew Perry Saturday night. 73, Guy On Wed, Jun 13, 2018 at 1:33 PM, F Z_Bruce wrote: > > > > > > > As in ARRL literature, even as short antenna in a great ground plane can > be very effective. The Baker Island group has indicated that they were > going to use the salt water.. > > 73 > Bruce-k1fz > > > > > > > On Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:14:01 +, jon jones wrote: > > Back in the 90's - KH6ND was active from Kure Is on 160M during July. He > was very workable in North America in the early morning hours before NA > sunrise. I logged Mike with 100 w and my balloon supported vertical. QRN > from thunderstorms may be lower at that time. > > > Europe may well have some short windows of opportunity as well. > > > A safe trip to the KH1/KH7ZZ team. - Jon N0JK > > > > > > Hello TopBanders, > KH1/KH7Z will be active on 160 from Baker Island from June 27 to July 6 > (note that dates are tentative and may change -- please visit > http://baker2018.net/ for updates). > GL and CU, > George, > AA7JV > > PS: Donations are the life-blood of DXpeditions and this one is no > exception. > > _ > 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: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160
A short vertical with top loading over an effective ground can be in this extremely effective antenna Sent from my iPhone > On Jun 13, 2018, at 10:33 AM, F Z_Bruce wrote: > > > > > > > > As in ARRL literature, even as short antenna in a great ground plane can be > very effective. The Baker Island group has indicated that they were going > to use the salt water.. > > 73 > Bruce-k1fz > > > > > > > On Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:14:01 +, jon jones wrote: > > Back in the 90's - KH6ND was active from Kure Is on 160M during July. He was > very workable in North America in the early morning hours before NA sunrise. > I logged Mike with 100 w and my balloon supported vertical. QRN from > thunderstorms may be lower at that time. > > > Europe may well have some short windows of opportunity as well. > > > A safe trip to the KH1/KH7ZZ team. - Jon N0JK > > > > > > Hello TopBanders, > KH1/KH7Z will be active on 160 from Baker Island from June 27 to July 6 > (note that dates are tentative and may change -- please visit > http://baker2018.net/ for updates). > GL and CU, > George, > AA7JV > > PS: Donations are the life-blood of DXpeditions and this one is no > exception. > > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Fwd: Re: Baker Island DXpedition on 160
As in ARRL literature, even as short antenna in a great ground plane can be very effective. The Baker Island group has indicated that they were going to use the salt water.. 73 Bruce-k1fz On Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:14:01 +, jon jones wrote: Back in the 90's - KH6ND was active from Kure Is on 160M during July. He was very workable in North America in the early morning hours before NA sunrise. I logged Mike with 100 w and my balloon supported vertical. QRN from thunderstorms may be lower at that time. Europe may well have some short windows of opportunity as well. A safe trip to the KH1/KH7ZZ team. - Jon N0JK Hello TopBanders, KH1/KH7Z will be active on 160 from Baker Island from June 27 to July 6 (note that dates are tentative and may change -- please visit http://baker2018.net/ for updates). GL and CU, George, AA7JV PS: Donations are the life-blood of DXpeditions and this one is no exception. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
