Re: Topband: K9ay loop not performing

2019-12-11 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Yes Rob, my TX vertical feedpoint was closer to 7 ohm before it being transformed to 50 ohm by means of a auto transformer style bottom coil and tap. I have used a big fat relay with massive silver contacts, (it was used in a UPS to switch battery banks)  but with the actuator coil wires fed

Re: Topband: K9ay loop not performing

2019-12-08 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
I use a a relay to disconnect to the vertical portion just above the bottom matching coil, keeping all else connected.  I do not understand why  the shield should be disconnected ? If it carries RF back it could be decoupled by ground rods to shield or chokes.Bu if he top section is open

Re: Topband: [cwops] Topband season looking good

2018-10-05 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
I meant to say first NA for this year! On ‎Friday‎, ‎October‎ ‎5‎, ‎2018‎ ‎08‎:‎46‎:‎06‎ ‎AM‎ ‎SAST, Raoul Coetzee via Groups.Io wrote: Managed my first NA this morning around my SR on 160m.I worked Bob, W9EWZ in Wisconsin (CW of course) Raoul ZS1C_._,_._,_Groups.io Links: You receive

Topband: Topband season looking good

2018-10-05 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Managed my first NA this morning around my SR on 160m.I worked Bob, W9EWZ in Wisconsin (CW of course) Raoul ZS1C _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

Re: Topband: PY1RO

2018-05-06 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Sad to hear about PY1RO,he was my first PY on 160m many years ago.RIP ZS1C On Sunday, May 6, 2018, 8:27:17 PM GMT+2, Roger Parsons via Topband wrote: From the Daily DX today: "PY1RO, Rolf Rasp, passed away yesterday after suffering from a heart attack. He had

Re: Topband: what does it take to get on new band 600 meters

2017-11-05 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
I have been playing with a few ideas, one was to mix a 6 Mhz Xtal oscilator output with a 6.474 MHz signal from my ft817 (into a small 50 ohm load)the difference, 474 KHz was amplified with tubes (valves for the UK ) and I ended up driving an old 813.Why? because I wanted a job for the tubes

Re: Topband: FT8: Making it too easy?

2017-10-26 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
I would like to know if FT8 also uses the same "Deep Search" as JT65.If it does, read this and decide if it is for you. JT65, is it doing what we want it to do? | | | | JT65, is it doing what we want it to do? | | | Raoul ZS1C On Thursday, October 26, 2017, 8:36:27 PM GMT+2,

Re: Topband: TZ4AM

2017-10-15 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
I agree! And not everybody have space for good RX antennas.And even if we can install a good RX antenna in limited space, cheap Chinese products are making it worse, it  is a struggle to hear anything. The other problem is, I use at least 600 watts on 160m, and some EUs try to work you with a

Re: Topband: LDEs, witches and magicians

2017-02-08 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Dear Dr Ostwald,  Even though I have not experienced any echoes on HF,I think I will keep an open mind.We cannot even explain a weak force like gravity completely, after many years of ongoing research.Who are we to say that  LDS  belong in  fairy tale?  :-)After all, we are receiving echoes of

Re: Topband: Front End Filters

2016-12-23 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
surely it is important to have the correct loading on the crystal,  just connecting a crystal in the antenna path is not so good?It seems good loading is around 1-3k. Merry Christmas to all.Raoul ZS1C  From: K1FZ-Bruce To: topband@contesting.com; Dave

Re: Topband: 160 Meter Radio Propagation Prediction Table

2016-07-13 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Africa is not part of their world? I thought so, as my radio also seems to say I live  in a Black 160m hole.:-) bTW Where is Mos?  kind regards,Raoul ZS1C From: James Rodenkirch To: Top Band Contesting Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2016 3:22

Re: Topband: VK0EK confirmation

2016-04-18 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Ouch...I made a contribution while they were in Cape Town and we had a good evening with the crew and the team in the Cape  Royal Yacht club and after I worked them, I contributed another $10.00Now before you blast me as a cheap skate Jim, with our our exchange rate you may multiply that with

Re: Topband: Receive loop observations

2016-04-02 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Rick wrote:>With a>circumference of 20 to 40 feet on 160 meters, the null is only >10 or 15 dB deep. I use a medium wave  BC station about 10miles away from as a reference to check my 160m loop, (the loop is reasably broadband but no good on 80m) they are about 4 Degrees East off me and with a

Topband: VP8STI last night - Report from Cape Town

2016-01-23 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
The pattern in ZS the last couple of nights was the same:Nada till about 23:30 UTC, then they would come out of the noise or just above the noise. Although the distance is not that long, (abt 4300Km ), it seems the path is only in "good" darkness for a short while. (It is of course summertime

Re: Topband: Strange propagation

2016-01-15 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Well said Herb! Raoul ZS1C From: Herbert Schoenbohm To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 3:14 AM Subject: Re: Topband: Strange propagation Jim,   Artificial insemination is advanced technology also but pray tell me that it is more fun. 

Re: Topband: strange propagation

2016-01-15 Thread Raoul Coetzee via Topband
Herb, I am with you on this one.I know my 160m dxcc will ,one day, go to trash. Thats ok.At least I worked for it, you know, it took me a long time to get your call in the qrn, and I was a green horn! from a small lotwith a great ambition.Now that is more valuable to me than anything