Good morning. Mainly just a reader of this groups postings because my experience with 160M is a drop in the bucket relative to the collective experience of the members of this group. I'm a newbie for sure. Anyway, I wanted to share I was able to work K5P this morning thanks to everything this group shared about best times, bearing, etc. Here is my story and condx for what its worth:
Could not sleep. Was up at 2am this morning! Went to the shack. fired up the rig. Saw activity on 160m. Was k5p. Very small pile up. set everything up as recommended-tuner, amp, rx antennas--k5p barely audible. 30 minutes in could start to hear their call. Fired off my call twice and heard them respond AB4KJ 599. Was 99 percent sure of a qso. Just checked club log...in the log on 160! My condx: k3/p3, expert 2K, Inverted L for tx with tuner at the base of inverted L, dx engineering 4 square in diversity mode with 500' beverage using dx engineering ncc-1. Running about 1000 watts. The inverted L is about 45 feet vertical and the rest horizontal. Pretty good radial system....like 60 radials from 50 to 100 feet each. K5P signal lasted for me here in the midwest for maybe 30 minutes. I had already worked them on 80M. I have been hearing them very well on 40M but can't get thru the pile ups and the deliberate jamming has been really bad, unfortunately. Mike AB4KJ On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 11:00 AM, <topband-requ...@contesting.com> wrote: > Send Topband mailing list submissions to > topband@contesting.com > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > topband-requ...@contesting.com > > You can reach the person managing the list at > topband-ow...@contesting.com > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Spotlight Propation (Dennis W0JX) > 2. Re: South Sandwich previous activity (Bill Tippett) > 3. Spotlights (wb6r...@mac.com) > 4. Re: Spotlights (Lloyd - N9LB) > 5. Re: Topband Spotlight Propagation Theorem (lucky evening) (W7RH) > 6. 2016 Dayton Top Band Dinner speaker announced (Tim Duffy) > 7. South Sandwich DXpedition May Need to Go Off Air Abruptly Due > to Weather (donov...@starpower.net) > 8. K5P 1/25/16 on 160 meters (Louis Parascondola) > 9. Re: K5P 1/25/16 on 160 meters (Don Kirk) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2016 21:05:12 +0000 (UTC) > From: Dennis W0JX <w...@yahoo.com> > To: <topband@contesting.com> > Subject: Re: Topband: Spotlight Propation > Message-ID: > <1039514182.603535.1453669512969.javamail.ya...@mail.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > I've been active on 160 since 1960 starting with a Heath AT-1 at 50 watts > into a 40 meter dipole with the feeders tied together. Cleveland from > Chicago was considered real DX! Starting in 1983, I began to chase real DX > on 160 so I've seen 33 DX seasons pass by so far. > > My anecdotal experience is that spotlight propagation occurs more > frequently than we think and that, at times, the spotlight can be a > pinpoint. For example, with the FT4TA operation, some ops were reporting > that the spotlight seemed to have been as small as 20 miles and certainly > 50 mile differences are very common. > > Also, there appears to be a pattern where some areas of the US get the > spotlights more often than others, primarily those locations in the > southern part of the US, although there are some northern locations that > seem to be favored too. > > In the end, it is what it is. If you are not in the spotlight when that > form of propagation is occurring, it doesn't matter what you have for a > receiving antenna. You just are not going to hear the DX station. But as it > has been stated frequently here, if you snooze you lose. You just have to > be stuck in your chair for the duration waiting for that potential 15 > second opening to exchange calls and reports. > > GLTA Dennis W0JX > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2016 16:27:19 -0500 > From: Bill Tippett <btipp...@alum.mit.edu> > To: topband <topband@contesting.com> > Subject: Re: Topband: South Sandwich previous activity > Message-ID: > <CAOH7AOoZAPU957= > zauka37km6-ypkckdiba4_r0jjjd_+jf...@mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > My memory slipped on KJ9I's name (Dave not Bob) but I did remember the > details correctly: > > 2016-01-21 11:56:43Z *W4ZV* Bill Dave to my knowledge this is the first > VP8/SSI that has worked any NA at all. > > > > 2016-01-21 11:57:04Z *K1QX* Craig (RG) Really Bill? > > > > 2016-01-21 11:57:15Z *KJ9I* Dave yes Bill.. that's correct > > > > 2016-01-21 11:57:56Z *W4ZV* Bill You didn't from VP8SSI (did you), > VP8THU didn't (microlite) and I doubt any others did. > > > > 2016-01-21 11:58:34Z *KJ9I* Dave Bill, I worked a couple SA, all I > could get to with the damaged antenna I was using > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2016 14:39:06 -0800 > From: wb6r...@mac.com > To: Top Band List List <topband@contesting.com> > Subject: Topband: Spotlights > Message-ID: <a096a2d7-381b-4046-8af0-c8ef673a6...@mac.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > > In addition to very brief anxiety ridden spotlights, I?ve also experienced > some memorably long ones on Top Band. > > 1) Oct 9, 2005. CX5BW. It was the usual 3 minute eternity waiting for the > Alpha to warmup while hoping the opening would last. Q@ 0303Z and Pedro > was on for quite awhile remaining Q5. My RX antenna was a 10 ft coax loop > diamond, 2.5 ft on a side. > > 2) Oct 18, 2007. ES1QD. I thought it was a local CQing. When he ID?d, I > almost fell out of my chair reaching for the amp?s ON switch. Q @ 0322Z and > he was there for hours. > > 3) Sept 25, 2008. EL2DX. Q @ 0431Z. There for several hours. > > All of the above Qs were easy, just one or a few calls. > > ?Chance favors those who are prepared.? Louis Pasteur. > > 73 - Steve WB6RSE > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2016 16:58:21 -0600 > From: "Lloyd - N9LB" <lloydb...@charter.net> > To: "'Top Band List List'" <topband@contesting.com> > Subject: Re: Topband: Spotlights > Message-ID: <001201d156fa$b94d03e0$2be70ba0$@charter.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Regarding working DX on 160m... > > "Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity" > Seneca > > > -----Original Message----- > "Chance favors those who are prepared." Louis Pasteur. > 73 - Steve WB6RSE > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2016 00:38:37 +0000 > From: W7RH <midnigh...@cox.net> > To: topband <topband@contesting.com> > Subject: Re: Topband: Topband Spotlight Propagation Theorem (lucky > evening) > Message-ID: <56a56e8d.1070...@cox.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > I started listening yesterday (Saturday Evening) at sundown monitoring > 1826.5 with waterfall local display via a small 3 ft loop. Operators at > VP8STI would come and go checking propagation every 20-30 minutes. Based > upon my experience with the remote I knew I could QSO if the band was > not too crowded. > > At about 0430 UTC I made a post on the low band reflector that I was > beginning to hear the station. About 0450 UTC the VP8 was strong enough > to call. After a couple repeats due to QSB he was in the log at 05:05 > UTC and slowly faded to nothing by about 05:20 UTC. According to the > waterfall display there were probably only a dozen of us that were > hearing him. I heard him come back to KG7H but he apparently had a fade. > Whoever the operator was took his time to insure a good QSO, that is why > I exchanged contest reports twice during contact with a little QSB. His > signal strength was S1 and I had intermittent static crashed of S3. > Essentially I was in or near the seat listening and watching for about > 4.5 hours. I consider my self very lucky to get a contact as NX7M, Josh > N7DD, Larry and N5IA, Milt reported not hearing a peep all within about > 350 miles of me. > > When I worked them earlier in the week on 80m their signal strength was > no different, just less band noise. (single vertical 100W) > > Beam heading was SE at 155 degrees, power from trusty TS480 ~ 100W. I > have no additional RX antennas at the remote site except for a local > spotting RX loop. Receive signals are from TX antenna which in this case > is a 3 EL end-fire beam width of ~110 degrees. > > Good luck you guys ! It's a tough one to crack. I'll be listening. > > Bob > > http://w7rh.net > > > W7RH DM35OS > > Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm > not sure about the former. Albert Einstein > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2016 21:54:14 -0500 > From: "Tim Duffy" <k...@k3lr.com> > To: <topband@contesting.com>, <cq-cont...@contesting.com> > Subject: Topband: 2016 Dayton Top Band Dinner speaker announced > Message-ID: <DD270D9E0CBA4684A41FB4634C01D515@laptop> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > I am pleased to announce that Tree, N6TR will be the featured speaker at > the > 2016 Dayton Top Band Dinner. > > Details can be found here: > > http://topbanddinner.com > > 73 > Tim K3LR > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2016 22:36:21 -0500 (EST) > From: donov...@starpower.net > To: topband <topband@contesting.com> > Subject: Topband: South Sandwich DXpedition May Need to Go Off Air > Abruptly Due to Weather > Message-ID: > <837677057.627939.1453692981094.javamail.r...@starpower.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > > http://www.arrl.org/news/south-sandwich-dxpedition-may-need-to-go-off-air-abruptly-due-to-weather > > > 73 > Frank > W3LPL > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 8 > Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2016 09:05:05 -0500 > From: Louis Parascondola <gudguy...@aol.com> > To: topband@contesting.com, qrz2...@gmail.com, rickstea...@icloud.com, > ser...@comcast.net, w2...@juno.com, w...@snet.net > Subject: Topband: K5P 1/25/16 on 160 meters > Message-ID: <152791a2e81-70a8-...@webprd-a50.mail.aol.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Lou+w1qj > > > Enjoy, Lou W1QJ > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 9 > Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2016 10:05:03 -0500 > From: Don Kirk <wd8...@gmail.com> > To: Louis Parascondola <gudguy...@aol.com> > Cc: topband <topband@contesting.com>, qrz2...@gmail.com, > rickstea...@icloud.com, ser...@comcast.net, w2...@juno.com, > w...@snet.net > Subject: Re: Topband: K5P 1/25/16 on 160 meters > Message-ID: > <CAKtW65cz= > mqrsowgtxxavrumv0c6mdtsbusatzd_zljum0g...@mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > Hi Lou and gang, > > Lou thanks for the link to your K5P recording, and below is a link to a > youtube video I made on Jan 16 while copying K5P on 160 meters that also > includes comparison of my approximate half size pennant versus my 68 foot > base loaded TX vertical for copying K5P (with noise floor set equal on them > so you can instantly see the improvement in signal to noise ratio when > using the pennant). > > I was copying K5P just fine around 09:45 UTC today (6 dB above my noise > floor), but they could not hear my 100 watt station (they kept on calling > CQ with numerous stations calling them but it was apparent they were not > hearing a majority of them). Normally if a Dxpedition is 6 dB above my > noise floor I don't have a problem working them running 100 watts, but that > has not been the case with K5P (probably partly due to the big pile ups, > but that was not the case this morning). > > Unfortunately I leave the house at 1100 UTC for work, so I always miss > happy hour (sunrise enhancement). > > Youtube Link to wd8dsb recording of K5P: > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbyXcyatsYs > > 73, > Don (wd8dsb) > > On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 9:05 AM, Louis Parascondola via Topband < > topband@contesting.com> wrote: > > > https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Lou+w1qj > > > > > > Enjoy, Lou W1QJ > > _________________ > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > Topband mailing list > Topband@contesting.com > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband > > > ------------------------------ > > End of Topband Digest, Vol 157, Issue 54 > **************************************** > _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
