Thanks to all,
I have just swapped out the coax with new RG-6 and it makes a world of difference. On 160 mtrs there isn't hardly anything to judge by since signals if they are there are so low. I tried the broadcast band and the beverage is now working. Just how well is hard to tell. One 80 mtrs I was copying a qso between two stations, one who was about 59+10/15 over. When I switched in the beverage he went way down to about S-1 to S3. I could still copy the stronger of the two stations but the S-9 one I could not copy at all on the beverage. Just going from background of S-7 and switching to the beverage I go down to S0/1. I think I'm going to try a preamp on this beverage. Think my 35-40 dB preamp for the Waller-Flag might suffice if I cut the gain back a ways. But the bottom line is the problem appeared to be old RG-6 coax. Like Gary is saying, it will take some time to be sure. If I can hear the Europeans on 3.799.0 tonight you can bet I'll have a smile on my face. As usual this job took me about 5 times as long as anyone else. My building antennas or about anything seems to work out that way. But I'm retired, what else do I have to do with my time. Right? Thanks for the help. Terry KI7M > On January 13, 2018 at 4:18 PM kd9sv wrote: > > > Terry, if the antenna hears noise it should also hear signals. I must > admit > the 160 meter band has been almost completely void of signals much of the > time. Listen the last weekend of Jan during the 160 contest and you will > get a different opinion I'm sure although pointing the beverage north is > not > a good idea since signals rarely come from the north. 73, de gary, kd9sv > > -----Original Message----- > From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com > mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com ] On Behalf Of terry > burge > Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2018 5:01 PM > To: Lee STRAHAN; topband@contesting.com mailto:topband@contesting.com > Subject: Re: Topband: My beverage only hears static? > > Hi Lee, > > > The only thing I've noticed are some pops going on some of the receive > antennas that I think may be an electric fence or some power line arcing. > They are about 1-2 seconds apart. I see them sometimes and I can see it > causing the AGC on fast to cut back the gain on the receiver. But that > does > not sound like the constant static I hear. > > > Just bought some new RG-6 coax from Norvac to replace this old stuff and > make sure it's not that. Also got some resistors and 'gators' for checking > my 4:1 and 9:1 XFMR's like Tree was telling me. Also got some fence post > and > 1 1/2" PVC to put up a NE beverage that I hope will reach at least 400 > feet > or better. > > > Terry > > KI7M > > > > On January 13, 2018 at 11:50 AM Lee STRAHAN wrote: > > > > > > Hello All, > > I may not have seen all of the posts on this topic but will comment > > > > > anyway. > > > > Two things come to mind about this noise. Number one is you do not > > > > > want to connect the shield of the coax going to the receiver to the > > ground > stake for the antenna. It's important that the transformer you use has an > isolated winding for the output to the cable leading to the shack. The > other > comment is you may have some local arcing or digital noise that the Tx > antenna does not hear. The best clue to checking for this is to use the AM > mode on your receiver and listen for the characteristic hum from a power > line or switching supply. > > > > Good Luck > > Lee K7TJR OR > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com > > mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com > > > > > mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com > > mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com ] On Behalf Of terry burge > > > > Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2018 11:09 AM > > To: David Olean ; topband@contesting.com > > mailto:topband@contesting.com mailto:topband@contesting.com > > mailto:topband@contesting.com > > Subject: Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 181, Issue 16 > > > > Hello Dave and Group, > > > > > > I had responded directly to Martin and will include my comments to > > > > > him. Right now I hesitate to pull the tape off the coax at the XFRM > > but will > do that ASAP to check it out. When I took it off the old spool it had not > been used but it is donated to me from a junk yard lot. I also got a 4 > foot > spool nearly full of 1/2" hardline I'm planning on replacing my ground run > of LMR-400 with. 75 ohm but it should work if I can build the connections > to > the LMR-400 PL-259's, etc. > > > > Disconnecting the ground as well as the BOG (in this > case) from the > > > > > XFRM causes the noise to drop down to about S-1 to S-2. > > > > With ground connected to the XFRM I get about S-5 noise level > without > > > > > any antenna. > > > > Per my note to Martin you can read my other test. Right now with > the > > > > > 550-600 ft. beverage hooked up along with ground of course, I get S-5 > > noise > level and can't hear an S-9+10 over signal on 7.235 Mhz. > > > > Terry > > > > KI7M > > > > --------------------------------------------- > > > > _________________ > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > http://www.avg.com > _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband