Wonderful time on 160m contest CW
 

Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but worked
stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Dee D. Flint wrote:
Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but worked
stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Wow. I wonder how many you would have worked on 160 with that antenna
if you had been using ssb?

I think that is one of the things that may dissapoint new hams that may
when the CW requirement is gone, (which I have predicted to happen about
the bottom of the sunspot cycle) and they get on the air, and they don't
do a whole lot after that? They will wonder what all the hubub was about.

Whereas you worked a lot of the US with an antenna that by all rights
shouldn't work much at all!

- Mike KB3EIA -

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
. ..
Dee D. Flint wrote:
Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but
worked
stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Wow. I wonder how many you would have worked on 160 with that antenna
if you had been using ssb?


It would not have worked well for sideband (although I have worked PA on ssb
on it) as it is too low to the ground and the background noise on 160m is
often high. I worked 4 hours Friday night and 4 hours Saturday night doing
the "hunt and pounce" approach. This doesn't net a lot of stations but you
find some interesting ones. Altogether I worked 104 stations in a total of
8 hours. The one I wonder about is where a person on Long Island finds room
for a 160m antenna!

I think that is one of the things that may dissapoint new hams that may
when the CW requirement is gone, (which I have predicted to happen about
the bottom of the sunspot cycle) and they get on the air, and they don't
do a whole lot after that? They will wonder what all the hubub was about.


I've often thought the same myself.

Whereas you worked a lot of the US with an antenna that by all rights
shouldn't work much at all!


As they say: any antenna is better than no antenna!

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Dee D. Flint wrote:

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
. ..

Dee D. Flint wrote:

Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but

worked

stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Wow. I wonder how many you would have worked on 160 with that antenna
if you had been using ssb?



It would not have worked well for sideband (although I have worked PA on ssb
on it) as it is too low to the ground and the background noise on 160m is
often high. I worked 4 hours Friday night and 4 hours Saturday night doing
the "hunt and pounce" approach. This doesn't net a lot of stations but you
find some interesting ones. Altogether I worked 104 stations in a total of
8 hours. The one I wonder about is where a person on Long Island finds room
for a 160m antenna!


I think that is one of the things that may dissapoint new hams that may
when the CW requirement is gone, (which I have predicted to happen about
the bottom of the sunspot cycle) and they get on the air, and they don't
do a whole lot after that? They will wonder what all the hubub was about.



I've often thought the same myself.


Whereas you worked a lot of the US with an antenna that by all rights
shouldn't work much at all!



As they say: any antenna is better than no antenna!

hehe, try telling that to some of the r.r.a.antenns group! Of course the
guru's there are operating in rarified atmosphere. (no disrespect, there
are some mighty knowledgeable people there - it's just that a person can
start a thread, and the first one or two answers answer the problem,
then the thread turns into a antenna minutae free for all. Hmm sounds
familiar!!

- Mike KB3EIA -

"Dee D. Flint" wrote

Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend.

Sorry I missed you, but Michigan was well represented. We only operated for
about 2 hours, so our score is just over 10,000. Heard W4NTI at about
esp-level, but QSB was bad, so I didn't try to call him. I wonder who was
operating KV4FZ --- pretty sure it wasn't Herb, because the operator was
really stumbling.

Getting ready for the 10M contest next. K0CKB and I will do a sort of
multi/multi split between A1 and A3.

73, Hans, K0HB

Mike Coslo wrote in message ...
Dee D. Flint wrote:
Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but worked
stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Wow. I wonder how many you would have worked on 160 with that antenna
if you had been using ssb?

I think that is one of the things that may dissapoint new hams that may
when the CW requirement is gone, (which I have predicted to happen about
the bottom of the sunspot cycle) and they get on the air, and they don't
do a whole lot after that? They will wonder what all the hubub was about.

Whereas you worked a lot of the US with an antenna that by all rights
shouldn't work much at all!

- Mike KB3EIA -


Wow, as a newbie I had EXACTLY the opposite experience.

I was a Novice and could hardly hear or work anyone on CW. After
upgrading to Tech, I was talked in to cutting my 40M dipole down to
10M (because I upgraded about the same time as the Novice Enhancement
came along), and got on 10M SSB. WOWEE!!! That was what all the
hubub was about!

And my 10M antenna was tied off to a crabapple tree at 8', and the
other end was tied off to the gutter at about 12'.

Yup, CW gets through when everything else will - sometimes.

Brian

Mike Coslo wrote in message t...


hehe, try telling that to some of the r.r.a.antenns group! Of course the
guru's there are operating in rarified atmosphere.

ditto here.

"Dee D. Flint" wrote in message
gy.com...
Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but
worked
stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE


Your a real go getter Dee D. Congrats. Next time try an inverted L.
They say you need radials, but I don't have any, yet. Works good.

Dan/W4NTI

"Brian" wrote in message
m...
Mike Coslo wrote in message
...
Dee D. Flint wrote:
Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but
worked
stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Wow. I wonder how many you would have worked on 160 with that antenna
if you had been using ssb?

I think that is one of the things that may dissapoint new hams that may
when the CW requirement is gone, (which I have predicted to happen about
the bottom of the sunspot cycle) and they get on the air, and they don't
do a whole lot after that? They will wonder what all the hubub was
about.

Whereas you worked a lot of the US with an antenna that by all rights
shouldn't work much at all!

- Mike KB3EIA -


Wow, as a newbie I had EXACTLY the opposite experience.

I was a Novice and could hardly hear or work anyone on CW. After
upgrading to Tech, I was talked in to cutting my 40M dipole down to
10M (because I upgraded about the same time as the Novice Enhancement
came along), and got on 10M SSB. WOWEE!!! That was what all the
hubub was about!

And my 10M antenna was tied off to a crabapple tree at 8', and the
other end was tied off to the gutter at about 12'.

Yup, CW gets through when everything else will - sometimes.

Brian

Here is something you can use in your life Brian;

It takes two things to communicate, an operator at both ends.

Everything will radiate, its the degree of effeciency thereof.

Have a nice day.

Dan/W4NTI

"KØHB" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Dee D. Flint" wrote

Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend.

Sorry I missed you, but Michigan was well represented. We only operated
for
about 2 hours, so our score is just over 10,000. Heard W4NTI at about
esp-level, but QSB was bad, so I didn't try to call him. I wonder who was
operating KV4FZ --- pretty sure it wasn't Herb, because the operator was
really stumbling.

Getting ready for the 10M contest next. K0CKB and I will do a sort of
multi/multi split between A1 and A3.

73, Hans, K0HB





Sorry I missed you. That was probably on Friday evening when I was doing my
CQ thing.

I didn't do much of that on Saturday. Really didn't get into it much. But
condx were hot.

I think it was the Herpster. He called me by name. So maybe he was having
a bad day too.. hi.

But his signal was s3 on Friday. ANd S9 on Saturday.

Dan/W4NTI

"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in message
ink.net...

"Dee D. Flint" wrote in message
gy.com...
Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but
worked
stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE


Your a real go getter Dee D. Congrats. Next time try an inverted L.
They say you need radials, but I don't have any, yet. Works good.

Dan/W4NTI

Definitely going to do something different with an antenna next year. Don't
know what yet but I've liked what I read about the inverted L. I sure would
have liked to work that Wyoming that I heard so faintly.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Definitely going to do something different with an antenna next year. Don't
know what yet but I've liked what I read about the inverted L. I sure would
have liked to work that Wyoming that I heard so faintly.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE



Maybe a 1/4 wave length of wire with a weather baloon at the top? A big
problem is
if it should get blown down and find the local high voltage distribution
lines.....

"Dee D. Flint" wrote

Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend.

The Boring Amateur Radio Club would like to thank the ARRL for
recently completing the warm up competition for the 8th running of the
Stew Perry TopBand Challenge which will rock the ionosphere Dec. 27-28.

The rules may be perused at:
http://www.jzap.com/k7rat/stew.html

Now you know which hardware improvements/adjustments/renovations
should be done to optimize your unique situation...or not. Anybody from
hard-core icons of TopBand wizardry to the Newbie who just found out the
radio has a spot next to that big dial that says 1.8 can make a few or a
lot of Q's.

Recognition for Participants come from the competitors themselves
by sponsoring plaques for situations that they feel are important. The
donor Stalwarts and categories already spoken for are listed below:
Sponsor Category
KL7RA Top QSO Total
K1PX Top Score, Single Op, Europe, Low Power
VK6VZ Top Score using Home-brew gear (VK5AX memorial-winner
receives RFDS Cap)
WA9IRV Top Score by Operator of own Station in
VE3,VE4,MN,WI,ND
N5IA Most Grid Squares worked
N5UL Top Score, Single Op, Low Power
Horned Toad Wireless Top Score, Single Op, Low Power, Rest of World
W7GG Top Score, Single Op, QRP
BARC Top Score by a Plaque Donor

You want immortality? You want fame? You see a category that needs
channeling through you for expression in the TopBand world? Then simply
commit to spend $50.00 and impart that idea to me. First come....first
spoken for...first get! Several Stalwarts are pondering their categories
as we speak so decide upon one and e-mail me directly. This Contest is
what we all make it...and we all make it fun. The plaques from the 2002
event have all been sent out and should be arriving at the plaque
winners QTH's currently.

73 and I remain,
Lew W7EW/W7AT
Boring Amateur Radio Club
P.O.Box 3110
Salem, OR. 97302
U.S.A.

Dee D. Flint wrote:
"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in message
ink.net...

"Dee D. Flint" wrote in message
digy.com...

Just wanted to say I had a great time working the 160m CW contest this
weekend. Only had a random wire at less than 10ft off the ground but

worked

stations from Maine to S. Texas.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE


Your a real go getter Dee D. Congrats. Next time try an inverted L.
They say you need radials, but I don't have any, yet. Works good.

Dan/W4NTI


Definitely going to do something different with an antenna next year. Don't
know what yet but I've liked what I read about the inverted L. I sure would
have liked to work that Wyoming that I heard so faintly.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE


Dan, what kind of ground system do you use?


- Mike KB3EIA -