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Re: Topband: ARRL 160

To: donovanf@starpower.net
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160
From: MR TREVOR DUNNE <ei2glb@eircom.net>
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2017 20:19:04 +0000 (GMT)
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
I understand that I have to improve my RX antennas as currently I find the TX 
antenna is better on RX that both of my current RX antennas, While I get a good 
reduction in noise floor on the RX antenna's the DX just isn't workable on them

The TX antenna is 55ft of Aluminum Tube It tapers from 2.25" to 1" at the top, 
I have 2 top loading wires each 50ft long tied off to Tall trees in the 
distance,
The ends of the top loading wires are approximately 45ft high, I'm using a 4" 
diameter coil double tapped to get Resonance and to match the feedline to 
50ohms,

I have currently 48 radials mostly between 15-25m long, I hope to improve this 
greatly in the spring before the grass starts to grow again, 

RX antennas are a Wellbrook loop and a 450ft Beverage pointing NE for JA/OC

I need to put something up for NA and hope to do this over the holiday period 
ready for CQ160 in the new year,



Thanks
Trevor
EI2GLB

----- Original Message -----
From: donovanf@starpower.net
To: "MR TREVOR DUNNE" <ei2glb@eircom.net>
Cc: Gary@ka1j.com, "topband List" <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, 7 December, 2017 15:22:26
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160

Hi Trevor,

Please share with us the details of your antenna and ground system
Better transmit performance should be achievable

73
Frank
W3LPL

----- Original Message -----
From: MR TREVOR DUNNE &lt;ei2glb@eircom.net&gt;
To: Gary@ka1j.com
Cc: ''''''topband List'''''' &lt;topband@contesting.com&gt;
Sent: Wed, 06 Dec 2017 18:44:36 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160

Running 1kw to a 55ft top loaded vertical over a decent radial field I found 
many many stations that I could hear quiet well that could not hear me, it's 
very disheartening,

Is it my system or there's that's not working.

I'm already planning improvements for next year to try to improve my tx 
performance,

Trevor
EI2GLB 

----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Smith &lt;Gary@ka1j.com&gt;
To: topband@contesting.com
Sent: Sun, 03 Dec 2017 21:25:26 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: Topband: ARRL 160

This is the first major contest that I 
have taken part in a while, at least to 
the extent I actually put a real effort 
into it. Its taken a bit to get back in 
the game after my friend Pat became a SK 
this year. That said, I almost matched my 
score from two years ago when the band 
conditions were for me, far better for DX 
than this weekend.

I was running QRP with a less than ideal 
antenna yet still managed 535 QSOs. It was 
frustrating to hear so much DX and not be 
able to have them hear me. I'm guessing I 
must've heard at least 15 countries that I 
didn't work. When running QRP on 160, you 
have to go for low hanging fruit. I'm sure 
it's the same for everyone.

I was grateful that there weren't any 
storms happening locally this time and for 
the most part bands were pretty quiet. 
AMTRAK had its way with me at the Gray 
lines what with commuter trains running at 
that time but being a weekend made their 
schedule a little easier.

One of the surprises was when K7RAT called 
me Sunday Morning so at least my QRP 
signals were getting up to Boring, Oregon. 
The band must've been good because his 
signals were truly marvelous here as well, 
one of the loudest &amp; cleanest signals on 
the band and he heard me with no trouble. 
If that was you at the helm, thank you 
Tree for the multiplier!

Sunday morning at Gray line was really 
something beautiful to see on the P3. 1/2 
hour before there may have been 50-70 
people CQing and then the waterfall became 
a Kaleidoscope with the band packed with 
people as tight as sardines up to 1875 or 
so. It's obvious when the band changes and 
the atmospheric noise is visualized as 
color in motion, in two dimensions. If you 
haven't seen the morning Gray line on a 
waterfall during a 160 contest, you're 
missing something interesting.

Hope all had fun.

73,

Gary
KA1J
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