Posted: 2/19/2008 11:58:29 PM EDT
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I just picked up a used ICOM 730 for $260, the price seemed about right for the radio so I jumped. It appears to be in good condition and has some extra filters installed so that the IF Shift acts as a Band Pass filter. I borrowed an old Dentron Super Tuner and then ran a 4 wavelength(for 10 meters that is) wire out my window and along the top of a portion of the backyard fence(wood posts in concrete). That's only a hair over 6' up, but it is 140' of #14 wire. I've not taken my General test yet. I've been listening on 80, 40, 30 and 20 meters and have heard some activity. Some of the 40 and 30 meter broadcasts came in quite well. BUT, I hear NOTHING on 10 meters, especially the 200Khz that I'm allowed SSB phone usage between 28.3 and 28.5MHz. I've called CQ quite a few times over the weekend on 28.380, 28.390 and 28.475 and heard nothing. I did this several different times of the day and night hoping the 'D' layer wouldn't interfere or there might be a local ham listening. This is admittedly a hasty test with just a long wire type antenna that is very low. I haven't run a good chassis ground for the tuner or HF radio yet either, but I don't know if that is ham-stringing me or not, I certainly don't have to worry about lightening right now. The frame of my window is aluminum, but I have a 2" piece of wood that I drilled through to run antenna wire. I'm tempted at this point to just take the rig out to my truck and string the wire along the top of the sage brush and try again. I'm feeling like my lack of decent antenna structure at this point is preventing me from find out if I bought a lemon or not... I'm in the middle of my EMT class right now so I don't have much spare time for anything else. I should have waited until I had time to put up a better antenna, but the price seemed right and the only item missing out of the original packaging is the mobile mount. Any suggestions 
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My experience with 10M has been when it's open it is really open and a very hot band to work. When it isn't open it is good for local comms basically around town. I found 10M to be open last spring on and off for a duration of maybe 2 months. I'm trying to remember, but I believe it was May and June that were the two best months for openings. Again, the other 10 months out of the year it seems to be good for very local comms. To maximize your effectiveness on 20 thru 10 it is recommended to have a beam antenna and a rotator. Currently I run a wire antenna so I'm at a disadvantage on the higher HF freq's, but that's ok as it's how I like to operate. I'm sure all of this will change as we get deeper into this next sun cycle. I've heard many stories about people working the world on 10M. Unfortunately in radio people seem to tell us stories about the best day and not the reality of solar cycles and seasonal activity. Many don't seem to present people with what works on a day to day basis as a result inaccurate expectations get set. In 5 years we should be in a good place overall for propagation. |
| With the solar index being so low this part of the cycle it will be dead most of the time. But when the cycle improves it will sound like a contest most of the time. Check if your area has a 10 meter net. Try here www.ten-ten.org/ |
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There currently isn't much activity on 10 meters. People incorrectly assume it is never open, so they don't get on. Case in point; last weekend you could hear one signal on the band. VP6DX, the Ducie Island DXpedition. It was obviously open since we could here him, but everybody else was too busy telling themselves we were at a sunspot minimum. |
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The best way I have found to spot 10m openings is to listen on 11m. 10m sees so little use right now if it was open no one would know b/c everyone thinks that b/c it is supposed to be dead that it is. But when you can hear those CBers down in Alabama or where ever then jump over on 10 and you will find activity. -Bill |
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Thanks for the responses. I downloaded a couple Beacon Monitoring programs to try out and I suppose I could dig out the old K-40 CB as a last resort  |
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Interesting test last night. I had a simplex QSO on 2m with a ham that lives about 23 miles due south of me. Our QTH are about the same height ASL, but we have a large granite hill between us that is probably 800-1000'. I was using my FT-1500 pushing 50W into a copper J-pole that is about 18' up. The other ham was running an FT-2800 at 65W using a vertical commercial antenna that he has up about 20'. We were barely 2-3 on the S-meter to each other though very readable. When we tried 10 meters I could just barely hear a few letters of his call sign while he heard one word in the clear from me and that was after I sunk a 3' ground rod for my Icom and tuner. 10 meters was not usable in our current configuration. My end fed wire antenna for the Icom runs from my office about 15' to the SSE and then East for 70' then turns North for another 55', but again is only 6' up. The addition of the ground was huge as far as increasing the quality of 80 and 40 meter signals that I received. The experiment will continue. If this thread is still around I'll update it, otherwise I'll start a new one when I have anything further to add that is of note. |