Posted: 2/27/2015 11:07:54 PM EDT
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The band seems to be in great shape, come join the fun!
I need to re-tune the antenna tuner when I move very far across the band and have forgotten several times. Worked a few guys across the country now on about 25 Watts when the amp tripped off because I forgot to re-tune first. I may just get up in the middle of the night and see if I can finally get Alaska... 
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Crap, I keep forgetting that I made a nice 1/2 wave 160m dipole, but never got off my lazy ass to hang it. Still in the garage.  Is it me or was 160m better last winter? Maybe I just spent more time in front of the rig last year.
I've been banging away on RTYY for past 15 min. for Robinson Crusoe Is. I worked them earlier on 17m. They haven't been very strong here in WV for me & my dipoles.
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Daym..... No antenna for 160m...
I've been thinking about installing a full size horizontal loop at 50+ ft above ground. 50 feet above ground is way too low for 160m but I have no way to put it any higher.  25 years ago, I had a full size 160m, horizontal Delta Loop at 150 ft. It worked very well and was a lot quieter than a dipole at the same height.
Does anyone have experience with OCFD for 160 meters? Do you think it will work ok at a lower height (50-60ft)? |
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I think Elijah1 uses a horizontal wire on 160 and other bands. Might ask him about it since I know he does a lot of DX with it.
Just tripped the amp again working KS and he said I was S9 +5 when I was running 25W. He's 20 over here on my short Inverted-L transmit antenna and my Hi-Z receive array. |
I've got a relatively new ham exactly 2 miles North of me hitting me 40 over that I've never heard before.  Haven't talked to him but I see and hear him working stations up and down the band,. Called for him and he responded, couldn't help not hearing me this close on 160.
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Quoted:
I think Elijah1 uses a horizontal wire on 160 and other bands. Might ask him about it since I know he does a lot of DX with it. Just tripped the amp again working KS and he said I was S9 +5 when I was running 25W. He's 20 over here on my short Inverted-L transmit antenna and my Hi-Z receive array. Yea, an OCF dipole. 90' by 180' with a 4:1 balun. |
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Ran across the contest last night while working on something else, gave it about an hour before I had to go upstairs & made 30 some odd contacts that included Cayman Islands and Bahamas. Was using the ladder fed horizontal 160m FWL (551' @ about 75' average height). It transitions from 4" ladder to the TS-590 via a homebrew 3 core 9:1 current balun. It often sees use on all bands from 160m - 10m. No external tuner required.
Nick |