My Perfect 10 Meters
John Rippey (W3ULS)
on
January 10, 2003
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December's ARRL 10-meter contest gave ten-meter enthusiasts such as myself another opportunity to experience much of what this wonderful band has to offer, even as the solar cycle slowly declines. Conditions overall from the East Coast of the U.S. were excellent to Europe and I got to musing about how, if I could wave a magic wand, the band could be improved. So here is my perfect 10 meters -- from a DelMarVa perspective, bearing in mind that this description of the perfect 10 meters assumes wintertime, a noiseless environment and very low propagation indices (e.g., A3, K1).
11 A.M.: First off, since I am not a morning person, 10 meters would not open to the east until 11 a.m. First signals coming in would be from Asiatic Russia and environs (e.g., Kyrgyzstan) in Time Zone 17. In the next couple of hours, the propagation would gradually move westward through Eastern European countries and the Middle East.
12 P.M.: Lunch Break. (The westward movement of propagation would be put on hold.)
1 P.M.: Propagation resumes. This time countries, such as those in Scandinavia, and Germany, France, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Malta, Cyprus etc. become prominent. Also, African countries begin to appear.
3 P.M. United Kingdom stations predominate as the Western Europeans slowly fade away. African stations (and Madeira, etc.) continue to be heard.
4 P.M.: Tea time. Again, propagation is put on hold.
4:30 P.M.: Propagation switches to Latin America, Canada's northernmost areas (e.g., Yukon, Northwest Territories) Alaska and Hawaii.
5 P.M.: Antarctica is heard from, as well as the South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea, Sakhalin Island, Mongolia, etc. I have never heard an Indian station on 10 meters, so I would add that subcontinent to this wish list as the daylight fades.
6 P.M.: Station goes QRT. Chores are done, such as processing QSL cards, backing up the computer logging program, etc.
7 P.M. 'til bedtime: Supper, studying yet another chapter in the ARRL Antenna Book.
73,
John, W3ULS
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by K5DVW on January 10, 2003
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My perfect 10 Meters would simply be not hearing truckers and other rouge users crapping up the lower portion of the band.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by N6TGK on January 10, 2003
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I was planning on saying something about the bootleggers, freebanders or pirates...whatever you want to call them, but someone beat me to it. The problem could be made better if the FCC and Riley were going after the individuals selling these radios. Take a look at copper.com. In their product list they sell exported illegal amplifiers...why isn't the FCC doing something? I sent a message to the FCC almost a year ago and no one has dome anything.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KC5NYJ on January 10, 2003
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Well, guys, although I'm not into 10 meters, I do scan around there from time to time to practice CW copy. The flap over CB pirates and their amps is somewhat of a dead horse issue. Fact is, from what I've heard, the overwhelming majority of traffic above 27.5 is coming from Mexico and S. America. The FCC has no jurisdiction over those countries, and I have never had any problem copying anything from 28mc on up because of them. I think it's really time amateurs concentrate on policing their own messes in the HF and VHF regions and stop worrying about those wannabes. As soon as cycle 23 winds down, they'll be gone for the most part, with, once again, no real harm done. Ironically, it's a fact that many licensed Amateurs fool around on 11m and there are plenty of stations operating there that would put many licensed stations to shame, both in equipment and operationally. Besides, the thread is about "My Perfect 10 Meters", not "How I Can Carp And Moan About Things That Don't Really Affect Me".
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KT8K on January 10, 2003
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Ouch. (that might have been a little harsh, KC5NYJ)
I have noted 95+% Spanish language incursions into 10M, but they are more annoyance than anything else.
As for 10 meters, the December 10M contest almost made it my favorite band. The level of 10M activity was excellent both preceding and during the contest. I worked a bunch of new countries with my 5 watts and had a ball.
It was amazing how many stations were still audible late at night, when in the previous and following weeks hardly a signal could be detected after 6PM at my QTH. Sometimes I think bands that seem to be dead often aren't really, and it is just a matter of having more stations out there calling CQ to show the true band conditions. I am trying to call CQ on seemingly-dead bands more these days as a result.
Hope to C U on the airwaves.
Best 73 es rx de kt8k - Tim
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by N0UY on January 10, 2003
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I enjoy the 10 meter band very much and is usually the first place I tune the rig when returning home from work. It is a large amount of spectrum where most can find something of interest. The perfect 10 meter propagation as described would be something to behold but would soon loose its flavor after a short time. I am going to enjoy whatever is left of this cycle and patiently wait for the next. Meanwhile, if I can help stop the bandits count me in. 73 ray
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by K0RGR on January 10, 2003
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My perfect 10 meters would involve a little remapping of the band plan. I would keep the CW/Digital band from 28.0-28.150. I would allow SSB on 28.150 and up. NBFM would be allowed from 28.600 and up. The FM repeater segment would be expanded to 29 Mhz. and up, with a 100Khz. satellite band in the middle of the 29-29.7 segment. Another segment from 28.550 to 28.6 would be designated by gentlemen's agreement for AM.
This would give you 150 Khz. for CW and digital modes, 400 Khz for SSB, 50 Khz for AM, and 1.1 Mhz. for all modes, including FM with a 100 Khz. satellite band. This top 1.1 Mhz. might also be the best place for new modes, like digital voice (coming very soon!).
I would eliminate the Novice/Technician bands and grant Novices and Techs full priveleges on this band.
Together, all of these changes would make for higher utilization and increased enjoyment of 10 meters for all of us who love the band.
Of course, it might be harder to get everyone to agree to this than it would be to change the laws of physics to keep 10 meters open all through the solar cycle, which is my second wish.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KE1MB on January 10, 2003
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The perfect 10 meter band, the way it was back in 1986/87 when I first got my ticket and was working people with an old choped up CB running 250milliWatts of power on SSB.
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Dream on...
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by NB6Z on January 10, 2003
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My perfect 10 meters would be one that does not close at sunset and has worldwide propagation year round...
It seems to me that none of the 11 years cycle peaks have been as good as my first one that was at peak when I first got my license!
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by AG4RQ on January 10, 2003
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"The perfect 10 meter band, the way it was back in 1986/87 when I first got my ticket and was working people with an old choped up CB running 250milliWatts of power on SSB."
I couldn't agree more. I have 2 Realistic TRC-449 CB's (circa 1977-1978). I use one on 10m, and the other on 12m. My CB's do more than 250 mw, however. The 10m rig does 18W and the 12m rig does 15W.
Things were better when hams had to use their knowledge of electronics and their creativity to put a CB on 10m for mobile use. Back in the '70s and '80s, there were no mobile 10m rigs. There were no pirates either. Back then, we had hams using CB's on 10m. Now, we have CBers using ham rigs on 10m.
My perfect 10m band would include:
1- More use of the band beyond the Novice sub band.
2- More use of the band, period.
3- Use of the band for local traffic at night, such as for roundtables and ragchews. The 2m band is supposed to serve this purpose, but there's never any activity on 2.
4- Elimination of all pirates.
As another post indicated, the band is open more often than most hams think. When there's no activity, we all assume that the band is closed. Call CQ on a couple of frequencies. Start some activity on the band. Also, all of us need to check 10m at night for Sporadic E activity. Some of the best Sporadic E occurs between sunset and 10 or 11 PM. The best gauge for band openings on 10m is to check 11m. If there's activity on 11, then 10 is open also. I check 27.185 MHz (CB channel 19). If the noise level is high, then 10m is open.
As for propagation conditions, I'd keep them as they are. If propagation was always strong and reliable, and always the same I'd get bored in a short time. Irregularities and unpredictibility of propagation is what makes ham radio fun.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KB5LPA on January 10, 2003
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Open all the time. No illegal operators anywhere. More people on the band as it is a good band to operate. No high power stations,say 100 watts for everybody. No arguing about what mode is better. People that would follow the rules in the Perfect 10.All license classes allowed so new people could learn from ones that would care to help them. No "59,73" contacts,at least get more than the basic qso onformation. 73
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KZ9G on January 10, 2003
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Hi,
Ten meters really IS open all the time; the band just isn't being utilized. When F2 and sporadic-E isn't reflecting signals, there are always the ground wave and scatter modes. Ground wave operation is relatively independent of power levels. That is, 10 to 100 watts will provide decent local range from 10 to 100 miles. Scatter operation can be had with a kilowatt and a 3 element beam or larger. I remember making an extra 100 to 200 contacts during the 1988 ARRL 10 meter contest using scatter modes in the late evening and early morning hours. Our club station was running 1200 watts CW / legal limit SSB along with a 5 ele monobander at 35 feet (Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS). SSB and CW scatter contacts with other kilowatt stations were really easy. Working 100 watt stations with directional antennas required a bit of operator skill (good ears).
The band is always open to some degree, even when you think it isn't... Sporadic-E skip will surprise even the most experienced operators. Why? Most hams cruise the band and hear nothing. With that, they either switch bands or flip the big switch - before calling CQ. I personally can't count the times when I'd thought the band was dead (it wasn't). But, I followed through and called CQ. This roused others around the country who were spinning their VFO's. On a few of those occasions, I realized my QSO stirred up a hornet’s nest of activity.
I like 10 meters just the way it is - unpredictable. This makes it exciting and fun!
73 de Steve, KZ9G
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by N9RLA on January 10, 2003
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>I like 10 meters just the way it is - unpredictable. >This makes it exciting and fun!
>73 de Steve, KZ9G
Well put Steve!
I spent several years as a Tech+ and since I enjoy contesting, 10m became my favorite band. Now I have my extra, and I'm primarily a VHF contestor, but when I work HF it's mostly on 10.
Had a real blast in last months 10 meter contest. Just wish I had more time to operate, and a real antenna:-)
73
Dan
Dan Evans N9RLA
Scottsburg, IN 47170
{EM78}
N9RLA /R no budget Rover
Check out the Rover Resource Page at:
http://www.qsl.net/n9rla
QRP-l #1269
IN-Ham list administrator
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by WA8KAZ on January 10, 2003
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10-10 International is dedicated to promoting amateur activity and good operating practice on 10m. While it might be nice to dream about an "ideal" 10m, I would like to invite any amateur to stop by and say "CQ CQ CQ 10m". I would appreciate the opportunity for a QSO with you.
73 de WA8KAZ Wayne
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by M0CUS on January 11, 2003
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10 meters is pretty good just as it is in the UK. Most of the 11m operators tend to stay away from it over here, the few that are left that is and thank god it is still a full "A Licence" band, unlike most of the other bands in the UK. After all who needs CB when you have M3.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by K1MKF on January 11, 2003
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I've also never had illegal activity prevent me from making a QSO. I would like the CW/digital/beacon subbands to have a little more room. 300khz of 1.7mhz seems small. I would open the FM segment a bit more, maybe NFM is the way to go. I don't understand the Novice/Tech subband. I thought there weren't any new Novice or Tech + licenses being issued. Is it just for those previously licensed?
I love 10m and check it every time I power up the rig. From there I move to 12m then 17m. If 40m was clear of broadcast stations in the evening I might end up there.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by K8UPA on January 11, 2003
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My perfect 10 meters hmmm...
Ideally my idea of the perfect 10 meters is the propogation phenomenon, which would occur only on 10m, that eliminates the qsb effect which seems to happen when you finally make contact with the one station you have been hunting for some time. Oh yah, this would also filter out the tuner-uppers :)
73
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by WD6EJN on January 11, 2003
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This is one of the reasons I have been trying to promote activity on the subbands of ten and other bands with my sites on the web for over five years now,, also besides just creating apresense,,,practical code practice on the air instead of tapes.
We just need to get on these bands and create more activity.
By just turning on your radio and getting on cw(regardless of code speed antenna or power)eventually things will change
Go to my E-ham post "WAS worked all streets!"
and well go from there.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KE2IV on January 11, 2003
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Call them "freebanders", "pirates" or whatever. Any ham who has ever "opened up" his/her GC rig and then sold it as "MARS-Modified" is as much to blame as the bootleggers themselves.
Take a look at the listings here, on the other HAM websites plus EBay. If all those people selling all those MARS-Modified rigs really worked MARS they wouldn't always be looking for participants in that service.
So, next time you "open up" your rig because you think it would be cool to have GC transmit, think about what happens when that toy no longer amuses you and you go to sell it for something new. And please don't tell me you're only going to sell it to another ham who shows you a ticket. There's a term for folks say that, it's abbreviated B.S.
Frankly, I no longer let this issue bother me. I can't change the world and doubt most hams really care. After all, if they did, they wouldn't be "opening up" their rigs all the time, would they?
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by WD6EJN on January 11, 2003
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I'm just curious? why don't you do this now?
What's keeping you off the air,, and on the web (I assume) is it antenna restrictions? or what.
Just curious.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by WD6EJN on January 11, 2003
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters Reply
by KE1MB on January 10, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
The perfect 10 meter band, the way it was back in 1986/87 when I first got my ticket and was working people with an old choped up CB running 250milliWatts of power on SSB.
Just curious,,,why don't you still qso with people using less than 1 watt? is it perhaps antenna restrictions? or are you implying too much qrm?
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RE: Dream on...
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by WD6EJN on January 11, 2003
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Dream on... Reply
by NB6Z on January 10, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
My perfect 10 meters would be one that does not close at sunset and has worldwide propagation year round...
It seems to me that none of the 11 years cycle peaks have been as good as my first one that was at peak when I first got my license!
I think I'm going to start posting as "renagade ham"
or something,, as my thinking seems to be somewhat
unorthodox.
But excuse me,,,why do you absulutely positively
have to make a contact over 10,000 miles away?
There seems to be a kind of "Seti" mentality out there
these days,, if you don't have an antenna the size of Aricebo, you might as well quit!!
I would be quite content making a cw contact (especially if it keeps the riff raff out) to the ham just over the hill or next community,,or if I have to use an indoor antenna for that matter,,,the ham down the street.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by WD6EJN on January 11, 2003
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Reply
by KE2IV on January 11, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
Call them "freebanders", "pirates" or whatever. Any ham who has ever "opened up" his/her GC rig and then sold it as "MARS-Modified" is as much to blame as the bootleggers themselves.
Take a look at the listings here, on the other HAM websites plus EBay. If all those people selling all those MARS-Modified rigs really worked MARS they wouldn't always be looking for participants in that service.
So, next time you "open up" your rig because you think it would be cool to have GC transmit, think about what happens when that toy no longer amuses you and you go to sell it for something new. And please don't tell me you're only going to sell it to another ham who shows you a ticket. There's a term for folks say that, it's abbreviated B.S.
Frankly, I no longer let this issue bother me. I can't change the world and doubt most hams really care. After all, if they did, they wouldn't be "opening up" their rigs all the time, would they?
I'm confused, if these rigs are sold with optional modifications for military use, then why don't they include information to make them type excepted? it seems to me the military would want
to have these rigs as clean as the biggest most expensive rigs out there,,I would hope most hams when
modifying them would review there knowledge and experience to make them "type excepted".
I once modified a Midland side band rig using a kit
but could not adequately tune either side of a channel
other than adding more swing to the crystal varicap.
I also could not tune the oposite sideband on many channels which have a bigger space between channels.
I just assumed that the modification included many parts to make it type excepted, but just to be on the safe side bought a low pass filter.
If these rigs were not intended for the military,, then
what is the manufacturers purpose for having the modifications?
One more thing,,,consumers hear only the cb activity
since most sw recievers and scanners will not tune the
narrow band modes,, they probably think we talk that way anyway!!
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KG4PTZ on January 11, 2003
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In regard to the fact that Copper Electronics and others, (for instance Dogs Only in McKenney, VA, and Electronic Specialists in Lynchburg, VA) sell amplifiers and "export" radios, you have to consider this. First of all, those radios are actually type-accepted as 10-meter amateur radios, even though the clip of a diode will turn it into a CB with 360 channels, 10W AM, plus transmit and receive clarifiers, and echo. Yes, some of this junk is legal in other countries, but there is no "US version" because these companies would be broke if they didn't sell all these rigs over here to CB'ers. And then there's amplifiers. Simply put, if you're only going to work 10 meters, you would be a complete idiot to pay Ameritron or someone like that $2-3K for an amp that will barely do 300W on AM and 1KW on SSB, when you can buy one that will do 700W on either mode for $4-500, not to mention the fact that if you were to open up any of these HF ham amps, you could transmit on CB through it as well.
But getting back to the subject of this post, my ideal version of 10 meters would be almost what it is, with the obvious exception of the code requirement for the voice portion of the band. If you want to run CW, then you should have to take the test. I do agree, however, that 11 meters does forecast 10 meter propogation very well. And if you want qrm, don't go to 27.185, go to 27.015 (channel 5). You'll get S-7 noise, from transmitters on channel 6. Either way, it works. But back to reality...........
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by W4WVW on January 12, 2003
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How did this post get turned into a CB lynch mob? I think John was merely trying to express his vision of optimum conditions on the band. If it weren't for visionaries there would be no amateur service today. People thought Marconi was crazy but if not for him we would not be here today having this discussion.
It makes me sick. The very first reply to this post brought up the CB mentality. Who do you think it was who started putting these modified CB's in the hands of the CB operators? I doubt very seriously it was a CB'er. The guy who owns CBC International, the company who manufactures and distributes the EXPO kits which are used modify many radios which are used by the freebanders, is a ham operator! Many owners of the shops that cater to the CB'ers are hams! Hams are also supplying, modifying, and maintaining many of the amps and so called "export radios" being used in the citizens band service.
As for 11 meters being used as a gauge for whether or not 10 meters is open; does anyone remember "MUF"? Maximum Usable Frequency. It's basic propagation theory. Anyone who has taken a tech test should know that. It's the same reason that 15 or 20 would be open when 10 is not. I believe that is why the band plans are arranged the way they are, with the weak signal modes and the DX windows in the lower frequency segment of the bands.
And who said 2 meters is supposed to be used for "rountables and ragchews"? I believe the original purpose of 2 meters was to allow more reliable and extended range for local mobile communication. Ten meters is perfect for a group of locals to get on the air for extended ragchew sessions, but you rarely hear any such groups because you can't pry the VHF mic out of their hands. I don't know how many local 10 meter nets I have seen start up and then eventually go by the wayside because of lack of participation.
I think we should all get off our computers and get on 10 meters and give a call. You never know who might be listening.
My $.02 worth. de Ed, w4WVw. Vy 73...
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ARRL 10m Contest was enjoyable
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by JJ1BDX on January 12, 2003
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All I can say about the ARRL 10m Contest on December 2002 was that I enjoyed it very much with quite a lot of QSOs, mostly on CW but a few on SSB, with many of North American stations. 73 // Kenji 'Joe' Rikitake, JJ1BDX/3
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by AG4RQ on January 12, 2003
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"As for 11 meters being used as a gauge for whether or not 10 meters is open; does anyone remember "MUF"? Maximum Usable Frequency. It's basic propagation theory. Anyone who has taken a tech test should know that. It's the same reason that 15 or 20 would be open when 10 is not."
There is a 7 MHz gap between 10m and 15m, and another 7 MHz gap between 15m and 20m. There is only a 1 MHz difference between 10m and 11m. It is very rare that the MUF would allow 11 to be open and 10 not. You are more likely to see propagation differences between 10m and 12m, than between 10m and 11m, as the 12m band is 3 MHz away from 10m. Fact is, the high end of the 10m band is further away from the lower end of 10m, than the lower end of 10m is from the Citizen's Band.
"And who said 2 meters is supposed to be used for "rountables and ragchews"? I believe the original purpose of 2 meters was to allow more reliable and extended range for local mobile communication."
The use of the bands evolves with the passing of time. The entry-level codeless Tech license radically changed the face of 2m. As for extended range, lets remember that once upon a time there were no repeaters on 2m. Most activity was AM simplex. Today, most 2m activity is on FM repeaters, and the band is basically channelized. This makes 2m conducive to ragchews and roundtables, as groups of hams, often from the same club, and who tend to know one another will gather on a repeater. This was more prevalent in the eighties and early nineties than it is today. Today, most repeaters lie dormant except for the mandatory 10-minute ID or the occasional kerchunk.
"I don't know how many local 10 meter nets I have seen start up and then eventually go by the wayside because of lack of participation."
I agree.
"I think we should all get off our computers and get on 10 meters and give a call. You never know who might be listening."
I agree.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KB9ERU on January 13, 2003
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My Perfect 10 Meters would be conditions just like the December 10 meter ARRL contest. I wish everyday was like that. I'm still getting QSL cards from all around! Nothing like busting contest pile-ups with MARGINAL equipment.
I didn't notice a lot of "non-licensed" folks on during the contest. This was because I was chasing DX all over. I wish we had as much jam-packed wall-to-wall stations like that everyday! Then the "non-licensed" folks won't have any room to talk.
My wish: More 10 meter contests :)
Stateside and/or DX, I'm not picky!
Mick
KB9ERU
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by K5OO on January 13, 2003
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Well, when 10 is open, it often comes in from practically all directions. Generally low angle, high angle, then back to low angle propagation,then dead for the night. As far as Spanish speaking stations or free banders, I saw a suggestion a while back and it works very well. We don't have to put up with them unless we want to. The reason they are there is because they hear a "quiet frequency" and occupy it. First let's use the band and they don't have a "quiet" place to operate, especially in the CW part where they normally operate. In our largest HF band, it often is the most unused band. Second, if they are there, turn the beam right at them, zero in on their frequency, crank up the power, punch the long cq,cq,cq.....button on the keyer until someone answers you and you can qso or until they're gone. They usually qsy a little. Go find them and call right over them again and they'll almost always leave the 10 meter band completely.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KE1MB on January 13, 2003
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters Reply
by WD6EJN on January 11, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
RE: My Perfect 10 Meters Reply
by KE1MB on January 10, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
The perfect 10 meter band, the way it was back in 1986/87 when I first got my ticket and was working people with an old choped up CB running 250milliWatts of power on SSB.
Just curious,,,why don't you still qso with people using less than 1 watt? is it perhaps antenna restrictions? or are you implying too much qrm?
......The reason I only ran that little bit of power was because I was just a kid when I did that mod, I really did not know any better and was not able to get any more power out of the rig, later on when I realized more I was able to get 12watts peak on SSB with it. But it was a real kick because the band was so good then that that little bit of power really worked! I still have problems with living in close contact with people living in near a city, but i make do. I never go above 20m, never run an amp, always have LPF in line, have a spectrum analyzer in the house to watch for harmonics, spend time on low power PSK31 and starting to pick up CW for the ability to enjoy low power contacts(I mean 100watts or less). Nothing to do with QRM at all.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by K0VH on January 13, 2003
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I tend to agree with John 'ULS the original author.
I am not a morning person either. 10m has been my favorite band in over 35 yrs of HR (I got licensed at age 12, seriously) and I have been fortunate to have a triband beam up for all 4 sunspot peaks mainly to catch 10. Other priorities and computers take some time away from hamming but for the past 5 years since getting up my latest TA33WARC tribander I always make the ARRL 10m contest despite the horrible preHoliday timing of the weekend. Other than moving it to another quieter contest weekend (last, Jan 11-12 right before VHF contest) it and Field Day are the most fun. Many years I have tried both CW and SSB; this year I gave up on the 35 wpm CW crowd and did an SSB only event.
Pretty much worked all continents minus Antarctica but where were most of the Africans?!?
Anyway, beyond contests & SSB I do psk31, SSTV on 28.680, FM simplex & repeaters plus occasional AM & CW. I probably should just have a 4 or 5 el 10m beam but do stray on 15, 17 and occasionally 20 when I have to (and cuss out the QRM every time).
What would I do different on 10m. Let's spread out SSB above 28.5 more, at least up to the 28.670 range so as not to QRM SSTV and then above 28.7-29.
73s Dave K0VH Rochester Minnesota
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by RobertKoernerExAE7G on January 13, 2003
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My favorite time on 10 meters is when it is open LP after sunrise, and at night when Australia comes in, way after sunset. Generally if Australia comes in good, LP is open into East Africa and Europe.
Have FUN.
Bob
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KE2IV on January 13, 2003
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FYI.
MARS is not military use and a MARS-modified rig is not a military piece of gear.
MARS is a volunteer communications service for passing health and welfare traffic on behalf of military personnel by amateur radio operators using certain military-designated frequencies that are just below or above the ham bands.
"MARS-modified" has become a euphemism on the selling websites for a rig that has been "opened up" (i.e. blocking diodes have been clipped allowing ham band rigs to operate on all frequencies covered by the radio). It is a great code phrase to clue in "freebanders" that the rig for sale will work where they want it to.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by K3WVU on January 14, 2003
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Well, you're almost correct about MARS. The passing of morale and welfare traffic for servicemembers is only the tertiary mission of MARS. The primary mission is Emergency Communications backup to Department of Defense and the secondary mission is backup Emergency Communications for state and local governments. The morale and welfare mission is practically non-existent these days. We pass very little of that type of traffic. We are becoming increasingly involved in homeland security, however. Major ham equipment manufacturers will give out MARS modification info to anyone possessing a valid MARS license. Unfortunately, this info is also available on several websites, which has led to the widespread illegal use of amateur rigs. There is no requirement that I am aware of that requires any special type-acceptance for MARS gear. For additional info on MARS, go to http://www.navymars.org.
Dwight K3WVU/NNN0TPR
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by GI4SZW on January 14, 2003
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REGARDING M0CUS COMMENT ON M3'S, GOD FORBID THAT AN OLD TIMER LIKE HIM,(WHEN DID YOU GET THAT LICENCE? )WOULD HAVE TO LISTEN TO M3'S WHO DID NOT HAVE TO DO A FULL RAE EXAM AND THEN "DO" THE MORSE. WOULD HE RATHER HAVE AN EMPTY BAND,BUT THE HE LIKES IT AS IT IS. "EMPTY"
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by WA2JJH on January 18, 2003
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I agree with everyone on the fact that 10M some magical way became a CB subband. Used to be the freeboners would not transmit above 27.8 or so.
Now freebanders frequent the CW portion of 10M
with more bravado.
There a mix of Gypsy Cabs, and some of them with a little effort could get a ham ticket. Many of them are very proud about which HAM RIG they are using!
Maybe at hamfest's before we sell a rig, we should ask to see a valid Ham ticket. Freebanders are easy to spot at hamfest's. Ask about 3 questions, you will know!
As to the authors artical for a 10M utopia, I am not putting you down.I like your idea's.
However there is an old Russian expression.
You can WANT something in one hand, and crap in the other hand. See which hand gets filled up first!
I have found 10M to be from dead to a DX delight!
My first Japenese QSO was on 10M CW.
The other day I work California on 10M FM. Total 59 and both ends. Then other states started calling me.
All contacts DFQ!
Too bad a whole 2MHZ, and so underused. I guess the quirkey nature of the band, and so much VFO spinning to do. 20M a mere 350KHZ, got to use every filter I have.
I guess 10M is a tempting target for
Bogus business band,gypsy cabs and freebanders alike
to use. They do not seem hear too many Hams on 10M too often. Sad fact that 10M does seem dead most of the time. However I have found when 10M opens up, it blows 20M out of the water. You can disable the filters,notch,passband, and DSP.
A radical approach which I have very mixed feelings about, would be a no-code "Tech Minus" ticket.
The free banders would have a ticket and responsibility. A ham mentoring a freebander? Well I guess that would not air well. In fact many hams would not think it is too kosher! impossible.FORGET THE IDEA!
The FCC only catches the most insane offenders.
Most freebanders just want to chew the rag. They think us hams are elitist A-holes for wanting any type of test. Some of them do talk about getting a ticket some time in the future. I wonder if hams were polled about Mentoring freebanders, what would be the results?
Another insane idea would be to extend 10M down to 27.7mhz. 11M was a ham band in the first place back in the 1950,s
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by M0CUS on January 20, 2003
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Regarding the comment made by GI4SZW. Maybe I am just lucky but I always seem to find stations on 10m, in fact it is quite rare that the band is totally dead in the daytime. My comment regarding the M3 stations I still stand by and, have come to my opinion by my own observations. Generally speaking the operating practice of M3 stations is very poor but then on this occasion maybe I am just unlucky and have heard the bad ones. What has my call got to do with my comment? But just for info I first got licenced in 1982.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by N4SNL on January 22, 2003
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I agree we should police our own bands but what do you do once you catch the bootleggers? Shoot them? Storm the house and take all of their equipment? I wish something would be done about out of band transmitting and illegal sales of 10 meter radios and amps but the problem is no one in the gov cares. I am living in Germany with my family for a while and there was a 15 year old transmitting on 10 meters illegally and using power and I complained and the German equivalent of the FCC went to his house and confiscated all his stuff and he was fined about 500.00 Euros. It was wonderful but I know if you did that in the states your call probably wouldn't even go through. I think unless we do something anything to thwart the bootlegging sales and illegal transmitting, NOW, this will never stop. It is more than likely already too late. I wish the US would see the way the Germans do things a no nonsense approch to a lot of things but the U S Gov't are a bunch of wimps!! Which is why not only the ham bands are in trouble but the justice system in general is pathetic and getting worse. I fear that ten meters is the new chicken band and the bootleggers know Uncle charlie doesn't care so why not! Tiz a tragety!!
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by WA2JJH on January 22, 2003
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kID, As for calling the U.S. GVT. whimps, brush up on your history first.
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by WD6EJN on February 12, 2003
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters Reply
by KE1MB on January 13, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
RE: My Perfect 10 Meters Reply
by WD6EJN on January 11, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
RE: My Perfect 10 Meters Reply
by KE1MB on January 10, 2003 Mail this to a friend!
The perfect 10 meter band, the way it was back in 1986/87 when I first got my ticket and was working people with an old choped up CB running 250milliWatts of power on SSB.
Just curious,,,why don't you still qso with people using less than 1 watt? is it perhaps antenna restrictions? or are you implying too much qrm?
......The reason I only ran that little bit of power was because I was just a kid when I did that mod, I really did not know any better and was not able to get any more power out of the rig, later on when I realized more I was able to get 12watts peak on SSB with it. But it was a real kick because the band was so good then that that little bit of power really worked! I still have problems with living in close contact with people living in near a city, but i make do. I never go above 20m, never run an amp, always have LPF in line, have a spectrum analyzer in the house to watch for harmonics, spend time on low power PSK31 and starting to pick up CW for the ability to enjoy low power contacts(I mean 100watts or less). Nothing to do with QRM at all.
I see, but haven't you found the "point of dimishing
returns" applies for the antenna as well as the power?
I have found that as I go above 50 mhz to keep the antenna as small and efficient as possible leaning towards a dish, there are fewer and fewer hams (regardless of tropo, inversion etc.) to qso with, on
the other hand, as I go towards 40 meters and below, the antenna requirement is so prohibitive that my signal is just too weak for any one to copy.
The only reason I run less than 100 watts and even
as low as 500 m watts (on any band)is to try to avoid tvi, if I were to go mobile or portable I would probably run as much as 2kw.
Lately I have found that any antenna that I have to use indoors is allways picked up on some neighbors cheap electronic consumer equipment regardless of how much power I am running (I am mobile more than I am
at home these days, but just for the benefit of other hams with cc&rs').
If you are not worried about tvi and your neighbor
does not complain then I would say you are doing something right and you should share it with the rest of us having to live in high density conditions.
Just curious what you use for an antenna.
When I was a kid that is how I got interested in ham
radio and at one time used a 100 mw cb walkie talkie
to make contacts as much as five miles away! if I'd
known about long wires, phased arrays, stealth antennas
etc. I could have made contacts clear accross town, but now days just getting a wire outside has become
literally dangerous.
Back then there were so many folks on the air on cb in the neighborhood at any time, (except when the skip was in)you didn't need any more than a 3' long telescopiing antenna to talk to anyone, to make a reasonable ham contact today(not counting repeaters)you
must have an antenna and power level which is not
possible with high density living.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by N8IWK on July 14, 2003
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Being able to work the world with less than $100 worth of equipment, TOTAL. That includes the radio, antenna, feedline, antenna tuner and power supply.
And being able to brag about it :)
I just love being cheap.....
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by KF4ZTO on December 13, 2003
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Heres the deal.
CB (esp. channel 6 here in Virginia) has so much noise (like S6 to S8 sometimes) that its impossable to use with the 4 watts AM and 12 watts SSB, and many CBer's are just buying an amp to keep up. To get rid of those Spanish-speaking pirates, we must USE 10-meters, all of it. If they hear other people using a frequency, they might move to something below 28.0 MHz.
KF4ZTO
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RE: My Perfect 10 Meters
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by M0CUS on November 16, 2005
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Well your side might be empty but in all your years on the air I would have thought you might have progressed to something more than a coat hanger for an antenna. If you decide to upgrade to a dipole (I can provide a drawing if you get stuck)you will find the bands are alive and kicking. Better still turn the power button to the on position it really helps. Honestly.
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My Perfect 10 Meters
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by N8QBY on April 5, 2006
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I agree, 10 meters can be a great DX band when condtions permit. As for the rogue operators on the bottom of 10 meters, well as one operator already mentioned, you can thank the many cb chop shops for the illegal radios, and the illegal amps. But most amps come from places like the main auction site E-***. On any given day you can see that at least 50% of their amplifiers that are up for auction are the illegal mobile variety sold at many truckstops and cb stores. It appears as long as someone puts the words, "ham amp" in their ad, they can sell anything.
The FCC needs to crack down on this type of sales.
Back to the intention of the article, 10 meters. It is a well known fact that one can work some amazing dx with just a simple dipole antenna, which one can make for just a few bucks. I myself like working SSB but I also look forward to working some DX in the cw mode.
73 to all.........
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