160M Contests Dec-Jan-Feb

[W3HKK]

The COOKEN ARC will be setting up in  a now-furnished/finished  old barn on a rural hillside in Licking Co. OH for the CQ contests.  Unfortunately,  we will be pre-empted from the DEC 2011 ARRL test due to deer season and the owners propensity for hunting.  So i will be in there from the home QTH  as W3HKK with 100w and a  low inverted L.

Regarding The Barn, any suggestions on some other effective and relatively easy antenna options? ( cold wx considerations prevent much complexity.)  Our original plans are for a qtr wave inverted L hung from a 40 ft tree nearby, with  maybe  four qtr wave radials.  Also,  one member is working on a beverage antenna for rx.   We will run 100w. although come to think of it, a small amp might be desirable, if we can round one up.

Anybody else planning a portable operation for the 160 tests?

[N4OGW]

It sounds like your portable location will have very low noise- that is good. With just a 40 ft support available there is not much better you cold do than an inverted L. But putting down more than 4 radials will be a big improvement.

Tor
N4OGW

[W3HKK]

I hear $$$$ ka-chinging when I think of more qtr wave radials for 160M Hi Hi.  I have heard some terrific sigs on 160 from places like VE2 from guys with maybe 64  short radials (30-50 ftL) so that might be an option too.

We could  mount the L right off the barn which is a good 35 ft high OR off a similar height tree about 100 ft away.

If we go with a separate  receiving antenna ( Beverage type)  Im not sure how far apart the rx and tx antennas should be to avoid excessive rf into the xcvr.  But that was one reason whey I am leaning to putting the L 100 ft away off the tree. and the rx antenna off the barn.

Funny thing about noise.  We set up here for the VHF contest in June.  All hf bands were quiet.  The bcst band was quiet on my car radio.  But when we set up on 6m we found S9 noise when beaming North toward the road!  Turning the 4 el yagi  east south and west lowered the noise to S3-S5 but it still cost us numerous contacts.

[K8GU]

The radials don't need to be 1/4 wavelength long if you're just laying them on the ground.  Cut those 1/4-wave wires into three pieces each or so and that will give you a boost right away.  Somebody (call escapes me) did a modeling study that helped you compute the optimal number of radials for a given frequency and length of wire.  It's in the more recent ON4UN books.

[N4OGW]

If you look for some fairly thin wire it won't be that expensive to put down 30-50 radials about 100 ft long each. Thin radials work fine electrically but don't last very long physically- that is usually ok for a short-term portable operation. Large spools can be found on ebay. Aluminum electric fence wire is also relatively cheap- that is what I used the last time I did a 160 contest as portable.

Yes, you will want to separate the rx antenna some distance away from the inverted L.

Tor
N4OGW

[W8GP]

Galvanized steel electric fence wire can be purchased in 1/2 mile spools from farm supply stores for less than $50. I prefer this over aluminum because it is stronger and can be soldered if it breaks. From one spool you can put up a couple of 600' beverages as well as the inv. L with 8  1/4 wave  radials. As a minimum, I would have one beverage to the NE and one due West. The beverage transformers can be built at low cost using info from W8JI's website. If you can get the L higher than 40' it will be a big help, if you use insulated wire it can just lay on the tree branches with no ill effect. Just use a bow and arrow, slingshot, etc to shoot a line over the top of the tree and pull up the antenna wire, it doesn't have to be pretty! 8 radials will work well. With a set-up like this, you should be capable of working all states and 20-30 DX even with 100 watts. Good luck and I hope to see you in the contest.
                                               Greg  W8GP

[W3HKK]

Thanks for the tips, guys.

I could  get by with  lighter wire but mechanically Id be concerned.  This will be reused on multiple contests each year, so Ill go with something stronger.  There are a couple of farm supply stores around here so I can check on what they stock.  The Home Depot #14 solid jacketed wire is getting  pretty stiff ( no pun intended) .....about double what I paid a few years ago.

[W3HKK]

Yesterday, five of us went to the rural hillside location and spent nine hrs erecting a 45 ft mast and a 160m inverted L with the horizontal leg tied off nicely to a 45 ft tree.  Temps were 30-37 with snow flurries so thermal  long johns were essential.  But its up and ready for the 160M tests in the next few months, barring deer rampaging thru the radial field or an ATV mowing down the mast, really high winds, ice storms, etc. 

Still it looked pretty good as the skies darkened to see the antenna  up and functioning.   SWR at 1.831 was 1.4:1 thru an UNUN.    More radials would be nice  but we have plenty of time if the weather cooperates.  As it was, the slippery hillside was treacherous in places and one member took a tumble in the mud.  But other than a bruised ego he is fine.

The group is ready to rumble.

[KD8IZZ]

I have done the 160m contest twice now. I just use a full length wire dipole that is strung through some little trees with an average wire height of 15 feet. It works fine. If I could stay awake long enough I would have WAS (except HI and AK) from Ohio. I'll do it again in Feb. (100 watts as always)

I don't get many contacts on this band outside the contests, its the hardest band to call CQ ! Nicest people on the air, though.

[W3HKK]

FB on your low dipole. We use the same on 80 and 40 for club events and have made over 1600 contacts this year for Arbor Day, Johnny Clem, the June VHF contest, FD, Ohio QSO Party, and Ohio State Parks on the Air.  Talk about a fun event, OSPOTA is  very neat.

Regarding dipoles, I lack trees for supposts, plus I enjoy DXing and CW, hence, the L is something I can get up with my one low tree on three acres.  I did plant 34 more trees but they will take time to  become effective antenna supports, Im afraid!

[W3HKK]

IZZ:  just reread the thread.  Doesnt look like we can come up with a spare amp this year so 100w to the L with 20x 68 ft radials is how we will go ( getting too cold and muddy to do much work now)  at the portable site.   Depending on results,  I can double the radial field next year.

Am in the process of raising  "L" at home to 40 ft ( from 15 ft now) and adding  another 20x 68 ft alum #17 fence wire radials - if the wx cooperates.

My 15 ft vertical L at home with 2x 130 ft  and 4x68 ft radials has somehow managed to snag 4X4, JA, KH6, LZ,  among a total of 40 DX countries in 2 years. At the last QTH my  90 ft oak tree with an L draped over it plus 5 similar radials made over 500 qsos during the 160m ssb test about 5 yrs ago, and that whet my appetite for Top Band. 

HNY!

[W3HKK]

A couple more CW OPS NEEDED for night time contesting:

With  2-3 hr shifts over two nights, it would be great to have a couple more ops, beyond our current 3.  Anyone  in Central Ohio interested in working with us the  last weekend in Jan for the CQ WW 160M CW Test contact me at w3hkk@arrl.net.

We are not HD contesters, but just trying to have fun and improve from year to year. Nice comfortable site, warm, with  rest room facilities, good access.  Plus we have a mattress with your name on it. Unlimited coffee.

[W3HKK]

It's the Monday  before the January CW contest.  Seems like winds of 30-50 mph have been blowing about every other day, as temps oscillate between 0 and 50F here in central Ohio.  At last check the antenna was still upright.  Friday around noon we go out to  put the finishing touches/any necessary repairs to it, and to hook up the station for a 6PM contest start. 

Good luck.  Hope to see you in the contest!

[W3HKK]

cq ww 160m cw contest results:  662 QSOS.  60 MULTS.  100W.

How were YOUR conditions?  Here in OH, 4 Land was pounding in, as was VE3.  2-3- 8-9-0 Lands were plentiful.   Not as much from 1 Land.   5-6-7 Lands not as bountiful.

FRI from 5pm thru midnight the bands were loaded with strong steady signals and rates were th ebest of the entire contest....for  our 100w station at 60-80 per hour.  Sat AM hours were moderately good.  Sat around sunrise and just before were poor....unusually so.  Ditto Sun around sunrise.  Overall,  it was mayhem  from 6pm-midnight EST.

[N3QE]

cq ww 160m cw contest results:  662 QSOS.  60 MULTS.  100W.

How were YOUR conditions?  Here in OH, 4 Land was pounding in, as was VE3.  2-3- 8-9-0 Lands were plentiful.   Not as much from 1 Land.   5-6-7 Lands not as bountiful.

FRI from 5pm thru midnight the bands were loaded with strong steady signals and rates were th ebest of the entire contest....for  our 100w station at 60-80 per hour.  Sat AM hours were moderately good.  Sat around sunrise and just before were poor....unusually so.  Ditto Sun around sunrise.  Overall,  it was mayhem  from 6pm-midnight EST.

From near Washington DC: 408 QSO's, 49 States/Provinces + 10 DX for 59 mults.

Pretty good conditions through most of continental NA and the caribbean. Pacific Northwest seemed to be missing. VE1/2/3 were plentiful but nothing from VE4 to the west.

There seemed to be a pipeline from here to AZ/NM, lots of QSO's.

No ND, WA, or OR for me.

Little to nothing from northern Europe. Several QSO's with southern Europe.

Worked HK0NA quite easily. I had heard them several times in the previous week on 160 but never "hooked up". In the contest it was easy :-)