Yep, years ago hams were limited to low power on 160... and almost no one used that band. There's a lesson there.

Should add that CW will take over most of 40 below 7.100 during the CQWW CW test coming up in November.

Especially if you have a modest station, tune as high as 7080 and you'll find rare CW DX and fewer big gun run-stations.

I'm quite familiar with 40 meter contesting and it's common to hear SSB DX stations going way down in the band to escape QRM. I was a little surprised to hear some U.S. Caribbean DXpeditions as low as 7005, which I think is improper.

I was just dabbling in the contest. I refused to  work any stations below about 7015.

40 is a very challenging band during the CQWW SSB. DX can pop up in the oddest places. So can broadcast QRM and ham digital. But overall 40 SSB is much easier than it was years ago before most of the broadcasting left.

 

Played with my new 43 foot vertical and low power for a few hours. From the midwest, that's not the most pleasant or productive way to contest.

Didn't hear anything very sexy except for a few nice  African mults on 20. Only heard a few very weak JAs on 40 and none on 75.

What did you all think of conditions?  

N0XJO said elsewhere: "I have a 102’ G5RV antenna about 20 feet off the ground." And: "It is rare that I hear foreign calls on any bands,"


<<<Maybe you could learn something>>> from contesters, some of whom work all 40 CQWW zones on a single band in 48 hours!  Many can receive better than they  transmit on the low bands due to their sophisticated receive-only antennas.

I agree that there was some bad audio but not from well-known U.S. contesters. I doubt many major contesters are running illegal power, if that's what you're implying.

"1. Guys running so much power that the are transmitting further than they can hear."

--
More likely the guys with the 40 meter stacks are transmitting much farther than YOU can hear.

So nice to hear the best ops making thousands of Qs without "please copy" "last heard" or "niner." With few exceptions, you're going to hear the very best of ham radio in the CQWW. I always find that contest a joy to LISTEN to.

by N3OX on October 26, 2008  Mail this to a friend!  
"NOT ONE CONTACT WAS MADE ON THE FIRST CALL! "

You're doing it wrong ;-)  


Yeah, but everyone gave me a 59. (i've actually seen antenna reviews mention 59 reports... in a contest)  

"Loaded at the base or not?"

Stock antenna. No matching at the base except for the Balun.

--
Last night was the first time I used my vertical in a major contest. Didn't turn on the amp. I made about 35 qs on 40 and three or four on 75.

NOT ONE CONTACT WAS MADE ON THE FIRST CALL!

"Would it help if I attach a horizontal wire 50ft long to the top of my vertical to form a inverted L? "

---------
Of course. Did you see the long post I made to you on the subject of extending a 43 footer to 50'? These verticals need a lot of help on 80/160.

I used mine, still at 43', last night on 75 meters and made only a few Qs using 100 watts. No Europe worked! Didn't bother to try 160 to scream at Canadians.


Hey, since you have your Zerofive up now, are you working everything on the first call like the reviewers say?  

"If you want great performance with a vertical, look into Zero-5 antennas. I don't own one, but I plan to."
------

Wow, a glowing testimonial from a guy who doesn't own one!

I'm considering converting my 43' vertical and tilt base into a guyed mast to support an inverted V at 45-50'. Or return to using multi-band dipoles in trees which always worked well for me.




 
 

"Diameters of vertical radiating element tubing-
First 18' is 2" dia. x .125" wall (1/8")
1.75" dia. x 24" long x .125" wall coupler
Second section is 1.5" dia. x .058" wall 12'
Third section is 1.375" dia. x .058" wall 11'
Fourth section is 1.25" dia. x .058" wall 5'

Fourth section can be removed or set to any
length in order to acheive [sic] height of 41-46'"

----------------

Why 35'?
Perhaps just because that's what you get after removing the third section. Unlike other "43 footers" this uses very long tubing including a monster 18' of .125".

I don't think this sturdy antenna is overpriced. But  one made from shorter/thinner/lighter tubing would suit most hams better. Wonder how much of a military/commercial market exists for these?

"I'd be curious to know about the heavily-advertised $299 43-foot vertical that also requires a $119 "balun." What is the SWR at the input to that "balun" on each band 160-10? "

Don't forget the expensive in-shack tuner and length of top quality coax to the shack

Very rough SWR estimate
160M >Don't ask
80M  60:1
60M  1.4:1 quarter wave on 60
40M  10:1
30M  24:1
20M  18:1
17M   8:1
15M  15:1
12M  17:1
11M  1.7 Good dual band antenna...60 meters and CB
10M  3:1

I had never heard of Gulf Alpha antennas. They have several beefy-looking HF verticals and vertical dipoles. Unlike Zerofive and the others, they make no claim for 160 meter operation for their 46 foot tall "43 footer." Intelligently, they recommend using it only on 80-30 meters, plus on 20 meters with the antenna shortened to 41'.

Note this statement: "(even better results on 20 will be obtained when next lower section also removed making overall height 35')" Why 35 feet?

Tilt base looks like a heftier version of the very adequate DX Engineering base. Excellent photography, by the way.

http://www.gulfalphaantennas.com/Product%20Page%2041%2046%20ft%20hvy%20duty%20multiband%20ver.html  
       

Best CQWW tip for your situation:

Get on 40 two to perhaps three hours before dark on Saturday night from your W1-Land QTH. Conditions are often best at that time and it will probably be too early for the rest of the country to have good propagation to Europe. It's an hour long private DX party for New Englanders.

That's one (of many) reasons the East Coast does so well in contests.

THEY DON'T CALL IT THE FIRST CALL AREA FOR NOTHING. Most W1'S can work everything in Europe on the first call  

Want real DX?

Get on during the CQWW CW contest in late November. You should be able to work tons of Europeans from the first call area on the second night (Saturday) of the contest when the big stateside boys have worked out the common DX.

During the CQWW, DX can be found as high up as 7070 with fewer callers. Some DX stations will have huge antennas so they will be able to copy your QRP signal easily. Skip any station that has a pileup; most won't by late Saturday.