|
Could've fooled me....
|
LOW BANDS FOLKS! That's always been the "rule" during sunspot minimum. Even with low power and simple antenna's there is still a LOT of DX to be had - you just have to dig a little deeper for it. Many op's abandon the radio during such slack periods - this improves the odds for the little pistols!
If you think there's no DX on the bands you should hear what I hear when I call CQ! :)
Good DXing to ALL! de XW1B (ex AA4XR)
Posted by
XW1B
on December 13, 2007
|
|
It depends
|
Digital = DX
There is plenty of DX on the digital modes. Digital like PSK31 is far superior to modes like CW and SSB when trying to work DX. Much faster than CW also so you can work more DX in a shorter period of time.
Posted by W8JAS on October 22, 2007
---------------------------------------------
Under some conditions PSK31 is best and other conditions CW is best. EVERY mode has its set of conditions under which it will be the best choice.
For example, when the ionosphere is disturbed by solar flares and/or coronal mass ejections, the disturbed ionosphere then induces a phase shift in all types of signals. This makes PSK31 totally unusable. However, SSB may hold up if the shift is not too bad. CW will hold up under even more serious phase shifts. Although it will take on a raw, nasty, buzzy sound, one can copy it by ear with some practice (assuming one can copy CW by ear in the first place).
There is no one best mode for all conditions.
Posted by
N8UZE
on October 26, 2007
|
|
How about a new poll?
|
|
It's about time.
Posted by
TOYBOX
on October 25, 2007
|
|
DX
|
Being at the bottom of the cycle just means USE THE LOW BANDS!!!! DX is a Plenty!
73
KL7FH
Posted by
KL7FH
on October 21, 2007
|
|
DX
|
|
its not bad but getting better i hope in a few years it will get ALOT better
Posted by
W4ASS
on October 21, 2007
|
|
global warming hurts propagation
|
|
Only Al Gore can figure out what's good for us on the poor bands.He invented the internet too. I'm sure his Jet has no effect on the bands at night.
Posted by
KB4BJM
on October 17, 2007
|
|
Develop coping skills
|
|
Amateur radio licenses are not issued with a guarantee of an eleven year sunspot cycle. The happiest Dx'ers right now are those who have responded to the sunspot minimum by a QSY to the lowbands.
Posted by
NI0C
on October 17, 2007
|
|
next cycle.....when?
|
|
this is turning out to be a new trend,no more 11 year cycle which was witnessed since the early 1900's.Like the global changes it is also effecting propagation,now it's looking like a 13 to 14 year cycle.That's bad news for dx'ers.73 K2VI
Posted by
K2VI
on October 16, 2007
|
|
DX
|
Bottom of the cycle keeps the wannabees on VHF. Plenty of DX on HF if you really look.
ECHO link is not ham radio.
Posted by
K1ZF
on October 15, 2007
|
|
DX or ECHOLINK ?
|
Several months ago set up a echolink node 440 mhz simplex 10 watts out ht coverage in Manteca.CA.
Will work until hf bans get working better. Have
had some good QSO's
Posted by
K6PKL
on October 14, 2007
|
|
CW = DX
|
|
Lot's of DX when I use CW. Far superior mode then SSB when it comes to working DX.
Posted by
OLDFART13
on October 12, 2007
|
|
Sounds normal 4 min
|
If we are lucky at the zenith, 10 and 12 will be open 24 hours.
For me, 10 meter long path over VK-ZL into Europe, after sunset is a lot of FUN. LP, after sunrise, over South America into A5, is a lot of FUN.
Best Wishes
Bob
Posted by
W7ETA
on October 11, 2007
|
|
DX
|
|
Posted by
KO6EF
on October 7, 2007
|
|
|
|
Hey Jackie, how about you show us some photos of your Tarheel.
Posted by
OLDFART13
on October 3, 2007
|
|
|
They're shaped like a waveform.
Posted by
KX8N
on October 3, 2007
|
|
moble dxing
|
i try my first moble dx on my newest tarheel 200 HP on 40 meter 270 i heard guy on 270 that call is NX5M of somerville texas. i broke that call he said ,that was the best dx moble ever ! like to try more on diff band since i check all band 10-80 with flate swr.see ya on the air waves !
73
Jackie
KG4ORX
WEBSITE http://webpages.charter.net/kg4orx/
Posted by
N4MJG
on October 3, 2007
|
|
So where's the problem?
|
I have managed to work about 2200 contacts over the past 2 years on every band except 6 and 160 and I don't have an antenna up for those. My buddy pulled a 5/9 from his mobile to Moose Island the other day while I pulled a 15/over 9 report from the same station with 95 watts and a carolina windom!
Pretty standard ops for us. Everyone wants it to be like a phone call; so what, it's ham radio. Enuff said.
Posted by
KC0NYK
on October 1, 2007
|
|
DXing...
|
Well, it's not there is a total "blackout" constantly or anything like that.... Virtually nothing on 10 or 15 meters to speak of... 17 is ok i guess.... 20 is warm to and cold... i couldn't care less about 30 meters.... so, it doesn't matter to me anyways.... 40 is workable somewhat... except for the commercial broadcasters that QRM everyone..HA! 80 is ok.... and i don't have anything up in the air for 160... so, i dunno... It's still Ham Radio... and i've worked some good DX. It'll get better!
Just look around and you should find something somewhere!
Posted by
WZ4KIM
on September 30, 2007
|
|
How's DX
|
|
The bottom of the cycle can be used to our advantage. Find those stations that have outstanding signals and prod them for their antenna/equipment package that gives them that edge. This is the time to fine-tune your receive antennas for the low-bands as well. Want a REAL challenge? Try 160 meter DX. It's hoppin during our winter months. Dx shortage at the bottom of the cycle? bull.. Just dig a lil deeper into that weak signal. 73 de "Scotty" WK3N BEAMING -UP.
Posted by
WK3N
on September 28, 2007
|
|
DX....no problem.
|
10m is dead and not much on 15m but all the other bands are working great. Plenty of DX on 20 meters. It's all in the antenna system:
http://www.freewebs.com/ad6wl/photogallery.htm
Posted by
AD6WL
on September 28, 2007
|
|
How's DX?
|
Does this porpagation come with a flush handle??
talk about the bands being in the Toilet..
come on sun spots...!!!!!
Posted by
N6AJR
on September 27, 2007
|
|
Doin' Good...
|
|
303 countries in the last 3 years....WAZ....need a few more countries on 80M for 5BDXCC....gotta love the bottom of the cycle....
Posted by
WD0M
on September 27, 2007
|
|
almost got a contact
|
I just put together the Portable QRP CW
tranceiver kit and got it tuned up This was designed by K9AY and is quite compact. Since I live in Las Vegas, NV., is a valley surrounded by mountains. I opted for the 20m version of the kit but I wish I got the 40m. This kit for what I understand is not available anymore. I bought it in 2000. It sat around until now so I decided once again I would like to get involved with QRP. Since I live in an apartment complex, no antennas are allowed outside. So, I built a simple dipole inside the living room strung around the ceiling. I also have a ground plane running along the bottom of the room. Most of what I heard on 20m was a lot of noise and barely someone sending CQ. The S meter hardly moved. What really astounded me was the fact I tried to answer the CQ and heard my call sign but faded in and out and lost the person completely. I didn't have a SWR meter then but I have one now. I need to get an antenna tuner because my WSR was 1:3+ which is a grave mismatch. I thought that my dipole cut to the right length would be a somewhat of a match. If I had the right match, I could have had contact. I thought that I would share this.
73's :)
zzmel K6RVD/7
Posted by
K6RVD
on September 27, 2007
|
|
Can't Complain
|
Obviously conditions will be better in a couple years, but there's always something to work. This year I've made 461 DX QSO's with 110 countries and 27 zones. Countries worked include 4L, VQ9, VK9N, 9U etc.... Worked 3 new ones N8S, 1A0KM, and 3B7C (4 bands) to bring my QRP DXCC total to 270. If you can work DXCC in less than a year with 5 watts. I'm sure with 100 or 1000 watts you got pleanty of DX out there to work.
So damn the torpedoes, just go out there and work them!
Good DX to all!!!
Posted by
NU4B
on September 27, 2007
|
|
Today's harvest
|
Today's harvest: V51AS, P29VCX, TM7RWC, UK8UC, JQ2IQV on 17 meter CW between 09:33-10:04 UT. With good old TS-530SP, 20 m long, matched end-fed wire. A few minutes later V51AS on 15 m CW.
The solar minimum has its fun if you like digging in the noise.
Posted by
HA2MN
on September 26, 2007
|
|
Bands are lousy
|
|
Below 30 meters bands haven't been too bad. But from 30 on up, fergedabouditt! But, like the man said, it's only gonna get better from here on out. We're going thru the worst now. fyi............ 40 meter cw sounds pretty good tonight, hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Posted by
KA2DDX
on September 26, 2007
|
|
nitwit
|
>>>>>>160 meters is the big-boy band. It seperates the technically inclined to the appliance operators. de kb6qxm
<<<<<<
Really?.....Good operators don't take shots at what others are working with. Can I say Troll? Typical internet trash, but on the bands you hardly meet these guys because they are nice, but here they have 'tudes.
w2sfd
Posted by
SFD301
on September 26, 2007
|
|
Route.66
|
|
Worked all The 17 Route-66 special event stations. Most in the west. W6 land was like pulling teeth. 100 watts & G5RV. No meter movement. please HURRY sunspots.
Posted by
KU2US
on September 26, 2007
|
|
timing is everything
|
with 100 watts.
and several wire antennas, Carolina windom and G5Rv i wait for the bands to open and
i listen and timing is everything. make those contacts
Posted by
W3NRL
on September 25, 2007
|
|
Still setting up
|
As I have been off the air since 1990, I am collecting the trailer towers, antennas and setting up my new shack on my new ridgetop QTH.
As far as DX, I do not participate in contests. I like to rag chew.
I love low bands as it is difficult to put a "real signal" on the low bands. It helps keep the rif-raff off the band due to the complexity of the antenna systems. I have a motor driven vacuum cap on a convoluted loop H-field antenna. It is an extremely high-Q antenna which acts like a great notch filter to eliminate QRM and also puts out quite a large signal.
I like to work 160 meter AM. I also am setting up beverage antennas to hear the real noisefloor signals.
160 meters is the big-boy band. It seperates the technically inclined to the appliance operators.
By the time the solar flux indexes are high, I will be setup and active again.
See you on 160 AM or CW!!!
Posted by
KB6QXM
on September 25, 2007
|
|
More openings than you think...
|
Check the NCDXF beacons regularly... There are far more band openings than you think - especially for CW contacts.
And yes, the "low" bands are pretty good. I get EU pile ups on 30M almost every afternoon - their morning. And tonight I worked heaps of JA's and W's on 40M.
Not a single sunspot the last ten days - but there is always something on - when you listen for it.
Posted by
VK2GWK
on September 25, 2007
|
|
DX
|
I am a DX station OX3UR in Greenland and I get on at least 3 hours a day. It is spotty bu can usually work a few stations each day. Can't wait for the bands to improve!
I work 9 week here at Thule and then 4 weeks back in the states.
Posted by
AC0IV
on September 25, 2007
|
|
Ah, to be young again!
|
QRP, very compromise antenna, Dismal propagation = frustration. Especially when you are a senior citizen without a lot of great cycles ahead of you.
Like the other fellow, I'm catching up on my reading.
Posted by
W2RDD
on September 24, 2007
|
|
Looking toward next peak
|
100 watts to a low Windom.
3B7C has put in good signals here on 20, 30 and 40 CW and I got them easily. But OJ0B Market Reef has eluded me, and I wanted them bad.
I can't complain, though, because I managed to stumble across KH0/JR4GPA Mariana Is. on 40m Saturday morning and worked him.
I've added about 30 new ones during the low end of the cycle, so I can't compalin too much.
Posted by
KB9BIT
on September 24, 2007
|
|
Looking toward next peak
|
100 watts to a low Windom.
3B7C has put in good signals here on 20, 30 and 40 CW and I got them easily. But OJ0B Market Reef has eluded me, and I wanted them bad.
I can't complain, though, because I managed to stumble across KH0/JR4GPA Mariana Is. on 40m Saturday morning and worked him.
I've added about 30 new ones during the low end of the cycle, so I can't compalin too much.
Posted by
KB9BIT
on September 24, 2007
|
|
The low bands rule
|
Summertime at the bottom of the sunspot cycle isn't much fun if you're confined to 14 MHz and higher. However conditions should be excellent on the 7 MHz and lower frequency bands during the upcoming winter season.
Posted by
NI0C
on September 24, 2007
|
|
DX is
|
...there but the HF bands have been pretty sucky lately. Rarely a day goes by that I don't make DX contacts, but that doesn't make condx good.
Yesterday afternoon I called CQ on 20CW and was answered by KH6/W3GW in Maui. We chatted for a few mins and Joe told me, "You are the only signal I hear on the entire band."
Nice compliment, but the kind that doesn't make anybody feel good.
Condx are terrible.
On the bright side, they'll be a lot better in a couple of years.
On the dim side, this winter may not be any improvement.
I'm catching up on household chores and reading a lot of books.
WB2WIK/6
Posted by
WB2WIK
on September 24, 2007
|
|
Data modes
|
Working a little DX every couple of days with 100w and HexBeam at 35 ft. I'm in CN85, so openings are fairly short, but still there. its nice to be retired with the flexibility to take full advantage of the situation.
Ron, N7HD
Posted by
K7RRF
on September 24, 2007
|
|
LIDS
|
DX is O.K. I think, but can't wait for new solar cycle. 3B7C would have been easier if not for the piece of crap LIDS that insist on tuning amps on the 3B7C TX freq.
As winter makes its showing, may an ice storm develope over their QTH.
Posted by
N4RSR
on September 24, 2007
|
|
|
|
I just got 3B7C in the log using CW on 20m, 40w and a dipole about 3 metres high, so things can't be all that bad, but I await the beginning of the next cycle with great anticipation.
Posted by
M0RNA
on September 23, 2007
|
|
Dx
|
If you live here in Southern Wv especially in these lower valleys dx is few and far between at this phase in the solar cycle. It's there but one must catch an opening or more or less be in the right place at the right time, but this is always true even in good band conditions. Their signals hardly move the s-meter too. You guys living out in the flat lands maybe don't realize the mountains here block the signals too, believe it or not.
Running hf mobile here last solar cycle and driving the lower valleys i could hear stations across the us working dx stations. When i drove to the top of some of the higher elevations here i could hear them too and work them. This morning on 20m i copied a stateside station working "long path" into Africia. "hi hi" The stateside station was only s-2 and i never had a clue on the Africian stations signal. He just was not there on my big ole quad at 65 feet. Oh but it won't be much longer now. The guns are all shined up and the trigger finger is get'n real itchey. I hope this cycle is like the one two cycles back. The world got into these valleys on that solar cycle usually pegging the meter at times. Wonderful ragchews with all parts of the world. Predictions are this one is going to be a monster.
Qrp or with 1200A7 reflectors like i have... either way, it's gonna be a blast. Yeah guys i enjoy both qrp and turning the quad into a big bug zapper. I love busting a pileup qrp with a nice antenna and burning a hole in the ozone sometimes too.
73 John WR8Damn i can't wait!!
Posted by
WR8D
on September 23, 2007
|
|
Still on hold
|
|
I'm still waiting for the concrete guy to come by so I can install a new tower and antennas (after moving). Hopefully some decent antennas in the air will improve things at my QTH. -KR4WM
Posted by
WY3X
on September 23, 2007
|
|
Antenna's can be helpful
|
|
My G5RV snapped due to heavy storms, and I had had one by the same company that snapped back too. (Now I always have slack on the antena) I went to HRO and saw they were out of regular G5RV's, so the G5RV Lite was tried. It worked nice but I love DX and this just could not hear or work 3B7C even up at 70'. I decided I needed something different, so I had some windom plans that a fellow ham had given me a while back. I took the wire from my 2 G5RV's and used the base of one G5RV. WOW!!!!!!! I was able to work 3B7C in seconds on 40 and 30 meter CW, then this morning worked them on phone on 40. As long as we have the low bands... we can manage.
Posted by
W4MJA
on September 23, 2007
|
|
Conds
|
|
Over here in Northern Europe conds are very poor, although some DX are coming thru. When can we expect cycle 24 to be born?
Posted by
LA2TD
on September 23, 2007
|
|
|
|
ya gotta know where to look! work vehicle has a CB in it, so when the big strappers are making noise, a bit of fishing on 10 meters can usually get a contact or 3! E skip on CB on evening of 9/21 helped to make a half dozen E skip contacts in the 28.400 range from 5 land back here to 2. when running the coast, ducts can get some long distance north & south-12, 11, 10, 6 & 2 meters! yup, i said 11! listening to channel 19 & hearing signals 100+ miles away, in the direction wm. hepburn forecasted for vhf, & i go to 12-6 m looking for others whom i know to search out conditions the way i do. 20 meters can grab a few contacts on the weekend early evenings, and 40 before bed. actually, propagated contacts can be made nearly any time of any day. an hf rig & piece of wire is all you need.
Posted by
ONLYON6METERS
on September 22, 2007
|
|
30 and down...
|
I dunno, low bands pretty good... I don't hear a lot of DX that gets me super-excited but have nice contacts with "regular" DX on 80m CW, etc.
I loved it when 10m was open year round, but I don't mind trying new techniques down on the low frequencies...
Have worked a few all time new ones in the last year, so can't complain too much, but some more sunspots wouldn't hurt. I miss 15m ;-)
Posted by
N3OX
on September 22, 2007
|
|
HF "DX"
|
The bands have been VERY good for me here in North Florida on 17 & 20 but NOT much else from the rest!I did just work a PY atation on 12 meters about an hour ago so all is NOT totally DEAD!Also worked an ON station on 17 meters about 20 minutes later who said he heard my QSO on 12 meters with the PY station & that was GOOD news as well.
It's only going to get BETTER!{:>)
W4KVW
Posted by
W4KVW
on September 22, 2007
|
|
Dx
|
It's still there, difficult but still there!
If I can work west coast US on my humble set-up then I'm sure other will manage further afield!
Posted by
MM3XXW
on September 22, 2007
|
|
|
|
Dx is there but not as much or as often it helps to work as many modes as possible
Posted by
AD6HF
on September 21, 2007
|
|
DX
|
Still working it, especially since I upgraded to Extra.
Lots of new DX down on 20, 40 Extra CW.
Also 20 RTTY DX good too.
Its there, just have to look at VOAprop and Solar Terrestrial Activity Report to make good choices.
Doing it with modest antennas and no more than 100 watts too.
Posted by
W7AIT
on September 21, 2007
|
|
chasing dx
|
|
even though its at the bottom of the cycle I still found time to work what I could this past 2 months while on vacation.
Posted by
N6HPX
on September 21, 2007
|
|
It's there!
|
100 watts.
Wire antennas.
I'm working it.
Sometimes I have to wait for an opening, but it's there.
Listening and timing.
Works every, well, most of the, time.
Posted by
K8WV
on September 21, 2007
|
|
Satellites
|
|
No...thank God for the Satellites.
Posted by
KB2HSH
on September 21, 2007
|
|
I don't work DX
|
I don't work DX at all, presently, but I do confine the vast majority of my HF operations to the "low bands", so I am also thankful for the low bands.
Posted by
K7AAT
on September 21, 2007
|
|
Satellites
|
|
No...thank God for the Satellites.
Posted by
KB2HSH
on September 21, 2007
|
Welcome to the Survey Page.
14% (230)