eHam
eHam Forums => Long Wave / Medium Wave => Topic started by: N8FVJ on January 04, 2022, 04:40:22 PM
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(1-4-2022) 75 meters is bad as I ever heard it. I moved, new location in Belleview, FL. New ham shack here and first I listened on a new Yaesu FYDX10 tonight. Almost no signals on the band, nothing louder than an S8-S9 signal.
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I only work CW but to help you out I just quickly scanned from 3.700 to 3.800 looking for SSB conversations. I heard eight fairly strong conversations going on in that 100 khz frequency range. This is listening in SW Ohio, north of Dayton.
Could it simply be local conditions in FL tonight? 73
Brady KD8ZM
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I know this is heresy but very late at night/early morning I've been hearing and working Asia and South America 80m FT8 running a simple endfed antenna 25' in the air...don't shot the messenger....HI HI I get on around 2300hrs Pacific time and there's always stations sending cq
Unfortunately, that time of night I don't hear any CW stations....everyone's asleep or working FT8.
GL/73
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I call it 80 meters like most, but 80 meters "Dead" ?
Never heard of such a thing.
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40 meters is better than 80 meters tonight. Never seen that before at night.
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80 meters was great this morning. I worked half a dozen Japanese stations from Connecticut.
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75 meters is back tonight.
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Jim,
I'm going to respectfully suggest that something else is possibly amiss....not 75m/80m propagation.
(see below, for details....)
But, perhaps I'm just confused 'cuz I didn't realize that 75m was Longwave or Mediumwave...hi hi...
(1-4-2022) 75 meters is bad as I ever heard it. I moved, new location in Belleview, FL. New ham shack here and first I listened on a new Yaesu FYDX10 tonight. Almost no signals on the band, nothing louder than an S8-S9 signal.
75 meters is back tonight.
Jim, the reason I say that something else might be amiss here, [such as an antenna intermittent, local RFI (even some Christmas lights), or just a poor 75m/80m antenna, etc. (I've seen 10db -20db differences between 2 stations with same power, just 2 blocks away from each other, one with a 1/2-wave centerfed dipole.....and the other with a mickey-mouse EFHW, which on 75m/80m can have pretty extreme losses), heck even an intermittent coax jumper can cause these issues, and since you "just moved" and have a new ham shack, it's a definite possibility!] is that propagation on 75m/80m propagation was actually pretty good (and atmospheric noise was low), all across Florida and Eastern US, on 1-4-22...
You see, except for a couple nights, I've been on 75m/80m SSB here in Florida every night for the past year or so (years ago, as well...but took some time off)....and, I'm in regular / nightly QSO's with stations all across Florida (as well as AL, NC, NJ, WI...and into Europe, as well)...and especially have almost nightly QSO's with two stations near you (one in Wildwood, one in Summerfield), and others in/near Orlando, Titusville, Palm Coast, Jax, WPB, Ft. Laud, Ft. Myers...
And, with the excellent signals for many hours (~ 9:30pm EST thru to after 2am EST), to/from all these stations, especially the two that are just a couple miles from you, every night...
I'm writing this to ask you if you're sure there isn't some other issue at work?
And, fyi...just so you know, I'm using a very stealthy low dipole, feedpoint at ~ 12', with the ends at ~ 18'....and the last 25' of one end sort-a zig-zags a bit....but, it is a normal center-fed 1/2-wave dipole, with a good balun and coax...
This is definitely not a great antenna, but it's what I have room for...
Oh, and while I've rid the house here from as much RFI-producing crap as I can, the neighbors' houses do produce some noise, so my lowest noise level (before Christams lights went up) on 80m was S-4....
So, I'm not running a "super station" here...just average....and, I can say that 75m/80m was NOT dead on Tue 1-4-22, here in Florida, across the eastern US, nor even into Europe...
Usually I wouldn't presume to question another ham's experience that their basing their question on....
But, it is the incredibly excellent 75m/80m propagation we had here on Tuesday night (1-4-22), and last night as well....along with very low atmosphere noise levels here in Florida, that is prompting me to ask if you're absolutely sure there isn't / wasn't something else amiss?
Heck, noise levels were so low and propagation on 80m was so good, we even had some friends from Europe join our SSB rag chew for quite a while.
Not sure if I'm helping, but I am trying.
73,
John, KA4WJA
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Next night 75 meters was back to normal with strong signals. Also tonight (1-7-22) is normal signal strength.
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Yes, Jim, I understand that.
(and, while others would just leave it at that....that ain't me)
Next night 75 meters was back to normal with strong signals. Also tonight (1-7-22) is normal signal strength.
As I did see your post from the next night:
75 meters is back tonight.
And, to be clear, this (that you went for reporting "Horrid" conditions one night, to things being "back" and "back to normal" the next night....when I was in QSO with your neighbors [< 5 miles from you] all that evening and found excellent conditions....as well as the previous nights and the following nights) is the main reason I responded to you! :)
If you are satisfied that all is well....well, go forward and have a good day...
If, on the other hand, you're actually curious what was going on, please have a look:
Jim,
I'm going to respectfully suggest that something else is possibly amiss....not 75m/80m propagation.
(see below, for details....)
But, perhaps I'm just confused 'cuz I didn't realize that 75m was Longwave or Mediumwave...hi hi...
(1-4-2022) 75 meters is bad as I ever heard it. I moved, new location in Belleview, FL. New ham shack here and first I listened on a new Yaesu FYDX10 tonight. Almost no signals on the band, nothing louder than an S8-S9 signal.
75 meters is back tonight.
Jim, the reason I say that something else might be amiss here, [such as an antenna intermittent, local RFI (even some Christmas lights), or just a poor 75m/80m antenna, etc. (I've seen 10db -20db differences between 2 stations with same power, just 2 blocks away from each other, one with a 1/2-wave centerfed dipole.....and the other with a mickey-mouse EFHW, which on 75m/80m can have pretty extreme losses), heck even an intermittent coax jumper can cause these issues, and since you "just moved" and have a new ham shack, it's a definite possibility!] is that propagation on 75m/80m propagation was actually pretty good (and atmospheric noise was low), all across Florida and Eastern US, on 1-4-22...
You see, except for a couple nights, I've been on 75m/80m SSB here in Florida every night for the past year or so (years ago, as well...but took some time off)....and, I'm in regular / nightly QSO's with stations all across Florida (as well as AL, NC, NJ, WI...and into Europe, as well)...and especially have almost nightly QSO's with two stations near you (one in Wildwood, one in Summerfield), and others in/near Orlando, Titusville, Palm Coast, Jax, WPB, Ft. Laud, Ft. Myers...
And, with the excellent signals for many hours (~ 9:30pm EST thru to after 2am EST), to/from all these stations, especially the two that are just a couple miles from you, every night...
I'm writing this to ask you if you're sure there isn't some other issue at work?
And, fyi...just so you know, I'm using a very stealthy low dipole, feedpoint at ~ 12', with the ends at ~ 18'....and the last 25' of one end sort-a zig-zags a bit....but, it is a normal center-fed 1/2-wave dipole, with a good balun and coax...
This is definitely not a great antenna, but it's what I have room for...
Oh, and while I've rid the house here from as much RFI-producing crap as I can, the neighbors' houses do produce some noise, so my lowest noise level (before Christams lights went up) on 80m was S-4....
So, I'm not running a "super station" here...just average....and, I can say that 75m/80m was NOT dead on Tue 1-4-22, here in Florida, across the eastern US, nor even into Europe...
Usually I wouldn't presume to question another ham's experience that their basing their question on....
But, it is the incredibly excellent 75m/80m propagation we had here on Tuesday night (1-4-22), and last night as well....along with very low atmosphere noise levels here in Florida, that is prompting me to ask if you're absolutely sure there isn't / wasn't something else amiss?
Heck, noise levels were so low and propagation on 80m was so good, we even had some friends from Europe join our SSB rag chew for quite a while.
Not sure if I'm helping, but I am trying.
73,
John, KA4WJA
Hope this helps.
73,
John, KA4WJA
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"and the other with a mickey-mouse EFHW, which on 75m/80m can have pretty extreme losses"
++1
HA!
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I never notice extreme losses with the EFHW on 75 meters when in MI for many years. However the EFHW is a few dB down compared to some other antennas when used on 75 meter AM. I compared my power out and others power out with S meter readings as stated by others. It could have been the low 25 foot height off of the ground.
Also, I find FL not as good a location as MI. In MI I usually heard all hams on nets at various locations on the frequency. No so in FL.
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Jim,
Well, I have tried to help. :(
I really have tried....but...
I never notice extreme losses with the EFHW on 75 meters when in MI for many years. However the EFHW is a few dB down compared to some other antennas when used on 75 meter AM. I compared my power out and others power out with S meter readings as stated by others. It could have been the low 25 foot height off of the ground.
Also, I find FL not as good a location as MI. In MI I usually heard all hams on nets at various locations on the frequency. No so in FL.
S-meter readings?
From others on the air?
Well, that's an issue right there. :)
Not really gonna' give you much in the way of accuracy, you know!
And, you do realize that propagation changes rapidly....in minutes...
So, you cannot make snap judgements about what propagation from weeks/months/years before in different regions!
FYI, with my temporary set-up, my dipole is even lower than your EFHW, and propagation is actually GREAT on 80m, and from Florida the whole east coast and mid-west is easy-peasy with 100 watts on SSB now-a-days....and even Europe is do-able with 100 watts (but an amp would certainly help!)
Perhaps this will help others?
Yes, Jim, I understand that.
(and, while others would just leave it at that....that ain't me)
Next night 75 meters was back to normal with strong signals. Also tonight (1-7-22) is normal signal strength.
As I did see your post from the next night:
75 meters is back tonight.
And, to be clear, this (that you went for reporting "Horrid" conditions one night, to things being "back" and "back to normal" the next night....when I was in QSO with your neighbors [< 5 miles from you] all that evening and found excellent conditions....as well as the previous nights and the following nights) is the main reason I responded to you! :)
If you are satisfied that all is well....well, go forward and have a good day...
If, on the other hand, you're actually curious what was going on, please have a look:
Jim,
I'm going to respectfully suggest that something else is possibly amiss....not 75m/80m propagation.
(see below, for details....)
But, perhaps I'm just confused 'cuz I didn't realize that 75m was Longwave or Mediumwave...hi hi...
(1-4-2022) 75 meters is bad as I ever heard it. I moved, new location in Belleview, FL. New ham shack here and first I listened on a new Yaesu FYDX10 tonight. Almost no signals on the band, nothing louder than an S8-S9 signal.
75 meters is back tonight.
Jim, the reason I say that something else might be amiss here, [such as an antenna intermittent, local RFI (even some Christmas lights), or just a poor 75m/80m antenna, etc. (I've seen 10db -20db differences between 2 stations with same power, just 2 blocks away from each other, one with a 1/2-wave centerfed dipole.....and the other with a mickey-mouse EFHW, which on 75m/80m can have pretty extreme losses), heck even an intermittent coax jumper can cause these issues, and since you "just moved" and have a new ham shack, it's a definite possibility!] is that propagation on 75m/80m propagation was actually pretty good (and atmospheric noise was low), all across Florida and Eastern US, on 1-4-22...
You see, except for a couple nights, I've been on 75m/80m SSB here in Florida every night for the past year or so (years ago, as well...but took some time off)....and, I'm in regular / nightly QSO's with stations all across Florida (as well as AL, NC, NJ, WI...and into Europe, as well)...and especially have almost nightly QSO's with two stations near you (one in Wildwood, one in Summerfield), and others in/near Orlando, Titusville, Palm Coast, Jax, WPB, Ft. Laud, Ft. Myers...
And, with the excellent signals for many hours (~ 9:30pm EST thru to after 2am EST), to/from all these stations, especially the two that are just a couple miles from you, every night...
I'm writing this to ask you if you're sure there isn't some other issue at work?
And, fyi...just so you know, I'm using a very stealthy low dipole, feedpoint at ~ 12', with the ends at ~ 18'....and the last 25' of one end sort-a zig-zags a bit....but, it is a normal center-fed 1/2-wave dipole, with a good balun and coax...
This is definitely not a great antenna, but it's what I have room for...
Oh, and while I've rid the house here from as much RFI-producing crap as I can, the neighbors' houses do produce some noise, so my lowest noise level (before Christams lights went up) on 80m was S-4....
So, I'm not running a "super station" here...just average....and, I can say that 75m/80m was NOT dead on Tue 1-4-22, here in Florida, across the eastern US, nor even into Europe...
Usually I wouldn't presume to question another ham's experience that their basing their question on....
But, it is the incredibly excellent 75m/80m propagation we had here on Tuesday night (1-4-22), and last night as well....along with very low atmosphere noise levels here in Florida, that is prompting me to ask if you're absolutely sure there isn't / wasn't something else amiss?
Heck, noise levels were so low and propagation on 80m was so good, we even had some friends from Europe join our SSB rag chew for quite a while.
Not sure if I'm helping, but I am trying.
73,
John, KA4WJA
Hope this helps.
73,
John, KA4WJA
73 and good luck...
John, KA4WJA
P.S. BTW, I hope you got the humor from my earlier post....and you are aware that 75m/80m is HF / SW (High-Frequency / Shortwave) not medium wave or longwave...
Perhaps reading a bit more of the basics would really help here?
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I know this is heresy but very late at night/early morning I've been hearing and working Asia and South America 80m FT8 running a simple endfed antenna 25' in the air...don't shot the messenger....HI HI I get on around 2300hrs Pacific time and there's always stations sending cq
Unfortunately, that time of night I don't hear any CW stations....everyone's asleep or working FT8.
GL/73
One one my area ham friends just got 80M DXCC on FT8 courtesy of his EFHW and around 300w output.
He's a new ham. We're introducing him to CW. That's his next challenge on the band.
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Ed,
I just now saw your post....
And, I know this is heresy to many these days as well...
But, you could always try SSB! :)
at your mentioned 2300 Pacific time (2am EST) 80m is quiet (especially this time of year) and we rag-chewers (we're not in the DX window, but further down band) on the east coast just finished with Europe (as their sun has risen in central Europe an hour earlier), and many of us are running out of things to talk about.
I know this is heresy but very late at night/early morning I've been hearing and working Asia and South America 80m FT8 running a simple endfed antenna 25' in the air...don't shot the messenger....HI HI I get on around 2300hrs Pacific time and there's always stations sending cq
Unfortunately, that time of night I don't hear any CW stations....everyone's asleep or working FT8.
GL/73
And, even with my low, stealthy dipole....I still work many stations on 80m SSB...but...
But, unlike those folks on FT-8 we actually talk about some things.....ranging from our families, to covid, to economics, to RF engineering, sailing, RV'ing, motorcycles, rebuilding classic cars, travel, nuclear power generation, solar energy, traffic, etc. etc. etc....(those are just some of the topics from the past few days!)
73,
John, KA4WJA