Manager


Manager - N2MG
Manager Notes

Survey Question

Question

Do you still consider the 160M Band "The Gentleman's Band"?

Results (1399 answers)

Take this Survey

Please Login (above) before taking this survey.

Survey Comments

160 m gentleman's band

One of the things that make 160 the Gentleman's Band is that is takes effort to develop an antenna system that produces a strong signal. Too, an antenna tuner is often required to make an antenna usable across the entire band. Summertime has QRN which is objectionable to some. Dealing with these challenges results in a fulfilling experience on 160. Those that shy away from challenges are not likely to be happy on this band.

Let's all enjoy ham radio in whatever way suits each of us.

73,

Evan, K9SQG
Posted by K9SQG on 2007-01-10

Gentlemen's band

I don't hear any more gentlemen on 160 than I hear elsewhere. Bands don't make a crude slob into a gentleman. Ham radio is a cross section of humanity. We have the good, bad and the ugly.
Wait until us old goat CW devotees die out.Then go seek gentlemen.
Posted by W5LXG on 2007-01-01

160 meter band

Real hard being able to call the 160 meter band "the gentlman's band when most using the band only call CQ DX ONLY!!!!


Fred, W6YM
Posted by KH7Y on 2006-10-06

N9TGW

Scott,

I appreciate your perspective of why you do not feel that hams need to take a code test.

I firmly believe that a fine line has to be drawn between making the license a bit more difficult than a giveaway hobby. There is pride in accomplishing something difficult, as you and I remember when we were in school.

I do appreciate the falling numbers of the hobby. I attibute this to many things. New technology such as cell phones, the internet etc. Ham Radio is not the flavor of the month anymore.

I believe that if code is not the challenge, then keep the bar up somehow. This mindset will seperate the serious people desiring the hobby versus another casual appliance operator.

Testing standards are based on traditions, just as requirements for earning a specific degree in college. If you lower the standard, you lower the quality of the graduates. The same analogy works for ham radio. Yes, I am willing to have a indepth conversation about thr ARRL, which I am not a fan of. BPL, which is also a major threat to HF radio etc.

My concern is that lowering the standard and giving away something for nothing is why we have to import a good portion of our intellectual workforce. Please understand I understand that first hand as I work in the Silicon Valley.

In the old days, they had a license called a conditional license. This license had the privledges of a General, but required a doctor's letter why you could not pass the requirements. This to me was a great license. It allowed for the minority of people that has ligitimate problems, but kept the bar up to keep the standards of ham radio up.

I am not hear to have a battle of ideals, but to have us both understand our stances and the reasons for our beliefs.


Posted by KB6QXM on 2006-09-21

Gentlemens band?

If some of you that are complaining about being REAL extras or Advanced class operators are operating on 160 then it is either no longer a gentlemens band or on it's way to a death caused by arrogance. The Novice experiment didnt work ladies and gentlemen, thats why they went to a no code phone license, not just in the US but WORLD WIDE. But so many of you "old timers" know so much more than what the numbers are showing, yet you sit back and whine when bandspread is auctioned off because it isn't being used.

You neglect to consider how any good hams there are who are advancing, who have no choice in the matter because this is just the way it is for them now, thet dont have a chance to go back in time and become "a real ham just like you" . The other thing you are refusing to admit to is the "current way" is the only way that many people can get a license, people like myself who can't study morse for neurological reasons that the FCC does NOT accept as a valid reason to modify the testing criteria. Give me 5 minutes of audio code practice or using a light, And I will end up with a blinding clinical Migraine hedache. Not a bad headace but wone where I cant see clearly enough to read and the sound of the blood flowing in mown ears is deafening, and I am not unique in this by any means. But that Has no bearing on the fact that I am a retired Electronics Engineer. Does that make me an undesireable?

Its time to grow up and show the maturity that the 12 and 13 year old no code techs are as they are entering this fraternity.

Scott
N9TGW
Posted by N9TGW on 2006-09-20

160...

I also agree with W9WHE. We can use 160 like we use eHam to get on and use loaded phrases to attack people who are not of our own belief system. When that gets old, we can find a conversation aand take it way off topic and complain about the ARRL, BPL, and APCO25. Real gentleman stuff.
Posted by K1OU on 2006-09-19

A gentleman's band by default

I don't recall ever hearing YL on 160!
:-)
73
Steve WA2DTW

Posted by WA2DTW on 2006-09-18

160 M

Shouldn't EVERY band be a "gentleman's band"?
Why shouldn't civillity be the rule, instead of the exception?

The only thing seperating us from CB is the standards. Take away the standards and we will become CB

W9WHE
Posted by W9WHE-II on 2006-09-18

160m

Good points by W9WHE. I agree completely.
Posted by NI0C on 2006-09-18

Yes 160m is still great

Just to get back on topic, 160m in the uk is still a great band. We have plenty of cw operation especially now the nights are drawing in. There are very polite ssb/am club nets on the weekends. Mobile operation is still used and seems to be picking up slightly. A great band, great people and a pleasure to work it.

Finally, please note, my eham id is the same as my callsign.

73 to all,

John G8KHS


Posted by G8KHS on 2006-09-16

Yes 160m is still great

Just to get back on topic, 160m in the uk is still a great band. We have plenty of cw operation especially now the nights are drawing in. There are very polite ssb/am club nets on the weekends. Mobile operation is still used and seems to be picking up slightly. A great band, great people and a pleasure to work it.

Finally, please note, my eham id is the same as my callsign.

73 to all,

John G8KHS


Posted by G8KHS on 2006-09-16

It is what you make it.

On reflection, the 160 meter band is still the "Gentlemens Band" as long as gentlemen continue to set an example by using the band. In that sense, every band is the gentlemens band, from 2 meter FM onward to the top band.
Often I call CQ and no one answers. I go on twenty meters, make a nice contact with an old time buddy and get jammed by powerful CW, send a nicely worded QSL card and request a return, and never hear from the fellow again. It doesn't bother me. Every now and then I get a really good QSO. You know what? It makes it all worth it. Be greater than you seem and keep keying.
Posted by AI2IA on 2006-09-15

Ref SSB

Some of us honestly love this hobby and enjoy it to the max. Part 97 and good amateur practice is what we operate by. Many want to go against all rules and regulations pertaining to amateur radio and actually try to turn it into "their" version of what they want it to be. For some it may be vulgar cussing, for others it's just some antic to piss the rest of the amateur population off. It may be some kind of qrm they like to do, or around here some dumbass cber with an extra class license using only his cb handle to identify himself on hf freq's along with several of his buddies doing the exact same thing. This pisses many hams off and is exactly what these types want to do. They still have their cb antics and operate on amateur radio exactly like they do on cb. I guess you're talking about those hams that standup and try to defend the time honored traditions and the very foundations of our hobby by saying we think we're better than some others. After listening around the bands for just a short while, hell i guess you're damn right. Have the balls to be a "man", and put your name in the slot and an amateur call sign.."which you probably don't have". Just my two cents: John WR8D
Posted by WR8D on 2006-09-14

160 meters gentelmans band ?

I agree with WR8D on putting comments on this site without having the " GONADS" to give your call or name. Hiding behind a made-up nickname, like the woosy you are !! If you want to criticize, be a man and give constructive criticzm and your call/name. I've been on the " Topband " for over 30 years and there are 99% " Gentelman " on 160 !! Willy K3VW
Posted by K3VW on 2006-09-14

eChild

eChild..This is an appropriate new name for this site. Be an adult and stop acting like children who want everybody to play like you dictate or you make stupid and childish comments that always seem to include pee pee, kucka, kucka, wee wee, oh how NOT cute you are.


Alex.....
Posted by SSB on 2006-09-14

I think so

I don't have the space for an antenna for 160m, but I have listened-in on occasion to the QSOs taking place on that band and have enjoyed them. What surpirses me about the comments about is it appears some are trying to make this into a Code/NoCode debate, and the topic of the survey had nothing to do with that. Very Interesting

Mike, W4KTX

Posted by FORMER_W4KTX_JC on 2006-09-13

Those who think they are better than others.

I am amused by those on this site that think they are better than other people and have the absolute arrogant stupidity to proclaim it to all. I guess some of those self righteous and proud don't realize how asinine they present themselves.

Alex .... (also an Advanced licensee, but who cares, lots of hams have Advanced and Extra licenses)
Posted by SSB on 2006-09-13

Love it!

Especially now with the advances of technology,such as filters and DSP. 160 meters has always been and will always be
my band of choice. To have a good signal on 160 meters requires more than a typical appliance operators. This band requires a fair amount of technical savey. This is not an instant gradification band. To operate with both good transmit and recieve capability requires good planning, technical ability and a bit of money. To me, it is the band that seperates the serious ham from the casual interest or instant gradification ham.

I like to operate 160 AM. I have a semi-exotic antenna. Home brew!!! It is a convoluted loop. It is a H-field antenna that has a motor driven vacuum cap at the feedpoint.

The antenna has an extremely high Q. It also acts as a filter to eliminate QRM on adjacent frequencies.

160 meters has a bit of what the "old ham radio" was all about. You designed and built your radios, you did not buy them. 160 meters reflects the past and the history of what made ham radio a great hobby to be involved with.


Posted by KB6QXM on 2006-09-11

Love it!

Especially now with the advances of technology,such as filters and DSP. 160 meters has always been and will always be
my band of choice. To have a good signal on 160 meters requires more than a typical appliance operators. This band requires a fair amount of technical savey. This is not an instant gradification band. To operate with both good transmit and recieve capability requires good planning, technical ability and a bit of money. To me, it is the band that seperates the serious ham from the casual interest or instant gradification ham.

I like to operate 160 AM. I have a semi-exotic antenna. Home brew!!! It is a convoluted loop. It is a H-field antenna that has a motor driven vacuum cap at the feedpoint.

The antenna has an extremely high Q. It also acts as a filter to eliminate QRM on adjacent frequencies.

160 meters has a bit of what the "old ham radio" was all about. You designed and built your radios, you did not buy them. 160 meters reflects the past and the history of what made ham radio a great hobby to be involved with.


Posted by KB6QXM on 2006-09-11

Love it!

Especially now with the advances of technology,such as filters and DSP. 160 meters has always been and will always be
my band of choice. To have a good signal on 160 meters requires more than a typical appliance operators. This band requires a fair amount of technical savey. This is not an instant gradification band. To operate with both good transmit and recieve capability requires good planning, technical ability and a bit of money. To me, it is the band that seperates the serious ham from the casual interest or instant gradification ham.

I like to operate 160 AM. I have a semi-exotic antenna. Home brew!!! It is a convoluted loop. It is a H-field antenna that has a motor driven vacuum cap at the feedpoint.

The antenna has an extremely high Q. It also acts as a filter to eliminate QRM on adjacent frequencies.

160 meters has a bit of what the "old ham radio" was all about. You designed and built your radios, you did not buy them. 160 meters reflects the past and the history of what made ham radio a great hobby to be involved with.


Posted by KB6QXM on 2006-09-11

WR8D

John,

Really appreciate your comments. In my comments on licensing, the new generation of something for nothing, instant gradification in addition to the equipment manufactuers wanting more equipment sales and the ARRL wanting more members have lobbyed the FCC to eliminate almost all CW requirements and to simply give the license away.

If you will notice, my call is an ADVANCED class call. Why you ask is it an ADVANCED class call? It makes a statement. It says that I earned my license the old fashioned way. I struggled to get my 13WPM, but I did it and it took me a few times, but did I complain. NO! I just became more determined and practiced, practiced and practiced more until I passed. When I was testing for my black belt in traditional Japanese Karate, I failed a few time. Did I whine and say it was too hard. No, I became more determined and passed on the forth attempt. When I was earning my engineering degree, did I whine and say that the curriculum was too difficult, No, I studied hardier. All of these requirements are based on traditions from the people that came before us.

The reason why ham radio is not what it was before is the bar has been lowered, not raised. When they made the "no-code" license, I saw it as the beginning of the end.

I did not have a problem with them having the license, but give them one band only and try and motivate them to upgrade. That was the reason behind the old Novice class of yesteryear. It allowed 1 year to brush up on your code. Use it or loose it.

In the old days, when I asked for people to come and help me put up a tower at a tower party, people would line up. Now I cannot get 1 person to commit. The reason is simple, when you give someone something for nothing, they do not appreciate it. Now a lot of hams keep their entire station on their belt.


Posted by KB6QXM on 2006-09-11

160M

Any band can get it's nut jobs. I would think most freeboners would not bother with 160M. One does have to have a large decent antenna to work.


Posted by WA2JJH on 2006-09-10

Not The Gentlemen's band, but not worst than the others...

What I deeply regret on the 160m band is that outside of the contest it seems nearly impossible to work EU, within EU.
Every callers are looking for DX.
DX is fine, but it is also a nice part of our hobby to talk together...
73 Steph F5NZY
Posted by F5NZY on 2006-09-09

What a joke!

Hey yepsure, there's to many cb minded people on now. To put it another way, there's to many wanting to turn amateur radio into their version of glorified cb. I can't put it any simpler. We all have balls to sign our calls and name here too, so if you want to stir it you should at least be a man and give a call or your name. Better yet stay on 11 meters where from your attitude here, you belong. It's just got to be this way on the bands too. Every time someone like you comes around with that little chip on your shoulder there's plenty of folks around to knock it off for you. We're talking about gentlemen and good manners on the bottom band. Your attitude is a perfect example of why thats becoming something of the past. John WR8D
Posted by WR8D on 2006-09-08

Sorry Guys,

Sometimes the trolls just get to me. This code/nocode crap is the dumbest junk i've ever heard of. There are those that loathe the mode and also the cw operator. They don't want to learn it much less learn it and use it but here's the kicker. They don't want us using it either. In redneck hillbilly terms...i don't want to learn code and i "hate" it, and you should'nt be doing it cause it makes me look stupid cause i can't. You elite snobs all think you're better than the rest of us. The hate and resentment are evident just about everywhere. My 2 cents: 73 John WR8D
Posted by WR8D on 2006-09-08

Gentleman's Top Band

As in any attempt to join in a QSO in progress, you have to have something to add to the conversation. Just saying your call as a way of saying "I'm here!", isn't enough. This is true on any band, not just 160M. Be persistent, but be polite. I have no trouble joining a conversation, as long as I have something to contribute, or a question to ask. Yes, on occasion there will be a group that will not aknowledge my call. They are cliquish, and only want to talk to each other, these groups can sometimes be foulmouthed and rude. You have to listen to the conversation, and see if that group is really one you want to talk to. The language problem usually determines my joining a QSO. Just because you can hear it on tv, doesn't allow you to use those words on ham radio. We usually shun those who use bad language here in east central Alabama. They either bail out of the hobby, or they mend their ways. Good people are to be found on every band, you just have to look for them. The hams that do not accept you, or discriminate because you have a "new" call, or a "vanity" call, or use foul language, are just a plain waste of spectrum. You waste your time trying to talk to them. Check out 3.965 at around 7pm CST - we will welcome you aboard!
Fred - W4FJF.
Posted by W4FJF on 2006-09-07

top band



lots of nice folks on 1.850 ssb.. in the pacific coast evenings.. montanna calif, wash ore, nev, nice bunch and some times the band goes long wheeeeeeeeee
Posted by N6AJR on 2006-09-07

So Learning Code Didn't Matter Then?

Sooooo, I guess learning CW to get on HF didn't preserve the bands and make those people better operators like we've all been told it would.

I knew that was all a bunch of crap . . .
Posted by YEPSURE on 2006-09-07

Oh yes it is

I am on 160 meters year round.
I work Both CW and SSB, I also work
all the 160 meter contests. I work the DX I also rag chew on the band I don't know where you come up with that it is not a gentlemans band. I don't run into any of the problems.
I can usually be found between 1.845-1.868
and all over the place when chasing dx. The only problems I have seen is, that alot of new to 160 try to get on with G5RV or 80 meter dipole on the worst night of the week and get frustrated that they cannot be heard. Especially when static crashes are 10-20 over even on the Beverage antennas. And not once in the 14 years that I have been on that band have I heard anything go on that would be un gentleman like, In a standard QSO. Dxpeditions however is a different story... but aren't they all.....
David KR4OW
Posted by KR4OW on 2006-09-07

Gentlemen's Band

I give it an emphatic yes. I run 100W from Texas to a dipole at 30' and was attempting two very challenging QSOs to the Black Sea area of Russia last season. In both cases, it took anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes for the DX station to get my callsign and report correct. In both cases, many stations stood by patiently until I completed the QSO. Two new countries worked! Once I finished, all hell broke loose, but then it went quiet again once the station returned another callsign. These guys are the best!
Posted by K5AF on 2006-09-06

Gentleman's Band?

These days my observation would be that operators using the shared NTIA allocations on the 60 meter - 5 MHz band are the best behaved in amateur radio. Many amateurs do not care for the requirement for channelized operation, EIRP limits and bandwidth restrictions, so they do not need to operate there. While it is true that 60 meters is not heavily utilized, those of us who hang out there like it that way.

For more on 60 meters see:
"GETTING ON 6O METERS - LEGALLY”
( by Ed Ewell, K7DXV in ECWB No. 162 to 165 2003)Archived at: http://www.emcomm.org/archives/default.asp


Posted by KE4SKY on 2006-09-05

Breaking in

I always invite new participants in the QSO (breakers) if they actually have something to say or contribute. It's silly to break into a QSO to contribute absolutely nothing.

But a perfect example of a good "break-in" opportunity that I've heard 160m and 75m phone ops pass up many times is one like this:

"Hey, Joe, how's the band where you are?"

"Not good. Noisy...nothing west of the Rockies here tonight. It's crapola."

<Me, breaking: "WB2WIK/6 in California.">

"Hey, Joe, I think we have a breaker. Let him in, okay."

<Joe: "Yeah, well, I'll tell ya, Ralph the wife and I went to the movies last night and blah..blah...blah...and by the time I took my Geritol it was nearly midnight.">

"Yeah, that's happened to me, before too..."

So, they completely ignored me, after acknowledging they heard me fine. And what I wanted to contribute was that indeed there was propagation west of the Rockies, as I was breaking in from California.

But they'd never know that because they ignored the breaker.

Examples like this abound.

I don't let it bother me, as it's easy to pick out such groups and just avoid them.

Funny example is when I try to break into a QSO to contribute something, and am ignored. Then, I'll slide 3-4 kHz up the band and call CQ. The first one to respond to my CQ is one of the guys who just ignored me two minutes ago, yelling that I'm QRMing their QSO 4 kHz down the band.

Ya can't win.

WB2WIK/6


Posted by WB2WIK on 2006-09-05

A Great Example!

WB2WIK, thank you very much for a very good example of "good breaking in." When not calling CQ, or before calling CQ, I listen extensively to see what I can learn from an ongoing QSO. What I seek to learn is not necessarily propagation or amateur matters. I learned good SWL when I was a teenager. It is noteworthy that the hams who don't take kindly to a courteous and helpful breaker are also the ones who don't listen carefully. We can all improve our skills, but here is an area often overlooked - listening (and I don't mean "hearing"). Sometimes you get really valuable information from a fellow ham, but only if you think with your mind about what you hear with you ears. Thanks for the perfect example.
Posted by AI2IA on 2006-09-05

.
I have no problem to break into a on going qso. I send -...-.- and get a ..--.. and then sign .-- -.... - .... es I don't know these chaps, but guess they welcome me because I was sending at the speed of 45 wpm.

Try -...-.- next time on cw es u wl be welcomed.

73 sidewinders from whiskey six tango hotel.

.:
Posted by W6TH on 2006-09-05

Very little activity

I find very little activity below the "DX Window" nobody seems interested in just chewing the rag. BIG ANTENNAS, BIG POWER & CQ DX seem the norm around here. Mike WA3SLN in Central Pa.
Posted by WA3SLN on 2006-09-05

what do you mean by "The Gentleman's Band"

what do you mean by "The Gentleman's Band"?

KI4CFS
Posted by KI4CFS on 2006-09-04

Sort of

It's a nicer band than 75m, but about the same as 80m (CW) or the CW end of any of the bands.

160m "phone" used to be extremely friendly, I remember from my childhood.

Nowadays, it seems as "clique-ish" as any other band. I hear round tables going on, especially above 1900, who ignore breakers even when they hear them just fine. They "acknowledge" the breaker, "Joe, I just heard a breaker. Let him in next time around, will ya?" and then just go on chatting, and the next guy forgets or ignores the breaker, so anybody new trying to join the group just goes away.

OTOH, the CW ops seem great. I don't work 160 a lot, but usually give out a couple hundred contacts in each contest and it's common for the 160 CW ops to specifically comment, like "nice sig OM" or "tnx vy" or something -- going out of their way to welcome somebody they don't hear a lot. That's kind of cool.

WB2WIK/6
Posted by WB2WIK on 2006-09-04

Breaker Breaker

I don't know exactly who invented the concept of breaking into a conversation on any band, but it was a stupid idea. If people would stop trying to bust into conversations unless it is explicitly stated that breakers are welcome to the frequency, breakers would not be treated as malicious interference as far as I am concerned. Nobody has the supposed right to bust a QSO because someone else said it is OK operating procedure.

Stop the breaking, and the bands will at least improve.


Alex.....
Posted by SSB on 2006-09-04

breaking in

so, whats the trouble with wanting to join an on going conversation? if a person doesnt know anyone or have friends on the band, like 75 meters, why cant they join in? whats the problem? isn't this part of the hobby, having fun and talking to each other? if you wait for a cq on 75, you will wait till hell freezes over. i just dont get it....old codgers? must be.
Posted by KD9MF on 2006-09-04

They can't be too friendle if they won't talk to no-code techs.
Posted by SSBHAM69 on 2006-09-04

Stay on 160 meters.

To WR8D and others who may feel the same:
What is a leader?
He is the one who is way out there ahead of the pack. He is the one who looks back over his own shoulder and with the brisk wave of his arm shouts, "Follow me!"
For goodness sake, if ham radio ever did mean anything to you, get on 160 meters and use it like you did when you first got the privilege. It is far better to pound one lone key than to lament the darkness. It is better to press the mike than to let it all slip away. Keep up the tradition!
Posted by AI2IA on 2006-09-04

Go ahead and break in!

What is wrong with you little hams? Can't you handle a three-way, a four-way, a multiple-way QSO? Think about the actual words passed in all of your two-way QSOs. What is really being communicated that you can't share it with one more ham? Can't you pass it along from one to the other? Can't you hold up your end of the QSO? Get out of your rut. The only difference between a rut and grave are the dimensions. Ham radio is a brotherhood, not a private conversation. Be bigger than you seem and more courteous, too, go ahead and take it on. Welcome the break in. You will be better for it.
Posted by AI2IA on 2006-09-04

To a point...

I think they act more like gentlemen (or gentlewomen) than those on 75 and 20 meters.

I still say the best behaved hams were the new novices on 10 meters back when they gave them voice privileges on that band.

73, Bill - WA8MEA
http://HamRadioFun.com
Posted by WA8MEA on 2006-09-03

No problem for me!!

I spend 97% of my time on CW on all bands, but I will say that,on one occasion, when on 160m, I QSYed up band a bit and after listening for a few minutes, politely announced my call to an ongoing phone QSO involving a W/K2, W/K3 and another '4' area station. I was welcomed right in! They were the most pleasant bunch I've run into in quite awhile and I still feel good about being invited to join in on any other evening as well--------it was a very positive experience for me. But, who knows, maybe I just dont spend enough time monitoring the band to run into the 'bad apples'........




Richard VE3MFN
Posted by VE3MFN on 2006-09-03

Not any more it's not!

What does playing music, making weird noises to qrm someone or just naturally being a dunce remind any of us of?? "CB" In my part of this country for some reason this is the band most of the freeband filth mouthed cbers with the extra class license have ended up on. They hold our highest license class but its not worth the paper it's written on. If they know you and word is spread around between them, you'll be subjected to 5 year old antics. No respect for anyone muchless themselves. No rules apply to them, they're better than the rest of us. I just took my 160 antenna down to keep myself from having to go on a rampage. If the fcc turns a blind eye to them as long as they stay just there on the bottom band, so will i. Everyone have a great labor day weekend, 73 John WR8D
Posted by WR8D on 2006-09-02

Too bad it's like it everywhere

The days of Amateur Radio and the meaning behind it have long been gone for sometime now... It's too bad that the garbage that goes on has left channel 19 and filtered it's way to other parts of the spectrum...

The professionality and passion for the hobby has ceased for many, and now it has become a free for all for many... What happened to the days when we could actually communicate, and enjoy the conversation amongst neighbors near and far...

The spectrum has become a mess in general and it would be nice to see it cleaned up again and made more useful for the younger generation so that we can bring new blood into the hobby without having to worry about what they will hear... When I was a kid this bologna just didn't go on...

'73's my friends... Look forward to chatting with you on the bands...
Posted by KA2ZNI on 2006-09-02

Less folks = Less garbage

Just the fact that 160M is physically tough to do makes the band much less crowded. The smaller the crowds, the less the garbage that goes on. If someone invented a 160M antenna that would hook to your balcony railing (no the Isotron does not qualify) 160M would sound like 80M.

My opinion and worth what you paid for it.

Clint - W5CPT
Posted by W5CPT on 2006-09-02

Honestly, no!

The 160 meter band, sad to say, is no longer the "Gentlemens Band." Few, if any, ask if the frequency is in use, before calling. Some are very quick to jam you with powerful CW, and some use inappropriate language. Others will key on top of you, or talk right over you. It is odd that it seems to happen in clumps. At times it seems that it is all over, while at other times it just does not happen.

In my view, the best way to handle this is for more courteous hams to use the band. Certainly never surrender the band to these people. Listen on the band and then use it when you have an opening. If you hear someone calling CQ, respond with good language, and if they get nasty, just bow out. The important thing is for hams of good practice to keep using the band.
Posted by AI2IA on 2006-09-02