[Elecraft] 160m activity?

[Jim Brown]

On Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:48:48 -0600, Randy Moore wrote:

>I only hear people working DX.  All the CQs are
>"CQ DX" and so far no one has answered my CQs.

Sadly, that's very much the nature of 160. Some call it "the 
gentlemen's band." I think a better name for it is "the DX snobs 
band." I'm running a KW to a decent antenna, and I call CQ a lot 
(not CQ DX). I have no problem working across the country (or even 
across the Pacific) during a contest, but getting someone to answer 
a CQ for a casual contact can be tough. 

Another reality, however, is that 160 is a tough place to work QRP. 
Two reasons. Noise levels are high, and propagation is challenging. 
My good friend and neighbor, N6WG (in Silicon Valley) plugs away at 
contesting with his K2, including all the 160 contests. He has great 
fun with it, but only because he takes his antenna system very 
seriously. One of the good reasons for running power on 160 is to 
get over the high noise levels. I've got an S1 noise level most of 
the time. It's not uncommon for me to read a guy 579, but he can't 
read me, because his noise level is S8. 

73,

Jim Brown K9YC
Santa Cruz, CA