[OKDXA] Need Some 160 m Advice

Wed Dec 16 22:06:02 EST 2020

Thanks to all! I was hoping there was something obvious I was missing. 
Clearly, living on the East Coast is a huge benefit to 160 m DXing, as I 
see spots roll in from there every night. But mid-evening 160 m DX is 
simply not to be for those of us much removed from the coast. 160 will 
never be like even 80 m, which while bad enough, is nothing close to the 
difficulty of 160 m.

My transmit antenna is good: I shunt feed my tower through a L-network 
that I can tune remotely. No, I don't have a broadcast-quality radial 
field, but it's connected to the house ground and to fencing that runs 
around the yard it's in. The transmission line runs underground from my 
operating room to the antenna, which is maybe 100 ft away. The 
transmission line to my K9AY loops also runs underground for nearly 300 
ft before it exits the ground right at the loop feed point; I don't 
recall the trench depth, but it's at least a foot. I don't have radials 
under the loops, though I've read radials may help under certain 
circumstances. I know K9YC's work well, but I find no evidence that 
common mode degradation of my loop patterns is an issue based on testing 
with BC AM signals. I don't have receive beverages, even though I have 
room for them, because they'd have to run through a field that is hayed 
every fall.

I've had some luck with gray-line propagation; I've learned that it's 
very short-lived, so if I don't work the DX quickly, I won't work them 
at all because the opening simply won't last more than 10-20 min or so, 
and will be at its peak for only a few of those minutes. I have ON4UN's 
book and have read it from cover to cover. I can't do a lot of the 
optimal things, but my antennas aren't hopeless, either. My radio should 
be up to the task: a TT Orion II with a full suite of roofing filters 
and IF DSP down to 100 Hz bandwidth, along with audio DSP Selective 
Audio Filtering (SAF; TT's fancy term for audio peaking) down to 10 Hz 
bandwidth.

So, from an equipment standpoint, I'm petty well set. I just need to 
alter my hours. My case simply boils down to not irritating the XYL 
while chasing the DX at inconvenient times of day/night. Sigh.

73 & MX,

Kim N5OP

On 12/15/2020 9:48 PM, Kenneth Case wrote:
> Hi Kim,
>
> Back long ago (pre ice storm) I had my best luck doing a few things:
> 1. For whatever direction you are chasing, be sure to listen at THEIR right
> time and YOUR right time.  For EU, consider listening starting about 0400Z
> or soon thereafter.  That will catch some of the early guys starting with
> eastern EU.  For JA and area, listen starting at about 1030Z or soon
> thereafter.  You are trying to hit just before sunrise of the DX if
> possible to get the sunrise peak (that may occur just before (up to
> 30 minutes) or just after (maybe 10-15 minutes)their sunrise.  Same comment
> for sunset on one or both .  The best for me is my sunset and their sunrise
> (note both in darkness) acting together.
> 2. Sign onto ON4KST Low Band Chat. The low band, VHF, UHF and microwave
> chats (by ON4KST) <http://www.on4kst.com/chat/start.php>  You will get a
> note that there is a charge for one year's use.  I don't recall what it is,
> but it is comparable to what EVERYONE is doing. You can see who is on, both
> DX and domestic.  They have a decent Help list.
> 3. Be a bit careful!  If you know there is a rare DX station known to be on
> 160, do NOT give his call when sending a note on the DX Chat.  It will be
> picked up by those wanting to disrupt the band.  If you slip up and give
> the call, you will be instantly famous among 160 meter DXers on at that
> time.  Also, despite an urge to properly assign the interferer a few choice
> names, just stay cool.  They will eventually disappear.
> 4. Pay good attention to the comments from those already on and chatting.
> They will say something like: Heard him weakly on 19.5 up 2.  That is code
> for: I heard the rare DX (note - no call given) on 1819.5 and he is
> listening on 1821.5.  Note no reference to the 18 (for 160meters).  These
> little notes are quite helpful because now you know where to look, you also
> know it is going to be a weak station, and you know where he is listening!
> So a bit of ESP will be helpful, especially if you know the station's
> call.  For example, maybe you know XY5ZAB is to be on and somebody says he
> is very weak on 19.5.  Now, you listen using all your weak signal tricks
> for your radio.  You hear this on 1819.5:  *Y5*A* where * was not readable
> (it may be on the next try!)  Go ahead and give him a call! on 1821.5 using
> your call a couple of times.  Do it again.  If you hear the pileup on
> 1821.5 and then it goes silent, somebody likely has snagged him.  Wait
> until you hear him again.  Then go again.  Is going when you hear *Y5*A* a
> poor practice?  You be the judge, but you will soon realize it is a widely
> done practice.  I generally prefer to wait a bit, be sure I can FINALLY
> hear the whole call even though not all of it at the same time, and then go
> once sure you are calling the right station.  Also, remember there is often
> QSB and the signals are going up and down.  Pretty soon you will finally
> hear full calls or nothing.  I also often wait until this point.
> 5.  If directed to call up 2 (for example) and there is a pile, I'll
> usually listen to see how high the pile goes.  Suppose it goes to 1823.7.
> I'll try to follow the pile up or down starting at 1823.7.  It is also good
> practice to listen to see where the previous contact was made.
> 6. If it is a new one, I often try to see the online log in either real
> time or the next day.  I have also been known to instantaneously email the
> station (not a good idea when they are on a DXPEDITION), give them the
> contact info including RST, time in Z, etc., and ask if I made the log.  My
> reasoning is simple.  I do NOT want to be calling the next day and
> interfering with the pile if I am already in the log!
> 7. On the LHS of the LOW BAND CHAT you can see where skeds are arranged in
> real time.
>
> Kim, I know much of what I have said is already in your knowledge bank, so
> hope you are not offended (well EVERYBODY is offended about EVERYTHING
> today), so try to be less offended!
>
> Well, I am a bit out of it now.  I'm sure Coy and others (Dan W5XZ in Sand
> Springs near Tulsa), now probably the best 160 meter DXer in OK, can be of
> help).
>
> 73 Ken K5KC
>
> 1525 S Boulder Creek Drive
> Stillwater, OK  74074-2498  USA
> 405-747-4313 (Office and Cell)
> 405-377-7586 (Home and Fax)
> kencase66 at gmail.com
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 15, 2020 at 8:07 PM Kim Elmore <cw_de_n5op at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>> I'm finding that trying to hear spots on 160 m is deeply frustrating. Do
>> I need to stay up later? I usually pack it in around 10:00-10:30, but
>> maybe that's too early. Or, maybe I need to be up sooner? I'm just not
>> hearin' 'em! I have K9AY loops for rx and they sometimes help, sometimes
>> don't, but they never make things worse. My radio environment is quiet,
>> so it's not that. If I can't hear 'em I certainly can't work 'em.
>>
>> Any hints?
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Kim N5OP
>>
>> --
>>
>> Kim Elmore, Ph.D. (Adj. Assoc. Prof., OU School of Meteorology, CCM, PP
>> SEL/MEL/Glider, N5OP, 2nd Class Radiotelegraph, GROL)
>>
>> /"A great second violinist plays second fiddle to no one." //– Robert C.
>> Marsh, Chicago Sun-Times./
>>
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-- 

Kim Elmore, Ph.D. (Adj. Assoc. Prof., OU School of Meteorology, CCM, PP 
SEL/MEL/Glider, N5OP, 2nd Class Radiotelegraph, GROL)

/"A great second violinist plays second fiddle to no one." //– Robert C. 
Marsh, Chicago Sun-Times./