[OKDXA] Need Some 160 m Advice

Thu Dec 17 09:17:54 EST 2020

Kim,

It looks to me that all you lack is patience!

Good hunting...   73, Coy

On Wed, Dec 16, 2020 at 7:19 PM Kim Elmore <cw_de_n5op at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> 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./
>
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-- 
Coy C Day, N5OK
20685 SW 29
Union City, OK 73090
H(405) 483-5632 C(405) 448-2368
n5ok at arrl.net