Topband Noise

Although I can't speak for you, here in rural Cambridgeshire the noise on 160m is probably at least 20dB worse than 10 years ago. To be honest, noise on the lower HF bands is bad and getting worse. Even on the higher bands it is a real problem for some. In many ways I am quite lucky!

If you are lucky enough to live in a quiet part of the world (do they exist?) you might like this simple 160m antenna I used some years ago. It worked remarkably well.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/160m_loft_ant

160m JT65 QSO with loft vertical

JT65 QSO with 2E0ZRQ this evening on 160m

Managed to work 2E0ZRQ who was running 20W to a longwire with my 5W to the tiny loft vertical antenna this evening on JT65-HF. This is my first QSO with this mode on topband at a distance of 148km.

My 160m WSPR analysis

Since erecting my tiny 160m loft mounted vertical this last weekend I've used it on WSPR a few evenings with great success. The following tables show the unique reports received and sent on the band using (mostly) 5W. Most stations copying me can be copied here, despite the horrendous noise issues on the band at night.

160m WSPR reports received

160m WSPR reports given

So far, reports have been received from 9 countries with best DX being 1007km. Not bad with an antenna which is essentially a 1m long coil, a couple of top capacity wires and about 3m of feed wire from the loft to the upstairs shack and tuned against my central heating system copper pipes as a ground.

Some 160m AM QRP rig links

Looking around for some ideas for a local natter box, I came across these links for simple AM transmitters and receivers so far:

http://www.gameangler.eu/delboy/m0dad/construcion/poppet_top_band_am_transmitter.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/de/RadioAnarchy/
http://www.qsl.net/va3iul/Homebrew_RF_Circuit_Design_Ideas/1.65MHz_AM_QRP_TX.gif
http://www.qsl.net/va3iul/Homebrew_RF_Circuit_Design_Ideas/AM_RX_Superheterodine_NE612.gif

If you are aware of other, simple, ideas for 160m QRP AM rigs please let me know.  I've still to go through my old SPRATs to see what is there and there have also been some ideas in Practical Wireless.

160m good tonight

Although I do not do that much on 160m I took a listen this evening and conditions were very good. Heard were UA6MF, EY8MM and 3X5A all on CW. If conditions are similar next weekend there should be some good DX around for the CQWW CW contest.