Time for a little radio FUN!

[w9fnb]

Well I put in my 8.5 hrs today...just finished cutting my 2 ac...Loaded up on 14.330 and qrp rig on 7030...so after a quick shower to blow of the grass...I'll be back...8:25pm so in about 15minutes I'll be set...so where is everyone operating tonight?
QRZ? All the Best
Gary W9FNB http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[w4rot]

I'm playing on phone 28.4 mHz mas o menos.
Enjoy your bad self!
Have fun!
rot

[w8cbc]

I drove the Polara today and its TS-440 is still working.

So I'll be spinning the VFO on the way home, from about 0100 GMT.

The highest band open is where I'll be. Chances are that'll be 20 metres. 14330U? Sure, why not...

[w9fnb]

Well 10 mtrs is a wash...10-10 contest...uhg!
Well back on 14.330 with the vert...by other signals up and down...20 still in good shape...I"ll have to check the cluster and see whats shaken!
Well I am a listening...to the frig close by for a jug of cool water
All the Best
Gary

[w8cbc]

Of course, there's the skip zone to consider.

[w4rot]

Not the optimal setup for 10 here, but the dog wags his tail when I call CQ.
We'll see what happens.
Later,
rot

[KE5FRF]

No doubt, the bands are abismal right now for those of use with less than ideal antennas, so good luck with your operating if that is the case with you.

Yep, 20 meters is the go to band, but even it is lackluster lately, seems every QSO I have fades in and out. I ocassionally try 17 meters, but have only had marginal luck with that band, and I have to use a tuner for that band to boot because my antenna is only resonant for 20 and 40 meters. My antenna is coax fed, so that compounds the tuner issue.
This evening I am trying 30 meters, which is also a band which I have to use the tuner. For some reason the best SWR I can get this evening is 2:1...I always manage a few contacts on 30, but again, the performance just isn't there.

So on to 40 I go later in the evening, if 20 isn't doing great, and I definately can get a signal out on 40, but the band is so absolutely noisy it is horendous, ah, summa-time blues!

I'm looking forward to seeing 15 meters open up again, there in March and April I was making some pretty good DX contacts on 15 meters.

And what about sporadic E? It seems every time I look at 10 meters or 6 meters it is dead, dead, dead. Just a month ago I was routinely hearing openeings in the evenings, but these seem to have gone away.

Again, my results probably aren't typical, especially compared to the big gun stations, but YIKES!

[w9fnb]

BSR: Andy...Andrew?...boy the short skip would have to be friendly tonight for us not even 100miles away...but you just never know...Hey I did the Aprt.thing back in the late 70's...yes it can be interesting to see what you can create on a 3rd flr balconey...been there done that...hung up the "cans" too...in 84/85http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif and started twisting wires...26 years as a Journeyman Electrician...right! who would have thought???
Gary

[w9fnb]

FRF:I'LL ALWAYS HOLD 15 MTRS CLOSE TO MY HEART!...My FAV band when I was a novice...still enjoy...like you, waiting for some steady openings...so I can put my KD1JV Melt Solder 15 back on line. I built the kit about 5 maybe 6 years ago??? Had a blast...worked the world with that 2 (maybe) watts...started there on 15 with an old Allied RX and Heath HX-11 (still have the HX-11)...aaahhh memories!
FNB http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[WA5VQM]

Quote[/b] (w9fnb @ Aug. 04 2006,18:23)]FRF:I'LL ALWAYS HOLD 15 MTRS CLOSE TO MY HEART!...My FAV band when I was a novice...still enjoy...like you, waiting for some steady openings...so I can put my KD1JV Melt Solder 15 back on line. I built the kit about 5 maybe 6 years ago??? Had a blast...worked the world with that 2 (maybe) watts...started there on 15 with an old Allied RX and Heath HX-11 (still have the HX-11)...aaahhh memories!
FNB http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Same here. Fell in love with 15 as a novice. Back then you could work DX in the novice band. They were all over. ZLs, VKs, JAs, even worked Angola above 21.100. Anyone remember VK3XB who'd work novices receiving our CW while he transmitted on SSB?

Just got into the shack now, almost 0300Z. I'll tune around but bet ya'll have all moved on.

FRF: same story here. The bands have really been in a funk the last couple of weeks. Looking forward to Fall.

73, Mark

[w8cbc]

'fnb - I wasn't sure where in the 9s you are. I guess 100 mi. is a bit close for 20 metres no matter the conditions. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Though there's always the possibility of backscatter. I've worked it quite a few times in 17 through 6 metres.

Anyway. I called a bunch of times at 14330U on the way home, no takers. The whole band was rather quieter than usual. SFI=70 yesterday. I guess 20 metres will be getting weak at night for awhile.

I'd like to believe those optimistic forecasts of a quick recovery from the cycle trough but I'd have to see it to believe it. At this point in the last trough (1995, SFI getting down to 70), it hadn't quite bottomed out yet and there were two years plus before the next cycle began to pick up.

[ad5qb]

Quote[/b] (kd8bsr @ Aug. 05 2006,12:51)]'fnb - I wasn't sure where in the 9s you are. I guess 100 mi. is a bit close for 20 metres no matter the conditions...
Ya never know. I've been playing in the Tara Grid Dip contest a bit and worked W5ROS on 20 meter PSK earlier this morning. That's a club station here in San Antonio (Radio Operators of South Texas) just across town from me. They're still on my waterfall, along with stations around the country. Strange conditions today. Getting ready to switch over to the NAQP now.