Welcome to new 160m band blog

This blog is the replacement of the my preview Topband blog here http://topband.blog.cz/ because of an agressive advertising and flash banners inserted by the blog provider. For older posts access You can visit the old blog link which will exist still... but it will not be updated anymore.

Effective from 1st Jan 2017 please paper QSL via OM-bureau only.


Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Updating the Topband Utilization Chart by Ian, G3NRW

Hello,

Ian, G3NRW updated his Utilization chart for 160m see his post as follows:

"It's about a year now since I last updated the Band Utilization Charts for 30m, 60m (UK) and 160m:
 

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wadei/121122_160m_Band_Utilization_Chart.pdf

If you know of anything that needs updating, please email me direct, OFF-LIST: mailto: g3nrw-radio@ntlworld.com

As usual, please remember that these charts are NOT bandplans, they are just indicators of ACTUAL band utilization.

--
73 Ian, G3NRW
"

(Original published on Topband mailing list)

Hope it helps, 

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Thursday, February 13, 2014

LZ - Bulgaria 160m band extension by Danev, LZ1US

Latest from IARU R1 Bulgarian Rep Panayot Danev, LZ1US

New Amateur Bands in Bulgaria

New amateur bands have been allowed in Bulgaria. In the future LZ hams will be able to use bands 472-479 kHz, 5250-5450 kHz, 70.0-70.5 MHz. In addition 1.8 MHz band has been extended up to 2 MHz. All those bands have to be used on secondary basis.

Important note is coming from Paul, G4MWO (tnx) that they don't come into operation until published in their national government gazette!


Congrats to LZ guys and hope to meet on 60m band quite often.

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Saturday, January 4, 2014

VK6 on 160m w/o RX antenna + new K3 AGC setting...

Hello,

I know that VK is not rare for big guns on TB but all the others with modest setup maybe will interesting in this short post.

Today evening 4/1/2014 at 19:00 I am sitting on the radio and listening to Steve, VK6IR on 1823.55 (according to my K3 digi readout) 

Well at the beginning I was not able to hear him as my external RX antenna is out of order during rebuilding so I have to listen on my 11m apex loaded sloper. I tried to switch between all of my TX antennas and yes > I found that Steve is readable slightly above the noise with using the low profile inverted V dipole folded into Z-letter. This antenna is resonate on 5400kHz and I am using it for 60m band TX. The legs are folded into Z-letter because I have not enough space on the post stamp lot garden.

See here:
http://60mband.blogspot.cz/2011/01/experimental-60m-inverted-z-for-pocket.html

So I realized that using this antenna I am able to hear Steve, but no copy. Just I was able to say yes, Steve is there but not copied his calls. 

After I tried to play with K3 AGC setting and found that when AGC SLP is set to 000 and AGC THR is increased from usual 004 to 008 value the receiver is able to pick up weak sigs a bit better. So
finally with AGC SLP 000 and AGC THR 008 + AGC PLS NOR and AGC HLD 0.00 with AGC DCY nor I was able to improve my receiving performance and read Steve's sigs even on so low level...

Interesting as K3 sounds different now and behavior is a bit strange for strong signals on band but I will have to focus on the AGC setting much more intensively in order to define the best setting for receiving weakest signals on lowbands.

What's Your AGC setting or adjustment for weak sigs on TB?

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-