9A - Croatia has now access to whole 160m band

Hello,

On the Friday, 24 th November 2017 the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) published  in a Official gazette (Narodne Novine) No 116/2017  changes to the rules on amateur radio communications in the Republic of Croatia.

According to this changes  Croatian radio amateurs now have access to the 160 meter band from 1.810 – 2.000 kHz for now.

According to the Official gazette notice, these changes come into force 8 days following its publication, so we should expect more Croatian stations after 02.12.2017.

The changes in the rules for amateur radio in the Republic of Croatia can be found on the following web address: https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2017_11_116_2690.html

(Many thanks to Zeljko, 9A2EY for info!)


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

An interesting discussion about VDSL Emission Investigation...

Hi all,

an interesting discussion about the VDSL Emission Investigation thru the bands is continuing over here:

http://www.thersgb.org/forums/index.php?threads/vdsl-emission-investigation.84/page-12

An initial letter from Robin, G3JWI (Nov 2014) as follows...

"The EMC Committee is carrying out an investigation of the significance of interference to amateur radio from leakage from VDSL systems. The emissions from VDSL are continuous and indistinguishable from white noise and may go unnoticed.

VDSL2 covers frequencies up 17.66MHz. The downstream and upstream bands alternate and the easiest way to detect VDSL is to look for the change in noise level at the band transitions. These are nominally 0.138MHz, 3.75MHz, 5.2 MHz, 8.5 MHz, 12MHz, and 17.66MHz. The band that predominates depends on distance of the house from the street cabinet. Most problems are seen when the connection to houses in the area is by overhead cables.

The effect will be that received signals seem weak and the background S meter reading higher than expected. To check for VDSL emissions tune about 75kHz either side of the nominal transition frequencies. Ignore off air signals and local incidental noise. Tuning around these frequencies and listening while watching the S meter will show a noise step if there is VDSL interference. If an SDR is available the step will be clearly seen and the 4.3125kHz patterning of the VDSL signal may be visible on a waterfall display, but careful adjustment of the contrast may be required for this.

https://youtu.be/5j5RL7HO2q8

If you want to see some examples look at the 2014 RSGB Convention paper http://rsgb.org/main/files/2013/10/2014-Convention-EMC-paper-emerging-threats-v5.pdf

There is also an item on VDSL emissions in in EMC Matters in RadCom December 2013.

The key facts we would like you to report are the frequencies and size of the steps. If you have an SDR, spectral and waterfall plots would be very useful. If you are not QTHR please give some indication of your location.

Please reply via this forum, to emc.chairman@rsgb.org.uk or to myself directly.
Thanks and 73
Robin G3JWI
Acting Secretary EMCC

160m band beacons list again updated...

Hello all,

after some time I reverted back to my beacons list and I updated it according to my latest information I got from friends, internet as same as from my on-air monitoring.



An updated 160m band beacons list is still here:
https://160mband.blogspot.ch/2015/07/160m-band-beacons-list.html

As You can see it is still "trial" and it's not final version and many of the beacons listed over here was reported years ago...

Maybe an operation has been cancelled or so. I will be appreciated to get any report or info about beacons from 160m band in Your location to put it into the list or updated it here accordingly.







Many thanks for kind help,


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

22 Different Wire Antennas for 160m compilation by TopbandHams

22 Different Wire Antennas

for the 160 Meter Band

by TopbandHams.com

Random Length Radiator Wire Antenna

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Delta Loop Antenna

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Half Delta Loop Antenna

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1.9 MHz Full-Wave Loop Antenna

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Off-Center-Fed Full-Wave Doublet Antenna

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Terminated Sloper Antenna

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Double Extended Zepp Antenna

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40m - 80m - 160m Short Dipole Antenna

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10m -160m Multiband “Z” Antenna

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160m Half-Sloper Antenna

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160m Linear Loaded Sloper Antenna

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Super-Sloper Antenna

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Clothesline Antenna

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160m, 80m, 40m Curtain Zepp Antenna

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160m Inverted Delta Loop

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160m Capacitance Loaded Vertical Antenna

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160m Inverted-L

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160m Inductance-Loaded Shortened Dipole

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160m Loop Antenna for TX

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160m and 80m Morgain-Dipole Antenna

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160m Twisted Loop Antenna

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160m DX RX Loop Antenna

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References:

Antenna Toolkit - J. Carr

Practical Antenna Handbook - J. Carr

More Antenna Classics - C. Hutchinson

Amateur Radio Techniques - P. Hawker

ARRL Antenna Handbook 1990-2007

ARRL Handbook 1990-2009

ARRL Antenna Compendium

73 Magazine 1970-2002

Funkamateur Magazine 1990-2011

RSGB Handbook - 2007 - 2010



Top band DXCC ranking

Hi all,

Did you updated your Top band score for last few months?


http://topbander.com/dxccranking.htm
http://www.qsl.net/160/

You should do it time to time as it is not only your activity and highlights presentation but also the big motivation for other involved enthusiasts...


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

TOP BAND 160 METERS - A Dedicated 160 Meters Discussion and Contesting group

 Friday June 2nd , 2017

Top Band Hams is now the Mid Atlantic Group.

160 METERS TOP BAND

The Mid Atlantic group was founded in the Fall of 2007 by Eric WG3J and Nelson K3ABX and with the help of Joe N3IBX securing the frequency on 1900.

The group will return to its original format this coming fall with WG3J as your host. All orginal mid Atlantic members are encouraged to rejoin the group, more to come stay tuned.
 
Feedback is Welcome:  contact us here


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

The half sloper antenna - everything depends to your installation...

Proper installation by Jens, OZ1LWT

Hello,

I noticed that several people is complaining about the half sloper antennas performance and the results are completely different from different users.

I have the sloper for several years. I tested several versions including the big loading coil at the feed point (avoid it) as same as trapped slopers and many others. There are some things that you should know about using any half sloper including the commercial ones.

1. Regardless of what manufacturers claims any half sloper is most effective when it is mounted on a tower/mast at the 30 - 60 foot level (35ft works well for me) and the tower or mast has a large tribander or VHF antennas (at least) on it. This gives the system some top loading.

The antenna grounding under test without the radials

 2. Mounting it on a pole with a lead to ground is not going to get it done and it is definitely not enough to get good performance. I have tried this on occasion and the performance is degraded considerably. Same as mounting it on a tree or on the side of a house even although I will install the grounding wire down to the radial system. You will be able to make contacts, but a low dipole or loop will almost always make similar job or even will out perform a half sloper set up this way.

3. These antennas are primarily vertical radiators and do a decent job on DX at 40/80/160 meters in case of proper installation.

Good grounding is needed (another pipe goes up for beam installation

 4. In any kind of shortened slopers (to get total length of about 15-20m) using big coils the SWR points are about 10-15kHz either side of resonance because it is shortend for that band a lot. My full quarter wave 160 half sloper during short test had about 60% more bandwidth then these shortened ones.

5. The addition of a radial set tied to the tower/mast seems to make a positive difference. I did some testing over the air using 16pcs of 1/16 wl radials and without and most stations report that there was more punch to the signal when using a radial system although it did not always show up on the S-meter. Performance without a radial system is usable however.

Sloper under test without the beams top loading setup

 If these antennas are set up correctly either the commercial ones or a simple quarter wave wire set up as a half sloper will work fine.

If you will not set up it properly, you will be very dissapointed...


73 - Petr, OK1RP