The AM Forum

Worked the following stations on 3705 kHz about 10 minutes ago. All are putting in very good signals, best I've heard out of Europe.

F6AQK - Jean - 200 watts 5-9+5/10 Excellent signal
PE1MPH - Henk 5-7
PA3HCO - Jan - Running a BC-610, 5-9
WU2D - Mike - New Hampshire, ART-13, 5-9++

I will post recordings later.

Here are some recordings.

http://www.amwindow.org/misc/mp3/6jan08/f6aqk6jan080440z3705.mp3

http://www.amwindow.org/misc/mp3/6jan08/f6aqk6jan080452z3705.mp3

http://www.amwindow.org/misc/mp3/6jan08/pa3hco6jan080438z3705.mp3

http://www.amwindow.org/misc/mp3/6jan08/pe1mph6jan080438z3705.mp3

http://www.amwindow.org/misc/mp3/6jan08/wu2d6jan080448z3705.mp3

Steve!

Thanks for the nice qso in AM on 3705!
I received you good, but some splattering from SSB.

This I have heard:
F6AQK S9 +25
WU2D S2, but I could hear most
WB3HUZ, max. S5, qrm from SSB
GW8TBG, max. S2
PA3HCO, max. S2
W1IA, S9 +15, never below S9
K4KYV, max. S2, I must listen in LSB mode, many SSB on freq.

Thanks!

Greetings,

Henk, pe1mph

I agree with F6AQK:

Happy New Year and my report:

I was listening in around 12 - 1 a.m. east coast U.S. time also.

I was using a 40 meter dipole at 30 feet high.  This was better than listening on my 75 meter dipole because the 40 meter dipole is broadside to Europe, at right angle to the 75 dipole.  Receiver - Drake R-7.

I could read F6AQK the best, Q5 mon ami.

Mervin in Wales and Jan in Holland weaker but barely readable.

Henk, I could hear talking but not able to copy the words.

Henk, I could hear talking but not able to copy the words.


Thanks for listening!!!!
And hope full you receive me a next time.
Evenso you can transmit in AM....


Greetings,

Henk
pe1mph ;)

The Euros were typical of the strength I usually hear from the French speaking AM group on 3550 (couldn't hear the latter through the CW QRM last night):  Q2-Q3, and signal strength peaking at S9 on the meter at times, using 900 ft. beverage for reception.  Barely audible on the half-wave long and half-wave high dipole used for transmitting, which is broadside to Europe.

I realise I am at a disadvantage at 1200 miles (1900 km) into the hinterland, compared to the east coast gang.

I realise I am at a disadvantage at 1200 miles (1900 km) into the hinterland, compared to the east coast gang.


Don,

But I have received YOU!
Not strong but and many SSB around 3705.
I have sent you a recording, see you email....

Greetings,

Henk
pe1mph ;)

Here's how Henk was hearing some of the US stations.

http://www.amwindow.org/misc/mp3/6jan08/wb3huzwu2dw1iakykyv6jan073705.mp3


Thanks for the recording Henk.

Using the National HRO-500, I heard:

F6AQK - peaking to S8
GW8TBG - at times up to S5
PA3HCO - in the noise
PE1MPH - in the noise
WB3HUZ - S9 + 70db - I think he was in the next room - I lost count of the "happy new year"  ;D
WU2D - was he there  ;D

I then rolled up to 3795 to see if I hear the South Pole; lots of action there but the DX was in the noise.

Yes, Happy New Year Pete. ;D

There was a big pile up on 3794 or 96 with FM5WD in Martinique, so if the South Pole was on 95, it was swamped. Got the FM5 in one call. Sweet!

WA2CWA


Many thanks for listening!
And of course for your reports!

Till a next time,

Henk
pe1mph ;)

A great night for worldwide AM! Here is the Don trying to work Europe.

Mike WU2D

Yea
I think that Steve's 70 over signal is from that 5KW transverter he's using......ha
Fred

More sounds from last night. Rx R390A on 4 kc position into minidisc.

Mike WU2D

TNX for the recording Mike. Thanks for getting things rolling on the US side!

Some of the 3892 crowd have evidently monitored the transatlantic AM attempts on 3705, and have decided to try to thwart the effort by starting up a dead-air group on the frequency.  A few nights ago while I was in QSO with Jack, K9ACT and some others in the early evening, someone kept dropping an unmodulated carrier on top of us, and once or twice an un-ID'ed SSB voice rode in on the carrier and stated something to the effect "go back to the window".  The next night I monitored some 8-landers in a slopbucket QSO on 3705, laughing about how frustrated the "maggots" got when the "quarm" came on the night before.  Early this morning, about 12:30 AM local time, after listening for about 30 minutes on the frequency and hearing nothing but some weak what sounded like Dutch-speaking stations, I called CQ hoping to get a possible European response.  When I stood by,  a strong two-way SSB conversation was in progress, pissing and moaning about how they were positive that I had been listening to their QSO all evening just so I could start up on "their" frequency as soon as they "went for coffee".  In the course of their conversation it became clear that they were part of the 3892 group.

Imaging spending your life looking for ways to qrm.
Pretty sad. Maybe we could take up a collection and buy these losers samples of viagera.

This morning between 6.00 to 6.30 I received AM on 3705.
But signals were poor....
To weak for me to hear call or name....

I wondering about the freq. 3703 and 3707, were nearly clean!
But conditions were not good this morning.... :(
Evenso weak signals on 3885.

Hopefull next days better,

Henk
PE1MPH ;)

Heard you last weekend Henk, though not very strong. Only heard a few words. Was hearing F6AQK pretty well, maybe S7-S9 at times. Frustrating since the guys east and south of me were hearing you so well!

Maybe conditions will improve to my location, behind the mountains in Vermont. ;)

Todd, KA1KAQ

How do the European DX chasers do it?  I hear stations, particularly from Spain and UK, in the 3790-3800 "DX window" with signals that rival those of US origin, even while receiving with my transmitting antenna.  Makes me wonder what those guys are using for antennae and power level. 

OTOH, listening between 3600 and 3750 and receiving with my 900 ft. beverage, almost nightly I hear domestic European QSO's, almost entirely on SSB, with about S2 strength, and Q3-Q4 readability, signals consistent with our AM results.

Using the beverage, I regularly hear the French-speaking AM group on 3550, but they are usually just a hair too weak for good readability. With the TX antenna all I hear of them are weak carriers right at the noise level.

Heard you last weekend Henk, though not very strong. Only heard a few words. Was hearing F6AQK pretty well, maybe S7-S9 at times. Frustrating since the guys east and south of me were hearing you so well!

Todd, KA1KAQ


Thanks Todd!!!!
Yes conditions were good, but last days bad!
Hope full till a next time!

Greetings,

Henk ;)

Good antennas and more power are the simple answers. Lots of the Euros in the DX window are running 4-Squares with extensive ground systems or horiztontal multi-element arrays. Several Russian stations I've worked had 4 and 5 element Yagis up 100's of feet, strapped between two big smoke stacks at some dormant industrial site. those dudes strapped!

I think Henk is only running a 100 watts or so. The GW8 station is running a Valiant (not more than 150 watts) and F6AQK said he was running 200 watts. I don't think any of these guys are using an antenna that could be considered a low angle radiator.

I need to run a comparison between my 110' high dipole vs the 160m vertical used on 75, making it a halfwave vertical on 75/80m.  For receiving (mostly BC stations on 3950-4000) the vertical did not show any apparent difference from the dipole.  Working US stations, signal reports from 1200 mi or so were about the same as I usually get with the dipole, but I recall reports  from WVA that the signal was much weaker than with the dipole.  Unfortunately I didn't have any fast-switching A-B comparison (shaded dipole vs wire array-like) facility, so those comparisons were pretty meaningless.

Jan sent along some pics of his shack.

Mike WU2D

I am the PA3HCO station And it is nice to hear your one voice on the other site of the ocean
This is a part of my shack ,but this was the transmitter I was use last Sunday 

The transmitter is a Bc-610-e  the antenna is inverted V  Max high 12 Mtr  with open line and a TAC tuner

My Qth is BRUMMEN  (25KM Ne of ARNHEM)

I have only AM transmitters 3x bc610 and 1 T368

73 PA3HCO

wassinj@zonnet.nl

Jan Wassink

Nice!

Nice! I have been in his studio last Summer....
All big transmitters.... and Jan talking and talking about it!

This Sat. morning 12 Jan. again WB3HUZ and W1IA on 3705!
Later on 3715, Steve around S2 and Brent S9.
I using only 140 Watts, antenna Inverted V.

Till a next time,

Henk
pe1mph ;)

Hi HI FB on all

Good to work you again Henk. Conditions not as good as last weekend. There was QRN and signal strengths were down. Hope to hear you again.

This morning - Sunday 13JA08 - 0730 GMT, 3760 kHz.  Worked Geer, ON7USB.  He was on slopbucket and I was on AM.  He was using inverted L with ground radials and K9AY loop for receiving, running kw.  He was 5-9+ on the beverage, but barely audible on the  dipole.  He said I was 5-9, and was very complimentary on the audio quality.  QSO was an actual conversation that lasted about 15 minutes, not just a DX exchange.

Damn! I wanted to get on but got stymied again. They dropped about 300 gal. of HCl in at the plant and my HAZMAT team had to go raise the pH prior to sending it to waste treatment. It started at about 3PM and I didn't get home until ~11PM. A few hours in a Level A suit has a habit of wearing a person down real bad :'(

This morning Sunday:

First 80 mtrs sounds dead!!!!!
Then I received this stations on 3705
G4BXM (good)
F6AQK (good)
PA1TP (weak)
PA4AR (very weak)

I listend around 3720 and 3880 but NO USA AM this morning.

Greetings,

Henk
PE1MPH ;)

Was great to work you Henk...next time I will make a recording. You were about S9 to 10 over. Looking forward to many more.

Brent W1IA

Henk says that there is another AM station on the island of Malta who wants to give it a try this Saturday.

 
Good evening Henk,  few days ago,I have return home after long time working on 190m ship.  I have fixed my transmitter now ( GRC-19 ) and almost finish the doublet antenna 130 foot with 450 ohms open wire feeder ( same as JEAN antenna).  The next step is to hang the doublet antenna with the poles.  Hopefully by the next two days.  I read some of your mails. one of them that there was good propagation to USA two weeks ago.
 
      I  be active next weekend on 3705 kHz. with a new antenna.

9H1ES     

FORTUNATO BONNICI
LA FORTUNA, TRIQ IL-HAGAR
MOSTA, MST 05
MALTA

If low noise condx prevail on this side of the pond, we need to have AM activity well established on 3705 by 0400 GMT, in advance of possible openings to Europe. 

A dead-air group has squatted on 3705. 

Several times recently I have had the receiver tuned to the frequency late at night for a half-hour or more listening for activity while working on something in the shack, and heard no activity whatever.  Then, as soon as I called CQ or made a test transmission, 4 or 5 slopbuckets came out of the woodwork from nowhere and claimed they had been "using" the frequency "all evening", pissing and moaning that I was deliberately interfering with them.

Yep, some 8-Landers with the occasional 4 Lander. Listened in over the weekend and heard them making reference to the AMers as maggots, same term used up above, references to the window, K4KYV, declaring war for AMers interfering with frequencies people have been using 'forever' and so on. Seems like they have a beef over recent activity up above and read this board, so expect more of the same. It's pretty clear they came down there looking to make problems, so we might want to consider sharing specific plans and frequencies through private email, and utilizing some of the alternatives Henk has suggested.

Not a terribly bright bunch, so it shouldn't surprise anyone. It might also serve as a reminder that if you kick a beehive long enough, you'll get results. Two way street though, and all that.

Don't worry. Riley has been notified and recordings have been made.

I have fixed my transmitter now ( GRC-19 ) and almost finish the doublet antenna 130 foot with 450 ohms open wire feeder ( same as JEAN antenna).  The next step is to hang the doublet antenna with the poles.  Hopefully by the next two days.  I read some of your mails. one of them that there was good propagation to USA two weeks ago.
 
      I  be active next weekend on 3705 kHz. with a new antenna.

9H1ES     

Yes he were on air this morning, but poor/fair conditions.
On freq.: F6AQK, 9H1ES, F6DIZ, GW8TBG and me
Evenso I heard NO USA AM-station this morning....

Greetings,

Henk
Pe1mph ;)

I heard a weak AM signal on 3705 this morning about 0700 GMT, but too weak to ID.  The carrier was pushing my s-meter to S7 or S8, but the modulation was into the background noise.  Also, substantial crashes of QRN, but silent in between.

I could hear some of you guys Henk but very weak. Much QRN too, so I didn't call.

Next time.