The AM Forum

I have listened on 160/80/40 the past few nights, and operated a little 80 and 40 (160m tuner is temporarily dismantled).  After about 10 PM the bands were almost completely devoid of activity, even though those were weekend nights and the QRN was practically non-existent. A few signals, some of them quite strong, but nothing but atmospheric background hiss in between. In recent weeks, I have operated in the Ghetto region on 75, and the roundtables remained small, with few "breakers", almost like 3700 kc/s and vicinity.

A few years ago, this would have been absolutely unheard of. The phone bands would have stayed crowded up through the wee hours of the morning to the point that you would have to search for a vacant spot to fire up and not always be guaranteed to find one.  The CW bands would have been buzzing with activity too. Even on weekday nights there was always ample activity to well past midnight.

I would say there is less on-the-air activity on the MF/HF bands right now than there has been at any time since our bands were fully restored after WW2.

At least, that ought to debunk all the anti-AM "bandwidth" whining.

Last night between ~ 3-10PM there was a huge gang coming and going on 3885 here in the NE. Buddly from OH joined in for a few hours too. Almost like the old days.   I don't care if it's 3885 or 3705, if there's action, that's good enuff for me.

BTW, [sigh] I even managed to blow up my e-Rig for the forth time in a week now - replaced some parts and got back in there. The PDM modulator appears to be hanging in after adding some better low pass filtering in two supplies. My own created layout issues, I'm sure.

T

I have noticed the same thing Don. I guess I have to get out of listening mode and start Txing.
160M short qso's and gone by 8PM and SSB on 1885.
Everybody out of practice since we change the time back. I know your favorite time to switch the clocks.

Fred

Yup! You were thundering in here, Tom, right up till you signed to give the Yaz a well needed break!

I think I'm gonna like this new dipole. The ears perked up noticably over the old one!!

Problem is, Don, until the wx gets really bad there's lots to do before winter. By 10PM I ready for the sack! That'll change as the honey do projects get done.

Historically, I have noticed over the years that some of the best band conditions on 75 and 160 occur in November.  By mid-December, or between Xma$ and New Years, the band sometimes goes into the doldrums and stays that way through the rest of the winter.  The QRN may be low, but the signals can be fluttery and anaemic as well.

Don, have you noticed there is MORE AM-related activity in the early evenings?

I have, when it comes to 4-8PM on 80m, weekdays and weekends.

Much more than years ago.

The really old buzzards are not on late nights anymore, just about everyone on the air in the N.E. area are pushing sixty or older. Most are in bed by ten PM or doing something else. I think youthful enthusiasm has dissipated from the ranks.

Probably some truth to that.  Staying up late requires a tougher payment the next day - than 20 years ago... ;)

Remember the days back in the 70's when the 75M NE AM gangsters were on almost every night til 1AM?


I'll stay up late if there is a good reason. For example, working coast-to-coast on 75M AM requires one to be active from about 11 - 1AM EST, depending on time of year and cornditions.

Also, the 75M DX window on ssb - The Euros and Russians start getting out of bed at around 11PM EST.  Call CQ during their sunrise and the pile ups can become intense.

Other than that, I will rarely stay up after 11PM just to rag chew with the locals. Cornditions are better earlier on anyway.

T

I gave up 'cause after trying to check into a QSO and not being heard I decided that  a nice TV show was more interesting.  Maybe after I get some more "fire."

CQ's for a 100 watt station is a waste of time in my experience

Oh yeah, I'm 73+ but have to go to bed 'cause I still work and keep adding to that FICA   ;D

Al

my guess is those lucky enough to have jobs are busy trying to hang on to them.

Same here Al except I am 10.5 years younger. I have to mostly operate before 10:00 PM and all I hear are SSB'ers and continuous heterodyning over most of the 80m band.

I run a minimum of 350 Watts AM on 20 meters, 40 meters, and 80m with a new vertical and an Inverted-L but few people seem to answer an AM CQ on 20 and 40m.

And the so-called AM window is simply a crappy place to attempt to operate with what sounds like a number of new Good-Ole-Boy nets moving into that slot. And the noise of late above the Mason-Dixon line has been terrible.

Phil - AC0OB

" And the so-called AM window is simply a crappy place to attempt to operate with what sounds like a number of new Good-Ole-Boy nets moving into that slot. And the noise of late above the Mason-Dixon line has been terrible. "

It's a good idea to use several spots on '75' to operate on. Its also a good idea to use 3885 as a calling frequency whenever possible. As far as gud o boy nets; the more AM activity on 3885, the less apealing the frequency is fer them. Wobulation may hep.   

yer milleage may very,
KLC

You also have a soft speaking manner there Al, Ya need to get some big loud processing going on for night time but, on the other hand a soft voice on a Sunday afternoon is relaxing too ;D ;D

Its still early into the winter months. The bands are wide open late at night.  Midnight to 1am where most of you guys are.  I think by next month, This will roll back to a more reasonable time around 8pm to 9pm for you guys.


C

I called CQ on 3885 about 0400Z and ended up having a 2-hour QSO with 4 stations in all.  We all called it quits about 0600Z (midnight my local time).

I heard some activity earlier in the evening.  Many stations but most were weak and some were QRMing each other, probably multiple QSOs on the same frequency.  Didn't hear any AM activity below 3800 this evening.

Usually, I eventually get a response to my CQs. Since the sync detector tends to wander randomly unless there is a carrier to lock onto, I usually listen in envelope detector mode until I hear a station responding to my call.

The hang out here in the NY, NJ & NE area, evenings is on or about 3.872. Last night they were on 3.875 from about 6 PM till 10:30. sometimes they operate longer. I heard KC2UFU, K1KBW. W2JBL and about 3-4 others. For the guys that can hear the east cost, we have an outlaw net on 3.910 LSB, The Macaroni Net on or about 3.842 since those bad guys on AM on 3.872 sent Fearless Fred packing.  

Good question Don, I've noted that same thing.

Speaking only for myself, aside from a very early morning net, I'm now on air only on weekends and early to late afternoons. Otherwise I am in the listening mode, mostly on the short wave broadcast bands. Much more YL friendly when Nancy is in the shack, and frankly often more stimulating. So many of the interesting old buzzards are gone, or as one fellow already pointed out - in bed early. The thing which really makes radio interesting to me is the personalities on the bands, and many of those voices have fallen silent in recent years.

A few years back I started to avoid the 75 meter AM Ghetto like the plague during the evenings, no more tolerance for the QRM, foul language and the other nonsense which has now been accepted as commonplace. Sadly even 160 meters is starting to suffer from that. I do know that many of the fellows are grouping down frequency, but have not explored that. Paul VJB has a good tagline, ""Enjoying wholesome AM on shortwave hobby radio.", that is really my focus in the evenings.

I'd encourage everyone to check out the band on early to late afternoons, conditions are normally stellar! Even 5PM until 7PM or so works pretty well. I had a great QSO last Saturday with a number of stations on 3.885 afternoon, even PW or low power more than does the job here.
Fine QSO, no QRM, low power stations did not have to contend with static, I love afternoon conditions.

I just wish more hams would set up their stations for frequency agility.  With the obvious drop-off in activity the past couple of seasons, there are nearly always vacant spots, even on 75 during prime weekend hours while there is a slopbucket QuaRMtest on. But so many ops are bound to one frequency or microscopically narrow segment of the band, and say they can't move (usually because they are deathly afraid of that awful SWR ogre) or simply refuse to move come hell or high water (like the 3892 slopbucket bozos who won't budge a fraction of a kc, preferring to P&M for the entire evening about the AMer who had started up on a nearby frequency an hour or more before they even turned their riceboxes on).

My Gates BC1-T that I use on 160 is about as SWR sensitive as any ricebox, but with a simple L-network between transmitter and feed line it will load up fully on any frequency from 1.8 to 2.0.  The SWR at the extreme ends of the band may approach 3:1, but nothing has ever blown up, and I get just as good signal reports at 1985 as I do near 1885 where the feedline match is nearly perfect.

Typical of many broadcast transmitters, the 1-T was originally designed so that one of the intermediate stages could be tuned only by an internal adjustment that required removing a panel to open the cabinet.  I modified it so there is now a variable capacitor tunable from the front panel and I don't have to adjust the nearly inaccessible slug-tuned coil located inside a shielded module in order to QSY.

Don, Did you not realize the SSBers can "own" frequencys?  The FCC started this a while back I guess. I hear it all the time. "get off our Frequency".  "This is our frequency and we are here all the time". 

The other night I set out to have some AM fun. In fact, I heard you 40 DB over 9 into AZ on 3880.  However, We had SSB Groups on 70, 75, 82,86 and 90 and they where all in an uproar over the AM carriers.  I looked over at the icoms band scope and the ENTIRE lower half from 3865 down was empty.  I just shut the rig off and read a book.

C

The boys were operating on 3.875 last night and for the first time I heard some SSB'ers under the QSO. HLR was operating his SBE rig and it did really drive them away. They had no idea what he was running ;D ;D Just a lonely 75TL did all that.

We've had similar attempts of intentional interference below 3800 with minimal impact. 99% of the time the problem children are so pissweak that even the 100w stations can talk over them. The only time I've seen it continue is when someone in the AM group makes mention of them by saying "someone's dumping a carrier in there" or similar. That's all the affirmation they need to continue. Don's advice of turning up the wick and continuing on works far better.

Don, I wonder if the time you get on has a lot to do with it? I don't recall ever working you before 10:30 at night, usually 11 or later. As Rob and others mentioned, many of the AM crowd are still in the workforce and need to get to bed at a reasonable hour in order to get up the next morning. I'd guess there are more old buzzards still left out there who have unfortunately moved into different accommodations in recent years that don't permit operation. On the one hand, there are more AMers now than anytime in recent decades. OTOH, many are younger and have family duties as well as work to deal with.

I'd been on quite a bit down on 80 until another crap out, this one a bit more catastrophic. My own fault for being impatient about getting back on and putting the big rig online before having everything addressed. Prior to that there had been a lot of activity on 3705, 10, 15, 17, 20, 25, 35 and probably other spots. We moved around quite a bit depending on when we got on and what frequencies were open. The last night I was on with WA2PJP, WB4IUY, K7YOO and several others. Most nights I was off before midnight, but a couple times folks were still going strong when I signed out at 1 or 2 AM.

Granted, I have to call CQ 50% of the time to stir something up, but that goes with the territory. No fluffy adjectives needed to stir up interest, merely having a carrier and some fairly strong, intelligible audio seems to do the trick.  ;)

    Geez, Todd, what happened to the KW1 this time???

Why didn't you call CQ-AM on 3850 (or some other unoccupied frequency)?

I don't understand that logic. As you point out, there were lots of frequencies where you could hold court. The imaginary AM Window really is imaginary to lots of amateurs.

Exactly - nothing more than a self-imposed jail.

You have a VFO. Use it. :)

3885 is a calling frequency for AM.  It is not a "prison" nor is it "our" frequency.  On other bands / modes calling frequencies are meant only to establish contact.  In my experience on 2M SSB I would park my rx on the calling frequency so I could hear anyone who happened to be within "ear shot"  On sporadic E we would move off if the calling frequency became busy.  Common courtesy for SSB'ers would be to give AM'ers some space so they could hear weak signals.  Once a QSO was established it could QSY to another quieter spot on the band - assuming VFO capabilities and finals that can be easily tuned up to a newer frequency.

I could see (especially with panadaptors) establishing contace on any of the popular "calling frequencies" and then moving off to any part of the band that happened to be open.  As it happens we tend to be gregarious and stick on the frequency as a roundtable.

Just my 2 cents

Al

There is little AM activity below that area.  I have called CQ for 30 minutes straight down at 3855 and just get SSBers warbling back to me.  I will try again tonight. I agree. We need to move to other areas, My point was that when you do, You will just have even more FLACK from the SSbers. 

C

I'm with Tom on this one. I don't have a prejudice towards or against any particular frequency. If I hear someone on 3725 I want to talk to, I fire up on 3725. If I hear someone on 3885 I want to talk to, I fire up on 3885. It really is that simple.

Until you have to pick a place to call seeking you.

Nah. No shortage of unused bandspace out there these days.

By the way, you mis-spelled "seeking you are zed".  ;)

I am not Zed.

Don,  I heard you and Brandon, KF5IIA on last night and wanted to say "howdy" but the eyelids were just too heavy, maybe tonight.  Had to work today.

I heard YOU, almost, when you answered my Seek-You the other night.
I got your calls, and Arkansas, and later looked you up on QR-Zed to match what I thought I heard.

Try again, anytime you hear me on.

Well, suffice it to say that I broke it, Ralph. I've got to tear out a component and send it out for dissection and inspection before knowing for sure. I'm blaming myself, for throwing the thing back on the air when I still had a few little items on the list to 'tidy up' before doing so. Just got impatient being off the air.


That's gotta be right up there with the "I'm not good at calling CQ" excu.....reason someone gave a while back. There is no AM Window aside from the online AM resource site. There are just amateur bands with plenty of open frequencies to operate on. If we all worried about possibly getting grief from some nitwit operator, SSB or otherwise, we'd never get on.

One thing is for sure, Clark: if you decide to shut the radio off and read a book instead, no one will notice or mind but you. It's your time and your choice, after all. 

i don't get much time to operate and have not operated AM very long but in my brief experience CQing I've tried going down south of 3880 with poorer results.   I've called CQ on 3705 for example for 20 or 30 minutes (with an hour to operate) and given up only to get a QSO immediately in the much despised "window."   I'd say on average my chance of getting a CQ reply is 4 times better on 3880 or 3885; that's why I CQ in the window.   if I had hours to operate (and maybe one of those robots) it would be different.  not complaining--this is just how I see it for me.   Why?  I don't know--my theory is that a lot of ops park a rx in the window while they putter around the house doing chores.  When they hear a CQ they go to the rig and answer if they feel like it.   Not everyone has a fish finder--hams with old rx put it in the window and wait I bet.  p.s.  I am getting tired of running a ricebox and leenyar--i am spending more time trying to get a real AM rig on the air, what Jack K9ACT calls, "A man's rig." hi hi (anything big and plate modulated).
73
rob

Example:

Just came in from work. Fired up the big rig.  Tuned around.  SSBers clustered from 3868 to 3890. I can hear some carriers of some am'rs talking but 40 DB over of SSB clatter is killing my RX.  I went down the band to a vacant spot. Called CQ for 10 minutes.  Had 4 SSbers come in and say "Bra bra brump bra bra bra" then one yelled that again very loud and angry sounding.  Oh well.

I think this is flawed.  AM guys do not scan the band for other AM signals for the most part.  They test to listen to the windows on each band to find AM or Call CQ there in the windows.  You could spend 2 hours calling CQ and get nothing bu angry SSbers down the band.
 

C

  "  You will just have even more FLACK from the SSbers.  "

Well, you can always ask them for help and then ask if thar's a carrier on yer signal....   fun times ..

klc

Tune in to 3870 and listen to the west coast AMI net going on right now with the SSBers arguing and bitching that there are AM'rs on there Frequency. Its a net thats been going on for years LOL.   

C

Strap softly and turn up the wick.

Exactly!  It's like going to a gigantic hamfest to meet your buds and never agreeing or selecting on a meeting place.  Would you stand atop picnic tables and shout their names?  No.  ::)

Lets be honest here.  It's just semantics.  "Windows", "ghettos", "gathering places".  it's all the same familiar AM places for the operator.  

Let's see (Greater NE area and beyond) , there is the familiar "ghetto" 3885 area,  the Mid-Atlantic east coast guys often use 3733.  Canadian AM ers can be heard around 3725.  Activity sometimes "heard" (herd?)   on 3705 as well.  Are they AM windows? ghetto's? Yup!

It's all good, but realistically when we do turn our creaky VFO's it's often to a familiar AM "gathering spot" or "Window".  Nothing wrong with that.   It's less cumbersome than shouting CQ for hours and just pizzing off ssb'ers  :D  Again, lets be honest here.  

---

---

Pretty much what Al said, especially the reality of the situation.

---

It is not practical to call any of our gathering spots a "calling frequency" since few people call and move elsewhere.  It's an operating frequency or range of frequencies, where people stay put once they establish or join a QSO.

Some people break away and continue elsewhere when a roundtable gets too large, proving that it is possible to actually MOVE after a conversation has already begun !

Amazing discovery.

But instead of moving 10 or 15Kc away, take a look down low on 80M or 40M and come back and announce that's where you'll be.

This answers the problem of people not dialing around to look for AM activity because they're creatures of habit. (and helps us poor people who don't have panadapters.)

You could spend 2 hours calling CQ and get a response from aliens, too.  A lot of things could happen. ::)

Your assertion/assumption above that AMers do not "scan the band" for other AM signals is just plain wrong. Well, let me qualify that: it may be true for your geographic area, but certainly not for the east coast, south, or midwest judging by the contacts I've had with them. Not that there aren't folks in these locations who cluster on the same frequency day after day, there are. I remember talking with Mike KO6NM a few years back and he explained that 3870 became the choice for AMers on the left coast due to several of the guys operating rockbound broadcast transmitters. It certainly explains it, but that's still a choice, not a requirement.

Fortunately, there are plenty of people elsewhere spinning their receiver's tuning knob and listening as they look for activity or a place to create some. Whether on 40 or 80m, I seldom call CQ without getting one or several responses. And in other portions of the band than any imaginary 'window'.

If nothing else, this discussion clearly highlights the two most prevalent styles of operating AM: those who turn on their sets, tune to a pre-determined area in hopes of finding some activity, and those you seek out activity anywhere within the limits of their license class, or create activity if there is none.  ;)

Naw,   Most listen on the  win DOZ and never move....   Maybe a few of you go down to 7160 to check on 40 meters... But very, very few is activily looking for AM across the band..  KAWMAWN.



C

"Most" is your opinion, which reflects your area and license class.  As evidenced by the postings of many others on here who operate elsewhere, a good number operate below 3800 daily/nightly. 40 is more sparse at night.

Maybe it's time to upgrade the ol' license, Clarky? That would certainly allow you outside the box, even if you choose not to think outside of it?  ;D

There's a big, fun world of AM out there beyond the box, just a-waiting.....Just Do it! Re-tuning is scary at first, but after you've done it a few times it becomes second nature.  

We're all pullin' for ya!! ;)

If we all agree that not only will we call CQ on clear frequencies and that we will tune and listen for others on frequencies other than the "some-old, same-old", the problems is solved. Sure, it will take time to get others to get on board. Sure, you may even call CQ a bit longer or (God forbid) call CQ and no one answers. So what? Is this any worse than not being able to operate on the "normal" frequency because it's in use by SSB?

We have the ability to change the situaltion. We can P&M about the problem or do something about it. I choose the latter.

An early-evening SSB net has apparently started up on 3705. I listened to them for a while last evening; it sounds like some kind of rag-chew net. They all seemed polite and well educated, and unlike the offshoot of 3892 that tried to dominate the frequency a couple of years ago, they didn't display the arrogant "slopbucket" attitude so commonly heard on 75.  Some of the members must be present or former broadcast engineers, since technical and broadcast topics kept surfacing in the conversation. I didn't hear anyone mention anything about ever working AM.

I didn't attempt to join them, nor did I feel like P&Ming about their being on an "AM frequency".  I had heard them on before and they seem to close out fairly early in the evening, so they shouldn't affect work with the Euro-AM crowd later in the evening. There are plenty of other open frequencies in that part of the band, above and below 3700, that AMers can use while they are having their net.

The real attitude test will come next time there happens to be an ongoing AM QSO on or near the frequency when it is time for their net to start up. Will they patiently wait till the AM QSO is over, move to another nearby frequency, politely request the AMers to move, start up right on top of the AM QSO like the 40m No-Traffic net often does, or go ballistic and try to run the AMers off? Of course the attitude and response of the AM operators on frequency will make a big difference, too.

First of all, let's not start the whole class warfare thing again, okay? Hams are supposed to be above that, and no good ever comes of it.

Secondly, Clark does have a point. When the expansion happened, there was an exodus of people to the 3700-3735 window who now permanently roost there. That's all good and fine, it's their radio and license; but when those same people talk down to people who choose to also operate in the 3870-3890 area from time to time (like me) and accuse them of jailing themselves or boxing themselves in because of it, it's a bit disingenuous. Don't tell me that doesn't happen, because I've caught plenty of crap for going back up there. These people are boxing themselves in, too, they've just chosen a different box and called it "freedom".

The mentality there is "my window is better than your window". Well, so freakin' what if it is? What does it matter to these people what someone else's ham radio experience is? The truth is, it doesn't actually matter to them, it just gives them something to feel superior about. That mentality serves no positive purpose.

No, that's not true of everybody (and nobody said it was), but it is true of some, and it leaves some people with the same impression that Clark is left with. He's got the same right to his opinions that you have, no matter what his license class.

And finally, why does anyone consider any of this to be a "problem"? People are going to operate their stations the way they see fit. That's their right, too.

Lately, I have been operating in the Window (AKA the Ghetto) more often, because the recent dearth of activity makes it possible to have a QSO that doesn't quickly grow to 8 or more members, and it is possible to have a real conversation. When that part of the band gets crowded and chaotic, I prefer to operate in the vicinity of 3700 where there is less signal density.  Perhaps I should start calling CQ around 3650 and see what happens.

Also, the spectrum above 3900 has been practically devoid of AM for decades.  This is a remnant of the old "gentlemens agreement" from the 50s and 60s when SSB operated above 3900 and AM below, followed by the first phase of incentive licensing when 3900 and above became impossibly congested since that was the only place Generals could operate. Now, I notice that there are clear spots throughout the evening above 3900 as well as below, as the overall level of activity on the band seems to have dropped off considerably from just a few years ago. Maybe a few AM trial balloons towards the high end would be in order this upcoming season.

In retrospect, even though I already had Extra when it went into effect and didn't affect my privileges, my observation is that the "class distinctions" brought about by incentive licensing was one of the most devastating things ever to happen to amateur radio in the USA.

Well put, Thom.

This is simply a hobby meant for the enjoyment of everyone, at their own pace and level of involvement. If Clark feels comfortable with his current mode of operation, so be it. There is no need for any statements by anyone, either implicit or implied, of political correctness here; there is a wide range of acceptability as to how and where any us wants to operate. If he wants to remain on a familiar or comfortable (for him) part of the band, that's great. And as Steve/HUZ had mentioned, if he wants to turn the VFO, that's OK too.

73,

Bruce

Not sure if you missed the point or are just over simplifying it, Thom. It's not some dramatic 'class warfare, us-versus-them' issue, merely a discussion of a lack of activity, why, and what to do about it. Clearly those who move around rather than staying on one frequency could hardly be considered as having a 'my window is better' or any 'window' mentality at all.


Well, take a look through Clark's comments about the "problem" of moving anywhere, trying to call CQ, or whatever else. My comments address these issues. You'll also note that I agree(d) with your statement(s) previously: It's anyone's choice to operate where ever they choose. I also conceded the point that it's no doubt different in his area, but that doesn't make his all-encompassing statement accurate that "AMers don't scan the band...". If it were just a matter of Clark speaking for himself and his desire not to listen or move around, I doubt we'd be discussing this now.

Not everything has to be a drama, Thom. And the fact that I or anyone else may offer solutions to perceived problems or differing opinions certainly doesn't constitute 'class warfare'. As a mere Advanced, I too need to upgrade some day. The promise of even more space to spread out and operate is the incentive. Or I could sit back and complain about slopbucket this or that, being a free country and so on. Having come from the place where Clark now is radio-wise, in a time where there were far fewer of us and less room to move around, the advantages of moving and upgrading clearly speak for themselves.

It is what it is. ;)


Couldn't have said it better myself.

As Mike Jackson sang;

"I'll be there!"

All good points.  I started off helping to take check ins last night on the AMI net and then finished it.  I took a couple pages of Check ins as net control. The entire time the SSbers where cusing, yelling and throwing carriers at us.  Good job.

C

The West Coast AMI Net is only enjoyable about one time out of 5.......Great net control operators, friendly well behaved participants, lots of interesting and great sounding transmitters, but.......between the SSB Jammers (Who have been warned by Riley, remember him?) and propagation that favors stations 600-700 miles distance..and them having to hand off net control operations...It just turns into a cluster buck when the band goes long....Too bad really...I just turn the switch...Nice job Clark

No, but this does:


Ridicule and patronizing are never vessels by which one offers any solutions.

As for the rest, you were too busy trying to find some way that I might have been talking about you personally to understand my overall point. Explaining it again won't help.

The others understood me, that's enough for me.

Some people don't upgrade because of the perceived hassle of studying for the exam and presenting oneself at the exam point.  Probably some others are self-effacing and just assume they are not "smart" enough. Still others refuse to do it out of stubbornness. I know one Tech who has been a competent broadcast engineer for decades, has a collection of AM transmitters stored in his barn, but refuses to even upgrade to General, which would allow him to actually get on the air on AM. Then there are those Advanced class licensees who feel that no-code Extra would be a downgrade. ::)

(One of) the greatest errors of incentive licensing was the sub-band nonsense.  Some other countries have a better way of doing it, by awarding higher power privileges to higher grade licensees.

In the US, after IL proved to be the dismal failure that it was in terms of its stated purpose, the FCC has all but gutted the concept, yet they still refuse to phase out the licence class subbands.

Blah, blah, blah. More hot air from the guy who's not happy unless there is a fight.  You have no standing preaching to others since you are the most self-righteous poster on here.

Take your BS elsewhere.

I already made my point and walked away. Blow it out your ass.

So did Todd. But you have to make everything personal. Bye!

I had about a 2-hour QSO with a 9-lander near Chicago, from 0300z to 0500z, after I answered his AM CQ on 3887 last night. Rock-solid signals both ways, no QuaRMtest QRM, no slopbucket QRM, not even any breakers until the QSO was about to come to an end.  We talked mostly about house maintenance and construction and the joys of home ownership.

Those who were bitching about the QuaRMtest should have tuned around a little.  There were plenty of clear spots on 75 throughout the evening.  3600-3700 did fill up later on in the evening, but there were plenty of open slots above 3800, and QuaRMtest operation was virtually non-existent above 3900, but there were large swaths of open frequencies in that segment.

3900-4000 should be fertile ground for AM operation later in the evening.  It seems mostly populated by old-fart SSB rag-chew groups and a few nets, mostly who have occupied the same frequency for decades and now go to roost with the chickens in their old age. Listen after about 0400 GMT.  I may try running a few CQs up there to see what happens.

Here is something kind of interesting:  I worked Brandon KF5IIA last night for about two hours on 3885.  This was when that sweepstakes thing was going on.  He has a pretty solid 20 dB over 9 signal and often, his carrier flattened out the adjacent QRM and junk so it wasn't there.  There would be occasional QSB moments when the bucket noise would encroach then get strapped back down again.  Well, for the first hour or so there were these feeble QRM attempts, the most amusing being someone sounding vaguely like HLR's SBE but more like a jiggling VFO, like someone was trying to bug us by wiggling a heterodyne in our rx passbands.  It was pw enough to be entertaining more than anything else.  Then, after about an hour and 15 minutes it all went away.  It was like everyone got tired, gave up on us and moved on.

All I know is I've been able to QSO every night for the past week. 3685, 3705, 3725, 3733, 3873, 3880, 3885............
All I do is call cq and ignore the SSBers unless one is really interested in a qso.

Most of the naysayers on this post haven't been heard from.

You want big signals and lots of elbow room ?

Try what I call the "Breakfast Club" at 3AM eastern time.
3885Kc

This morning I had a great time with W0XV, Jeff,  WA3JBT, Frank, and N8ULN, Jim along with a few other guys, one of whom was at Boca Raton Florida on an Icom on AM for the first time after he was sitting back listening to "all the great sounding AM."

Jeff was on that homebrew transmitter built by Robert W0VMC you might have heard about -- pair of 4x1s into a pair, and built into a Collins 20V2 cabinet, whoo whoo !

It's a regular gathering from 3-4AM, sometimes longer like this week when folks are off from work.

Do you stay up that late or get up early?
 

Yes! It's a pleasure to operate at that time of the morning when the QRM is absent.  These "breakfast club" regulars put out a great signal and the conversation is interesting as well.  

If noticed they usually start around 2:30 am central / 3:30 am eastern and go until work calls them away.

Paul what do these guys do--go to bed at 6 p.m. and get up at 2 a.m.?  I did that when I was the morning man at a FM near Memphis 30 years ago.  I lasted around 5 months and went to college.  I decided human beings were not meant to live like that hi hi.

Rob

Hehe...

WA3JBT, Frank drives school bus so he gets up really early.  Jeff, W0XV is retired but he seems to wake up around 2 or 3 am for an hour or two before getting more sleep.  I'm not sure what Jim, N8ULN does but he does get up early for work. 

I haven't heard tennessee Dave on (forget his call) but he used to be a regular in the mornings too.   I work night shift so I'm awake all night even on my days off. 

There are others that come in and out but those seem to be there pretty faithfully every morning, especially Frank, WA3JBT.  In fact, I heard him say that he would love to keep talking on AM when he gets back from his bus route, but everyone had gone away so he moves over to a sideband group.

If any of you find yourself up early mornings, be sure to stop by 3.885 and say hello!

The early morning crew usually appears just as I am making my final xmsn.  If I stay up past 2AM (or 3AM when daylight shifting time is on) I find myself dragging the next day.

When I retire, I want to throw away all my clocks!

John, I think Dave's call is W4QCU if I'm thinking of the same fellow in TN? He used to be on running a HT-32 I think. Heard him a few times when I was up north.

Hoping to be back on the air here within a couple weeks. Visitors arriving for Thanksgiving and my time has been focused elsewhere. Burned a pile of brush today, so the pyro fix has been fed for another year. Working on 2 transmitters at once this time, so if one craps out, the backup should be ready to go. Eventually I'll get all the bugs worked out. Also getting some insulating work done in the radio room to make operating a bit more comfortable this winter. Though at 72 degrees today, it was just right out there.

Yes Todd that's him, W4QCU.  He had several different vintage stations from which to choose.  I hope he's doing okay because I haven't heard him for quite a while now. 

Another Dave, W9AD chimes in from time to time either from his Illinois QTH or remotely from Mexico at that early hour.

I guess if I had to come up with one good thing about running a leenyar on AM it would be that in winter I no longer need space heaters in the shack.

When he was part of the 4A edition of the Breakfast Club, Dave, W4QCU at Oak Ridge would usually be on with his Gates BC-1G that I helped hook him up with some years ago.

I recently heard him with either the Southeastern AM Radio Club (SAMRC), WA4KCY's group, or perhaps with the AWA's Sunday PM AM net on 3837Kc.

And yes, Frank, JBT is as puzzled as myself that Dave seems to have just dropped out of the early morning scene. He said a couple of emails have gone unanswered too.  I know Dave's work schedule had changed, being reduced in hours, and then, different time of day as well.

Today, Tuesday,  I just had an excellent 90 minutes or so with a group that gathers weekdays on 3705Kc.  The three principal guys are all in southern Virginia and say they get on anywhere from 10A through 12:30 and just chew the fat.

Great signals and good conditions daytime if you're within a few hundred miles.

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Get up early.  Usually in bed around 9PM, and the two dogs and the cat know it's time for breakfast by 4:30AM.  I was up early that particular morning after one of the dogs hurled up the results of finding a deer carcass out in the woods last Friday, ugh.

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I think Clark pretty much answered this one, but I don't know how they do it otherwise ! Some people can subsist on just a few hours' sleep a night. Not me.