160 AM is great

[w2gez]

AM stations have been popping up all over 160 meters from 1.880 on up.   No matter what your antenna, try to pop on the band every now and then and send a message loud and clear to the IARU and ARRL, 160 AM ROCKS and is alot of fun.   The numbers are rising.   Where else can you hear so many former broadcast transmitters and modified table top radios for receivers than the good old 160 radio telephone band?  Mike W2GEZ   

[W2JBL]

   happens every year about this time. it's called wintertime conditions on 160. and for God's sake can we spread out a bit more this year? how about 1895, 1930, 1945, and 1985 instead of all piling on 1885 and buzzarding away...

[WA3VJB]

Or the 1885 and 1881 that I was hearing about 20 mins ago, SHEEZ

[W2JBL]

all that room on 160 and you cotton pickin' AMer's set up a mere 4KC away from each other? that don't make much sense to me but i'm just another cotton pickin' AM'er. last weekend they spread out like that too- 1885 and 1890. that was a mess! it's a step in the right direction but just too darn close. there's tons of room above about 1930 but when i suggest going up there many balk at the idea saying their rigs won't tune that part of the band. then there's the crystal controlled set who will be on 1885 forever, often the same guys who don't have  push to talk... self excited Electron Coupled oscillators and relay controlled push to talk were the wave of the future in 30's QST's and it seems still are here in 2007!

[The Slab Bacon]

   happens every year about this time. it's called wintertime conditions on 160. and for God's sake can we spread out a bit more this year? how about 1895, 1930, 1945, and 1985 instead of all piling on 1885 and buzzarding away...

Ah, yes the buzzarding............................ After you make your transmission, you have enough time to eat dinner, hit the can, get laid, and take a good power nap before it comes back around to you!!
On a good night you might get 2 whole turns at the mike!!

                                                The Slab Bacon

                                           

[W3SLK]

Slab said:

Ah, yes the buzzarding............................ After you make your transmission, you have enough time to eat dinner, hit the can, get laid, and take a good power nap before it comes back around to you!! 
On a good night you might get 2 whole turns at the mike!!

And the problem with that is.........

[The Slab Bacon]

And the problem with that is.........

I'll be too old and feeble minded before my turn comes around again

[w5omr]

And the problem with that is.........

I'll be too old and feeble minded before my turn comes around again

Then, AM ain't for you.

Transmission -are- 5 mins (or however long you want, as long as you ID) on AM.

this is HAM radio... not 2m CB FM.

Buzzard transmissions are the -heart- of Round-table ragchews.  Everyone gets a turn.

[WA3VJB]

The 4AM EST 3885kc group, a.k.a. "The Breakfast Club" makes it a point to time their transmissions on the 10min mark.

Takes careful thought and the correct pace to make the transmission fit that 10 min slot just right.

[W2JBL]

when i try to interest new hams in AM the #1 cause of lack of interest in the mode is the endless blabbering old buzzard transmissions. once during a 160 meter QSO i actually got in my car and went into town, picked up extra beer, stopped by Mcdonald's for a sack of cheesebugers and got home before it was my turn...and there were only four guys in the QSO! many people (myself included) only have an hour or two a week to get on the air, and that's one of a few reasons i object to the buzzarding disease. hams got PTT dialed in by the mid 30's- get with it guys, it's not 1929 anymore.

[W3SLK]

Chris:

when i try to interest new hams in AM the #1 cause of lack of interest in the mode is the endless blabbering old buzzard transmissions. once during a 160 meter QSO i actually got in my car and went into town, picked up extra beer, stopped by Mcdonald's for a sack of cheesebugers and got home before it was my turn...and there were only four guys in the QSO! many people (myself included) only have an hour or two a week to get on the air, and that's one of a few reasons i object to the buzzarding disease. hams got PTT dialed in by the mid 30's- get with it guys, it's not 1929 anymore.

Well, you know what they say, "If you can't stand the heat....."

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Well, you know what they say, "If you can't stand the heat....."


... start a new QSO on another frequency.

[w3jn]

Buzzard transmissions are the -heart- of Round-table ragchews.  Everyone gets a turn.

Except EVERYONE always forgets who to turn it to.

I don't get it.  You wouldn't talk at someone for 10 minutes in person without coming up for breath, why do it on the radio?

However Steve said it best.  Ya don't like it, start yer own QSO 

[The Slab Bacon]

Well, you know what they say, "If you can't stand the heat....."


... start a new QSO on another frequency.

Datz rite!! all of my rigs, including the 4X1 rig are set up for rapid fire break in operation. Some of us do understand how relays work and how to hook them up!!

I miss the rapid fire break in sessions on 3.885 on friday and saturday nights!! They werent for the thin skinned or faint at heart, but they were fun!! Old buzzard transmissions are fine when its only a few people in the group. But if the group starts to get too large its time to go break in or splinter off into another qso. 10 people in the group, each making a 20 minute old buzzard monologue can get a little ridiculous sometimes.

Old buzzarding is fine when its a small group or 1 on 1, but break in is much better suited for larger groups. Sometimes you have to feel out the qso and do the "when in Rome" thing.
I stopped taking notes during a qso to keep myself from rambling on forever.

And like John said, half of the people in the old buzzard roundtable cant even keep the rotation correct! I just love it when they say "I'm rotationally challenged tonight" Geeeezzzeee!

Break in operation is also a good incentive to building a good station and putting out a real signal.

                                                                                The Slab Bacon

[w2gez]

Hay, if you can get a beer, get layed and get to read a book between transmissions more power to you.  Radio active !!!   Love it or leave it, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ham radio rocks, have fun !

[Ed W1XAW]

One of the big challenges for my AM operations is the length of transmissions because before my turn comes around somebody has figured out that I am unoccupied during waking hours and pulled me off in another direction.   Between the XYL, the two kids, telephone calls and knocks on the door it can be close to impossible.   Sometimes I start a QSO, a couple people join in,  but I am gone before it comes back around.  Best,  Ed

[WA1GFZ]

I usually listen for hours so when I fire up the transmitter I want a good long turn.....And I hope everyone comes back from getting lucky with a big smile.

[Blaine N1GTU]

I speak up when i have something to say, rather that blab for the sake of hearing my own voice.
if a qso is break-in there is more of a chance i'll jump into the qso, Im usually wandering around the shack, doing laundry, playing around with the computer, answering the phone...etc
nothing is worse that having it turned over to you in a roundtable and you have nothing to say, or are in the other room doing something.
relays are cheap these days and dont take a genius to hook up.