Making the best of 40m AM

[k4kyv]

For night time operation, 40m is proving to be less than satisfactory for large roundtables like we are used to on 75 and 160.  More like 20m, inevitably, someone in a sizeable group skips over someone else, and one can end up with long stretches of time listening to background noise and dead air.  Wouldn't it be better, and make for more AM presence on the band, to break away from the original QSO once the number gets past three or four, and start a new QSO off to the side when a clear frequency can be found, and try to maintain two or more groups and/or one-on-one QSO's?

Also, it might be well to try to  get out of the habit of long, old buzzard transmissions while using this band, which can fall right out from under you in a matter of seconds even though conditions had been solid for the previous half hour or longer.

Here is my suggestion.  AM'ers should continue to use 7160 as a gathering
point, since this frequency has a long history of AM usage going back at
least through the 70's.  But as we avoid huge roundtables and spread out, perhaps we should avoid whenever possible, frequencies exactly at even 5 kHz intervals that have long been used as broadcast channels, for two reasons: 

(1) A few broadcasters, as expected, continue to occupy these channels and have reportedly caused considerable QRM in Europe, VK/ZL and the Far East. Here in N. America we are hearing the strong BC signals from Ethiopia and Eritrea on 7110, 7165 and 7175, and some noise from attempts to jam these stations.   We will have a better chance of being heard by foreign DX if we operate in between the former broadcast channels.

(2) US SSB operators are so accustomed to hearing foreign broadcast carriers at even 5-kHz intervals, that many are likely to mistake amateur AM carriers on these frequencies for broadcast signals, and without further listening, fire up right on top of the AM QSO, even without malicious intent to QRM amateur AM signals.

And don't let's allow night-time 40m AM to dwindle to zero once the novelty has worn off, as did AM in the expanded 75m phone portion.

[KX5JT]

These are indeed great points Don.  As I sit here and listen to 7.160 however @ 22:30 UTC, there is a dx ssb station from Denmark, oz1gml, leisurely working into the U.S.  I actually had a qso on AM with a Texas station at about 22:00 and had no idea this guy was already on the frequency working east coast stations.... as I finished my qso I heard some sideband on frequency so switched over and there he was.   I think this sort of stuff will be more and more common.  So obviously I'm not going to fire up another CQ AM in this situation. 

I wonder if moving between the 5khz 7.1x0 and 7.1x5 slots might actually help us as the inclination for sidebanders to think we are broadcast stations may be resolved. 

It's going to be interesting at any rate.

[k4kyv]

We don't own 7160, and the band is bound to busy at a time when many US hams are getting home from work just as the European DX starts to roll in.  If the frequency is occupied, try to find another clear spot to call CQ.

Later in the evening the problem should diminish as the Euros go to bed and there's less DX to be worked.  An excellent time for Euro-DX is between 0500 and 0700 GMT to catch the early risers over there, just before bedtime on this side of the Atlantic.

Interestingly, last night about the time I lost several east coast US stations as propagation lengthened out, I had a very loud Texas SSB station call me.  He said he didn't have an AM rig, but was a retired broadcast engineer and was interested in my homebrew station.  He said he had been hearing me pound into central Texas every evening for several days now.  I noticed years ago that I always seemed to have a pipeline into Texas on 40m at night when the band supposedly was "long".  40m is the band on which I first got acquainted with Ozona Bob, and had many 100% solid contacts with him that lasted for hours on end.

[KX5JT]

We don't own 7160, and the band is bound to busy at a time when many US hams are getting home from work just as the European DX starts to roll in.  If the frequency is occupied, try to find another clear spot to call CQ.

I totally agree about no "ownership"!  This is why when I heard someone say the dx station had been on the frequency for an hour... I knew I wasn't hearing him when I started my QSO but I relinquished the frequency.  I have heard some disturbing things on 80 meters before.  I had heard a lsb qso on 3.890 in progress for an hour or two and suddenly an AM station comes on calling "CQ CQ CQ 3.890 in the AM window  CQ the AM WINDOW!!!" Now I KNOW that station heard the sideband qso.  Anyway, that's not how it supposed to work. 

Where is the "gentleman" in Gentlemen's agreement!?  We need to do more to promote that by stepping up and doing the right thing instead of instigating hostility.

[k3sqp]

Good comments as always Don...Care must be taken to avoid "windows" ..The other nite
when there were lots of Am stations on 7.160 I moved up 15 kcs or so and called CQ with
no results....Same thiing up on a very clear 7.190, CQ with no results except a few very nice contacts
with SSB stations... Spread out , move around, there are plently of clear frequencies...

[KX5JT]

Interesting night so far here on 7.160 AM  in the 1:00 into the 2:00 UTC hour

W8VYZ      Ashtubula Bill      ASHTABULA, OH
KX5JT        John                 MAURICE,  LA
WA3VJB     Paul                  ANNAPOLIS, MD
N4JK          Art                   DESTIN, FL
K4KYV       Don                  WOODLAWN, TN
W3HPW     John                  SARASOTA, FL
K4CWW     Perry                 TUSCALOOSA, AL
W2ORL      Dave                 HOLIDAY, FL
N9KGR       Bruce                CLEVELAND, WI 
K1JJ          Tom                  MARLBOROUGH, CT
N8ITF       Paul                   SPRINGFIELD, TN
W8JMF      John                  BEREA, OH
KC3CH      Randy                 PORT CHARLOTTE, FL
W1VZR     Pete                   LIMERICK, ME


and the group is growing!

Interesting in that MOST of us could actually hear each other... unless the stations were really close together.

[K1JJ]

Interesting night so far here on 7.160 AM  in the 1:00 UTC hour

W8VYZ      Ashtubula Bill      ASHTABULA, OH
KX5JT        John                 MAURICE,  LA
WA3VJB     Paul                  ANNAPOLIS, MD
N4JK          Art                   DESTIN, FL
K4KYV       Don                  WOODLAWN, TN
W3HPW     John                  SARASOTA, FL
K4CWW     Perry                 TUSCALOOSA, AL
W2ORL      Dave                 HOLIDAY, FL
N9KGR       Bruce                CLEVELAND, WI 
K1JJ          Tom                  MARLBOROUGH, CT
N8ITF       Paul                   SPRINGFIELD, TN
W8JMF      John                  BEREA, OH
KC3CH      Randy                 PORT CHARLOTTE, FL
W1VZR     Pete                   LIMERICK, ME


and the group is growing!

Interesting in that MOST of us could actually hear each other... unless the stations were really close together.

Quite the activity tonight, John!  Smooth with no QRM - beautiful.

I was listening earlier and heard many ssb Russian stations and other Euros working USA stations. Most guys were really happy to have the "new" band. It's a surprisingly good long distance band and the Euros are starting to move up in larger numbers. Big pileups starting. It sounds like quite a fad growing.


BTW, where are all the west coast AM stations?  I've heard west coast on ssb, so I know condix will support it.  Could some of you W6/W7 guys check in the next few nights?  Many of us would like to check our antenna coverage out there.

T

[KX5JT]

The bottom fell out around 2:25 UTC... for the east half of the U.S.  --- Don K4KYV was still "right next to me in my shack" with a 20 db over 9 signal and then suddenly like a flip of the switch.. I could BARELY hear him.  Seriously in between two words... that quick.. .. poof no more anyone!

I think the west coasters should start coming in around now ~ 3:00 UTC as the darkness reaches them... I hope we will have some join us... at least that's when I recall starting to work them on 40m ssb before....

[K1JJ]

Yep, I was listening and Don went from +40 over to barely copyable at about 10:45 EST..

I can also hear W5's working Russians that I cannot copy... long band.

John, I can hear you calling CQ now, but down to an S9 +10. 

Yes, maybe the west coast will start to come in now.   Interesting band.

It'll be another week before I get my other antennas working on 40M.  Just have west/Calif for now.

Catch ya on tmw.

T

[K1JJ]

Let's talk about the future of 40M for a minute.....  I have some thoughts that may or may not come to pass:

Over the next couple of years, the sunspots will be low and 20-10M will continue useless. I think 7125-7200 (75kc) is SOON going to become prime real estate for DXers. This narrow 75 kc may become one big international DX window. I'm comparing it to 14.150 - 14.225  or the small 3775 - 3800 DX windows.

Between 7125 -7200, I hear conversations now of guys planning big 40M arrays. Already the pile-ups are starting. I can hear big amplifiers running with processors. It may become tougher to operate there.  We need to come up with a plan to blend into the mix between 7125 - 7200.

I think AMers need to make as many friends on the band as possible right now. It is also imperative to get as many Euro AMers to participate in the USA AM operations and check in as often as possible. This will add spunk and DXer credibity to AM operating in this prime 75kc area.  Euros on AM is a very appealing idea to add a flavor to the band. I think most of us get a real kick out of hearing a Russian or UK station on AM and thinking, "so that's how they really sound, huh?"

I can invision USA ssbers trying out their rigs on AM just so they, too, can participate.

As Don mentioned tonight, we need to keep our transmissions shorter after dark. The band shifts tremendously then. During the daylight hours, we can operate anyway we wish.  Remember that after dark we can propagate across the whole USA and take up a frequency no one else can use. During the daylight, there can be several stations on the same frequency in different regional areas.

I think 7200- 7300 will become the rag chew section of 40M - now between the BC stations and later as this area clears up. There will be pressure to move AM up the band back into the ghetto.  So now is the time to make the mode interesting and pull in as many friends as possible. I think by strongly encouraging Euro AMers to participate, the USA interest will be pulled in just out of curiousity and will take care of itself.

When I finish my new 40M Euro array in a week, I plan to set up some AM skeds, call CQ for AM Euros and these kinds of activities. We can also take a standby every 10 minutes in an AM QSO looking for AM Euros.  Don, you could probably do that now with your great NE pattern.  When the ssb DXers hear this, it will do wonders for our credibilty operating in this part of the band - assuming it all pans out the way I see it unfolding.

If the band interest dies, well that's another story.  But normally, the summer brings slow activity and will be a good time to get whatever plan established. But come fall and winter, the band is gonna be bedlam with high activity again.

Let's see if we can get some Euros on AM to showcase.  There's many many people listening right now trying to decide what's happening.


Any ideas?


*** BTW, remember, 1/2 wavelength on 40M is 65'. If you can get up a dipole at 65' high, you will be within 5db of a full size Yagi with a low 28 degree DX angle. You WILL work Europe on AM from the USA, no problem.

T

[KX5JT]

I believe Tom is on to something.  Don's thoughts are also right on.  My observations for this 40 meter 7.125 to 7.200 area from just today confirm a lot of what Tom says.  At 5:00pm (22:00 UTC) 7.125 through 7.200 was filled with ssb DX.  There were qso's every 2.5 to 3 khz's with European and N. Africans working U.S. stations.  What was really cool was that the QSOs seemed to be more like ragchews!  The operators were actually taking the time to talk about their stations, themselves, etc.  Not just signal report exchanges but actually getting to know each other!  Great time to "plug" AM operations to some of them.

I agree with Tom that we need to do our best to bring some DX AM stations into the fold.  It would go a long way for diplomacy and acceptance.  I think much of the spirit of the WRC-03 conference in having the broadcasters move was to allow DX between those areas of the world that previously had to work split.  So with that in mind, I feel we need to promote our favorite mode in that spirit as much as possible and still be able to enjoy the domestic contacts along with it. 

BTW, some B.C. station fired up on 7.165 for a half-hour (circa 04:00 UTC) then dissappeared.  It was kind of odd.  There were several stations calling cq on 7.160 about the same time and none really hearing each other.  TURN YOUR VFO a bit!!! I called CQ down on 7.153 to get away from the cacophony.  It was clear.  Thankfully, WA0FDV, John in Fargo N.D. turned his VFO a bit and found me there.  We proceeded to have a nice QSO.  Don't get stuck on 7.160, check up and down, you may be surprised!

KX5JT

[k4kyv]

BTW, some B.C. station fired up on 7.165 for an hour (circa 04:00 UTC) then dissappeared.  It was kind of odd. 

See the other thread for my observations this evening.

http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?topic=18974.60

[KX5JT]

From the other thread Don notes "Eritrea an 7165-75.."

What sort of Broadcast station is only on the air for a half-hour?  That's the part I found very odd.  I know that pirate stations operate for just half hour at a time and I thought maybe that's what they were... I didn't really listen to it besides to note it had fired up music there.  I was in a qso down on 7.153 while it was up and apparenlty it shut down after only a half hour.  Was this the previous pattern of that Eritrea station?  Only on for a half hour?  Or is this possibly indictative of someone being indecisive about where they want to broadcast now?  Don, you mentioned jammers. I hope it works out to where they realize that it's only us hams left in this area and they (the broadcasters) should move to gain a better target audience. 

[k4kyv]

What sort of Broadcast station is only on the air for a half-hour?  That's the part I found very odd.  I know that pirate stations operate for just half hour at a time and I thought maybe that's what they were... I didn't really listen to it besides to note it had fired up music there.

Here is the familiar interval signal.  It positively identifies the station on 7175.  Click on the top link: Voice of the Broad Masses - Programme 1
http://www.intervalsignals.net/countries/eritrea.htm

Eritrea used to be a province of Ethiopia, involuntarily annexed after WW2.  They fought a war for independence for over 30 years before gaining it in the early 90's.  Most of the time it was low level guerilla warfare, attacks on convoys, etc.  But things heated up after Haile Salasee was deposed.  Since independence, there have been several conflicts, mostly over some worthless barren desert land in the border region.  At present, there are troops amassed along the border regions  with Ethiopia and Djibouti.  The US State Dep't is warning Americans to defer travel to Eritrea at the moment, and that foreigners should avoid the border regions.

I suspect this radio activity is part of a political cat-and-mouse game going on right now.

There is no love lost between Ethiopia and Eritrea.  Do a search on YouTube for Eritrean music and Ethiopian music, and read the comments below the video.  Inevitably there are vile comments from the other country.

I suspect the Ethiopians are jamming the Eritrea stations, or else the jamming is coming from a rival group in Eritrea.  It sounds like the conflict is about to  heat up again, so this radio war may continue to pollute 40m for some time to come.  I doubt that they are very concerned about international radio agreements at the present time.

Which is a shame, not only from a radio perspective.  This is a beautiful country, one of the poorest in Africa trying to get on its feet, and Ethiopia is about as impoverished, yet they are squandering their meagre resources fighting over disputed border territory, which now includes prime farmland.

I am familiar with the country, having lived in Eritrea for over three years, back in the late 60's.  There is a lot of radio related history connected to the region, and I even brought back a few artefacts that presently reside in my transmitter and junk collection.

For a little background information:

http://www.evrel.ewf.uni-erlangen.de/pesc/peaceradio-ERI.html#international

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm