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Author Topic: 15mtrs again wakes up...  (Read 19300 times)
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wb1ead
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« on: October 21, 2020, 10:59:50 AM »

Hi All..as is my routine here daily I thought I'd look at 15mtrs because lately there have been some lite openings mostly in the SSB portion..and there certainly was..lots of Europa booming in and yakking here stateside on USB..talked with Toly RA3RCL and then decided to go up the band to the AM place..found a fairly strong signal there at 21.420..couldn't make it out and tried USB only to find it was John G3YPZ..he switched to USB and we had a couple of "overs" b/4 he faded away..I'm going out a limb here but I believe 15mtrs is gonna wake up solid soon...suggest checking here from time to time..gud luk! 73 de DAVE WB1EAD
PS: b/4 someone asks this was around 1330 UTC and was still going strong an hour later....
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wb1ead
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« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2020, 11:42:02 AM »

Hi All..well I'm out on that limb I guess as the 15 mtr band has been open for well over a week now..no sign of AM activity but I thought I'd mention a new to me SW broadcaster just above the end of the phone band..gud indicator of Europa activity or likelyhood of that since it's so close to the usual AM hunting ground..21.470 Romanian Radio International..it usually appears around 1200 UTC with English programs until at least 1400 UTC or thereabouts..there is another at 21.525 but not always on..gud check for N/S prop since it originates in either the Carolinas or maybe Florida..so there a couple places to look see if the band is open.....gud luk!  73 de DAVE WB1EAD
PS: forgot 'bout the France SW staion above the last one at somewheres around 21.690..extremely BIG signal but no English....
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wb1ead
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« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2020, 12:25:35 PM »

Hi All..well I'm happy to report a QSO with Aldo IW5EKR a few minutes ago on 21.420 of course on AM..sig rpt was 5/5 to him and 5/3 for me..pwr I use is 50 modutating to 75 watts..no amp..Aldo at 50 watts in his mobile..can it be done ?..yes for sure and it can only get better....gud luk!!  73 de DAVE WB1EAD
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W2PFY
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« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2020, 09:02:41 PM »

Well Dave, it looks as if your all alone up here in this thread? I can't remember when I made a contact on 15 meters? I remember that I have had many contacts on 6 meters in the past and in fact one time I didn't bother breaking in on a QSO while traveling through NH/VT. Their signals were so strong that I thought it was a couple of local boys going at it and when they said their 73's, me recognizing that they were DX, I tried to brake in and get something going with them but they did not hear me?

Anyhow, my BC-610 won't go up that high but now I have a amplifier that I am working on that will do 15 meters so maybe we'll be able to compare notes down the ham radio road? On those high bands I use whatever mode will get the job done but AM would be nice!

Good DX om,

Terry
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wb1ead
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« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2020, 10:31:29 AM »

Hi Terry & all..tnx for responding but honestly I haven't tried since I posted but ystdy there was a very strong carrier on at approx 1500 UTC at 21.430..QSB so I figured it wasn't local..stayed on for almost 10 mins ?..the SW broadcasters I mentioned were there but all except 21.425 bible thumper cut out at approx 1400 UTC..we'll hopefully give it a try today if not tomorrow or Friday..I just wish the 10mtr band wud come alive....73 de DAVE WB1EAD
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WA2SQQ
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« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2020, 10:41:28 AM »

While working from home I’ve been working a lot of FT8 on both 15 & 12m. 10 has been very quiet, with intermittent openings to South America.
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W2PFY
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« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2020, 02:58:20 PM »

I should try some of that digital stuff. My winter QTH is near Albany, NY and low power and no voice (maybe ssb) is the only way I could operate. Some say digital is boring but it gives you something to do on those COLD winter nights. The best antenna I can put up here is a low long wire and that would have to zig zag around the property to get it to load on a tuner. I figure that I might get away with 10-15 watts before the XYL exclaims that the entire world is about to end Angry Angry Angry In the event that I interfere with the TV, I need to come up with some story on how I am saving the planet from the next plague or something so she would understand the need for FT8 Grin Grin Grin
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Pete, WA2CWA
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« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2020, 03:43:57 PM »

Try CW. At least you get to move your fist and/or turn a few knobs. With the diddle diddle, all you do is watch the screen. To me, its got to be the most boring mode I've ever encountered on HF. But today, it seems there are many who have forgo the on the air audio and CW interaction for the (yawn!) viewing of a screen to make a contact.
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wb1ead
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« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2020, 03:17:23 PM »

Hi All..thought I'd pipe in again to let ya know I tried once more at 21.420 AM..this was at 1745 UTC a bit later than I wanted to be..a half dozen CQs later beaming to Europe got me nowhere..I did hear a very lite carrier tuning on my last CQ but not enuf to move the S mtr..BTW the two major indicators (SW broadcasters)further up the band at 21.525 & 21.610 were BIG at 20 over or so..both religious and come on after the European broadcasters go silent..both of them are down south in the USA....
I will give it a shot from time to time this week coming   gud luk! 73 de DAVE WB1EAD
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Pete, WA2CWA
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« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2020, 03:37:45 PM »

I like using real time activity maps.

https://www.dxmaps.com/spots/mapg.php?Lan=E
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WA1LGQ
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« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2020, 07:39:09 AM »

Glad to hear about 15 opening up. We need to use it more. I have worked Aldo before, though I don't remember the particulars. Terry, FT8 is boring, yes, but it is good for quickies to check for band conditions. Plenty of guys out there using it all the time. An alternative to CW is the other older modes like PSK31 or the robust Olivia modes. I have had some real nice keyboard to keyboards on 15 and 30 with crappy band conditions.
LB
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« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2020, 06:15:14 PM »

Hello LB, what software do you use to decipher your digital stuff? I used to use a very good program that was free but now they charge for it. The thing I liked is that it covered just about all modes. It could be used and programed to a particular transceiver or as a stand alone with a computer. I wish I could remember the name for it so I might buy it for me for xmass?

I guess there are some single mode converters out there but I would like the an all in one system.

Terry
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WA2SQQ
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« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2020, 08:52:13 PM »

Even the free version of Multipsk decodes many formats. The paid upgrade does many more and includes some less known formats. This software is useful from DC thru light.
http://f6cte.free.fr/index_anglais.htm
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WA1LGQ
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« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2020, 09:21:12 AM »

Yes, Multipsk or Fldigi with or without Flrig control software at W1HKJ.com, which works on Linux and Windows. Try them both, see which one you like.
Larry
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g3ypz
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« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2020, 07:17:46 AM »

I will be on 21.420 this afternoon and during the week
73 de G3YPZ
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W7NGA
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« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2020, 06:36:51 PM »

Haven't turned the rig on in two years or so. I've been working on my Fender Vibrolux guitar amp and thought it would be nice to see if 15 meters is open while I waited for the soldering iron to heat up. Well, I heard someone calling CQ from Missouri (I think). Yeah! An AM signal on 21.430 Mhz. Sold my Flex, so better dust off the R390 and Collins 32V3.

Cheerio ...

dan W7NGA (Seaside, Oregon)
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wb1ead
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« Reply #16 on: November 26, 2020, 09:19:37 AM »

Happy Thanksgiving AM lovers..well as is my usual practice I just scooted by the AM section on 15mtrs..and who do I find but G8NOF Glenn and a bit later GW4GTE Dave followed by John G3YPZ between 21.410 and 21.430..I had to bow out because of company coming for turkey day..this all occured TODAY approx 15 mins ago..enjoy!!!
                    73 de DAVE WB1EAD
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AMer livin in "Moose Country"
WD8BIL
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« Reply #17 on: November 26, 2020, 11:35:37 AM »

Ya, Dan! I'll be firing up on 21.430 here from Ohio again. Hope to run across you!
BTW, I have a 1962 Fender Tremolux !!
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WA2SQQ
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« Reply #18 on: November 26, 2020, 02:14:33 PM »

10 & 12 were open all morning. Working throughout Europe and Africa
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KB2WIG
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« Reply #19 on: November 26, 2020, 02:22:24 PM »



Shes a 'bubblin.....  lots of beeping noises at the low end of the band.  KW7Y 20/9 on my rice box calling CQ. 10s later, nothing heard.

No one wants to talk to ME.

klc



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w8khk
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« Reply #20 on: November 26, 2020, 02:37:28 PM »


No one wants to talk to ME.

klc


Still using that ten meter clothesline dipole? Maybe it receives well, but the transmit RF is all absorbed while drying the clothes.  

Perhaps you should look for a band opening after the clothes are dry?

I am sure they will talk to you if they hear you.  Turning up the wick will dry the clothes more quickly, and enhance your chances of a two-way QSO while the band is still open.

Happy Thanksgiving!


* Dipole.jpg (100.34 KB, 800x600 - viewed 597 times.)
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Rick / W8KHK  ex WB2HKX, WB4GNR
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My smart?phone voicetext screws up homophones, but they are crystal clear from my 75 meter plate-modulated AM transmitter
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« Reply #21 on: November 26, 2020, 03:41:58 PM »

It could be that, maybe I should switch from cotton to polyester -  that dries quicker.

I still use the clothesline ant; I hung a 6m dipole off of it and it works.

One leg of my 80/40 meter "fan" dipole broke off, I was going to fix it today, but, it's the Bird Day, so off to tomorrow. I'm able to load up the 160m eL, and I switched from my rice box to my powerhouse DX 60B, and now no one to play with..... (I've a linyar for the Dixie and that didn't help.)

Happy Thanksgiving,

klc

Oh yeah, Budley worked kw7y.
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wb1ead
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« Reply #22 on: November 27, 2020, 10:15:01 AM »

Hello All..a gud morning from sunny Maine..yes for sure the band is a bubbling..worked both John G3YPZ and a new one for me GI3OQR Dick running a Collins 32V3 with a 75A4 rcvr..this all was approx 20 mins ago and I'm gonna continue after coffee cup #2..it's working guys and gals!!   73 de DAVE WB1EAD
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pe1mph
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pe1mph AM from Holland


« Reply #23 on: November 28, 2020, 08:58:27 AM »

Hallo AM Lovers,
Now, 15.00 hour by me, I listen to 21.420 khz in AM.
But totaly nothing I hear.... Cry

Hi, hi a few minutes later....
I hear very weak something....
I keep on listening....
Maybe the signal is comming up!

Greetings,

Henk / PE1MPH
Dokkum / The Netherlands
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KB2WIG
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« Reply #24 on: November 28, 2020, 11:10:00 AM »



Its boiling today... lots of beeping and SSB.


WB5IRI is pounding in here from Tx for the last 1 1/2 hours. He just worked a station in Portugal (16 o'clock gmt).

klc

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