The AM Forum

Band Watch => 15 Meters => Topic started by: W7NGA on September 05, 2021, 02:29:17 PM



Title: 21.430 Mhz AM ... hopeful
Post by: W7NGA on September 05, 2021, 02:29:17 PM
I called CQ on CW down in the Extra segment of 15 meters and PP5AX in Brazil came back unexpectedly. The band was totally dead and I was making antenna measurements interrupted with the occasional CQ for grins. I thought, maybe calling CQ up on 21.430 MHz might have the same results, so I have been calling CQ AM throughout the day. Would be great fun if I saw something on the panadapter pop up thru the noise floor. I'll keep trying ... perhaps in between the BBQ and baseball games we could connect.

73

W7NGA, Daniel
Seaside, Oregon



Title: Re: 21.430 Mhz AM ... hopeful
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on September 05, 2021, 07:43:22 PM
Trans-equatorial propagation on 15 and 10 meters is very common during late summer and fall.
DX Maps shown below is always a good indication of band activity.
The screen capture shown below was taken at roughly 7:40 PM EDT today 9/5/21
Click picture for larger view.


Title: Re: 21.430 Mhz AM ... hopeful
Post by: W7NGA on September 08, 2021, 11:30:51 AM
Nothing heard ... it does give me the opportunity to try out different microphones and widen out to 16 kHz.

Wouldn't surprise me though, if a non-AM'er came back and said I was too wide!

Dead band and all ...

W7NGA


Title: Re: 21.430 Mhz AM ... hopeful
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on September 08, 2021, 02:29:07 PM
Nothing heard ... it does give me the opportunity to try out different microphones and widen out to 16 kHz.

Wouldn't surprise me though, if a non-AM'er came back and said I was too wide!

Dead band and all ...

W7NGA
Maybe you're listening at the wrong time or maybe your antenna fell down  ;D
Screen shot below shows lots of activity around 2:30 PM EDT today.



Title: Re: 21.430 Mhz AM ... hopeful
Post by: W7NGA on September 08, 2021, 04:06:01 PM
Yes, I see lots of activity on FT8 but I am philosophically opposed to operating that mode.

CW and AM ... Deadsville

Hexbeam still hexing ....


Title: Re: 21.430 Mhz AM ... hopeful
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on September 08, 2021, 04:49:53 PM
I also checked DX Summit and it showed lots of CW activity and some SSB activity on 15 meters. I excluded the Digital modes.
http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/?include=21MHz&exclude_modes=DIGI
Since this is a rolling list, it gets updated in real time

But no AM listings. I guess AM is dead! Haven't made an AM contact on 15 or 10 meters in several years but haven't pushed my activity there either.


Title: Re: 21.430 Mhz AM ... hopeful
Post by: W7NGA on September 11, 2021, 11:25:47 AM
15-meters is on!

The band finally opened up and AM is alive and well on 21.430 Mhz.

Had an hour long conversation with Guy, WD5ACP and then K6LPM breaking in.

I saw the W1AW code bulletin signal far larger than usual and the FT8 morass peaking S9+10 and rightly figured someone might see the strange signal at the end of band and come investigating. That is exactly what happened. I always seem to be someones 'first AM' contact!

17-meters was also open with Japanese stations pounding in. However, I think I would get run out of Dodge if I showed up slinging AM about.

Too early to tell how the band will be today .. hopeful.

W7NGA
AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands