The low bands are on FIRE again

In spite of the class M solar flare last week (that was very weird for so early in the sunspot cycle, I wonder what other surprises are in store!), the low bands have never sounded better!

Using my 160 meter inverted L on 160, 80, and 40 meters with 100 watts, I worked the following in just an hour or two of casual operating:

160: SP, SM, HA, PA, YL, OK, G - all on first call
80: 5N, first call
40: 7P8, 3rd call with big pileup

I also heard EY8MM on 80 calling CQ, and nobody was answering him. Unfortunately he did not hear me. This is the second time I have heard Asia on 80 meters on the inverted L (here is some good analysis from N0HR). Before this antenna, I never heard anything rare like that. Seems that I never had a real antenna for 80 or 160. Amazing what a 133 feet of wire, a 64 foot oak, and a remote antenna coupler with a few radials will do!

This is my first inverted L antenna. It's not quiet like a Beverage antenna for receive, but it does work.

I was scouting out the land behind my house today, and saw that I have plenty of room for Beverage-type receiving antennas. This will be my next project after the weather begins to warm up (it has been very cold this winter). DX Engineering makes the parts (I don't have time to) for the antenna, all I need to do is figure out how to run the coax in stealth mode.

Always planning for bigger and better things. Life is too short to chase DX with the status quo!

73 and good DX!

Getting the fever for 160

I put up an inverted L, 64 feet vertical and 64 feet horizontal. With 100 watts and a couple of radials, it is no pileup buster but it DOES work and it WILL get me to DXCC on 160. What a blast that band is.

Work has kept me busy since the start of the New Year, and it has been too cold outside (unusual) for me to do any antenna work. Here's hoping for more ham time and less work, and a spring thaw!

73 and good DX!