[WVDXA] 160 Meter Contest

[W8OI at aol.com]

Dan:
 
Welcome to 160.  I just got on with a real (though not great) 160  antenna 
within the last year and I am having lots of fun.  I put up a 130  foot (approx) 
dipole with coils in each leg to make it resonant on 160.  It  is in the 
shape of an inverted V and it seems to do all right.  I've worked  some 30 
countries on it since putting it up.  Most of that has been in the  past month, 
although I did some QSO's in the Spring.  We winter in Florida  from December until 
March so we miss most of the good 160 season.
 
Garry
W8OI  
 
 

Pardon  the interruption, but I've been lurking for quite a while.

I got on 160  for the first time in my 44 3/4 years as a ham this weekend. 
Ok, 
I have  workes 4-5 stations on my 80 meter dipole over the years, barely.   
But I put up a 140 ft wire last summer with the hope it would load on  160.  
It 
did.

I worked 253 stations in the contest, including  C6 and PJ2, in 38 states; 
with 
7 in WV - WA8WV, N2EE, K3JT, K8MN, AJ1M,  K8OQL and N8II.

I learned 4 things: (1) power is a good thing, but I  only have 100 watts of 
it; 
(2) a horizontal antenna is nice, but a  vertical would help a lot - 
especially at 
night; (3) I was pretty much  able to work everything I could hear at S5 or 
better but there are a lot  of stations I just can't hear; and (4) the noise 
level 
here is quite good,  thankfully.

I was amazed at what (how much) was on, and how relatively  easy it is to 
work the US.
I may add a wire vertical next summer.   Should be able to get 60-70 feet up, 
but radials will be problematic  (aren't they always).  I'd appreciate 
suggestions if anyone has done  something like this.

All in all, the contest was great fun!

Dan,  K8WV


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