Return-Path: <jmaass@columbus.rr.com>
From: "Jeff Maass" <jmaass@columbus.rr.com>
To: "George Taft W8UVZ" <w8uvz@arrl.net>,
"George Guerin K8GG" <gmguerin@voyager.net>,
"Gary Nichols KD9SV" <kd9sv@comcast.net>,
"Geoff Howard W0CG" <ghoward@kent.edu>, "W8AV Goose" <W8AV@aol.com>
Subject: Responses to Inquiries About PJ2X Signal in CQWW 160 CW
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 11:32:57 -0500
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Gents:

Here is a compilation of the 39 replies received to my
inquiry about the PJ2X signal during CQWW 160 CW.

They are in no particular order.

******************************
INQUIRY
******************************
Here is my inquiry, to CQ Contest, Topband, and 160 Mailing
Lists:

I'd be interested in hearing reports of the strength of PJ2X during
last weekend's contest. I'm working with others to improve the
Signal Point station on Topband.

Actual strength is good; impressions welcomed!

73,
Jeff Maass jmaass@columbus.rr.com Located near Columbus Ohio
USPSA # L-1192 NROI/CRO Amateur Radio K8ND
Maass' IPSC Resources: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/index.html
Circleville USPSA/IPSC: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/pcsiipsc.htm


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RESPONSES
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Aloha,

Regarding your question on the contest list - I found PJ2X strength
lower than about half of the signals on the band, maybe pushing S4 max
on the meter. Perfectly readable, though. Though I don't have lots of
experience, I found conditions to be above average, much better than the
previous contest weekend. Even though I don't have a particularly good
setup on 160, I was able to work a few, though not pj2x. Next year!

Curt AH6RE
grid BL02
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Hi all!
I couldn't work PJ2 during the test because I didn´t hear them but, W2GD
was the loudest signal from NA.
I did manage to work some caribean stations but FY5KE didn´t hear my
multiple calls. FM5GU was quite loud..
See you in the next test!
73 de Tony EA5BY
**
Followup, K8ND to EA5BY:

I wonder: did you see a spot on the spotting network,
and then were unable to hear the reported signal of PJ2X,
(i.e., PJ2X was too weak), or did you just tune around
and not hear the station (maybe just didn't find PJ2X)?

****
Tony's reponse:

Hi Jeff,
I saw several spots in the cluster, went there but no copy.
I always try to work the stations spotted by europeans but seems
that signals in center Europe were better than in western Europe.
I used two dipoles 40 meters high, and the installation was in a
building in one arm of the harbour (into the sea). That means less
noise than in the city.

Hope to catch you in the next test.
73 Tony.
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Hi Jeff...
They were pretty loud here... but I am alot closer to them
then you up in Ohio. Had no problem working them. They
also seemed to be right with FM5GU in signal strength.
ZF2NT is the loudest DX here by far.... 20 over most time
I hear him on 160. Take care OM from sunny Columbus , GA....
Jeff KU8E
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You had steady signal on Sunday morning. We were running
on close freq and I moved to pick you up. I hope we are in
the log. Our lighthouse WWYC story is on http://rkp.ice.hr/savudrija
73 de Mario, S56A
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Subject: PJ2X Signal: Oh Yea, Baby!

Greetings Jeff:

It was me who stumbled out of bed in the middle of last week (Tues or
Weds?) about 2AM pacific, and heard the Gang there (PJ2/W8) calling CQ
on 1822 for over half an hour and going begging, with a SOLID and stable 559
signal into Marina del Rey, CA., (a couple miles north of the Los Angeles
Int'l Airport, "LAX"). With only my 25' vertical wire pulled up into a
pine tree since my recent move here, all I could do was listen. But in
frustration, I posted the spot on the DX Summit reflector, and in about 120
seconds the whole world showed up to work them for about 30 minutes till
their sunrise!

Again late last Friday night during the Contest, I heard the PJ2X Team
solid as a rock (again, an honest 559) into Los Angeles, so Saturday AM I
set about to find a way to match that 25' vertical wire on 160M! Got it
tuned up by late in the day, with rather high voltage at the top of the
base loading coil at only 100 watts output power (set the coil on FIRE with
my 3-500Z PA, so I'm stuck barefoot!), and set the alarm for 1:00AM PST.
Got up, turned on the radio, and Voilah! There they were! Worked them in a
couple of calls, turned off the rig, and went back to bed!

Really have to hand it to you all, hearing a poor 100watt rig on a 25'
vertical wire in metro LA! A real testimony to your good TX output, AND to
your good "ears" and operators! Thanks so much for your efforts!

Very best regards to you and the whole Team!
Joe K6ZMW
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Hello Jeff, i lsn VP2X on 160 meter for several hours weak but about one
hour before my sunrise the strenght was about
569/579.
73, Peter (IT9ZGY)
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I heard 4 and worked 3 stations in the Carribean from San Diego.
I use a 6 ft Loop with 20 dB preamp descibed in Solid State Receiver
Design.
My AGC was off and riding RF gain so no S-mtr readings but by ear here's
what I heard Friday eve. RX was TS-950SDX with 11 pole homebrew BC
Band filter.

ZF2NT consistantly in the clear - medium strength

PJ2X Faded from unreadable to medium strength

FM5GU - faded Nil to weak

FY? - Never could pull him out enough to work

73, Dennis N6KI
San Diego
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When I worked PJ2X the actual RST was about a 579. What's
more impressive is that I was only running 5 watts and that
the Op had no trouble copying my signal...something good
at your end of the circuit.

73,
Charlie, N0TT
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Location: DM43bi in AZ
RX: Elecraft K2 with GG FET preamp on RX antenna port
RX antenna: 6 meter coax loop tuned to 1830 kHz, plane oriented E-W

Saturday at about 0600Z: S9 to S9+10dB; louder than any other Carribean
station except ZF2NT (about equal). CQed in my face (listening for Eu?).

Sunday at about 0520Z: S6 to S7; worked on first call (no pile-up).
TX power: 5 watts
TX antenna: 22 meter shunt-fed, top-loaded tower; about 30 radials of
various lengths up to 1/4 wavelength.

Hope this helps.
73
Gary, N7IR
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Jeff hi

I worked you on Sunday at 0600Z, 25 minutes before sunrise here with
good 569 signal on my 350m long beverage. Listen to you some 15
minutes before our QSO but your RX was switched to USA that time.
I spot you with USA only, many EU's was calling you with no success.
I thing you saw the spot, after that you starting to listen for EU's and
we made it.

I was active only few hours in the evening and two hours before SR
so I'm not good one to make judgement on your signal. It's was an
easy one with "good ears" on your side, fact is I worked you second
contest night.

1818.6 PJ2X 26-Jan-2003 0559Z EU now <s50u>
1818.7 PJ2X 26-Jan-2003 0548Z USA only <s50u>

HPE CU de Dan, S50U

Danilo Brelih
http://lea.hamradio.si/~s50u
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hello Jeff,

at my qth PJ2X was loud enough to copy him well under the EU mud...
the signal was very similar in strength to that of PW0R... I found it quite
impressive that you copied my after just one call...
of course, it's always worthwile to work on improving one's setup, but you
needn't really worry... I think PJ2X has done an excellent job... thank you
very much...
greetings from Germany

Uli, DJ2YA
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By far the loudest Caribbean station I heard; I'm in NW PA, just south of
Erie and you were an honest s7 as I recall. FM5GU was almost as loud
and the other FM was about an S5. V31 and TI5 were workable but just
above the noise here. Missed KV4FZ although I heard he was on.
Antenna is an inv l about 130' long with the bend around 60'. Running low
power here and if I recall I worked you on the first call so you must have
good ears.

73 Jamie
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We had very short opening and all of the station listed were strong on about
599 level for the very short time. PR0F appeared earlier and was audible
longer.

But no copy KV4FZ, ZF, V3.

Regards,

Nodir EY8MM
nmt@at-communication.com
http://www.qsl.net/ey8mm/menu2.html
http://www.qsl.net/tarl
ICQ#44325417
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Actual strength in Attleboro, MA was 569 and well
above the noise level, although the band was not too
noisy last weekend.

I remember DX contacts on 160 cause I;m trying for
DXCC on 160. Running a dipole at 60 feet and QRP last
weekend.

Joe
W1TW
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When I heard PJ2X last weekend I was surprised at how weak they were
compared to the 2 FM5's and other stations.

Mike W9RE
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Your signal was always pretty loud, actual sig a real 559 and was the first
DX signal I heard, you were easy to work and glad to get you. I am in
Spokane, WA now having moved up here some 3 years ago from AZ after I
retired. Big difference between 48N and 33N Hi. What is the QSL Route ?

73 Gary K7OX
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******************************
Sigs were 559/569 on a shunt fed 54ft crank-up tower with no radials.
About the same when using a mag loop with preamp. This means the sig
was really strong at the big gun antenna locations in Southern
California.

GL & 73, Steve WB6RSE
Los Angeles
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You were running about about 459 here in southern Arizona. Easy to copy, but
not strong. Thanks for the QSO.

Regards, Thomas AC7A (Tucson)
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Jeff (and George),
Excellent signal from PJ2, despite mediocre/poor condx., and thanks for the
QSOs!
You were similar signal to Herb KV4FZ with his improved tower, and very
workable, up to s8. Only a few caribbean stations were audible.
You missed some QSOs the first morning, just before we worked, because a
strong DL was calling CQ on top of your CQs until he shifted, typical of the
problems with the contest. The whole band was a mass of local QSOs and
clix - difficult to find DX without a beverage and little points incentive
unless a mult.. I find it hard to believe that some people want to keep the
rules as they are (but then that is another story).
73's
John
G3PQA
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******************************
S7 - S9 in Northern Calif. Unfortunately, my TX antenna radiates
straight up so my TS-830S barefot was unable to break through to you in
the pileup.

73, Fred, K6DGW
Auburn, CA
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Impressive signal consistent along all the contest 599+++

E. Javier López F.
yv5mbx
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It's hard to say who was the loudest from your neck of the woods, Jeff.
PJ2X was very prominent here on the west coast, along with ZF2NT and
FM5GU. All three of you had amazingly strong signals, even more than an
hour before my sunset.

You were consistently S9 from my sunset through to your sunrise.
Whatever you do to improve that, let me know so that I can do some of it
here.

73, de Earl, K6SE
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******************************
Your signal sounded great, true 599 ,your receiving setup seems okay too
since I only had to give my call once and you came back right away.
Condx were
good on saturday morning but not extremely good. On my end I was running
100 watts into a 1/4 wave inverted L over good ground.
TNX for the new one on topband!
73 Gert, PA3AAV.
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******************************
I can say I heard PJ2X all night long, on both nights, with signal levels
from s4 to s9. I would say PJ2X and KV4FZ was the only "local" QRM I felt.
Comparing to KV4FZ, I would say signal avarege was about the same,
sometimes PJ2X stronger, sometimes KV4FZ stronger.

BTW, congratulations for the JA QSO's !

73's and DX
Ron (PY2FUS)
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Very strong on St. Croix, in fact the strongest signal on the band all
the time every time!

Herb, KV4FZ
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This may not be what you are looking for but as far as PJ2X during last
weekend's contest -

I worked 20 hours of S& P and didn't hear PJ2X ever. Had no problem
working ZF2 and FM5 one call each, 40 States & half the Provences.
Perhaps it is my setup here. 42 ft top loaded Vert antenna on a city
lot.

Good luck,

Alan
KI7WO@JUNO.COM
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You were holding your own in the Caribbean area, often not quite as strong
as ZF2NT and FM5GU but I suspect audible here whenever you were on. Very
consistent above my noise level which was never lower than S7. BTW you are
approximately the same distance from here to FM (~3600km) and almost
1000km farther than ZF. Antenna here is an inverted vee with apex at 70'
(cloud warmer "broadside" to you).

73 Bob VE3KZ
ve3kz@rac.ca
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You were 57 in upstate NY on a TS850, 250 Hz filters, Inverted
VEE with the apex at 90 feet and the legs about 10 feet off
ground, about 120 angle, running from W to E.

Hope this helps

Frank
W2FCA
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PJ2X was booming into VE6 during the contest....very solid indeed. I have
posted a soundfile recording of the signal so you can listen to it
yourself...a true 59. go here: http://www.qsl.net/ve6wz/sound.htm

de steve VE6WZ.
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I worked PJ2X at 0018Z, 01/25/03 while S&Ping. As I recall (I have slept
a few nights since then) the signal was around S9...not outstanding, but
strong enough to attract my attention. I would say you were a bit
stronger than FM5GU and much above the portable TI station. I remember
tuning across several times later in the evening and thinking that the
signal was down maybe an S-unit or two from before. I am located in
northeast Tennessee, about 5 miles from VA and 35 miles from NC, if that
helps. Was using the OMNI VI and an inverted-L with about 80 feet
vertical.

I hope this helps a bit. 73/CUL,

Jim, N4IR
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******************************
I'm equally interested. Perhaps you can leave a small message at PJ2 about
your low band results while you were there.
I was most impressed with the obvious receive improvements. I worked one of
the guys this morning on 1 watt from Kansas City and I beleive.. if I would
have had the 1/4 on line listening.. he would have been about S8.. I don't
hear particularly well to the South. I was at WB9Z for the contest and
didn't honestly take note of the signal during the contest. Of course
listening on 1000' beverages tend to help as well. Overall.. there has been
a good improvement in the 160M setup at Signal Point. Thanks for making some
improvements.

Tom Baugh
AE9B
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First of all I would like to thank you guys for
QSO and mult in CQ WW 160m CW contest.
PJ2X was 579 when I worked you.
I did not hear you any more during the test.
Anyway compare to other DX from this side,
I must say that PR0F was 599 all over the weekend,
and FY5KE was 589 during night time here in N. Europe.

73! And CU next time

Andy LY2TA/LY7Z
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Always consistant... sometimes booming. Better than KV4FZ and FM5BH.
It probabily would be a race with VP5B if they would have been on.
TNX ... I may look at paying you a visit ... sounds like fun.
John K9DX
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When I worked you in the contest you were 559. Laer that night you were 589
(this was about 0600). Saturday evening I ran across you several times and
signals were from 449 to 599. Hope this helps. I run a 550 ft low Beverage
due south.

Bill, VE3CSK
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PJ2X was strong here, S7 or better for hours on end. You and D4B were the
beacons.

73 Don K5AQ
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Listened out here for a few hours about 07Z. For what its worth;

If I recall, FM5GU (or was it WU, cant recall) was about 589
KV4FZ was about 579 and PJ2X was just a bit weaker than Herb.

Now as a sidebar, K8XXX was loudest station from the midwest
and by so much that it had me shaking my head. Whats up with
that?

73,
Bob K8IA
Mesa,Arizona USA
near the Superstition Mtns
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I'm not much help, but I spent about four hours,
with a new half-wave (bent) diople on Saturday
evening, all S&P, from about 7 to 11 pm local
worked 5 other Caribbean stations but never heard
you. And Sunday morning I heard a Hawaian mobile
about S5 working a run station, and I've never
heard KH6 on 160 before - but then I never had
a decent 160 antenna before my Saturday afternoon's
install.

Barry, W5GN

Herbert W. Barry Merrill, PhD
President-Programmer
MXG Software
Merrill Consultants
Dallas, Texas, USA
214 351 1966 - then press 7
www.mxg.com
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Here is what I recall. I heard you many times while tuning the band, and
I think I worked you on my first call. Your signal was not loud. In fact,
I
recall having to listen carefully to get the X on the end of your callsign.
ZF2NT, by comparison, was very loud...the kind of loud you don't have to
think twice to know who it was. But then, he is much closer to me in
Florida than PJ2.

What were you running?

The set up here was 1kw into an Inverted L. Receiving antennas were my
80m full wave loop and a pennant.

73, Geo...

George I. Wagner, K5KG
Productivity Resources LLC
941-312-9450
941-312-9460 fax
201-415-6044 cell
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You were loud here, but I would expect anyone in the Caribbean to be
loud in SFL. I was surprised to find you calling CQ with no takers
(at the time I worked you).

73, Bob Patten, N4BP Plantation, FL
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vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Here also is the collection of spots of PJ2X during the contest,
as obtained from DX Summit after the contest:

DX-SUMMIT Spot Database:
UA2FF 1843.5 PJ2X 0250 26 Jan 2003
K8RA 1843.4 PJ2X 0322 26 Jan
2003
AA9VV 1831.8 PJ2X solid signal 0337 26 Jan 2003
W0NB 1831.7 PJ2X 0341 26 Jan 2003
K6JAJ 1831.7 PJ2X PJ20411 26 Jan
2003
N6GIL 1831.7 PJ2X 0447 26 Jan
2003
W8RT 1818.7 PJ2X 0541 26 Jan 2003
S50U 1818.7 PJ2X USA only 0548 26 Jan 2003
S50U 1818.6 PJ2X EU now PJ20559 26 Jan 2003
AA4XR 1818.0 PJ2X 0655 26 Jan 2003
W6TER 1818.7 PJ2X 0718 26 Jan 2003
W8RT-@ 1818.7 PJ2X Where are the G stations? 0720 26 Jan 2003
W8RT 1818.6 PJ2X PJ20759 26 Jan 2003
W9YK 1818.8 PJ2X 0822 26 Jan 2003
JE7RJS 1818.6 PJ2X cq test 0824 26 Jan 2003
W8RT 1818.9 PJ2X 0855 26 Jan 2003
N6HY 1818.8 PJ2X 0905 26 Jan
2003
W7SNH 1818.8 PJ2X PJ20923 26 Jan 2003
W8RT 1818.5 PJ2X PJ21011 26 Jan 2003
YV1DIG 1831.0 PJ2X 2305 26 Jan 2003
WB9Z 1831.2 PJ2X PJ22311 26 Jan 2003
WB9Z 1831.1 PJ2X PJ22324 26 Jan 2003
W8RT 1833.0 PJ2X PJ22339 26 Jan 2003
W4MYA 1833.0 PJ2X PJ22345 26 Jan 2003
WB9Z 1833.0 PJ2X NEW FREQ & LOUD PJ22350 26 Jan 2003
.-.-.
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73,
Jeff Maass jmaass@columbus.rr.com Located near Columbus Ohio
USPSA # L-1192 NROI/CRO Amateur Radio K8ND
Maass' IPSC Resources: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/index.html
Circleville USPSA/IPSC: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/pcsiipsc.htm