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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: ThaDood on January 31, 2019, 2043 UTC

Title: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: ThaDood on January 31, 2019, 2043 UTC
If you are as sick of the NFL, like I am, then check out this weekend's AM Rally on the Amateur Radio Bands,  http://www.amrally.com/    Just runnin' a 20W carrier barefoot from a Kenwood TS-2000X last year, I had a QSL request from a SWL'er. COOL!!!!! So, ya never know whom, or what, might be DX'ing ya! And, they are more than welcome, fo' sure! HAPPY DX!!!!! (NFL, you don't need my attention, or $$$$$!!!)
Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: Josh on January 31, 2019, 2149 UTC
The national felon league's still a thing? Anyway, happy aming!
Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: Pigmeat on February 01, 2019, 0737 UTC
I heard a guy running a barefoot DX-60 in the 40 meter window from Lake Havasu, AZ a few you years back with a solid, clear signal during the AM Rally. Shocked the Hell out of me. The only guys who couldn't hear him were in the northern Great Plains.

Even if he modified the thing, it wasn't pushing more than 20 watts of carrier. Timtron was on him in record time. Talk about a pile-up of drifty transmitters!
Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: Rob. on February 01, 2019, 1257 UTC
75m has been going long at night so you should be able to hear some good DX at the expense of local stations. Last year the rally was very successful and lots of nice warm tube generated AM signals were about.
Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: Pigmeat on February 02, 2019, 0113 UTC
75m has been going long at night so you should be able to hear some good DX at the expense of local stations. Last year the rally was very successful and lots of nice warm tube generated AM signals were about.

Don't you just love the band quieting "chonk" those things have running full legal power when some key's the mic?
Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: Rob. on February 02, 2019, 2031 UTC
75m has been going long at night so you should be able to hear some good DX at the expense of local stations. Last year the rally was very successful and lots of nice warm tube generated AM signals were about.

Don't you just love the band quieting "chonk" those things have running full legal power when some key's the mic?

Exactly, also the multiple toggle switches cutting over to the transmitter. AM is very easy on the ears, laid back and relaxing, and I can listen to it for a long periods. I liken it to preserving and driving vintage cars. It might not be the most efficient way but it has a certain charm to operate. I often listen to 75m AM in the background while working in my shop.

Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: buzzy buzzard on February 03, 2019, 0005 UTC
I have some horrible interference* from leaky DSL phone lines on the pole or something close by, the AM DX is for the most part down in the raised noise floor.  But I really love listening in on AM rag chewing, easy on the ears and easy on my BFO wrist. 

The Rally gives me an excuse to use my Zenith T-O 3000.

*I even shut the main house breaker off and the QRM was still as strong as ever.
Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: Radio Station on February 03, 2019, 0034 UTC
I have some horrible interference* from leaky DSL phone lines on the pole or something close by, the AM DX is for the most part down in the raised noise floor.

I you run a phase canceling device like the MFJ 1025 with two antennas that hear both the noise and the station you will be able to cancel out the interference. I have been using one for years. Just a great device.
Title: Re: AM Rally this weekend on the Amateur Bands!
Post by: Pigmeat on February 03, 2019, 1627 UTC
I have some horrible interference* from leaky DSL phone lines on the pole or something close by, the AM DX is for the most part down in the raised noise floor.  But I really love listening in on AM rag chewing, easy on the ears and easy on my BFO wrist. 

The Rally gives me an excuse to use my Zenith T-O 3000.

*I even shut the main house breaker off and the QRM was still as strong as ever.

That's why I moved my shack from the second floor to the first. The phone lines were dead level with the radios on the second floor. It made a world of difference in noise levels.