Tom Baugh (AE9B)

Top Band Equipment


Top Band Equipment: 160M Amateur Radio Band requires the best equipment

My Transmitting system for top band at home includes: A Quarter Wave Vertical made from Rohn 25 and insulated from the ground with solid fiberglass rod with 60 ground radials underneath. I use an FT 1000MP radio and ACOM 2000A Amplifier with standard RG-8 type 50 Ohm coax direct buried about 400 feet away from my house. My Listening system includes Three twin lead Bi Directional beverage antennas each 580 feet long one at 45/225 Degrees (Europe/ZL), one at 135/315 Deg (Caribbean, JA), one 90/270 (E/W)  antenna. I also use the 1/4 wave vertical for listening and at times I use my 40M 4-square. I use a  Heil headset, Vibroplex Keyer, Writelog Logging Software

 

TX Antennas RX Antennas Radio Misc.
I have tried a few different antennas. My first attempt on 160M was with a low dipole and that works just fine for continental contact. A good dipole is an excellent antenna. Next I tried loading my 72' tower with poor success. I obviously had something wrong as the RFI caused severe interference in my home. Then I tried a top loaded vertical made by KD0FW. The old Colatchco system worked pretty well and I even ran a pair of them phased on 80m and 160M. Finally I just put up a 1/4 wave 130 ft. insulated Rohn tower in 2003 with 60 130 ft buried radials. It has been an excellent performer I am fortunate to have some room (5 acres) and some great neighbors. While I don't leave 2 of the 3 beverages up all year long, once mowing season is over, a yearly ritual of stringing the bi directional beverage antennas has become a regular event around here. Charlie, (N0TT) and I collaborated on what I wanted for a switching system and he made it all for me. He's a real craftsman and would customize one for you too. Look him up in QRZ. The bi-direction antennas allow maximum use of space. I use 300 ohm twin line for its reduced wind load and ice loading characteristics. I also use a flag antenna supported by the posts of my pool cabana (we don't use the pool in the winter anyway ;-) I'm not sure why everyone is so protective of their choice of radios. Maybe it is because we invest several thousand dollars into a piece of equipment and we don't want to hear that somebody else thinks theirs is better. I investigated radios when I first bought this. I believe that the FT 1000 series radios were clearly the best radios available at the time. I would like to spend some time with the Ten Tec Orion, or maybe the ICOM 7800. I understand they have some tremendous features which are beneficial on 160M. At this point I am very comfortable operating my old MP and having the filters set just right.. for me. The ACOM 2000A automatic tune amplifier is AWESOME! It is so nice to run a radio at 50 W and see 1500W come out of the amplifier. Top band contacts can be accomplished on a few watts but 1K to 1500W is nice to have when you find that new contact.
Top Operators and Web Sites include W8JI, K9DX, N1EU, AA1K K1TTT, KL7J, 160m Propagation, Low band Chat
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