VK3NM VK6DC
Hi and welcome to my 160 metre page
160 metres
being a band like 6 metres offers challenges just above the AM broadcast
band is not the easiest band to work DX, operating portable or mobile ETC.
Some AM
portable radios can be adjusted to receive 160 metres by adjusting the
local oscillator, Car radios can be also adjusted up but they can be very
difficult and would suggest using an old unit with AM only.
In Melbourne
at 11 AM Monday to Saturday the "coffee break net" on 1843 Khz is
very popular with a lot of the Old timers using their homebrew AM transmitters
and others using commercial rigs like me using my IC-706MK2G when I go
portable.
The 11
AM 160 Metre coffee break net been operating for as long as I can remember
first listening in the Sixties on My transistor radio when I was a S.W.L
on 1825 Khz.
Some of
the regulars from those days to the present included Henry VK3EN sk, Lin
VK3ARL sk, Herb VK3JO sk, Ken VK3GK sk, Jerry VK3ABS, John VK3ACA ETC.
Henry
VK3EN ran the net for many years with a very commanding voice since he
constructed the 2 way radio system for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade "
VKN8 " on about 1620 Khz.
Herb VK3JO
ran the net every day up to the time he became a silent Key in 2005.
Other
stations who appeared on the coffee break net and ran late night crossband
sessions were Dave VK3ASE who is still doing the sessions and Tony VK3AML
who is not active on these days.
There
is plenty of SSB and CW contacts on the "Top Band" all around Australia
and Overseas Eric VK3AX in Emerald works a lot of DX using various antennas
and so Bill VK6AS in Boulder used a 1/4 wave vertical putting in
a very strong signal into Melbourne during the 70s.
Many years
ago Tim VK3IM worked into the USA whilst mobile in the Melbourne CBD on
CW.
While
I was in Perth I heard some VK3s with very good signals with my 14 ft helical
from City Beach on new years eve.
Another
local Melbourne station who does well with mobile operation is Grant under
the callsigns VK3RW , VK3GRT and now VK3HP he sure knows how to make
160 Metre antennas work.
Peter
VK3YE also go portable on 160 Metres from various locations around Melbourne
using
home-brew rigs, FT-817 and lately using an old Marine AM transceiver running
10
watts
sometimes using his magnetic loop antenna or wire aerials held up by his
squid pole.
I managed
using my helical worked VI5PN I.O.T.A station portable on St Peter Island
just off Ceduna South Australia.
So to
sum up - 160 metres is like 6 metres "The more you put in the more you
will get out"
Links of interest on 160 Metre web sites and some photos
Peter
VK3YE web page with some 160m projects
Dave's
VK3ASE 160 metre website a lot of information with lots of pictures
and sound files
Melbourne
11AM 160 metre AM coffee break net web site
How
to convert AM radios to receive 160 metres by Dave VK3ASE
John
VK3ACA's Longwave and Medium wave page including 160M
Photo
of my vehicle with the 14 foot helical
160 metre
SSB net website fron the U,S,A
Top Band DXCC
Honor roll and 160 metre DX sound files
History
of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Radio System - VKN8 - 1.6 Mhz
Some
thoughts on the CW verse Phone on 160 Metres in Australia
160
metre AM personalities and their stations
Sound
samples of past radio stations Amateur and broadcast on long and medium
waves
Some
more photos of my 160 M Station etc
OH4MFA
Topband website
160
Metres information in Hawaii
Worldwide
160 Metre allocations
NL7Z 160
metre website
Reports on my portable 160
metre operations around Melbourne
Click here for my 160 metre
portable reports
Links to My other web sites
VK3NM
Six Metre web site
VK6DC
My Web site dedicated to Western Australia
My
Longwave web site
I
hope you enjoy being on this website and I welcome any comments to me via
E-Mail
- [email protected] or [email protected].
Please
click here for any comments
73
Lionel VK3NM/VK6DC