Before I put up this random wire antenna, I had never gotten on 80m from my home QTH. I’d worked it on Field Day, but that, of course, doesn’t really give one a feel for the characteristics of the band. I’m finding that it has quite a different feel than, say, 40m. Here are some of my observations:
- There is more of a tendency to ragchew on 80m. I’ve had some good ragchews on 40m, but it seems to me that there are more of them on 80m than 40m. Guys just like to chat, I guess. I kind of like that.
- Operators tend to operate slower on 80m. I have no hard and fast statistics for this, but it seems as though the CW is generally slower on 80m than the other bands.
- It’s more useable later into the evening. Lately on 40m, it’s been going way long at night, and then gets quiet. On 80m, you can find guys to work at 10pm, 11pm, and even after midnight. Maybe all the guys who were operating earlier, QSYed to 80m.
All in all, I’m really liking 80m, and after I get my 40m dipole back up, I’m going to have to work on putting up a better 80m antenna.
Andy Bullington says
80 meters is my favorite band in the winter, Dan. Last night it was busy from 3500 all the way to 3600 khz. So much for the death of CW. This is a generalization, but the faster CW is fron 3520 to about 3535 khz and above that things start to slow down. In the early morning there is frequently some real QRQ around 3522 khz…in the 50 to 70 wpm range…same thing at night around 3532 khz if Rob (ex W8YRB now K0RU) and his friends are around. Those guys can fly but Rob will slow down to my 30-35 wpm and is happy to slow down to 5 wpm if need be. Welcome to 80 meters!
Andy W1AWB
John K2UBG says
This could be our best winter for 75/80m for a long time to come. The bottom of the sunspot cycle means the peak for 80. Last winter was the run-up with working 3Y0X on 75ssb. Everyday the grayline brings in fresh stuff from all over-@3am monday I worked a ZL in the dx window and a smattering of G’s and GM’s. If 160 is topband then 75 is THE BAND. I have an 80m dipole @40 feet/ flat-topped, an Icom and an SB-200(borrowed) in lieu of an ailing mla-2500 that is waiting for electrolytics. Still, we spend most of our time in the window waiting for a new one. It’s great to be alive when you on 75!
73.
Larry says
Work alot of 80 meter with my friends in the Philippines and enjoy it, except for occasssional noises from other sources or QRM. Its fun to work and have worked Russia on it severaltimes.
Thomas WB6JSB says
HI, BEEN A HAM SINCE 1963 BUT NEVER DONE MUCH ON 80 METERS SSB OR CW DX. MY LIFE HAS CHANGED SO THAT I AM AVAILABLE AT GRAYLINE TIME AND I THOUGHT I’D GIVE IT A GO. ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS AS TO FREQ., PROCEEDURES, AND TIMES TO MAKE THE GRAYLINE WORK FOR ME. I LIVE IN NO. CALIF. THANKS FOR THE HELP. 73’S THOMAS