BIG GUNS Pat Ross VE 3 CNX London
BIG GUNS Pat Ross – VE 3 CNX London Amateur Radio Club 11/09/08
Big Guns are all operators who can hear and be heard better than I can! Pat Ross – VE 3 CNX
Seriously – Big Guns are those operators who usually: Chase DX Big Contesters Have Big Antennas/Antenna Farms/ Antenna Arrays “Hot” Receivers Run “Big Power”
“Alligators” Have “big mouth” Run California Kilowatt But Have “Small Ears” Can’t hear stations returning their “CQ’s” Big Guns can “Copy” as well/better than they can “Transmit”
Who Are These Big Guns? First off – Need to Recognize that they represent a small percentage of total (Global) Ham Population Few Govt’s maintain detailed demographic stats of their amateur radio operator populations
Majority of hams worldwide reside in Japan, US, Thailand, South Korea, Europe. Only Yemen and North Korea currently prohibit their citizens from becoming hams.
Ham Population • • • • JAPAN USA THAILAND SOUTH KOREA GERMANY TAIWAN CANADA SPAIN UNITED KINGDOM RUSSIA BRAZIL ITALY INDONESIA 1, 296, 059 722, 330 141, 241 141, 000 79, 666 68, 692 63, 547 58, 700 58, 426 38, 000 32, 053 30, 000 27, 815 1999 2007 1999 2000 1993 1997
• • • • HAM POPULATION FRANCE 18, 500 1997 UKRAINE 17, 265 2000 ARGENTINA 16, 889 1999 AUSTRALIA 15, 328 2000 SWEDEN 10, 817 2000 INDIA 10, 679 1999 VENEZUELA 10, 600 2000 SOUTH AFRICA 6, 000 1994 FINLAND 5, 900 2000 NEW ZEALAND 5, 380 2000 NORWAY 5, 302 2000 MALAYSIA 2, 730 2006 CUBA 1, 870 2000 CHINA 800 2000
HAM POPULATION • • • BANGLADESH IRAN United Arab Emirates VIETNAM LIBERIA ETHIOPIA SYRIA SUDAN DPR Congo LAOS LIBYA 28 10 10 8 7 6 6 5 5 2* 1* • * denotes only have Club Station(s) 2000 2000 2000
HAM POPULATION • In vast majority of countries, hams are predominately male. • US – approx 15% are women • China – approx 12% are women • In most countries – no minimum age requirements to earn licence • Average of radio operators in some countries is over 60 years of age
POWER LIMITATIONS • • Most countries limit output power USA 1500 Watts PEP Canada & New Zealand - 1000 W UK/Australia/South Africa/and many other countries – only 400 W • SOLUTION: “Antenna!”
SOME CLUES AS TO WHO ARE THE BIG GUNS • • • Usually very active on the air 10, 000 + lookups on QRZ. com good indicator QRZ counter used to stop at 25, 000 That changed last year Recently have seen some with 70, 000+ lookups QRZ profile includes link to their website Pictures of Antenna farms/arrays/walls of awards Many have 2 letter Call signs Usually break through pileups on first attempt
BIG GUNS I HAVE WORKED • • • 7 J 4 AAL – “Kan” – Hiroshima Japan 34, 000+ lookups on QRZ. com Have worked him on 75 Meters But he is big gun on all bands This antenna CL 75 CX-M (Monster) is triband 5 element Yagi-type antenna for 1. 9 3. 5 3. 8 MHz band, • the whole antenna operates as a dipole antenna for 1. 9 MHz band. • Completed in 2003 • This scale is the world biggest among those of the existing ham antennas.
7 J 4 AAL
7 J 4 AAL
7 J 4 AAL
7 J 4 AAL Construction
Monster Tower
G 0 EVY • • G 0 EVY – “Dave” – Bromsgrove UK 75 meters – Can hear him every night 3. 788 17, 000+ lookups on QRZ. com Has 80 meter beam mounted on a crane 46 meters above ground. The boom is two 60 foot towers welded togtherr and Crane can drop beam in 3. 5 mins. Footprint of the antenna covers 1000 sq. meters Dave is a Rag Chewer.
G 0 EVY crane mounted Beam
VE 3 EJ • • • VE 3 EJ – “John” - Grassie, ON Big DX’er 29, 874 lookups on QRZ. com 160 M - Base loaded ¼ wave vertical and 4 square and beverages for receiving. 80 M – 4 square ¼ wave verticals 40 M - Full size 3 element yagi on 56 foot boom @ 150 feet, 2 element yagi @t 110 feet 5 towers - 150, 130, 100 and 60 feet 20 M - 5 element yagis on 56 foot booms @ 50, 100 and 150 feet. 15 M - 5 element yagis on 40 foot booms @ 160, 120 and 80 feet. 5 element yagi at 50 feet 10 M - 5 element yagis on 28 foot booms @ 160, 75 and 40 feet. 5 element @ 80 feet. 6 M - 6 element yagi @ 75 feet
VE 3 EJ • Worked 338 Countries (All) and 350 with deletes • Of these John has worked – 243 on 160 and – 327 on 80!! – Has 29, 000 feet of ground radials for 80 meter 4 square!
VE 3 EJ 4 Square
VE 3 EJ Towers
VE 3 EJ
VE 3 EJ – John’s Shack •
ZS 6 CCY • • • ZS 6 CCY “Bill” – South Africa – 75 M and 20 M 49, 864 lookups on QRZ. com Uses 4 square on 75 M For 20 M has six element KLM Yagi with 58' boom mounted at 95' on the tower • Previously worked in Port Hedland, WA • Where I was stationed for 4 years – but • I have never met him off the air
ZS 6 CCY 4 square
ZS 6 CCY 20 M
ZS 6 CCY SHACK
ZS 6 CC 6 SHACK
ZL 3 SV • ZL 3 SV “Gary” – NEW ZEALAND • 75 METERS – Runs 200 watts most of the time, He has a 1 kw amp he can run when needed • 134, 427 lookups on QRZ. com • Owns TV & Radio stations & Coms companies • Ant is a 640 metre (2000 feet) long, sloper antenna - max height 200 feet on a hill top • I worked him on Field Day 2007 on 100 W with longwire antenna
ZL 3 SV with 50 -600 ohm balun
ZL 3 SV Feed Line
ZL 3 SV – 200 ft above ground - high point
K 1 JJ • • K 1 JJ “Tom” – Connecticut 19, 998 lookups on QRZ. com Towers on a ridge, 805' above sea level Two 190' self-supporters One guyed 150' One guyed 110' One guyed 60' Dual quads system. (4 elements total) A twoelement quad on a 40' boom at 190' high (63 meters) phased to a second identical two-element quad at 190' high on a separate tower
K 1 JJ’s Antenna Farm
K 1 JJ 20 M Stacked Arrary
K 1 JJ one 20 M beam - 300 pounds on 60' boom 80 meter Dual Quad in back
NQ 4 I • NQ 4 I - “Rick”– Georgia • 70, 270 lookups on QRZ. com • Commercial Pilot – QSO’s Aeronautical Mobile on 20 M • QTH is a fully equipped “Super” Contest Station • Incl. 8 Yaesu FT 1000 D’s and • 5 Yaesu FT 1000 Mk V’s • All With Alpha 78’s and Henry Linears • For 75 Meters – had a full sized beam up 125 feet – but disassembled it and turned it into • A full sized 3 X 3 phased Vertical Array.
NQ 4 I Antenna Farm
PA 0 GMW • • • PA 0 GMW “Paul” – NETHERLANDS 75 M 35, 893 lookups on QRZ. com Uses set of Drakes R 4 C & T 4 XC Antenna 4 square built on reclaimed land (salt marsh) • In wet weather, base of antenna 4 feet under water. • Great signal!
PA 0 GMW 4 Sqare
W 2 ZM • • • W 2 ZM “Bob” – Central NY 9824 lookups on QRZ. com 75 M – Works mostly am grey line to JA/VK/ZL Wire Beam for TX and Beverages for RX Double ended extended ZEPP up 90 feet with reflector on either side. • Usually does better than the 4 squares • Using a FT 1000 Mark. V for exciter on transmit full legal power and FT 1000 D for receive and • Bob is big on running antique gear – google W 2 ZM and see his fascinating collection of vintage gear.
W 2 ZM operating his 1921 1 KW rotary spark set
GI 0 AIJ • • • GI 0 AIJ “Ivor” – Northern Ireland 20 M 20, 661 lookups on QRZ. com Professional Race Car Driver Antenna farm includes 130 ft. free standing tower 60 ft. crank up tower 210 ft. rotating tower Ivor is an entertaining Ragchewer
GI 0 AIJ Antennas
VK 3 MO • • • “Ian” – Victoria, Australia 20 meters 30, 200 lookups on QRZ. com Running TS-140 @ 100 watts into Four (4) -5 Element yagis on 44 foot booms on 200 foot tower with 19 db gain! Bottom yagii 54 feet high. • I worked him Long Path (LP)
VK 3 MO Stacked Array
VE 3 XN • • • VE 3 XN – Garry Hammond – Listowel Works all bands – big contester Writes for TCA 30, 933 lookups on QRZ. com 4 element Stepp. IR Yagi including 2 element 40 M beam 80 Meter Delta Loop Worked all countries (338) including N. Korea QSL Card Field Checker Seemingly endless list of Awards
VE 3 XN
Garry’s Shack/Geochron
VA 3 DX • • • VA 3 DX – “Glenn” – St. Catharines Big DX’er/Contester 22, 173 lookups on QRZ. com Worked 337 countries 238 countries confirmed on 160 M 4 element Stepp. IR yagi at 72 feet D 3 W Cushcraft Warc band rotary dipole at 78 feet 2 El 40 mtr Hygain 4 O 2 BA at 83 feet 80 mtr Inv Vee and 160 meter Inv L ( 70 feet vertical ) All on a City–sized lot!!
Glenn and “Bennie”
VE 3 YJ • • VE 3 YJ “Rocco” - Guelph 75 M Big Antenna Farm 4 square Various towers Has one of best signals in Ontario on 75 M Very personable/hospitable – always willing to give a helping hand. • Sadly, Rocco is winding down/selling his gear on Kijiji
VE 3 NH • • • VE 3 NH - Bill Mc. Hugh – Ailsa Craig Also fondly referred to as “Mr. 160”. My Elmer Has several towers, verticals Has 5 beverage antennas between 1 and 1. 5 wavelengths permanently installed in the pasture, and Adds two more 1. 5 wavelength antennas across neighbouring farm fields in winter. All are at a height of 10 feet to permit cattle grazing underneath. Bill has s worked 335 countries including 209 countries on 160 M!
VE 3 NH aka “Mr. 160”
VE 3 NH 160/80/40 M Linear Loaded Vertical
BIG GUN-SMALL GUN • QUESTION – – Should we set our sights on being a Big Gun? • ANSWER – – Nice if you could – but not necessary • Always Remember: • “Propagation is the Great Equalizer” • Many operators do just as well or better than Big Guns in pileups, contests and Awards • Just by listening and good operating techniques
VE 3 UZ • • • VE 3 UZ - Dave Steels – “Mr. DX” My other Elmer VE 3 GYL – “Kathy” is Dave’s XYL Dave has Worked 330 countries (confirmed) 125 confirmed on 80 Meters on a vertical Has WAZ and has WAS on 160 M DXCC on 5 Bands 30 wpm CW Dave is an Excellent operator - very patient – good listener – and very perseverant • Like Churchill – Dave “never gives up”.
VE 3 UZ Log Periodic Beam
VE 3 UZ
W 6 UC – “Phil” waiting for DX’pedition NA only
BIG GUNS • • So, get out there and “work em” Don’t be intimidated by the Big Guns In fact, they are usually very polite/helpful Once they make contact, they usually turn the frequency over so others can work em. • And they usually don’t mind it if you piggyback on them – I do it all the time • I doubt I will ever be a “Big Gun” • But it sure gives me something to dream about.
Thank You • • Thank you all for “staying the course” Appreciate your friendship/fellowship Look forward to working you down the bands. And Don’t Forget……. . Antenna! London Amateur Radio Club 11 Sept. 2008 Pat Ross – VE 3 CNX
VE 3 CNX
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