Venturing in to the Bottom 25 on 40 - Good DX! Also, TS-2000 vs. FT-857D

This is something I rarely have done - and, being an Extra, I guess I should do more of. 40 meters is a great band - especially in the current null in the solar cycle. It is also a "low band" (160, 80, and 40 meters) that is open more at night than during the day.

I was tuning around on 40 meters comparing the receivers of my FT-857D (with the Inrad 300hz filter) and TS-2000. I happened to tune down in to the "bottom 25" to do some better digging. I hit a few stations up arond 7.030-040, but they were all S5+. I found a few weaker stations to dig up down around 7.005-010. I didn't pay much attention to the stations, all I was trying to do was see how well I could tweak the rigs and compare the capabilities.

While I was sitting there, I was on the computer keeping tabs on DX Summit and spotted DJ9RB on 7.017. So I figured I would scroll over there and see if I could hear him. I could, very weak, but there (my noise floor here is terrible) calling CQ DX. So I listened for a while and heard him work a few stations. I never considered myself to be "DX", but I guess if you flip the coin and consider a German DX then an American would be DX to a German, right? HI

I figured I would try the FT-857D so I tried to switch my key over. My key has a 1/4" plug on it for the other HF rigs so I put an adapter on it. However, the way the adapter is designed makes it not fit in the back of the FT-857D! So I swapped rigs back to the TS-2000 and gave him a call.

He didn't hear me the first couple times, some other people stomped all over me. So I sat there and called back again and he snagged a few letters. I repeated my call a few times and he got it! After a quick change of reports (his: 229, mine: 429) I had him in the log at 0404!

Later on, just a little while ago, I was scrolling the band just to see what was there. Its real late here (almost 3am EDT) so I figured there would be some kind of DX on there. I came across a real LOUD station - CT9/DL1CW! I figured this would be easy, only he was rolling right along at about 25wpm (12 over my speed limit). So I called back once I had a chance (a few others beat me to the key before) - "CT9/DL1CW de KC8QVO". He came right back and didn't miss a letter! We exchanged reports (me: 569, him: 599) and I had Portugal in the log at 0621.

So, not too bad! Germany and Portugal at the bottom of 40. I guess I should head over there more often!

The reason I never liked going to the bottom 25 is my code speed isn't great. My thoughts have always been "if I am going to be an Extra I am going to operate like an Extra". So I would much rather be fluent with CW rolling along at 20-30wpm than be where I am with copying calls and signal reports only.

I find it is MUCH easier to run fast on CW when all you exchange is signal reports and call signs. On 6m I roll along at about 22wpm chasing grids, but when I sit back and ragchew I have to dial the key back to about 13-20wpm (depending on how much space I feel like leaving). Oh well, I will get up there eventually!

And, yes, the TS-2000 IS a better receiver. That said, the Inrad CW filter makes the FT-857D a MUCH MUCH better CW rig than originally. It reduces the swamping significantly, as well as the noise in the passband (bringing the measured noise floor down - in my case S9 noise to about S4, pulsing higher but not constant).

Just a quick side-note - the antenna I was using is a set of 1/4w fan radiators loaded up against the duct work in the house here. I bolted an SO-239 chassis to the mounting bracket holding an 8" vent duct to the rafters in the attic. I still don't have it all tuned up (I wrote a post a few weeks ago about this one, there is a TON of interaction between the radiators) so I used my cheater-box (or, "tuner"). Hey, it worked Portugal and Germany tonight!