While a light Aurora dances overhead, a polite  question on the topband reflector got the attention of the  courageous  Stalwarts of Top Band.   The blood of my Viking ancestor Egill Skallagrímsson is boiling in my veins – emotional subject indeed.

I will be editing this post extensively as I see fit in order to put my views across.
This is the post by G3NRW:
“This winter I plan to try various digital modes on 160m (JT65, WSPR, V4,
PSKxx etc), but I have no idea where to transmit.Are there any established frequencies or frequency ranges on Top Band
where these modes congregate?”
73
Ian, G3NRW

 

I replied :

Please don´t.
There is enough QRM on Top Band already – fish buoy transmitters and (tele) phony operations to name the worst.
Lew, W7EW/W7AT said it best: “The language of 160 Meters is CW”.

 

This was the spark that caused some angry retorts and subsequent strangling of the infant thread by the moderator (Tree, N6TRT)
From: Tree 
Date: 29 December 2011 18:56
Subject: Topband: Digital on 160m?

 

I would like to nip this thread in the bud if possible.
This has proven to be a very emotional subject.

I think it is safe to say that using digital modes is something some
people enjoy – and something that other people do not.
This is not something that is going to change with a lot of posts to
this reflector.  Feel free to engage in emotional e-mails about it
directly with the people who have made posts about it.  Doing so here
on the reflector (after reading this) will result in you being put on
the moderated list.
Thanks.

Tree

 

I agree with Tree  that this is an indeed an emotional subject, but it should be allowed to run its course, provided civility is maintained.   It is exactly the sort of thing that should be discussed on the top band reflector.

Ethical issues are very important, I could mention the use of remote receivers, this is killing 160 meters in my view, the use of chat rooms to establish contacts and so on.

It is an emotional subject because we really really care.

My friend Stan, SM7WT says:

For me digital modes mean replacing the operator with a computer because the operator isn´t good enough.
So if  these guys don´t need the operator – do they need radios??? Couldn´t they just have their “contacts” on the Internet and send e-QSLs? “Many thanks for the contact, I couldn´t hear you, but my computer tells me , we had a QSO.”

What do their computer contacts have to do with Amateur Radio? 

We have all been working hard to improve our equipment and our own skills to manage to make contacts under adverse conditions. Should we leave this to computers?

If CW doesn´t do the job, we have failed to make the contact. Simple as that!

Stan SM7WT since 1956  active as SF7WT since 2006

 

I also  received this statement privately :  Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it.  

 
Well, actually, I have.

Although a relative newcomer to Amateur Radio, compared to some of you, I made my first 160M contact in 1985.  Until then I had been relegated to 5W Crystal Controlled operation on 80, 40 and 15 meters, which was certainly a difficult time.

I had a strong interest in RTTY and AMTOR, I have made a total of a hundred or so AMTOR QSOs, mainly using ARQ, but a couple of QSOs using FEC. –   I enjoyed this mode very much at the time.

Around 10,000 RTTY QSOs are in my log as well and I like RTTY very very much.   I mention these statistics to show that I have tried and used the REAL RADIO Digital Modes extensively.    In addition to this I operated RTTY commercially, even learned to read the ticker tape myself…During the first few years I worked as a Field Service Radio Officer with the UN – TOR (ARQ) was used extensively for inter mission communications.

I even tried PSK31 – Booorrrriiiinnnnggggg….I understand the  ”operators” using this mode still send their entire life history and the contents of their hard drive during each and every contact…..

As for the silly soundcard modes which have flooded amateur radio since computers became affordable, I say this:

Don´t bring those stupid computer games to 160 meters.

Amateur Radio is not a computer game , and Top Band is Hallowed Ground

Regardless of one´s beliefs, – I have none – but if forced to enter such a place, I try to mind my manners, one simply does not walk into  a place of worship in one´s dirty boots and start playing a ball game however “fun” it might be.  It´s out of place.

A station with key clicks shows complete disrespect to other users of the spectrum, and this is sacrilege on Top Band – those stations are not welcome.

Show some respect for the amount of dedication and some respect for the incredible amount of work needed to get results on this band – a band which is only known to provide local communications by the authorities and most of the hams that get on the band without due diligence.  Yet there are Stalwarts who have made contacts all around the globe on this band.

A tiny signal from these causers of QRM can create absolute havoc for those who have sensitive receivers and the capability to hear weak signals.   If ever there was a weak signal band, Top Band is it.

Silly SoundCard Modes and SSB does not belong on 160 meters – in Europe the band only covers 40kHz – from 1810kHz-1850kHz.   Half of this spectrum is more or less made unusable by the abominable Fishing Buoy transmitters.   One of the reasons I stopped doing much RTTY was that stations were telling me thanks for this PSK31 QSO !   this tells me they have their audio turned down, and didn´t even know what mode they were using!   All of this is fine by me on the higher bands, where things are easy and you can have a bit of fun, but let us strive for a higher standard on Top Band.

SM2CEW has made some studies of some the Computer SoundCard modes suggested for 160 meters as being worthy of trying.

Please visit his site, apparently some of this software is unable to make contacts unless the operator actually tells it the call signs involved beforehand, raising all sorts of interesting questions!

Mostly the “operator” can´t even hear the stations he is in QSO with because they are below the noise level.

In the US, the situation is entirely different –  200kHz of spectrum which they call the 160m band, where they can play all the computer games they want – if only they stay out of 1810-1850kHZ .

I certainly agree that AM has a place on Top Band (outside 1810-1850), that is a wonderful mode and belongs there absolutely.

A wonderful book was written by Jeff, K1ZM/VY2ZM about  Top Band and it is still available from the ARRL:

” DXing on the Edge – The Thrill of 160 Meters”

I have two copies, in the event that I would ever meet Jeff in person my plan was to ask him to sign it……my reading copy is falling apart….how many  books have been written about the 10 meter band, I wonder….

There is a time and place for all of these things, but it is not on Top Band – all the other bands are free to use.

Top Band is only 40kHz wide in TF and even less in other countries.

 

The language of Top Band is CW.

 

See The King !

 

 

 

 

 

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