Brian Reay wrote:


"Spike" wrote in message
.. .

The amount of AM being used on 80m is also a very encouraging sign;
seemingly contacts can be had at almost any time, and on any
phone-section frequency. Special nets need not be used to get
contacts, if the onservations of my tuning around are typical.

Where do these occur? I'd like to listen in- or maybe even join in.

Try 3615 kc/s (UK) and 3705 kc/s (Dutch); both are monitored even when
no activity is apparent. Also look at 3610 - 3640 kc/s.

Other UK nets can be heard in the 3660 - 3690 kc/s section; but AM can
pop up anywhere in the phone section, as people do not necessarily
limit themselves to the regular nets.

The sound of AM rigs is much different to those of SSB equipment even
when the latter operate a form of AM, and military and homebrew gear
have a cachet that modern radios just can't recreate.

Although before your time, it's rather like the situation with 2m
after the war - Monday night was Activity Night, to encourage activity
and increase band usage. That became a success, necessitating
abandonment of the regional sections of the band in favour of a
national system.

I do join an AM net on 160m from time to time (school holidays, it may get
noticed if I set up a shack in the back of the class room- although I know
of one teacher who did just that!).

I'm sure ex-SOE and certain other people could advise you on stealth
rigs and stealth aerials.....unless they are stealth operators.....;-)
--
from
Aero Spike