Winter is the time to operate on 160-meters. Within the next six weeks we find not one, not two, but three 160-meter contests.

November 29, 2012 (0000-0600 UTC ): QRP ARCI Top Band Sprint (rules) — note that this the evening of Wednesday, November 28 in North America!

November 30 – December 2, 2012 (2200 UTC Friday – 1600 UTC Sunday): ARRL 160 Meter Contest (rules); this contest includes a QRP class.

December 29 – 30 (1500 UTC Saturday – 1500 UTC Sunday):  Stew Perry Top Band Distance Challenge (rules); this contest includes a QRP class.

If you don’t have a dedicated 160-meter antenna but have a 40m or 80m dipole/doublet, try shorting the feedline at the radio and work it against ground through an antenna tuner; this will convert your dipole/doublet into a vertical with a really big “top hat”.