Still Alive

I try to make PSK31 contacts when I have time and the conditions are good...Have not been on too often because of school work and other responsibilities.


73,

End-Fed back in the trees

Well, I finally got the end-fed back up in the trees about a week ago. The tip is higher than it was before, and it is doing VERY well for itself on 20M PSK31. Keep an eye on my log below to see where I have been making contacts.

73!

Strong Winds

The strong winds and rain over the last week brought down my End-Fed radial out of the trees...I need to get some more fishing line to get it back up in the high branches.  I shoot the fishing line over the branches, then attach parachute cord to it.

73,

Got a new SSB Contact today

Was tuning around 20 Meters USB and heard a LX station...never heard that prfix before, so I gave it a shout and got Luxembourg...A New one for me.  Bands should be good this summer I hope...Still a little noisy for me here.

73!

Thinking of getting one of these

Vero Telecom VR6600PRO 

First Impressions

73!

Not on air so much these days

With my School work and lousy band conditions, I do not get on HF very much these days...I mainly stick to PSK contacts on 20 meters. Just have not been able to get anything else up that will tune good anywhere else. I will continue to get on the air when I can, and you can see my latest contacts by scrolling to the bottom of this page. 73,

Mr. Spock Supports The DX Code of Conduct

New Student of Kaplan University - IT Technologies (Network Administration)

I start classes online on April 22, 2015. This is the first ONLINE Associates Degree Course I have engaged in, so I hope I can get the hang of it quick. My Math and English (Writing) skills are not what they used to be 30 years ago either...I may need some tutoring...lol Wish me luck in my new endeavors... 73,

Will no longer Volunteer or Support at the MoST

I will not waste my time where I feel I am wasting my time and not being appreciated or taken seriously. The MoST seems to put parties and MONEY above showing technology and science to the public. I will no longer be volunteering there... I held out much longer than a lot of others, hoping I would see some change, but that did not come. I am sorry, but I must move on... 73,

Greatest Ham Radio Advertisement Ever!!

15-Yr-Old Kelvin Doe Wows M.I.T.

This kid is AMAZING!!!

My current HF antenna design source

The EARC 40-6M End-Fed matchbox

Endfed6_40.pdf

This is the design for my current HF antenna...I have been fiddling with antenna and counterpoise lengths and I find the 31 feet with no counterpoise has worked best for me...

73,

Fixed Coax and redid the End-Fed(up)

Well, I fixed the shorted coax connector, and redid the End-Fed antenna...Still fed through the 9:1 UNUN in the posts below, but now has a 31 foot radiator and a 27 foot Counterpoise.  Seems to tune OK??? on all bands 80 through 12 except for 15 meters...I think if I had a roller inductor tuner, that I could tune 80 through 10 more easily.  Come Spring, I am gonna try a different approach and maybe go with Isotrons, or maybe a GAP (no ground plane) antenna.
But for now, I can tune 40 and 20 fairly well, and also 17 and 12 meters. 80 tunes, but very lousy reception, so probably lousy transmit too...10 does not tune well at all.  I can always come up with a 10M dipole or vertical if I want.

73,

P.S. I am calling it the End-Fed(up), because it gives me nothing but trouble most of the time, but when it works, it works VERY well...

Now I need new Coax

Need a straight 50 foot run of good coax...Gonna be another month before I can put up the new antenna properly.

73,

UPDATE:

I scavenged a Coax connector and made up a new length of feedline. Took me 2 times to get the solder job right (first time I had a short).  Now the Doublet just will not tune right, because I cannot get it up high enough...Going back to the End-Fed with the new coax and a counterpoise...Now how long will it take me to get this thing to tune correctly???  I need to find a solution before I pull out all my hair!

73,

New Antenna on the way

Just ordered a new antenna 40-10M from BuxComm...The 4010CD 

Hope that it does the job for me...

73,

UPDATE:  I cannot hang this antenna up high enough right now with the snow on the ground...It will have to wait till Spring when I can take my antenna pole down and get it up to 30 feet or higher...they recommend 32-35 feet...