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Fred,
I’m curious if you can also hear the smaller fox on 146.535? I put the little stub antenna on that one and could not hear it from the highway although I could hear it fine from the “bigger” fox.
I’ve been playing around with it some more with the auto tuner and I can tune it up on every band except 160m. Am I doing something wrong or is this really possible?
Thanks, Layne! I have the LDG AT-100PROII Auto tuner. I set the radio up today and have been good signal reports on all the bands – haven’t tried 6m yet. I’m hoping to work some DX this weekend in the WWCQ CW contest!
Thank you and 73,
Hi Fred,
I was able to raise one of the antenna legs up a few feet so both are now 12-15′ off the ground. The balun is up about 35′ and above the roof of the house. The feed line runs down the mast, which is about 2 1/2′ feet away from the house. The house has aluminum siding, but I didn’t think aluminum would affect it… not sure if I am right or not. The feed line then runs about 18′ along the edge of the house on the ground to the ground rod.
I took more readings after raising the longer leg of the antenna up a few feet and got some better results. I am going to try to get the other end up a little higher as well (probably on Friday). Here’s the readings I took today:
28.000 MHz (1:1.8)
28.300 MHz (1:1.7)
29.000 Mhz (1:1.19)
29.300 Mhz (1:1.15)
29.600 Mhz (1:1.47)
14.000 MHz (1:1.7)
14.200 MHz (1:1.43)
14.300 MHz (1:1.32)
7.000 MHz (1:1.9)
7.150 MHz (1:1.8)
7.250 MHz (1:1.7)
7.300 MHz (1:1.7)
My antenna analyzer does not do 6 meters so I’m not sure how it is on that band. The four bands that the antenna cover are 6m, 10m, 20m and 40m. It looks like raising one leg of the antenna has helped to put the SWR into a usable range in those bands. I’ll see if it lowers it some more by raising the shorter leg up a bit – although this leg is already as high if not higher than the other leg.
On another note for the 2m/70cm antenna. There was a very low pass of AO-91 this afternoon and it picked it up! I’m very impressed with this antenna.
Thank you,
Hi Fred,
I raised one end of the antenna’s legs and now have better readings within the ham bands – although would still like to do better. The balun is up about 35′ and the feed line run straight down the mast and along the ground to the grounding rod (about 15′ away). The mast is about 2 1/2′ feet from the house (it does have aluminum siding – although I didn’t think aluminum would bother it, but not sure). The longer end leg is about 15′ off the ground now and the short end leg is probably about 18′ or so off the ground. The dips in the SWR readings are much closer to where they should be now.
Here’s what I have:
28.000 MHz (1:1.8)
28.300 MHz (1:1.7)
29.000 MHz (1:1.9)
29.300 MHz (1:1.15)
29.600 MHz (1:1.47)
14.000 MHz (1:1.7)
14.200 MHz (1:1.43)
14.300 MHz (1:1.32)
7.000 MHz (1:1.9)
7.150 MHz (1:1.8)
7.250 MHz (1:1.7)
7.300 MHz (1:1.7)
My antenna analyzer does not go up to 6 meters so I’m not sure of the readings for 6m. This is the 4 band OCF dipole so should only be resonant in 40m, 20m, 10m and 6m.
What do you think? I may try to get the ends just a little higher and see if that lowers the readings a little, but it should be good with a tuner.
Another note, AO-91 made a very low pass a few minutes ago and I could hear it just on the antenna on the mast!
Thank you,
Fred,
At 14.200 MHz the SWR is 1:2.1. Here are some other readings I have:
3.500 MHz (1:2.5)
7.200 MHz (1:1.9)
9.400 MHz (1:1.6)
12.900 MHz (1:1.4)
14.200 MHz (1:2.1)
14.800 MHz (1:1.3)
28.300 MHz (1:1.5)
28.700 MHz (1:1.3)
I do have aluminum siding, but it didn’t seem to bother it before and it’s not really any closer. I can’t think of anything else that might interfere with it.
Thank you,
A quick reminder to everyone about our SOTA/POTA and VHF/UHF activation this weekend at Mt. Pack Monadnock in Miller State Park.
Right now the weather looks like it’s going to cooperate, but we will activate rain or shine! We will plan to set up at 11:00 am and hopefully be on the air by 12:00 pm. The VHF contest begins at 2:00 pm. You can operate any or all of the different activations.
I would like to get an idea of who is interested in attending – you can come at any time and stay as long or short as you would like. Also, what equipment you plan to bring so that we can minimize any interference.
I look forward to seeing you on Saturday!
73,
Jamey KC1ENX
Here is a link to a program that we have been using in the CWOps CW Academy. After learning all the letters and numbers they have us practice common words that are heard in most QSOs (QTH, Name, RST, Rig, Ant, WX, etc.) Lately, we have been using this program, http://361euros.com/K1TNT/CW/# which can simulate a QSO. It has three parts of a QSO with common terms that would be heard in each section.
I’ve really enjoyed it and it’s really helped me along.
73,
Jamey