The only thing between me and 9B-DXCC is 70 countries on Topband and, as you might expect, 160m has been on my mind a lot lately as I ponder the upcoming season.
In fact I’ve just ordered the parts for the following antenna.
When the May/June issue of NCJ Magazine arrived a couple of weeks ago, one article jumped out at me and smacked me upside the head with deja vu. Where had I seen this before?
The article (by Guy K2AV) was about a unique way to build a 160m vertical or inverted L with a ground system that fits on a city lot and offers efficiency not normally associated with compromise designs. As I read the article, it became apparent where I’d seen this before – on W4KAZ’s blog.
From Guy K2AV:
There are NO radials. The main design point of the antenna is to minimize lossy currents induced in the dirt and confine TX signal current to the FCP and the radiating wire.
Continue reading 'Efficiency and small size on Topband?'»
The rumor was that Fred KT5X has worked all continents on 160 meters with 5 watts. Not from a coastal QTH, but from New Mexico. A hilltop, yeah – but from landlocked New Mexico?!
I’ve worked a handful of QRP DX on 80 meters and a bit of QRO DX on 160 meters so I know how difficult they each can be. But both handicaps, simultaneously?
You know me…I had to know more (stuff like this grabs me by the collar…)!
We exchanged a few emails Continue reading 'Lowband DXing *and* QRP?!'»
I’ve made no secret of my enthusiasm for Index Labs’ little QRP+ transceiver. As a fairly new ham back when they were released I couldn’t afford one. I wasn’t much more than a kid then, with mostly empty pockets.
But today, my new-to-me QRP+ shares shack space right along with my K3, while most other rigs – the FT840 and many QRP rigs – are relegated to the closet, packed away in boxes. I truly believe the QRP+ is destined for “classic status” of ham radio transceivers.
I was quite surprised when I recently learned that Index Labs is once again producing a piece of equipment for us hams. In fact, they have been for the past 5 years, but being CW-centric, it was news to me, and perhaps to you too.
Today, Index Labs’ produces a Class D AM transmitter for 80 and 160 meters. Continue reading 'The return of Index Laboratories'»
With the Stew Perry Challenge coming this weekend and a few others dedicated to that band over the next few months, I decided it was time to hang some additional Christmas lights outside.
Or so the neighbors think.
At no other time of year could I walk around my yard securing elevated radials into trees (at about 8 feet) without getting funny looks from passersby. Continue reading '‘Tis the season for antennas'»
We bought our house last February but the antenna didn’t go up until April, due in part to shortages in ladder line from the Wireman. April 8th, in fact – a year ago today.
The configuration is:
5/100-watt rig -> 3′ of RG-58 -> Z100 LDG autotuner -> 15′ of RG-58 out the window -> 4:1 LDG balun -> 75′ of ladder line -> 80m dipole
The antenna is about 65′ high, strung north-south between two pine trees and used 10-80 meters. Continue reading 'A year with a dipole'»
A Google search for lowband DX antennas will yield tons of results, even if you are limiting your search to something that would fit on a typical city lot. I doubt any one person has tried more than a few variants of the many designs that are out there.
Continue reading 'Limited-space *Effective* Lowband DXing'»
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