My Week in Radio
- activated US-1380, Marsh Creek,
after breakfast on Friday:
- testing my speaker wire doublet with 4:1 balun and 9:1 balun
- 15 contacts on 10M FT8
- 11 P2P CW contacts on 20M
- setup my Allstar node to keep recordings
Others
- W1RC, Mike:
- new K3S radio
- lots of nice features
- W8CRW, CR:
- helped Bill with replacing his 2M antenna
- simplex net this weekend is looking for homebrew antennas
- AA3LH, Leon:
- researching and playing with some of his antennas
- AB3AP, Mike:
- accompanied wife to Hawaii
- loosened dipole to avoid any wind while gone
- WA3KFT, John:
- lots of openings on 10M
- all 14 antennas have stayed in the air through the wind
- K3FF, Rene:
- working on his Clipperton power supply
- fixing harback board
- FT-101B. bought for parts, but fixed it up anyway.
- learning more about the 3D printer.
- W3MFB, Mike:
- playing with AnyTone 5555 from CR.
- 10M radio
- sounds great on AM
- caught london and texas on 10M
- playing with AnyTone 5555 from CR.
- KC3SQI, Wayne:
- getting his 7300 up and running with new antennas
- K3DBD, Bob:
- working on a power supply from a repeater site
- good article in latest QST on POTA
- NA3CW, Chuck:
- helped Bill with a new antenna
- W3KZG, Scott:
- helped with Bill’s antenna
- KC3MAI, Joe:
- spent some time listening to CW to learn
- looking into allstar node with KN3I, John.
- KD3AIS, Tim:
- got his mobile radio mounted in the car
- KC3OOK, Bill:
- antenna party
- new antenna is getting out better during simplex net
- VE2AED, Howard:
- 50mi NW of Montreal
- active on HF: lots of experimenting
- KC3HQZ, Jean:
- working on HF antennas to be heard better
- some radios in the shop: frustration
Questions
- AA3LH, Leon:
- He has a G5RV antenna for traveling with 450ohm ladder line. It connects right to coax. Why doesn’t it need a 4:1 balun? Another similar antenna has the balun.
- WA3KFT, John:
- the ladder line is part of the antenna, so it’s the normal feed point.
- NA3CW, Chuck:
- G5RV suggested running balanced line the whole way back to the station.
- AA3LH, Leon:
- Feeds the G5RV with 50ft of LMR-400 and it works pretty well.
- K3FF, Rene:
- Wondering about capacitors in harbach rebuild kits having different capacitances for the Clipperton L power supply. Is there concern for in-rush current?
- WA3KFT, John:
- has a Clipperton L, hasn’t messed with it.
- higher capacitance is a benefit
- WA3VEE, Ron:
- Sees nothing that limits in-rush current on existing board.
- sent photos of his restoration process
- NA3CW, Chuck:
- designer of the B model says no need to worry about in-rush.
- wire gauge should be sufficient.
- W3GMS, Joe:
- schematic shows no in-rush management, so add it.
- has some good experience using thermistors for managing in-rush.
- 2.5-3ohm is sufficient.
- KC3SQI, Wayne:
- Is anyone familiar with the Hex Beam and the center mount balun? Is it open at the top for mounting another antenna above it?
- KC3NZT, Harvey:
- most hex beams he’s seen have been designed to be the top of the mast with a little stub to support the spreaders.
- people who mounted another antenna above it did it with as stand-off from the tower below extending up through the webbing
- KC3SQI, Wayne:
- has the question out to some manufacturers. waiting.
- KD3AIS, Tim:
- Looking for short antennas for the car that fit in the garage. Fender-mounted on truck. Specs being mostly equal, how does he choose?
- W3MFB, Mike:
- short antennas will be quarter wave.
- longer will be better: half wave.
- DX Engineering has a “compact antenna” that’s pretty good.
- KC3NZT, Harvey:
- Anything close to 17 inches are quarter wave, and 30-some inches is half wave.
- half wave can look pretty normal on a truck.
- half wave can be less ground-dependent.
- try to get as much wire in the air as you can.
- KC3SQI, Wayne:
- longer half wave antenna may avoid RFI from car.