Dan
I have a similar situation here:
- City Lot (86x200)
- Single Tower 64' Free Standing
- Antennas I have now: KT34XA @ 65' KT34XA @ 33' CC40-2CD @ 76
The XA's are run to a WX0B stack match
80m Inv-V apex at 60'
- Switching by Top-Ten decoders and 1:6 relays and 1:2 relays
- Bandpass filters are the automatic 6 band variety Dunestar
I can split the bottom XA off and use it on the second radio. However, my
experience to this point is that it is not as effective as using the top
antenna (no real surprise). Also, it is fixed south-west.
I considered a vertical but my experience with verticals from OH have not
been good for stateside contests. So I quickly blew that idea off.
I have no problems with hearing the other radio... except for harmonics.
Things are set such that I can do any band or any antenna on either radio (I
like symmetry). As for the thought that I would put both radios on the same
band and blow one up... not a problem as the 1:2 relay stops this from
happening. So the worst that would happen is that I would transmit into no
load... ok for the receiver, not good for the xmtr. I came up with a way to
send the off radio to a dummy load in this case but never implemented it...
also I have never put 2 radios on the same band and tried to xmit. I think
I will take my chances but don't think I would do this if anyone else were
going to operate from here.
I have not made up my mind yet what I will do this summer but I am kicking
around putting a 15m beam on the side and being able to rotate it. Then I
could use it on either radio and use the XA's for 20m or 10m and the new
beam on 15m (if I want to be on 2 high bands at once). This is a problem if
I wanted to do 20m and 10m but I don't see that happening from OH (except
maybe on rtty).
The other idea is to use one of the F12 C31XR or C36 type antennas or even a
C3 (separate feedlines for each band of course). Problem I am having is
that I have a hard time believing that a 2 el beam (C3) is going to work as
well as the XA. So I am leaning more to the C31XR or C36. If I did this it
would replace the XA's. So I would no longer have the stack. There is no
way that I can see to get the F12 antennas that I have seen around my tower
(at 32' level it would be ~3' on a side). Of course, I'm not sure that I
would want the stack anymore ? F12 says that 2 C3's spaced 30' apart are
only like 0.5 dB behind there 5 el 20m beam... I have a hard time believing
this. If anyone has a C3 or stack of C3's or a C31XR... I would like to
hear your ideas. I know that KA9FOX reported in one of his summaries that
he felt weak on 10m (using a C4XL). If it were from P4 or something it
probably would be fine (or other propogationally advantaged QTH's). Not
trying to slam F12 antennas (otherwise I would not be considering them at
all)... I would like to be able to say I am from MO (show me). Looking for
good or bad F12 experiences.
Not sure I helped but other than propagation, I am faced with a similar
dilemma as you and these are my experiences and how I may attack them over
the summer gearing up for next year.
73 Tim K9TM tim.k9tm@totalink.net
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>From Larry Schimelpfenig" <lvschim@1bigred.com Fri Apr 9 02:10:49 1999
From: Larry Schimelpfenig" <lvschim@1bigred.com (Larry Schimelpfenig)
Subject: [CQ-Contest] AZTEC BALUNS
Message-ID: <004e01be8225$ef6ab060$1151efce@1bigred>
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I remember seeing somewhere that Glen Rattman K6NA markets baluns under =
the name AZTEC. Does he make 4:1 devices. Can anyone tell me where my =
friend can go to get info on these baluns for his contest antennas?
73 de Larry K7SV lvschim@1bigred.com
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<BODY bgColor=3D#c8e0d8>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>I remember seeing somewhere that =
Glen Rattman=20
K6NA markets baluns under the name AZTEC. Does he make 4:1 devices. Can =
anyone=20
tell me where my friend can go to get info on these baluns for his <FONT =
color=3D#ff0000>contest <FONT =
color=3D#000000>antennas?</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><FONT color=3D#ff0000><FONT=20
color=3D#000000></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><FONT color=3D#ff0000><FONT =
color=3D#000000>73 de=20
Larry K7SV =
lvschim@1bigred.com</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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>From Dick Green" <dick.green@valley.net Fri Apr 9 05:25:06 1999
From: Dick Green" <dick.green@valley.net (Dick Green)
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Re: Voice Keyers
Message-ID: <015801be8240$f63c0900$20a473c6@tpk.net>
Phone contesting really isn't my thing, but I've had enough phone runs to
toss in 2 cents. I used CVB with CT for a while and it worked pretty well.
But like most folks out there, I ended up using it primarily for CQ.
However, I also use the <call> message (F4) frequently for S&P. That saves
the voice too, especially when it takes more than one call.
A canned exchange sounds wierd and I think it's a lot slower than what you
can do with your own voice (I have to think about saying "<call>" and
hitting INSERT --- it takes less thinking to say "<call> <exchange>".) The
TU message is too slow as well. Using your own voice can make a huge
difference in a high speed run, and you can adapt to changing conditions
instantly.
When I switched to NA for its neat 2-radio support, CVB was out because the
F4 function key is needed by NA to do queued calls on the second radio and
CVB intercepts the function keys. So I picked up an MFJ-432 and did some
minor surgery on the circuit to support NA's abort line (no way I'm going to
use a voice keyer I can't stop in the middle of a CQ!) I now use the F4 key
both for standard S&P and to drop my call to a station CQing on the second
radio.
I'm hoping not to ever do enough phone contesting that I'd want to string
together canned phonetics for the call and exchange...
73, Dick, WC1M
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