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Re: [TenTec] Portable QRP/SOTA

To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Portable QRP/SOTA
From: Tim <tim@ke4ke.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2016 15:35:58 -0500
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Hi Reed,

I've been gathering my parts and pieces for two loop antennas I built and tried at the previous apartment. They did not help there. I am missing one part, but have everything for the big loop. Hehe, I might have room for it.

I had forgotten all about K8NDS. Being in an apartment does mean trying to keep RF out of other's equipment. So I figure if I don't get into ours then we should be good, I hope. So far 15 watts or so has been safe.

One thing I have been wanting to do is put my Jupiter and Eagle side by side to compare the receivers. Hoping to move to a house in the next couple years! Oh and speaking about hills. Analog TV was pretty noisy on the HF bands. Digital TV is no problem. I tested it one night when I did maintenance and briefly turned RF off. So the idea of having equipment up on a hill at a TV transmitter site or doing FD there is not a problem depending on what else might be at the site.


Tim
KE4KE



On 03/19/2016 11:48 PM, Reed wrote:
Hi Tim,

Another antenna that works good portable, or if space is a problem like motel room or apartment, is a loop antenna. For the size they really work well. I have 3 here. An old AEA in the attic, a MFJ-933 & the little Alexloop. Alexloop works really well on a little tripod sitting on a balcony. I also found that in a condo or motel room forget CW, just go PSK-31. So much noise inside those buildings that it is really hard to copy CW. The magnetic loop antenna cuts a lot of the man made noise down compared to other antennas I have used. I've run as little as 3 watts and had no problems carrying on a good QSO where CW I was running 15 watts and barely getting a few QSOs in because of the noise.

Here is a home brew magnetic loop antenna that K8NDS, Rich, built that you can see at this site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YpyLAULKqg

I've worked Rich several times & he does put out a very good signal from his qth with his loops. He said he gets his vacuum capacitors from Russia. Most of the time he just runs 100 watts, but he said he can run the legal limit. I wouldn't want to be near it when he did! Loops put out a lot of RF in a close space.

Another antenna I want to build is a Moxon for 17 meters. Cheap and easy to build! Should work portable, but probably little much to carry very far.

Buddiepole beam works well too from the reviews I have read, but will take extra time to setup & don't know about the weight thing if walking pretty far.

Know the hill you are talking about! We don't have mountains here, as you know, but we dang sure have our share of hills. The one I live on is just a tad smaller than the one behind Donelson Plaza.

73,
Reed  W4JZ
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