I probably had my most frustrating night in a long time last night! It
started during the day, when I changed around my antenna configuration,
and I guess I falsly got my hopes up too high.
I have a small 30 x 30 foot back yard in a closely-packed bay side
community. I fortunately have one of the few houses with a couple 55'
trees behind it. I have an inverted L. Since it has to be somewhat
hidden, it runs up about 10 feet from the side of the tree, bends as it
follows over the crest of the tree, and terminates in the top of
aneigbors tree (gone for the winter). About 55' is vertical, the rest
horizontal. I cannot fit any 1/4 length radials but have several between
50-100 feet in length, I don't personally own an amp yet so I am limited
to 100w.
I believe my radial system wasn't very efficient, since the 2:1 SWR
bandwidth is something like 100-120Khz. (the minimum SWR is 1.4:1, which
I've read is expected with inverted L's). Yesterday I disconnected the
present radial system, raised the feed point up 6 feet, and added a
single tuned elevated radial. The middle is up about 15 feet and
terminates about 6 feet high, and runs through the back yards' of three
neigbors! (also gone for the winter). My 2:1 SWR bandwidth has dropped
to 60Khz, which I believe should improve efficiency.
Well, how did it work? Well I can hear AWESOME, probably equivelent
to some with beverages. I could hear them louder than the reports many
were getting from others located not to far from me. Heres a list of
some I heard:
2330z VK0IR peaked here at 569
2330z(?) 5X4F peaked 589-599 (about 1824 or so)
0400z EK6GC peaked 579 (at 1830.1)
1210z JA1HQT peaking 559-569; at 1908.3, listening on 1805, Congrats to
K1ZM whom I heard work him (and others as well)
Unfortunately, even though I can hear, I can't be heard. I did work
EA8AK, KP2J, 8P9DX, G3PQA (got a 449 back, he was 10Db over), and P49I,
but there were many others whom I called 'till I was blue in the face who
couldn't even remotely here me. I know there are many Alligators on 160,
but several I called seemed to hear well, including the EK6.
I know I can do much better, even with 100w. The Delaware Bay is
directly to my west (200 yards, salt water directly from north through
south west), and the Atlantic ocean is only 8 miles to my East, half that
distance is salt marshes and back bays.
I do very well in domestic contests, and get many reports of being one of
the "loud guys", but I'd give that up in a second to be able to better
work some of the DX I can
hear!
One thing. The horizontal part of the inv. L is pointed south. The
radial is pointed south west. Would that be giving me some unexpected
gain in a direction other than Europe? Unfortunately thats the only way
I can fit it. I can't put up another radial in a different direction,
but I could also add a second one spaced about 10 feet from the existing
one, but doub't that would help much.
Any ideas? (other than "get an amp!!"...I'm working on that for next
year). I tend to believe I don't have enough of the antenna vertical
(can't do anything 'bout that), but I think it should work much better
than it does. BTW I also have an 80 L, same with 55' vertical, and I can
work DX pretty much at will with 100w. (Worked JA7BXS yesterday)
If any relevations come back I'll summarize and post.
I hope atleast everyone else will be able to work all this Juicy stuff
this weekend in the test (I've got to work both nights 0400z-1200z so
I'll miss the best times anyway)
TNX a bunch for the time! 73, Dave N2NL, previously KE2PF
WH2Z@JUNO.COM
************************************************************
David Mueller - N2NL
Ex KE2PF WH2Z KE2PF/NH2/KH0/DU1/DU3 V63PF
Active Duty Member US Coast Guard, Cape May NJ
WH2Z@JUNO.COM
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