All,
I will once again be making the trek to EN39 for the June ARRL VHF QSO Party in
a couple weeks. I will be working 6m only again this year. Previous years
netted extremely low to non-existent QSO's on the higher bands so ultimately it
is not worth my effort to get the beams up. So 6m it is.
The set up will likely be the same as past years - TS-2000 at 100 watts to a 5
element cuschcraft beam on my "tram" mast system. My FT-857 doesn't seem to be
working too well so my backup radios are only 10 watts on 6 (KX3 and
RCI-5054DX). With any luck the TS-2000 will make it another season.
The past couple of years I have been thinking about putting up a tower by the
cabin. That won't happen this year, unfortunately. However, after taking down a
telescoping mast tower for a buddy of mine a couple months ago that got me
thinking about a telescoping tower instead of a fixed tower. I was looking at
some TV towers as they can be had for little more than elbow grease in the
right circumstances, but that would make set up a bit more difficult. A
crank-up would also give me the ability to dismantle it and lay it in the shed
for the winter along with the antenna.
I will make a goal out of meeting with my maintenance crew up there to discuss
supplies and anchoring ideas this trip. The ground is all solid rock so digging
a hole and pouring concrete is out of the question, but that also may make the
whole thing that much easier to put in = the same kind of anchor bolts that can
be used in concrete can be put directly in the rock, provided a big enough,
solid enough slab is tapped. We do the same exact thing to anchor our docks and
boat house. The crank up idea will make setting the whole thing up that much
easier too. The catch to it all is trimming the trees to keep the beams from
catching them each year. Where the antenna is set up for the time being is the
complete opposite side of the cabin that the tower would be located at. That
also having been said, not only would the trees above where the tower would go
up and down need to be trimmed, but there would have to be sufficient "run way"
so the whole thing can
tilt. I will have to scope that out this year. I know about where I want the
base of the tower - in the corner of the cabin between the bathroom and kitchen
(both bathroom and kitchen were additions so they stick out on perpendicular
sides of the cabin). That is also where one of the best clearings is in the
trees besides the center of the cabin = less tree trimming. I can't get away
with cutting down any trees, and trimming branches in and of itself is going to
be hard to get done, but I think I can manage with that. It might take a ride
up the tower to get to them but it is possible.
Frequencies -
CW - Around 50.100, +/- 10KHz or so.
SSB - 50.130-50.140.
If the band is hopping I will find a spot somewhere. If the band is dead I will
be around 50.125-50.130. If QSO's ramp up I will jump up to 50.130+ to get away
from the calling frequency.
Target on-air dates: June 4th-12th
***I will try to use a keyer again this year. I like to leave the keyer running
when I am in the cabin because it puts a signal on the band. If there isn't a
signal there a contact can't be made. However, I may be sitting at the dinner
table, etc, so if I don't come back right away to your call, and I hear it,
give it a round or so and I'll be over to the rig.
I hope to hear everyone on the bands!
Steve, KC8QVO
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