[Mldxcc] Winter day busy-ness

[Rick WA6NHC]

Since it's raining outside today (fine with me, wash some of the snow 
back further for less to plow while I enjoy the wood stove heat), I 
decided to take a look at the take off angle vs gain with HFTA from the 
exact planned tower site.

I've purchased a 55' motorized crank up, tilt over tower with a prop 
pitch rotor and a SteppIR DB42 (80-6M) to top it off (with tilt plate so 
it's ALL down at ground level for maintenance).  The DB42 is a rotatable 
dipole on 80M, 4 elements on 40, 5 or 6 on higher bands.  I'm also 
waiting for the Elecraft KPA1500 amp, so full legal limit on all bands 
will be available.  I have to make a trek to Nevada to pick it up 
(estate sale) when conditions make it safe for a trailer but it should 
all be up and playing sometime this summer (adding lightning protection, 
counterpoise of course).  I have a 160M inverted L (bend at ~80' in a 
tree) that I'll add a matching circuit to make it a 80/160M vertical.  
So far it plays well on 160M and it will give me another 80M option.

Yes, I'm building my nest and will finally have a competitive station 
for the last 50 or so ATNO as well as slot fills.

[Last week I got 4 QSL cards from the last Pitcairn team with all 24 
QSO's confirmed (off my dipole in CA before I moved, yeah I was bored).  
I only have a couple slots left for them, mostly on data.  ;-)  I 
finally got South Korea LOTW confirmed on 160M, also from CA so that 
list is growing too; 25 confirmed now). ]

Comments and suggestions will be welcomed.  But I'm pretty sure if there 
is any propagation, I'll be heard at least.  I'm pleased that two high 
gain peaks show to the south on 80M, so I should be better heard on the 
morning nets (CA and NV).  Alas it won't be available for Bouvet later 
this month; it can't be helped.

I'm pretty happy with the station location (it was one of the things I 
checked before buying; yes the house is awesome too) but the 5000' hill 
5.4 miles to the east (~2800' above the tower elevation) and a lower 
ridge to the west (9 miles away) will have an effect on a couple bands 
although I suspect it will be minimal.

One can clearly see the radiation peaks (pattern) of the antenna in the 
higher bands.  Here are the HFTA plots:













6 Elements


73 from North Idaho (it's AWESOME!),
Rick wa6nhc