[TenTec] Upcoming Field Day Planning questions and thoughts

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

On Tue, 2006-05-02 at 21:03 -0400, Bwana Bob wrote:
> NVIS and Field Day, that reminds me of my very first Field Day. We had 
> not put up an 80 meter antenna, but I wanted to try the band in the 
> evening, so I cut a 1/4 wave length of coax, strung out through the trees 
> at about 6 feet high, twisted the center conductor and the braid 
> together and stuck it into the phono plug output of my Heathkit DX-60A 
> transmitter. I had no counterpoise, but I was a kid and didn't know 
> better.

So your fingers warmed up when you touched the rig with key down.

> Likewise, NVIS was unheard of those days. It worked after a fashion.
> 
> Today, when I operate portable with my T-T Scout, I run a 1/4 wave wire 
> from the roof rack on my SUV out to a tree and I use a 1/4 wave 
> counterpoise connected to the rear bumper. With the Scout running 30 
> watts, I get S9 reports on CW and SSB when checking into the 80 meter 
> traffic nets back home, a distance of about 50-60 miles. The portable 
> location is in a  wooded lake valley.
> 
> At home I use a low 80 meter dipole at about 15 feet for NVIS and it 
> works great.
> 
> So, yes, NVIS really works.
> 
> 
> 					73,
> 
> 					Bob WB2VUF
Low horizontal wires worked on 80 meters for eons before the term NVIS
was invented to justify them replacing military specifications for 1/2
wave high dipoles or quarter wave verticals that didn't work for the
range between ten miles and 1000 miles...

-- 
73, Jerry, K0CQ,
All content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer