[TenTec] Portable QRP/SOTA

[Reed]

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