Topband: Steady Carrier on 80 CW

[Paul Christensen]

> It is built around the DDS VFO kit sold by N3ZI and amplifier kit from 
> W8DIZ.  Power is 1 W to a 43 foot vertical."

If the QRSS station is operated at the FCC-licensed address, that places his 
QTH on a narrow peninsula on the Gulf of Mexico.  In one direction, it's 
about 700 ft from saltwater.  Although the saltwater effect diminishes 
rapidly as the distance increases over land, he has an exceptionally good 
QTH.  Depending on conductivity, the field strength produced by 1W into a 
vertical could well be comparable to 100W over average soil.

As a courtesy to others, the transmit geography and band segment should be 
taken into consideration when operating a beacon.   The signal level of the 
stronger beacon due-east here in Jacksonville, FL has been -60 dBm 
(+20dB/S9) on a simple 80m dipole.

Paul, W9AC