[VHFcontesting] Another rookie question

k4gun at comcast.net k4gun at comcast.net
Mon Dec 24 11:29:29 EST 2007


Thanks again James.  The reason it doesn't sound like a rookie set-up is because I'm obsessive about doing things right.  I've been reading blogs, web sites, reflectors and talking to my fellow club members.  My local club is W4IY and they obviously have some VHF contesting experience but not many of them have rover experience.  I'm just a voracious reader with too much time on his hands at work so you and guys like you have given me a lot more advice than you realize.  Obsessive is an accurate description of how I've done this.

The other thing is, I'm not a technical guy, but I understand concepts.  I can't tell you what a picofarad is nor plot a Smith chart, but I'm pretty good at problem solving.  I think that's why roving has got me so fired up.  It plays to my strengths.  I installed a pretty good HF station in my truck over the summer so its been a matter of adapting that to VHF and adding in the fun of searching through maps and plotting a course.  

As to CW, I am not sure if I can make that work.  Because I got my first license in March of this year, I haven't had to learn it.  I've been working on my own for the last couple of months.  I'm at the point where I can send fairly well, but I can't copy for crap.  Its very frustrating..  No matter how much I practice and try, I can't get it down.  I'm a bit skeptical of those MFJ code readers and I'm not sure I want to spend $90 to find out if it works for me.  What are your thoughts on this?  Like I said, I can  send fairly well, although a bit slow.

Steve
K4GUN

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: James Duffey <JamesDuffey at comcast.net> 

> Steve - FB on your set up. It sure doesn't sopund like a rookie 
> setup. That 746 will put a good signal out on 6 and 2, and 19 feet is 
> pretty high for portable antennas. 
> 
> The Elk Log Periodic probably is roughly the equivalent of a 2 
> element beam. You can do better with band specific Yagis. WA5VJB's 
> "cheap and easy Yagis": 
> 
> < http://www.clarc.org/ArticleRepo/uhf2.pdf > 
> 
> are effective antennas that are easy to build from items in your 
> local hardware store/building store. You can put one together in less 
> than 2 hours. I use the 6 element 2M beam and will build the 11 
> element 432 for the January contest. At a 6 foot boom for the 2 Meter 
> beam and 5 feet for the 432 boom, they are not much bigger than the 
> log periodic. 
> 
> The 6 element 2 M design will give you 5 to 6 dB gain over the log 
> periodic and the 11 element 432 antenna will probably give you 7 or 8 
> dB over the log periodic. This is a real advantage and will 
> significantly extend your range. 
> 
> Nate's points are well taken. It is not only important to keep track 
> of other rovers, but also of other fixed stations. Make sure you have 
> worked everyone that there is to work from every grid on every band. 
> It is easy to miss a station because you think you have worked them 
> before, but it was in another grid. It is OK to ask the multi op 
> stations if they have heard some one that you are missing, or where 
> another rover is, particularly if the band is slow. 
> 
> You didn't mention CW, but if you don't have it, add it. Let us know 
> how this all plays out. - Duffey 
> -- 
> James Duffey KK6MC/5 
> Cedar Crest NM 87008 
> DM65 
> 


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