[VHFcontesting] 70cm Antenna & Amplifier

[Keith Morehouse]

W9SZ wrote:

> I work a lot of people in the contests with 10 watts 
> on 432 and a 15 element homebrew beam on a 10 foot boom.
> I have been able to work anyone I could hear and routinely
> work into Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Ohio, Tennessee
> with it.

Ahhh, but Zack, therein lies the problem.  What about all those people you DON'T hear, but could with a bigger, badder antenna.

Jim, K9GTJ - on 432, my opinion is to put up the absolutely BIGGEST antenna system you can handle, as high as it can go.  Then, feed it with the BEST feedline you can afford, without using ANY UHF connectors (PL-xx or SO-xx), only N or DIN types.  Then, get on and work guys with whatever power you have out of the radio.  WHEN (and only when) you can hear guys that can not hear you, buy, build or borrow a PA.

Oh, and do all this on CW to take advantage of the superior sig/noise ratio available on this simplest of DIGITAL modes...

Jay W9RM