[VHFcontesting] InnovAntennas - super fast shipping! (46 hours from placing order to delivery)

[John W]

First, thanks to so many of you who gave such detailed and thoughtful replies to my newbie questions about 2m and 70cm antennas and about using my new FT-897D in the upcoming contest. 

I am really looking forward to trying out VHF contesting and DXing.

 

I wanted to send this note because some of you said that ordering a new antenna from InnovAntennas might mean I would wait a while for shipping, since it has to come from England.

 

I am happy to report that I just received a new 14-element 432 MHz LFA-SQ yagi just 46 HOURS after I ordered it!

 

I ordered it on Tuesday afternoon, and the FedEx man delivered it to my doorstep today (Thursday morning).  That is pretty tough to beat!

And I only had to pay about $28 for shipping - the company foots the bill for the rest. Chip (K7JA) said that right now, while they are shipping from the UK, they are subsidizing the shipping cost to make it priced as if it were being shipped from Colorado. 

Eventually, they will start shipping from the USA as well.  

 

In case you are skeptical, here is the FedEx tracking info for my antenna: https://www.fedex.com/fedextrack/index.html?tracknumbers=799819855139

 

I am looking forward to getting it unboxed and put together this weekend.  I'm also going to try and take down the HF Quad to get it out of the way, so I can put the 6m, 2m, and 70cm ants all on the same mast.

 

Next newbie question:  I have an Ameritron RCS8-V remote antenna switch in place on the tower already. I know it's good up to 150 MHz.  What will happen if I try to use it on 432 MHz?

VERY bad things, or just compromised performance?  My long term solution will be to run hardline out to the tower for VHF, but that's definitely not going to happen in time for this contest.

I also have the option to use an old Drake RCS-4 remote switch instead, if that would be any better.  I don't know its maximum frequency specifications.

 

Thanks and 73,

 

John

W2ID