Results are in! Test #1: dummy load connected directly to the antenna analyzer Result: 1:1 SWR
Test #2: dummy to PL259 barrel to coax to antenna analyzer Result: 1:1 SWR The coax ain't bad. The "odd ball thingy" is an 84' "random wire" with a 17' counterpoise. The use of coax was an attempt to separate our antennas a bit more than we had done during FD, since we had experienced a bit of interference from each other. No interference for the NPOTA activation so maybe the separation helped something. I think I (still) like that K1 almost as much as Kev likes his KX3. -detrick KI4STU On Wed, Jul 20, 2016 at 11:52 AM, Kevin - K4VD <ke...@k4vd.net> wrote: > Detrick (KI4STU) with his K1 and I with the KX3 took off work on Monday and > headed up to Dickey Ridge on Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park > (NP51). We were both on battery power. CW was the mode of choice. The > antennas were end-fed - Detrick's some odd-ball thingy and mine an LNR > EF-40/20 (no counterpoise). Basically the same setup we used on FD but > trimmed down significantly for mobility and quick setup. > > We were able to activate NP51 with 12 CW QSOs in about 2 hours. > > There were some tricky parts. > > The end-fed thingy Detrick had would not tune until we swapped out the > coax. The guess is either the original coax is bad or the length of the > coax was contributing to the high SWR. Waiting to find out the results. > Detrick normally runs the antenna directly to binding posts. > > Checking the weather in the morning it all looked clear. Then came the > dangerous wind and hail alerts and it was all we could do to get everything > back to the cars before the downpour. Weather changes quick! > > I uploaded the QSLs to LoTW and hope I did it right, creating a new > location for the park. eQSL is all kinds of messed up but I'm losing my > patience with that service anyway. I'm not sure if I should expect > something back from the ARRL concerning the activation or just assume all > went well. > > GNATS, GNATS and damn GNATS! > > Then we went to Spelunkers for some Cavern Burgers and all was good in the > world again. > > I'm absolutely enjoying the KX3. My go-bag is a little Nikon camera bag > containing the KX3 with side panels and cover, Begali Adventure paddles, > mic (unused), EF-40/20 antenna, Sony in-ear phones, spool of mason line, > short coax, mini-log and notepad, pen, pencil, 15Ah LiFePO4 (not used for > this trip). There's also copy of my license in a pouch. It is freedom in a > bag. > > Next trip... bug spray. > > To top off the good news, our new little crew - Barred Owl Radio Club > (BORC) was just issued W4OWL. We named our group for the fledgling begging > call that kept us away all night on FD (yep, we slept). You can find that > wonderful sound of nature right here: > https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/sounds. Scroll on down to > the bottom for pure listening enjoyment. If you don't get the impression > of a spike being driven into your ears you don't have the volume high > enough. > > 73, > Kev K4VD > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to detr...@merzhaus.org ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
