Frank, It should certainly be possible to make PSK31 contacts with 5W to an indoor antenna. There are a number of posts on my blog that include screen dumps from PSKReporter.info showing where my signals have been received. For example this one http://www.g4ilo.com/2009/07/psk31-contacts.html shows where my CQs were copied running 5W to a home made magnetic loop sitting on the desk beside me. Using 25W to my attic dipole I have often been received by Leigh WA5ZNU on the west coast USA although due to the noise level here I haven't been able to decode his signal so we have yet to make a QSO. Of course if your QTH has a tin roof your attic antennas may not get out as well as mine do!
It does take a lot longer to get replies using low power during the current conditions with next to no sunspots. It was for precisely that reason that about 18 months ago I gave in and got the 100W PA for my K3. But it should be possible with QRP and a bit of patience. The suggestion to get someone local to check your transmissions are readable is a good one. If you are getting a lot of RF back into the shack it could be causing a poor signal. You could try sending a string of CQs, make sure they include the string DE <yourcall> <yourcall> and then check http://pskreporter.info and see if your call has been received anywhere. It should be, even with 5W, if everything is OK. You don't give much info about how your wire antenna is configured. Long wire antennas don't work very well on transmit, and they need a good ground which is hard to arrange in an attic. Without one you could be getting a lot of RF on the feeder and that could cause all kinds of problems that may not be apparent if you can't monitor your signal. I would suggest, especially as you appear to have a decent sized attic, that you go for a fan dipole, that is a set of dipoles that share a common feed point with the wires fanned out a bit so the ends are at least couple of feet apart. Each dipole will be resonant on a particular band so you will get minimal losses in the feeder and you may not even need the tuner at all. A dipole is balanced so you don't need a ground. Use a balun at the center and you will also eliminate any RF on the feeder. ----- Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222. * G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/Paddling-Up-River-tp4008652p4009279.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ______________________________________________________________ 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
