Hi, So today it's chilly and raining (36 F - no wind - light rain). I'm taking advantage of Murphy's Antenna Corollary - the one stating the inverse (perverse?) relationship between pleasant (or poor) antenna erecting/repair weather and finished antenna performance. I am hoping to have an antenna that will work for me on 160 and 80 meters and the station configured to do so in time for the Stew Perry event this weekend. Right now I just can't get my modest loop to load on either of those bands (too small). It seems to work okay on 40 meters through 10 meters even if it's not the greatest antenna in the world. It's been better than NO antenna at all. I'm putting up somewhere between 130 and 160 feet of end fed wire with a single counterpoise on the ground 130 feet long and obviously using a "tuner". The wire isn't going as high as I want it but it's going up. Later (Spring?), with some young blooded help I can get the wire higher. I'm presently climbing trees (YIKES!) and installing electric fence insulators. I'm taking a break to dry off and warm up. I've never ever had a cold or pneumonia but I AM getting older (mid 60s) and I really want to take a pass on those pleasures.
I'll post again if I survive and get the new antenna on the air on either band. Later I'll be clearing some undergrowth and maybe get more accurate measurements of distances between various trees on my small lot. Antennas and receivers are the two most important parts of a ham station. A transmitter is not unimportant but is way down the food chain. The weak link in MY station is the antennas. I'm getting focused on that and putting up something quick to get on the air and make improvements later. 73, Bill KU8H _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK