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South America is loud this evening!

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  • 04-06-2013 10:18pm
    #1
    martinedwards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭


    After spending three weeks in Asuncion in Paraguay in 2002 on a church build project, I've been keen to make radio contact since I got my licence.

    and tonight I made it. 17m CW, using my 1974 FT101b, a home made touch key and a long wire held over my back hedge by fibreglass fishing poles.

    and as if that wasn't good enough, two minutes later I make my first ever 12m QSO.... Argentina using the same antenna & rig, but with a mic on SSB this time.

    two new countries, and a new band altogether.

    happy bunny indeed!


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    #2
    Wxman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Wxman


    Congrats on the new ones for the logbook!


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    #3
    martinsvi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,729 ✭✭✭martinsvi


    can you tell me a bit more about your antenna setup? How far off the ground it is and how do you balance it etc.


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    #4
    martinedwards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭martinedwards


    Okey dokey, feedpoint is on top of a fishing pole, attached to the side of the house on T & K brackets, approx 6m up. 4:1 balun because I had it after a windom attempt (failed!)

    core of coax goes to it, sleeve drops to a ground stake made from the boom of an old TV antenna!

    the long wire itself was on ebay as automotive cable.... insulated multistrand stuff, which goes around 3 sides of the garden supported on more fishing poles about 2m above the top of the Leylandii hedge, so total about 5m up.

    total length around 45m.

    I have a KW E-ZEE match to give me a workable SWR.


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    #5
    ...__...
    Registered Users Posts: 507 ✭✭✭...__...


    did you hear vk3li (have to check the log) for the correct sign 8km north of melbourne working off a 200ft mast
    Running into me 5-7 perfect audio and a perfect pile up. canada is good and i was listening to two guys last night in florida ragging to each other on 40mtrs Im on holidays now so a late night tonight :)

    Just as a side note was listening to a contat in canada say the weeknds arrl contest wasa washout due to the very bad dx conditions then
    I had thought it was my setup and the neighbours had gotten plasmas but all is well now.


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    #6
    martinedwards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭martinedwards


    yup, there has been a lot of solar activity which has dampened the HF propagation, but lifted the Sporadic E on VHF.....

    taking with one hand, giving with the other I guess......

    I've been very disappointed with 10 & 12m so far this year.

    20m has been very lively, and 40 has been OK but SOOO little higher up!


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