40 meter QSO?

[rhyary]

Calling CQ on 7.183

 

[rhyary]

CQ CQ CQ40 using buddipole.

 

[rhyary]

There is a skeg on 20M today 14.342.5 I am going to try. Mostly QRP.
Starts at 2330Z. 7:30EST.

The CQ will call for Buddipole. So people from all over the US or world.

I had to cut the cable they sent me (bnc - bnc) and screw on a Radio Shack PL-259. That seems to be a problem as I got inconsistant SWR reading on the MFJ-269.

I ordred 100' RG-58x, crimp PL-259 and crimp tool. Should have it by Monday. I hope that will solve the problem.

 

[Bruce Miller]

Coaxial connectors should be soldered. Keep an eye on your crimped connections as they're more likely to fail that with a soldered connection. I agree with Dave, that you should have a balun at the antenna. My Cushcraft 3 element tribander calls for a home made RF choke at the antenna end of the coax, and not a balun (although I think a balun would work just fine). The homebrew choke wouldn't require the purchase of a store bought balun. What does the Buddipole's owner's manual call out?

Let's try 17 meters, what do you say?

 

[Bruce Miller]

Fb on 17 meters tonight at 0000GMT. I'm hearing east coast U.S. as well as Canada right now. The 17 meter band is 18.110 to 18.168. My rig is currently on 18.115 kHz and the beam is pointed north. If QRM, let's QSY up as required to find a clear spot. I doubt we'll QSY very far. 17 is nothing like 40 meters.

CU there.

 

[Bruce Miller]

Nothing heard. Too close for this band?

 

[rhyary]

I'm a head of you. I am using this at the feed point.
http://www.buddipole.com/trraswbat.html

The PL-259 I screwed on an broke the tip was unreliable.
A new cable borrowed solved the inconsitancy.

I am SWR 1 and 50 ohm at 14.380 and can do most of the range below 2.
The rest the LDG 200pro takes care off.

Last night QSO party on 14.342.5 I had good QSO with W3FF northern CA 5 3 and 5-4
However he was beaming 500W from his 1931 Ford model A. Alas not using the 6V car system, using a battery from the back seat.

I can drive a round to day Sat with 17m and freq above mentioned to see if I can catch Colorado

 

[Bruce Miller]

Can't today, we're driving to Denver. Dave, you and I should run our QSO thru KD2KDK, a sort of relay QSO. I think you and I are too close for 17 meters. I was hearing lots of stations on the east coast. I'm thinking that 15 meters will have similar characteristics as 17. The relay method may be the ticket.

 

[rhyary]

Hmm, just talked to someone in Albany on 17m
Can't do 15m

I will be on 18.157.5 +-

Have a safe trip Bruce.

 

[xodeuce]

Anyone going to have HF in Moab? I've been talking to a guy in town (Birmingham, AL - EM63) who said he wanted to try and have a qso with someone out there one evening / night during the event, most likely on 20 or 40. I would bring an HF rig, but unfortunately mine isn't so portable.

 

[rhyary]

I'll be on 40m while moving and 20m while stationary

 

[leiniesred]

I tried out my tech special Kenwood Hybrid boat anchor last night and made my very first HF transmission...and subsequent contacts on the OMISS 40M late net! I don't know how screwed up my radio still is, but I have it fixed enough for me to talk to 14 folks from Delaware to California on a dipole 6 feet off the ground so it can't be too far out of whack!

Pretty exciting actually. Communicating over 1700 miles makes me sheepishly look back at how excited I felt after talking 70 miles on a turn-key mobile 2m rig. I can appreciate how hams felt talking to each other in the pre-"unlimited minutes" mobile phone age.