Oh I forgot to mention I also have the shield of the coax and the return
ground wire connected to a 8' copper ground rod at the feedpoint.
Dan/W4NTI
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan/W4NTI" <w4nti@mindspring.com>
To: <mcondon@attglobal.net>; "Jeffrey Clarke" <ku8e1@yahoo.com>;
<secc@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: [SECC] Re: Random thoughts about ARRL SS
> Glad too. Nothing special really. Its around 190 feet ( maybe 195).
> Ive had it up in various configerations. But I find that if you get the
> vertical up about 50' it seems to talk best. Run the rest out horizontal,
> or bend down to ground. Whatever works in the situation.
>
> The only radial is the ground return wire on the AC line. Which is run
> underground to my outside shack. The wire is about 140 feet long.
>
> I wound a coaxial choke from RG-213 of 8 turns about 6 inches in diameter
> (liter coke bottle works well for this). The coax run from there was
about
> 25 feet as I remember.
> I adjusted the length of the wire to get resonance on 160 and it works
fine.
> I know it can be improved. But for quick and dirty its hard to beat.
>
> BTW I also use it on other bands. During the WWDX Phone it proved to be a
> real butt kicker to JAPAN. I use a Homebrew basic Pi-net built out of WW2
> Tx parts. I use the tuner on 160 only to go above 1.9, which I rarely do
> anyway.
>
> Hope that helps somewhat. And for the purists I know it ain't
> 'kosher'...but it doooo work !!
>
> Dan/W4NTI
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Condon" <mcondon@attglobal.net>
> To: "Dan/W4NTI" <w4nti@mindspring.com>; "Jeffrey Clarke"
<ku8e1@yahoo.com>;
> <secc@contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 11:36 AM
> Subject: RE: [SECC] Re: Random thoughts about ARRL SS
>
>
> > Dan,
> > How about a description of your inverted L, any radials or counterpoise?
> > What are the dimensions?
> > I have a 70' vertical I have been considering adding a flat top to cover
> > 160/80. I just pulled some copper weld
> > wire up a tree and added a coil at the bottom, but it has been "OK" for
> 160.
> > A flat top addition might help.
> > Mike, NE4S
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: secc-admin@contesting.com [mailto:secc-admin@contesting.com]On
> Behalf
> > Of Dan/W4NTI
> > Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 6:46 PM
> > To: Jeffrey Clarke; secc@contesting.com
> > Subject: Re: [SECC] Re: Random thoughts about ARRL SS
> >
> > The problem with 80 cw is the lack of active stations in the SE. I
think
> > most folks are cutting their antennas for 75 ssb and forgetting about
the
> cw
> > band.
> >
> > Also the noise is quite intense until you get deep into the season.
> >
> > I have a inverted L up for 160/80. Seems to do well.
> >
> > Dan/W4NTI
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jeffrey Clarke" <ku8e1@yahoo.com>
> > To: <secc@contesting.com>
> > Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 3:14 PM
> > Subject: Re: [SECC] Re: Random thoughts about ARRL SS
> >
> >
> > > Hi...
> > >
> > > Just to add to John's comments... Here are my observations (so far)
> > > about operating stateside contests from North GA :
> > >
> > > So far I have done a couple Sprints, NAQP's and some state QSO
parties.
> > > My station is pretty simple - 100 watts , a G5RV on 80-10 and an E/W
20
> > > meter dipole. I have found 20 meters to be my best band to run guys
> > > during the day and when it gets dark 40 is pretty good as well.
> > > I have had absolutely no luck running on 80 meters but I would imagine
> > > you could do OK from N. Georgia if you had a decent antenna and ran a
> > > KW.
> > >
> > > Don't forget to check 10 and 15 meters for run opportunities too. I
> > > have found those bands pretty good to W1-W2-W3 many times. I even ran
a
> > > bunch of east coast guys on 10 meters in the NAQP SSB contest. This
> > > past weekend during CQWW there was ALOT of short skip on 10 and 15
> > > meters to the east coast and even some W8/W9/VE3 stations were booming
> > > in at my QTH too...
> > >
> > > GL to all in SS , Jeff
> > >
> > >
> > > --- John Laney <k4bai@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> > > > Hi Archie:
> > > >
> > > > There was talk about closing the Thomasville Federal Courthouse, but
> > > > Judge Sands, who sits in Albany and is now our Chief Judge for the
> > > > Middle District was opposed to it, and I think it is being used more
> > > > than ever now. In fact, both District Judge Land and I will be
there
> > > > at
> > > > the same time this week. He will have pretrial conferences in
> > > > chambers
> > > > and I will use the courtroom for hearings and use a jury room as a
> > > > place
> > > > to stay instead of chambers when the hearings are not in session.
> > > >
> > > > You should excel at SS CW. The format was intended to be the same
as
> > > > a
> > > > standard ARRL message.
> > > >
> > > > When I first started SS (my first one was in 1955), the exchange was
> > > > like this:
> > > >
> > > > #1 R K4BAI 54 GA 2100Z Nov 2. Later, the R was replaced by the
> > > > current
> > > > (and more informative) A, B, Q, M, etc letters and the time and date
> > > > were dropped.
> > > > The date was originally the current date and was later changed to
the
> > > > date of your birthday, and I sent MAR 27 a lot.
> > > >
> > > > So, what is left is a shortened version of the standard heading for
> > > > an
> > > > ARRL message. Number, precedence by letter, call of originating
> > > > station, check (year), and place of origin.
> > > >
> > > > The main thing is to find a frequency and CQ if you get answers. If
> > > > you
> > > > don't get many answers, then you S&P. The number of QSOs affects
the
> > > > score more than the sections. It is always fun to work all sections
> > > > and
> > > > I'd not pass up a rare one early on (like VY1/VE8 or NF
> > > > (Newfoundland/Labrador), Virgin Islands, etc, as long as it seems
> > > > likely
> > > > that you can get through in some reasonable time. But most everyone
> > > > will get within two or three of all the sections if they make a lot
> > > > of
> > > > QSOs and the big difference is the number of QSOs. WP3R in Puerto
> > > > Rico
> > > > operated by KE3Q will be one of the really big scores, so I'd not
> > > > wait
> > > > too long for him early on in the contest. But, if you hear a loud
> > > > VY1JA
> > > > or some other VY1 or VY0 or VE8 or even a KL7 early in the contest,
> > > > it
> > > > might be worth a short wait to get through to them while propagation
> > > > permits. KH6 is usually easy, but you never know for sure. Some
> > > > years
> > > > some sections like VE2, VE4, SD, or ND, or Nebraska, or Mississippi
> > > > may
> > > > be hard to find. Eastern NY can be rare. But, most of them will
come
> > > > to
> > > > you if you can find a CQ run frequency.
> > > >
> > > > It has been our experience that running from GA is very difficult on
> > > > the
> > > > high bands, 10 and 20, particularly on CW. Most of the running on
> > > > those
> > > > bands is done by the West Coast and off shore guys plus maybe a few
> > > > guys
> > > > with really big stations who are really confident on those bands
> > > > (K4WI
> > > > for example). So, those bands are mostly S&P for us here (and that
> > > > is
> > > > also my experience so far from W4AN). The CQ/run bands are
generally
> > > > 20
> > > > and 40 and sometimes 80 if the band is quiet and the high bands go
> > > > long
> > > > early. The exception to running on 10 and 15 is if we get some
> > > > e-skip
> > > > (short skip) to the north/northeast. If that happens, as it does
> > > > sometimes, it is possible to run from GA on those bands even on CW.
> > > >
> > > > You might want to consider running your amp and doing high power.
> > > > There
> > > > you will lose the full QSK that you can have using low power since
> > > > the
> > > > AL80A is not QSK without mod or an external switch. But, you will
> > > > get
> > > > more answers to your CQs and it will in part make up for your lack
of
> > > > aluminum. Is it time to check out your neighbors' sense of
tolerance
> > > > for one weekend? If not, still try the CQ thing from time to time.
> > > > You
> > > > may find it easier to do so high in the band or low in the bands
with
> > > > Extra class segments. I don't even listen down there except in the
> > > > multi op situations, but I find in FD that it is often possible to
> > > > get a
> > > > CQ frequency down there with 100 watts that works pretty well.
> > > >
> > > > Don't hesitate to ask for repeats if you aren't sure about
something.
> > > >
> > > > There is still a penalty for calls "not in the log" and you will
lose
> > > > credit for the QSO if you get some of the info wrong.
> > > >
> > > > I don't know what Writelog does for SS, but, NA (and CT, I think)
> > > > used
> > > > to have a "default" for the precedence of "A," since more guys are
> > > > low
> > > > power than any other precedence. I found one year that most of my
> > > > errors were where I left the default "A" in and failed to change it
> > > > to
> > > > "B" or "Q" or whatever. The problem is that you don't realize that
> > > > you
> > > > didn't copy the "A." If you are having trouble getting a message
> > > > logged, you may finally think that you got it all OK, but you have
> > > > never
> > > > heard the "A" that the computer program put in as a default. So,
> > > > later
> > > > versions of NA have no default in them. This change was suggested
by
> > > > me
> > > > and W4AN got K8CC to make the change. So, if your Writelog program
> > > > has
> > > > a default precedence in it, you might see if it is optional and
> > > > remove
> > > > it or just be very careful that you know that the other guy actually
> > > > sent the "A."
> > > >
> > > > It helps to become familiar with the ARRL section abbreviations.
> > > > Probably some of them will be familiar from the old CD Parties. But
> > > > there are some new sections since then, such a WTX, ENY, WCF (West
> > > > Central FL), VI (used to be with PR as a part of WI (west indies)),
> > > > the
> > > > VE1/9 and VO1/2 and VY2 sections used to be all MAR, etc. A few
> > > > minutes
> > > > studying the current section list will be helpful. This is
> > > > particularly
> > > > so on SSB where a lot of casual ops will need help in determining
> > > > what
> > > > their section is. This is particularly true in California, where
> > > > many
> > > > guys (even ARRL members) may not remember what their section is.
> > > > Sometimes they will give their Division instead or just Southern
> > > > California. It really helps on phone for a run station to have
> > > > familiarity with Calif (and Fla etc) sections. I have the
impression
> > > > some guys even have a data base with county names in it to help the
> > > > casual guys get their section right. That is not much of a worry on
> > > > CW
> > > > since, basically, there are no casual CW ops in CW SS. And, if
there
> > > > are a few, the chance that you may be their first attempt at a QSO
is
> > > > not very great.
> > > >
> > > > As we discussed before, I'd listen to the bands for a few hours
> > > > before
> > > > the contest starts and try to get a feeling as to what they are
doing
> > > > and what might work best for you. Since you can only work a guy
once
> > > > in
> > > > the whole contest, it matters little what band you work him on.
But,
> > > > you will not work many VE8, VY1, KL7, and KH6 stations on 80 and 40.
> > > > And you will not work many Southeastern US stations on 10, 15, and
> > > > 20.
> > > > So, you will want to work all bands when they are best for your rate
> > > > and
> > > > trying to maximize the chances that you will get all sections in the
> > > > log
> > > > by the end. If 10 and 15 aren't too hot, I might start out by CQing
> > > > on
> > > > 20. Then do so S&P on 10 and 15 and try for those few rare sections
> > > > and
> > > > the loud guys that you can work on the first call.
> > > > You can check 40 before dark for some close in stations, but there
is
> > > > no
> > > > real urgency on that because you can get all those sections and
> > > > stations
> > > > on 80. So, stay on the higher bands as long as your rate is good
> > > > there. If you go to 40 and the rate drops, you might want to go
back
> > > > to
> > > > 20. I have never made an SS QSO on 160 even during the three years
> > > > doing SO2R from W4AN. (I did listen on 160 in the middle of the
> > > > night,
> > > > but that was probably too late. I assume some SS QSOs are possible
> > > > on
> > > > 160 and some of them might even be guys who work only that band, but
> > > > I've never really proved out that theory myself.)
> > > >
> > > > The real test for every SS operator who is doing close to full time,
> > > > is
> > > > the Sunday afternoon doldrums. The rates will drop and the bands
> > > > will
> > > > be full of stations you have already worked calling CQ SS. Varying
> > > > speeds (more slowly) and going higher (or lower?) in the bands may
> > > > help
> > > > some. This is the time when many guys could have a ball. If the
> > > > guys
> > > > who are not doing it close to full time would get on on Sunday
> > > > afternoon
> > > > and evening, they would be "fresh meat" for the serious contesters
> > > > and
> > > > could have a ball and have some nice pileups to work down. Some
guys
> > > > who are good contesters do this and this is one reason for the
> > > > fulltime
> > > > guys to save some operating time for the latter part of the contest.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I don't recall the details now, but the QRP guys have a short sprint
> > > > SS
> > > >
> > > === message truncated ===
> > >
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________
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