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[SECC] VHF Test

Subject: [SECC] VHF Test
From: ku8e at bellsouth.net (ku8e@bellsouth.net)
Date: Mon Jun 16 16:20:58 2003
 I would be interested in signal reports from anyone who heard/worked me on 6 
meters.

I built a single element quad loop on Saturday afternoon. The center was about 
25 ft high on my fiberglass DK9SQ mast. It seemed like it worked a lot better 
and was much quieter then the HF center fed zepp I was using before. I had no 
problem working all the west coast stations that were on the band during the 
opening on Saturday night. I only ones that took awhile were the guys who had 
big pileups on them. I seemed to get thru to just about everyone on groundwave
as long as they had their beam pointed my way. It's not a 5 or 6 element yagi 
but at least it got me on the band and seemed to radiate pretty well. 9Y4RL 
gave me a 59 + report when I worked him so it must of been working.

For those who have a radio for 6 meters and want to put up something quick -
Cut about 20 feet of wire. Cut a 7 foot length of PVC pipe - the small size 
works just fine. Drill holes near the end of each end of the PVC. Run the wire 
through the holes and make it a diamond configuration. Feed the bottom with 450 
ohm open wire to an antenna tuner. You don't really need to make a 2nd spreader 
arm. I just put a small bolt with an eyelet (sp?) near the top of the mast. I 
attached the wire to it with a piece of string. I then attached the 7 foot 
piece of PVC (the horizontal spreader) to the mast with a U-bolt and then taped 
the bottom part of the wire to the mast with some electric tape. Took me about 
an hour in the hot Georgia sun and I was back on the air.....

                          Jeff  KU8E


> 
> From: "Macie, Gordon" <gmacie@xmmcorp.com>
> Date: 2003/06/16 Mon PM 01:57:55 EDT
> To: "David L. Thompson" <thompson@mindspring.com>,  <Secc@contesting.com>
> Subject: RE: [SECC] VHF Test
> 
> I was amazed how many locals were on 6... I must have heard 20 or 30 people 
> giving out grids em73 em74 .. I only worked maybe 5.. signals were weak.. not 
> enough antenna for long ground wave.
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David L. Thompson [mailto:thompson@mindspring.com]
> > Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 1:23 PM
> > To: secc
> > Subject: [SECC] VHF Test
> > 
> > 
> > Sunday (at least when I was on) was a bust.  I did work VP5, 
> > HI8, YV1DIG,
> > VP9/N0JK, and 9Y4AT.  Locals were working V25XX (who was loud 
> > on Friday
> > nite) and he was just readable
> > here.  WA4NJP worked a couple of WP4's, both 9Y4's (AT and 
> > TL), 6Y5. another
> > YV or two but not even a peep here.  Not much e-skip but did 
> > hear KY5R,
> > N4IS, and several 0's.  I worked a K0 in Mn, a couple of stations in
> > Chattanooga, and W4ZRZ in Birmingham.  Never did hear anyone 
> > working TG9NX
> > but did hear a XE1 briefly for one transmission.
> > 
> > I did fix the audio on my FT 920 (it was set to hi fi), get the Heil
> > boom/mic set with HC-4 going, and found the internal DVK was less than
> > useful so hooked up my MFJ 432.  Could have used these on 
> > Saturday when e
> > skip was in.  Per K5ZD I found the Cushcraft 2 el 40 at 88 
> > feet did work on
> > 6 but bet a small 3 el at 50 feet would have run circles 
> > around it.  I saw
> > on eHam that K0KP who has a good signal uses a 3 el beam.  
> > You have to get a
> > second tower for those long boom M2 antennas at K4SX or W4GF.
> > 
> > Maybe I can swing the new 4 el SteppIR with the two parasitic 
> > elements for
> > 6.  Says 13 dbi gain and 26 db F/B which is as good as most 5 
> > or 6 element
> > beams.  W6XA says stay away from the 6 el ZX beam!!!
> > 
> > With a good beam more than 400 QSO's were possible on 6 SSB 
> > from Atlanta
> > using low power.  W4NH reported they made over 600 from the 
> > mountain top.
> > Can't speak for the other VHF bands as I have a 2 meter FM 
> > transceiver not
> > connected and nothing for 222 or 432Mhz.  This was my first 
> > activity on 6
> > since 1964 mostly due to living in areas with channel 2 (I have enough
> > problems
> > with the neighbors on HF).
> > 
> > 73 Dave K4JRB
> > 
> > 
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> > 
> 
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