Rick,
Thanks for your comments and estimates. It always helps if estimates
are based on reality. I was thinking of trying SSB but was really
unsure of how I would get out on sideband. The group I do FD with
generally will have at least one run for QRP contacts for their point
value. If things quiet down, I could insert the Argosy and still have
access to the beams although with a little thought I could also use
whatever I wanted. I will now have to go and look at the rules for low
power operation.
I have made a few low power contacts and 50 W contacts with the Argosy
on my antenna here at home so it is not like I have never tried it.
John / WA1JG
On 3/27/2012 4:46 PM, Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP wrote:
> Steve, you are way off on your assumptions.
>
> Normally the TX current drain is not the biggest problem.
> Continuous current drain is the problem.
> I would say you will be on receive 90% of the time.
> When talking you probably average only 30% of max current drain.
> On transmitting CW it might be 50%, probably less.
> But as I said, 90% of the time that the radio is switched on, it will be in
> RX mode.
>
> Important is continuous current drain:
> - Turn off the dial lamps (can't remember if there is a switch on that rig
> or not; if not, install one)
> - Use headphones instead of speaker; that way it draws less current
> - Turn the radio off every chance you get (breaks for eating, etc.)
> - If it gets dark, use an external LED lamp to light the rig's front panel
> (I used to use candles)
>
> Run as little TX power as necessary.
> For CW, 20w is generally enough (if you feel you have to run more than 5).
> Running in QRP mode saves more than you think because it is more efficient
> in that mode than when running reduced power in high power mode. What I
> mean is, if you switch it to QRP, it draws perhaps 800mw on TX. If you run
> it in high power but back the power off to , say, 10w, it doesn't draw twice
> the current, but rather 3 or 4 times as much current.
>
> I hope your Argosy is the analog version.
> It will draw less power in receive than the digital readout version.
> You will find that the dial lamps draw half of the total current in RX mode.
>
> My Experience: 18 years of running Ten-Tec transceivers from a motorcycle
> battery. Transceivers used: Ten-Tec 505, 509, (both with and without the
> 405 amp), Ten-Tec Argosy (analog), Ten-Tec Scout, and Argonaut 515.
> You can see some photos of my setup here:
> http://www.dj0ip.de/my-expeditions/
> SPECIFICALLY, check out the ones to the Isle of Man, and Corsica.
>
> ALSO, check out my 1979 operations from Andorra.
> I ran a Ten-Tec Omni (analog, dial lights switched off, running @ 50w CW)
> for 10 days off of car batteries.
> Generally one car battery would last me an entire day, and I was on the air
> about 16 hours per day.
> I could recharge the battery on our generator which was located near the SSB
> tent, about 200 meters away from the CW tent.
> I felt like I was transmitting all the time (or so it seems when you're
> doing it), but the reality is, you receive far more than you transmit.
> See: http://www.dj0ip.de/my-expeditions/andorra-1979/
> In my 1975 expedition to Andorra, we also ran off of the car battery (that's
> all we had) but we ran the car's motor quite a lot, just to keep warm. We
> ran an old Swan SS-100 (well it was brand new then) with 50w out.
>
> RUNNING FROM THE CIGERETTE LIGHTER:
> It's not a problem to run the full 50w off of the car's cigarette lighter.
> You need to purchase a special device for this.
> Check out the MFJ-4403 transceiver Voltage Conditioner:
> http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-4403
> It works.
>
> VERY IMPORTANT: ALWAYS HAVE JUMPER CABLES WITH YOU WHEN RUNNING OFF OF YOUR
> CAR BATTERY.
> You can almost always find another driver/car willing to jump start your
> car, but they don't always have jumper cables.
>
> Have fun!
>
> Rick, DJ0IP
>
>
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
|