I've had a very rewarding time with an FT-897d on hilltops. When stationary,
I use a push-up mast on the trailer hitch, with 7-el on 2m, and just two or
three elements on 6 and 432. It's probably not surprising with this
combination that 2m is my bread-and-butter band. When driving during
contests, I've had good results with a stack of VHF loops. If you're ever in
the Pacific Northwest, find some good hilltops at www.k7bwh.com/rover.html.
For HF, my experience has been that the FT-897 works extremely well in quiet
locations. But the front end, stock without filters, is overloaded in a band
full of big guns.
Barry K7BWH
Seattle CN87xn
-----Original Message-----
From: VHFcontesting [mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf
Of David All
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:31 PM
To: Rhinosix
Cc: vhfcontesting@contesting.com; sjkavanagh1@yahoo.ca
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Total newbie questions about 2m and 70cm
antennas and receive filters
I like to use my two ft897 and m2 loops for 6 and 2m.
Dave n3xud
3 generation memorial contest team
FM19tt
On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, Rhinosix wrote:
> Lets not over look the Moxon for 6 and 2 meters does not require a
> lot of rotor spinning.
> Jerry, w2jcn fn21wr.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Kavanagh <sjkavanagh1@yahoo.ca <javascript:;>>
> To: vhfcontesting <vhfcontesting@contesting.com <javascript:;>>
> Sent: Tue, May 21, 2013 8:08 am
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Total newbie questions about 2m and 70cm
> antennas and receive filters
>
> John:
>
> Here's a start on some of your questions.....I too started out as an
> HF contester but have been spending more time on VHF than HF for many
years.
>
> (1) A dipole on 6m will get you some QSOs. It's what I use in my
> Rover setup. But as you can imagine, a beam is better !
>
> (2) There is an explanation of antenna spacing on the Directive
> Systems website: http://www.directivesystems.com/
>
> Look in the "APP notes" section. Generally speaking, smaller spacings
> often work, but you can be confident with the rules provided in that
> app note.
>
> (3) An omnidirectional antenna will probably only be of help if it has
> significant gain (i.e. several stacked halos). A Yagi usually has
> gain in the sidelobes about equal to a single halo. The InnovAntennas
> beam might be different - they go to a lot of effort to keep the
> sidelobes down.
>
> (4) One factor reducing your rotor spinning will be that most of your
> 70 cm QSOs will probably be done by moving people from 2m, so at least
> you won't need to turn the rotor between those QSOs.
>
> (5) There's some very basic pointers (from an Ontario perspective) on
> the Contest Club Ontario website at
>
> http://www.va3cco.com/VHFContestPrimer.pdf
>
> And more on KC9BQA'a blog at
>
> http://kc9bqa.com/?p=5931
>
> (6) Most likely you won't really need the Inrad filters unless you
> have some very loud locals who like CW. If they are on SSB you will
> probably have more problems with their splatter which can not be fixed
> by IF filtering. The number of signals you hear at one time is
> normally much less than on HF and they are spread out more, with the
> possible exception of a good Sporadic E opening on 6m.
> The stock DSP CW filtering will likely work well enough, at least to
> start with.
>
> (7) Regarding the "is this enough power to have fun" question....it
> really depends on you. The QSO rate will certainly be much less than
> Sweepstakes or CQWW (and would be even if you had a kW, most of the
> time !) so if rate is your main turn-on it may not be very much fun.
> But to me, each QSO with a distant station on bands which most hams
> think are only good for local ragchews provides a bit of challenge
> which keeps me in the chair.
>
> 73, Steve VE3SMA
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