Introduction

K8PG

Member
Good day folks,

My name is Paul,Iam located in the Upper Peninsula of Mi. 7 miles south of Lake Superior-between Munising and Marquette in the
Hiawatha Natl.Forest. I have been hamming since aqe 17-I was a Novice for 2 yrs WN8TGH-WB8TGH(GEN-ADV-EX)have had my present call
going on 34 yrs.Iam mostly a cw operator.Dxer,ragchewer,Awards Hunter and Elmer. I like to help others learn cw and electroics,I
really enjoy experimenting with antennas and QRP/QRPp rigs-building.Iam retired so get to play radio when I want to.I love all
animals-I have a Jack Russel Terrior-Rusty,a Rottweiller-Bruno, and a Cat-Rollex,they are all charectors.My son is also a Amateur
radio opr. since age 8-hes now 23. Iam not married anymore-was for 25 yrs ?? still trying to forget her and figure it out?.right
now iam working on 10BDXCC-CW got about 50 more cw DX stations to go.I just got Triple Play award #290.I like to cook- and hunt
Grouse/waterfowel/Whitetailed Deer/Black bear-with a Camera-NO KILL-to beautiful.see you on the Bands and this Site-73-DX es
CW FOREVR....

Paul--- K8PG CW IS AMATEUR RADIO
 
Hey Paul!

Thanks for taking up the invite to join Ham Radio Forum. I see that you like CW and experimenting with antennas... Me too! :p

Sounds like Ham Radio sure runs in your families blood. What's it like to live in a forest? Does this mean that you have plenty of space for all of those lovely HF wire antennas? My humble lot is only about 65feet by 20feet, so my HF antennas are somewhat 'squished' in order to get them in to such a tiny space.

Happy posting Paul.

Best 73, Mark.
 
Hi Paul and Mark just thought I'd say a few words i got divorced several years ago so know how it is but there is always a positive side my shack is in the dinning room next to the kitchen and i can play radio whenever i want without interruptions or disconcerting looks heee. On the aerial front i use a tritan hfv 80m monobander its a 1/4 wave on 80 but is also resonant on 20m. Mines elevated to 30ft with 6 62ft radials three going over the front of the house and down the front wall(looks like i have 3 telephone lines in hee)and three down the back, but because my backyard is only 20ft by 3ft ive wound them round plastic drain pipe to fit them in that’s my solution to limited space. I dream of building wire aerials with plenty of room in a back garden but i work well as i am both cw and phone so i suppose i should thank my lucky stars i don’t live in a 2nd story apartment hee.
Best 73 Gareth de 2e0bkw ..
 
Hiya Gareth!

I guess I could just about accommodate one of your radials in my tiny chunk of England hi hi.

I use a Diamond HFV-5 at the moment for listening around with. It's OK for RX, but TX is well down due to the small size and the even poorer location (in the attic). I would like to set it up outdoors somewhere, but I seem to spend all my time trying to decide the best location for antennas and never actually get around to setting anything up!

The lowest band for the HFV-5 is 40m, but I must admit I do prefer either 80m or Top Band (160m). I'm still looking around for the ultimate HF antenna (isn't everyone?), but I've yet to find it hi hi.

I did draw up plans to build a full size magnetic loop for 80m, but as soon as the XYL spotted me with a tape measure in my hand wondering around the garden I was told "not to even think about whatever I was planning!" :giggle:

Best 73, Mark.
 
Hi Mark, my rear radiels could be reduced even further i reckon using longer drain pipe you could reduce the length to 7 to 10 ft or using a combination of larger diameter pipe and longer length could reduce it significantly. Its electrical length will be the same. i like the Hustler 6btv 80 to 10 aerial but again its the radiels that put me off my house would end up looking like a spiders web, speaking of webs im going to purchase the Cobwebb 20 to 10 aerial i think as it shouldnt cause me any interaction between my 80m vertical because its polarisation and its only wire(he says) i was going to build one myself but we have quite high winds here in Leek and the bamboo poles i was debating using wouldnt take the winds i dont think anything else starts to get as expensive as buying the thing. g3xov his version of the joystick aerial is a good one and he works very well from 40 to 10 it does work from 160m to 10m but top band and 80m are not very efficient. Another one which maybe good if you have plastic guttering is to put wire around the guttering and feeder down the down pipe not a brilliant idea but one that may get you on the bands if your stuck. Mag loops are a very good idea i was listening to a localish amateur work the falklands with a loop he had in his shack(rather him than me) and theyre not very big and i guess would work well in a loft. Just a quick one why do the special events operating on cw send at very fast speeds i tried to work a special event for data i think it was lovely fist and signal just took me 3 attempts to get it then had to double check using cw get i didnt work him in the end the special event for the RNLI was the same i know most of you experienced cw ops can and do send beautiful cw at faster speeds but no matter how nice it is to hear it might be an idea to maybe slow down a bit for us beginers heee. I was listening to a g3 and a g4(i think off hand) on 80m cw i was going to wait to work one of them but to be honest it was just good to listen to it as is normally the case for me now ill listen on 20m or 80m and the quality of the cw being sent is like a song sounds daft maybe but i enjoy relaxing to cw a good fist is like relaxing to say classical music or something mellow (although i enjoy rock bluegrass country etc)anyway im waffling Best 73 Gareth de 2e0bkw . .
 
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