GET THOSE BEAMS UP!

Set up a K7WFM VHF annex station in a spare upstairs bedroom this afternoon. 5 elements on 2M and 11 on on 432Mhz mounted on a fiberglass pole bungee strapped to a weight bench riser. LOL Will use the armstrong method to rotate. Radio will be the trusty FT857D. Operation will be casual.

BONUS: If things get slow, I can get on the treadmill and work off some calories. Yay!

 

Yeah and I have to work this Saturday.

I figure though I'll be able to get on Sunday a bit, make some contacts for the log at least, help some people out who are "playing for score."

Should be able to hear a lot more with a loop instead of a beam as well.

 

NIG:

I seriously doubt that you will hear more on a loop instead of a beam!

Yes, the beam will have to be rotated. But, when one is dealing with "weak signal" modes, every dB definitely helps and a beam should have considerably more gain than a loop.

Glen, K9STH

 

Selling my loops, hope to get a 9 ele 2m beam up by friday, maybe get the 6m beam up fixed east.

 

STH:

Oh, I agree. I just figure I'll be hearing a lot more than usual this coming weekend on it.

Except for nets and the occasional response to a CQ, its nice and quiet around here usually.

 

Earlier today a X1.2 flare occurred and the sunspot was broadside to the earth. So for the next several days be on the alert for auroral Eskip and just plain aurora propagation on 6 meters. Aurora propagation can bring a lot of surprises on both 6 and 2 meters, If intense enough watch 220 and 432 as well. Good hunting.

Art-N2AU

 

Correction, it was an X1.6 flare.

Art-N2AU

 

Threw together a 6M wire dipole for the upstairs annex station.

 

Got the 2m 9 ele LFA up fixed east. Still need a rotor and some tower hardware to put it up higher.