I finally finished up my homebrewed HF EFHW (FT240-43 toroid and insulated solid copper wire). I got tired of reading many write-ups on various unun designs (many conflicting each other) and finally settled on copying the one used by QRPGuys for their no-tune EFHW since it used the same mix toroid I had already purchased (I used that antenna kit when I had an FT-817nd, so I knew it worked). That gave me a 1:64 ratio autotransformer. The radiator was cut for 20m. For simplicity's sake, I used the coax shield as the counterpoise, with 10 mix 31 ferrite beads at the 6' mark, giving me an appropriate length for 40m, which is the goal after I build a loading coil (not enough space for a proper 40m radiator). With everything put up into the air, I trimmed the radiator until SWR dropped below 1.5:1 at 14.285. I hooked up to my 746Pro, I could get it to tune up on 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, and 80! I made contacts on 20 and 80 running about 60w (didn't try the other bands). The only band I can't get to tune, but want is 40. The coil should solve that problem. Chris
I checked in with the guys on my morning 160 meter group. While I was doing that, I noticed that my 80 meter CW contact with A25RU in Botswana was confirmed. While getting more coffee, I looked out the window at my 6BTV vertical that I had used to make that contact. I thought about how I had used that little antenna to contact Botswana. Across the US, over the Atlantic, into Africa. And it gave me the same feeling I got working my very first DX as a Novice just shy of 50 years ago. A feeling of complete amazement. I realized that I have never lost that feeling of "WOW!". I've worked every continent, and nearly every DX entity in my time. But it doesn't matter if it's across the state or across the world, I still get a thrill out of it. If that thrill ever goes away, I probably won't be doing this any more. But it has lasted this long, I doubt it will go away.
I have been in the hobby for almost 45 years...every time I think the excitement will fade, I uncover a different aspect of the hobby. It's a lifelong adventure.
I can't "like" this enough. Only 15 years for me, but there are so many things to do in this hobby that only boring people will be bored by it. Regarding the thread subject, I went hiking & picnicking on Skyline Drive with my family yesterday and took an HT along. While at the top of the mountain, I worked a few hams down the valley doing a SOTA activation. That was a 70 mile QSO with a 5w HT and half-wave whip on my end. I know the other two hams via SOTA. They both use Arrow beams, but one uses an FM mobile rig, while the other uses an FT-818. Not sure which radio was in use, so they could be running anywhere from 5w to 50w. Chris
lol, sick at home, plenty of time to cherrish my hobby, 1 of a few... but having some eye problems are no use if you like to ride a motorbike or taking pics with a camera.... so ham radio it is, and i am very thankfull to the people who put in the big displays in my radios....
Helping a friend to put N1MM Logger in operation, connecting it to his IC-7400, installing USB driver... setting up Telnet DX cluster and bandmap. Finally works, he is happy, so am I. Via Skype of course.
