Issue #8: QRO with the Legal Limit Mercury LUX

Thanks, Dave. Yes...it's nice having an antenna out in the desert far away from my house (more than 350 feet), thus eliminating noise and RFI from my and surrounding homes. Even though I'm in an antenna restricted HOA, I am fortunate to have a lot backing up to a hill that let me put up that stealth motorized screwdriver that no one in the community can see. It's perfect for a SS amp without need for a tuner, as the highest SWR on any band is 1.7:1, mostly much less than 1.5:1. I'm on the LUX list, and look forward to operating it.

73, Bob K7JQ

 

Bob, what kind of cabling do you have running that distance? I'm afraid of loss using LMR 400 at just 150ft, let alone 350! Dave

 

DXE-400MAX, same as LMR400. Actually, the antenna is 350 feet to the back of my yard. It's another 50 feet to the shack! The only better alternative is hardline...no thanks (not to mention the cost) trying to bury it all the way down and around the prickly bushes covering the hill, like I did with the 400Max to avoid critters munching on it. It was a real PITA as is using a flexible cable. I don't worry about loss, because I can't do anything about it. The advantage of getting the antenna where it is (transmit and receive), with 60 radials, IMO outweighs the transmit loss involved. With that antenna, I've worked over 290 countries, broken DXpedition pile-ups, and achieved some pretty decent contest scores, rivaling the scores of other members in my contest club that have higher and much more (directional) aluminum in the air.

My opinion: If you have compromised antennas, use as much power as possible to overcome it. That's why I'm moving on from my current Acom 1200s (1KW) to the LUX. As mainly a contester, that extra 500W, although a small difference in dB, could be just what's needed to nab that new multiplier, and/or put your signal just enough above their noise level for them to hear you. I noticed a difference when I went from a previous Acom 1000 to the legal limit Acom 1500 tube amps.

73, Bob K7JQ

 

Agree, Bob. I had a similar bounce when I moved from Merc IIIS amp at about 1kw to the LUX. Wow, that's a long and expensive coax run, but apparently worth it! Dave

 

Long, yes. But not really that expensive. Looking back at my DXE invoice, 11/6/2012, I purchased two- 200 foot rolls of 400MAX for $391.76 total. The antenna, back then, was $459. Prices are much higher now, though. Still, a paltry sum considering what many spend for towers, rotators, antennas, feedlines, cost of installation, and accessories. The nice thing about a ground-mounted screwdriver antenna is virtually no maintenance, and I don't have to climb it. The trick for performance is to get it way out in the open, with as many radials as possible. I have sixty 25-foot radials stapled to the ground.
Bob