Congrats on your first contact.   As for the dipole:  it isn't broke, so 
don't fix it.   1.4:1 is just fine.    You should make a swr  chart for this 
antenna.   Keeping to the portion of the band you are allowed to operate, 
check swr at the top, bottom, and 1 or 2 places in the middle of the band. 
keep a record of each frequency and it's swr, such as 14.250 = 1.4:1, 14.300 
1.3:1 etc.   Even check  in the portion of the cw band you can use.  This 
info can help in the future to figure out problems that may arise.

Also knowing the swr curve of the antenna across the whole band will help 
you to know if you should shorten or lengthen the antenna if tuning is 
needed.

73, Steve KW3A


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gery Gaubert" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 1:01 AM
Subject: good to go


> Well we got the dipole up today.  Swr is 1.4/1 with total 100 watts.
> Forward power is 99 and reflective is 6.  I worked a station in
> northwest Arkansas he gave me a report of 5 9 and he sounded as though
> he was sitting right beside me.  I know northwest Arkansas isn't all
> that far but I was so excited to be able to get on that I forgot to log
> his info which I regret now because afterall he was my first contact on
> hf.  We didn't get the vertical up today, weather didn't cooperate and
> night time came.  While the night time didn't bother me at all my
> brother and my dad said they needed to see.  I will need about a 50 foot
> length of coax to get the vertical up and my son and I can handle that
> during the week.  Thanks to all who patiently took the time to work with
> me on this, I can't thank you enough.  Maybe some day I can help others.
> It really is neat once it all works.  I may try to tune the dipole some
> more to see if I can get the swr lower but for now I will sit back and
> enjoy it.  Also, my new general class appeared in the data base
> Gery Gaubert
> St. Charles Sheriff's Office Helpdesk Coordinator
>
>
>