Just curious, Eric.  Have you had this problem in multiple locations out 
there?
Lou Kolb
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric Clegg" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: Talking watt meter?


> Hi Jim,
> I'm a disillusioned ham in an apartment.
> I have an Extra class
> license and have yet to make a contact on HF since moving to California 
> some
> 22 years ago.
>
> Apart from the fact that I love my job I hate the radio reception out 
> here.
>
> It seemed to be way better back east in Philly where I lived for 13 years
> before moving out here.
>
> I have tried the following antennas without success.
>
> I have two shortened high-power dipoles for 20 meters. I have one also for
> 15 meters. They seem virtually worthless. The 480 just tells me I have a
> high swr
>
> I also have one of the end fed dipoles I can't remember who makes it. I'm
> tenpted to string that along the inside roof of my apartment and see if it
> will work.
>
> I also own the following other antennas that I need help assembling.
>
> A Budistick
>
> A ventenna antenna both of which I bought at Pacificon last year.
>
> The only antenna that seems to have possibilities which my good friend 
> Buddy
> Brannan helped me assemble over the phone is the Alex Loop Walkham 
> antenna.
>
> I also have the biggger Alex magnetic loop. Unfortunately it nees to have
> the ends of the copper tube soldered to the tuning unit.
>
> I've asked a non ham friend to do the soldering for me. I'll be lucky to 
> see
> it back in six months.
>
> The Yaesu FT817ND is a cute little radio. It can be made sort of 
> accessible
> using either the Radio Mate British made keypad or the millenium Qsyer.
>
> Each keypad has its own advantagages. For instance the Millenium will read
> the mode and frequency in CW if certain commands are used.
>
> The Radio mate has one command set that will let you go thru the various
> modulation schemes with the press of a keypad key.
>
> I don't remember that one can do this with the Qsyer but I might be wrong.
>
> I had to get a sighted fellow to setup some of the initial menus for me.
>
> Right now I can't seem to get the Yaesu to pick up any am band stations. 
> It
> did until I took it to Pacificon last year. Then a Yaesu tech made some 
> menu
> adjustments and now no more am band. It seems to pick up all of the other
> bands ok. I can't even get KFBK here in Sacramento and that's a 50 
> thousand
> watt station. I'm reluctant to send it back to Yaesu they'll think I'm 
> nuts.
>
> I also have an Icom IC703 Plus with the speech board in it but can't 
> figure
> a way to run up the speech without taking apart the radio and adjusting a
> pot.
>
> So in short I've got three radios and no HF contacts.
>
> When I lived in Philadelphia I had such bad antennas from a condo that I
> used to quip as a novice that I should get the worked all blocks award.
>
> I miss CW.
>
> I can't believe what I'm asking is that impossible.
>
> I may get an MP1 eventually but for now I'm really reluctant to get 
> another
> piece of aluminum and generally disgusted with the hobby.
>
> I don't want one more useless piece of hardware.
>
> I also don't understand all the bells and whistles on the 480.  For 
> instance
> I have no idea how to spot a CW signal with the control it has. In the old
> days you just zero beat the signal.
>
> I've tried to listen to the net on Sundays and all I generally hear are
> extremely weak signals.
>
> I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.
>
> 73,
>
> Eric
> KU3I