Hey, all.
Well, for a variety of reasons, not the least was an unexpected rainy and
cool day on Friday, the XYL and I didn't get the G5RV up at the camp site
until early yesterday evening. However, all was not lost. I did manage to
get onto 40 meters later last evening, and made two CW contacts--one with a
guy in Southern Illinois, and another with someone near Rodchester NY. Both
gave me 579 signal reports, despite lots of QRN and other noise on the band.
Quite simply, the band did not seem to be in very good shape, which is what
I think you guys found out earlier that afternoon on the round table.
As it stands now, the G5RV is only up about 15 feet or so, quite simply
because there are not any substantial trees or other structures to tie it
too at the camp site. And, like last year, I need approximately 100 feet of
coax to get the antenna to tune down to the bottom of 40 meters with the
auto-tuner in the TS480. The antenna tunes now on 10 through 40, and on the
bottom half of 80.
I tried to get as much of the ladder line to be as vertical as possible, but
with only a 15-foot height, that idea only goes so far. I guess, if nothing
else, it's a good NVIS antenna! (grin)
If anyone has any suggestions as to what I might do to improve things, given
these constraints, please send them my way.
In the meantime, I guess some sort of antenna is better than none, and the
G5RV is sure a heck of a lot quieter sounding than the screw-driver mounted
on back of the RV ever was.
When I get back out to the camp site later this week, I'll give things
another try. I plan to at least make some sort of an effort in the CQ WPX
CW contest this week-end, and hope to check into at least one of our nets as
well.
Will keep everyone posted.
Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
|