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