Getting the last minute woolgathering in before the contest begins.<\/p>\n
Made a last-minute antenna mod to the Inv-L with K2AV FCP.\u00c2\u00a0 The antenna matching network has been ready for switching out matching capacitors for over a year.\u00c2\u00a0 The missing piece has been a control box and control cable to the feedpoint.\u00c2\u00a0 After a bit of consideration of solving this issue before the contest, the brain caught up and realized an interim solution was already in place.<\/p>\n
When the Sixpak was added to the antenna system a couple of years back, the existing seven position switch was pressed into ‘temporary’ service as an A\/B switch for a pair of 40m dipoles.\u00c2\u00a0 But they occupy positions 1 & 2 on the switch.<\/p>\n
So why not use the other switch positions to serve double duty?\u00c2\u00a0 The switch is about ten feet from the base of the 160m antenna, so its a short run of control cable versus the 80 run needed back to the shack.<\/p>\n
So as a quick and dirty solution, I hacked together a plug to mate to the switch control line.\u00c2\u00a0 Just plug the 160m switch into the control cable for the seven position switch.<\/p>\n
Presto-change-o.\u00c2\u00a0 Now I can move the best match on 160m from 1820 up to 1845.\u00c2\u00a0 Sufficient for a CW contest, although 1855 would be ideal.\u00c2\u00a0 More tweaking needed, but better.<\/p>\n
Goals for the weekend are more or less to lay down a good set of spots into the Reverse Beacon Network.\u00c2\u00a0 No real QSO goals.\u00c2\u00a0 Try to maximize time spent running, and try to do it over two nights.<\/p>\n
C U L\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 de w4kaz<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Getting the last minute woolgathering in before the contest begins.<\/p>\n
Made a last-minute antenna mod to the Inv-L with K2AV FCP.\u00c2 The antenna matching network has been ready for switching out matching capacitors for over a year.\u00c2 The missing piece has been a control box and control cable to the feedpoint.\u00c2 After a bit of consideration of solving this issue before the contest, the brain caught up and realized an interim solution was already in place.<\/p>\n
When the Sixpak was added to the antenna system a couple of years back, the existing seven position switch was pressed into ‘temporary’ service as an A\/B switch for a pair of 40m dipoles.\u00c2 But they occupy positions 1 & 2 on the switch.<\/p>\n
So why not use the other switch positions to serve double duty?\u00c2 The switch is about ten feet from the base of the 160m antenna, so its a short run of control cable versus the 80 run needed back to the shack.<\/p>\n
So as a quick and dirty solution, I hacked together a plug to mate to the switch control line.\u00c2 Just plug the 160m switch into the control cable for the seven position switch.<\/p>\n
Presto-change-o.\u00c2 Now I can move the best match on 160m from 1820 up to 1845.\u00c2 Sufficient for a CW contest, although 1855 would be ideal.\u00c2 More tweaking needed, but better.<\/p>\n
Goals for the weekend are more or less to lay down a good set of spots into the Reverse Beacon Network.\u00c2 No real QSO goals.\u00c2 […]<\/p>\n