[600MRG] Progress for 630M trips

[Ed Gray W0SD]

We had a terrible Sept and Oct for antenna WX but PTL November has been 
good.  It reminds me of desert WX warms up by 11 am and stays warm until 
dark.  Anyway I decided rather than wait until next April to work on the 
portable 630 portable antenna I would do it now since the WX was OK.  So 
I got the 5th wheel out and started to work on it.  I constructed an 
inverted "L" which is 35 feet vertical on a mast on the back of the 5th 
wheel and it goes 90 feet horizontal.  I have 4 radials about 80 feet 
long.  The far end of the antenna is 35 feet high on a mast on the front 
of the F-350.  When something higher is available like a tree I will get 
it as high as I can.  I have a Weaver tree trimming throw line, a home 
made air cannon and a DJI Mini 2 Drone to get over a tree. The next part 
of the project was to get a better Varometer.  The antenna came out so I 
needed 397uH so I got the Varometer to tune that range and less by 
taking off some turns.  I found the 50 ohm point up just under 4 turns.  
Based on the ND and WY trip one needs a lot of taps for the 50 ohm point 
and taps on the coil to get less inductance for a longer antenna.   
Things change a lot from the home portable test.  If I need more 
inductance the varometer should handle it as this is the shortest 
antenna I will use.   So I tested on Friday night and activity was 
extremely low but I worked W0IOO and K9KFR.  I copied K8HI, W3TS. WB8DQT 
and KE7A on   FST4.  On WSPR I copied 22 unique stations  At 80 miles 
Marc WB0TEM copied me at +12 with the portable antenna and with my fixed 
antenna +20.    I was running 40 watts with the Monitor sensor 630 
transverter.  I have the Quartzsite AZ site and a site in KS. approved.  
I will be on from the Quartzfest which lasts a week toward the end of 
January;  I will be on from KS in early April on the way back from AZ.  
When I get back I will lengthen my antenna  from 125 feet to 160 feet 
and set it up with the varometer and also set it up for 200 feet. For 
testing I have a 60 foot high tree I will use to get the end higher.  
Arliss W7XU found getting the end of his inverted L higher on his trip 
to LA made a dramatic difference.  The trip in mid  to late April will 
be to MS and hopefully LA and AR assuming no activity from there.

I want to thank Marc WB0TEM and Darin KB0HYH for help with the varometer.

As Quartzsite approaches I will zero in on the dates.  It took me 2.5 
hours  to tear down the antenna which means set up will take at least 3 
hours.  I will probably be on Monday -Friday night of Quartzfest.

If you need AZ or KS let me know and I will answer you if I see you.

Ed W0SD