[AK-VHF] NET: 17 Nov. - 144.200 USB

Brandon Clark kl7bsc at gmail.com
Wed Nov 21 20:43:08 EST 2018 

Very cool Ed. That's good to hear about the rotator. Is this going to make
your 2m array moveable again?

I'll have to look into the Moxon design. I've seen them before, but never
looked at them in detail. What I was planning to do for the 6m yagi was use
telescoping tubing, and locate the junctions between tube sizes such that
removing the outer sections shortens the yagi enough for driving. Can't use
it while mobile though.

My big push for the January event is actually going to be contacting the
Fairbanks area from around Anchorage. With high locations and some gain on
both ends of the contact I think it can be done. Digital modes should help.
I'll have to scare up another operator on the Fairbanks side who can get to
a good location though.
Brandon


On Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 09:43 Edward R Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:

> Brandon,
>
> Yes, the WA5VJB yagis is popular and works well, but the wood and
> cheap boom construction is not up to the rigors of mobile/rovering.
>
> I built a 6m moxon to take on our long trip south this summer and it
> worked very well (basically is two element yagi with ends bent toward
> each other and physically acting like a rectangular loop.  I used a
> wooden boom (1-inch closet pole) for support clamped to two 7-foot
> sections of TV mast.  This was tied off to the ladder on back of our
> trailer so antenna extended about 2-3 foot above the roof.  I
> recommend the moxon over a 2-element 6m yagi as structurally better.
>
> I have used M2 yagis quite a bit and are rugged.  But not cheap.  In
> the past I have used only the 2m or the 70cm elements mounted on an
> Arrow antenna.
>
> Notes on my projects:
> 2m 1200w amp is ready for "smoke" tests
> 6m dual-yagi array is complete except for running some phasing lines
> and attaching some phillystran braces; needs to be raised off the
> ground at least 10-foot to check tuning.
> New Ham-IV rotator will be delivered by Fedex tomorrow.
> I will either repair or replace 432 preamp when I lower the 2m-eme
> array for rotor work.
>
> wx looks OK for getting outside to work.
>
> 73, Ed
>
> At 08:27 AM 11/18/2018, Brandon Clark wrote:
> >Hello group,
> >
> >I've been missing the Saturday nets lately - was out of town the last two
> >weekends, and my remaining portable 2M yagi bit the dust during the
> >Turnagain Arm test about a month ago.
> >
> >To get into the simplex net from my house I need gain. I'm working on a
> >bi-directional yagi for home use, which is basically a driven element with
> >a director on opposite sides. NEC2 modeling indicates that it should be
> >good for getting gain towards both the Mat-Su and Anchorage areas
> >simultaneously. East-west Rx/Tx will be down about 6db, which is fine
> since
> >there isn't much out those directions.
> >
> >The other VHF project is a new suite of antennas for the rover. I used
> >WA5VJB yagis for the last two contests, but they didn't hold up very well
> -
> >good designs, but too lightly-constructed for my taste. For the January
> VHF
> >contest I'm going to be fielding new designs I modeled in 4NEC2. The plan
> >is for yagi antennas on 2M, 70cm, 1.25M, and 6M, all built with heavy-duty
> >aluminum and fiberglass construction. They also cover the full band with
> >under 1.5:1 SWR. If anyone is interested in the designs let me know.
> >Brandon
> >
> >
> >
> >On Sat, Nov 17, 2018, 23:44 Edward R Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:
> >
> > > Just a note about today's net:
> > >
> > > I was surprised to find infinite SWR (100w fwd/80w refl) at the
> > > beginning of the net so I switched to use my ARX-270 10-dB vertical
> > > for transmitting.  That lowered my signal about 10-dB from normal.
> > >
> > > AL7JX called at 9am and was S7 using my yagis for Rx.  Fortunately
> > > band was quiet with S3 level so Glenn  was strong.  Interestingly he
> > > searched by rotating his antenna for peak and found me very loud
> > > coming from West (apparent mountain bounce from across Cook
> > > Inlet).  This just shows that one should not just point directly on
> > > VHF+ bands as there is interesting propagation (at times).  Normally
> > > I can only work Glenn by pointing my yagis toward Anchorage which
> > > 180-degrees from direct path (guessing Chugach Mtn backscatter).
> > > KL7FZ was worked with S4-5 signal weak but readable
> > > WL7AU - S7 nice copy but he had trouble copying my vertical so I
> > > tried using the yagis even with high SWR - it worked better!
> > > KL6M - S9+10dB
> > > KL7YK - S5 difficult copy
> > > KL7JK - no copy
> > > KL4E - S9
> > >
> > > Normally would not operate with such bad SWR as I would expect the
> > > amp to shutdown.  It didn't.
> > >
> > > Spent afternoon installing LMR-600 phasing lines on new 6m dual-yagi
> > > system and soldering an 8-pin plug onto my elevation system cable
> > > outside in the light rain.  Did not troubleshot the 2m SWR.
> > >
> > > My new 2m 1200w amp is near completion and I found dc test with
> > > cooling fans running is too loud for operating SSB in the shack.  No
> > > problem for running digital eme modes as they are text with no audio
> > > in the room.  Ordered replacement Ham-IV rotator and 60-foot of new
> > > rotor cable to fix the 2m azimuth drive system.  May have the old
> > > rotator for sale (as-is).
> > >
> > > 73, Ed - KL7UW
> > > Happy Thanksgiving!
> > >
> > > At 09:37 PM 11/16/2018, Edward R Cole wrote:
> > > >Net begins at 9am on 144.200 USB
> > > >Hope to see you tomorrow on the net.
> > > >
> > > >73, Ed - KL7UW
> > > >   http://www.kl7uw.com
> > > >Dubus-NA Business mail:
> > > >   dubususa at gmail.com
> > > >______________________________________________________________
> > > >ak-vhf mailing list
> > > >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> > > >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > > >Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> > > >
> > > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > > >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > >
> > > 73, Ed - KL7UW
> > >    http://www.kl7uw.com
> > > Dubus-NA Business mail:
> > >    dubususa at gmail.com
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________________________
> > > ak-vhf mailing list
> > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > > Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> > >
> > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > >
> >______________________________________________________________
> >ak-vhf mailing list
> >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> >Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> >
> >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>    http://www.kl7uw.com
> Dubus-NA Business mail:
>    dubususa at gmail.com
>
>
On Nov 19, 2018 09:43, "Edward R Cole" <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:

Brandon,

Yes, the WA5VJB yagis is popular and works well, but the wood and
cheap boom construction is not up to the rigors of mobile/rovering.

I built a 6m moxon to take on our long trip south this summer and it
worked very well (basically is two element yagi with ends bent toward
each other and physically acting like a rectangular loop.  I used a
wooden boom (1-inch closet pole) for support clamped to two 7-foot
sections of TV mast.  This was tied off to the ladder on back of our
trailer so antenna extended about 2-3 foot above the roof.  I
recommend the moxon over a 2-element 6m yagi as structurally better.

I have used M2 yagis quite a bit and are rugged.  But not cheap.  In
the past I have used only the 2m or the 70cm elements mounted on an
Arrow antenna.

Notes on my projects:
2m 1200w amp is ready for "smoke" tests
6m dual-yagi array is complete except for running some phasing lines
and attaching some phillystran braces; needs to be raised off the
ground at least 10-foot to check tuning.
New Ham-IV rotator will be delivered by Fedex tomorrow.
I will either repair or replace 432 preamp when I lower the 2m-eme
array for rotor work.

wx looks OK for getting outside to work.

73, Ed

At 08:27 AM 11/18/2018, Brandon Clark wrote:
>Hello group,
>
>I've been missing the Saturday nets lately - was out of town the last two
>weekends, and my remaining portable 2M yagi bit the dust during the
>Turnagain Arm test about a month ago.
>
>To get into the simplex net from my house I need gain. I'm working on a
>bi-directional yagi for home use, which is basically a driven element with
>a director on opposite sides. NEC2 modeling indicates that it should be
>good for getting gain towards both the Mat-Su and Anchorage areas
>simultaneously. East-west Rx/Tx will be down about 6db, which is fine since
>there isn't much out those directions.
>
>The other VHF project is a new suite of antennas for the rover. I used
>WA5VJB yagis for the last two contests, but they didn't hold up very well -
>good designs, but too lightly-constructed for my taste. For the January VHF
>contest I'm going to be fielding new designs I modeled in 4NEC2. The plan
>is for yagi antennas on 2M, 70cm, 1.25M, and 6M, all built with heavy-duty
>aluminum and fiberglass construction. They also cover the full band with
>under 1.5:1 SWR. If anyone is interested in the designs let me know.
>Brandon
>
>
>
>On Sat, Nov 17, 2018, 23:44 Edward R Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net wrote:
>
> > Just a note about today's net:
> >
> > I was surprised to find infinite SWR (100w fwd/80w refl) at the
> > beginning of the net so I switched to use my ARX-270 10-dB vertical
> > for transmitting.  That lowered my signal about 10-dB from normal.
> >
> > AL7JX called at 9am and was S7 using my yagis for Rx.  Fortunately
> > band was quiet with S3 level so Glenn  was strong.  Interestingly he
> > searched by rotating his antenna for peak and found me very loud
> > coming from West (apparent mountain bounce from across Cook
> > Inlet).  This just shows that one should not just point directly on
> > VHF+ bands as there is interesting propagation (at times).  Normally
> > I can only work Glenn by pointing my yagis toward Anchorage which
> > 180-degrees from direct path (guessing Chugach Mtn backscatter).
> > KL7FZ was worked with S4-5 signal weak but readable
> > WL7AU - S7 nice copy but he had trouble copying my vertical so I
> > tried using the yagis even with high SWR - it worked better!
> > KL6M - S9+10dB
> > KL7YK - S5 difficult copy
> > KL7JK - no copy
> > KL4E - S9
> >
> > Normally would not operate with such bad SWR as I would expect the
> > amp to shutdown.  It didn't.
> >
> > Spent afternoon installing LMR-600 phasing lines on new 6m dual-yagi
> > system and soldering an 8-pin plug onto my elevation system cable
> > outside in the light rain.  Did not troubleshot the 2m SWR.
> >
> > My new 2m 1200w amp is near completion and I found dc test with
> > cooling fans running is too loud for operating SSB in the shack.  No
> > problem for running digital eme modes as they are text with no audio
> > in the room.  Ordered replacement Ham-IV rotator and 60-foot of new
> > rotor cable to fix the 2m azimuth drive system.  May have the old
> > rotator for sale (as-is).
> >
> > 73, Ed - KL7UW
> > Happy Thanksgiving!
> >
> > At 09:37 PM 11/16/2018, Edward R Cole wrote:
> > >Net begins at 9am on 144.200 USB
> > >Hope to see you tomorrow on the net.
> > >
> > >73, Ed - KL7UW
> > >   http://www.kl7uw.com
> > >Dubus-NA Business mail:
> > >   dubususa at gmail.com
> > >______________________________________________________________
> > >ak-vhf mailing list
> > >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> > >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > >Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> > >
> > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >
> > 73, Ed - KL7UW
> >    http://www.kl7uw.com
> > Dubus-NA Business mail:
> >    dubususa at gmail.com
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > ak-vhf mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >
>______________________________________________________________
>ak-vhf mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

73, Ed - KL7UW
   http://www.kl7uw.com
Dubus-NA Business mail:
   dubususa at gmail.com

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