[AK-VHF] NET: March-11 - 144.200/146.52 & Up

[Brandon Clark]

Hello group, 

Thanks for all the VHF contacts during the POTA activation yesterday. I've been running a lot of FT* on those activations, and it's been getting BORING. It's so much nicer to interact with real people, rather than just the computer, lol. 

I've got some troubleshooting to do on my gear (as usual). The collapsible Yagi was working, but something was causing me to have much weaker signals than I should have. The 5/8 λ vertical antenna I keep in the truck as a backup was performing better than the yagi, so something was definitely off. 

I'm also going to look into a new way of setting up antennas in the field. Currently I use my truck's camper shell as a giant hardpoint for mounting antennas. The shell has a cargo rack built in, which works great. However, I'm getting really tired of climbing all over the truck and straining to reach antennas - especially since it's a frozen slippery truck in the winter, and a wet slippery truck in the summer. 

For the new mount I'm going to revisit an old design: a drive-on mast mount. When I first moved up here I made a drive-on mast that used a plywood base and hinged section, along with a standard TV tripod for the mast holder. That setup has always been ridiculously heavy, so I never used it much. I'm going to make a new version with the following features:
-All steel construction for lighter weight (ironic, but true)
-Reuses the same TV tripod
-Hinged fold-over section for easy access to antennas
-Modifications to the tripod allowing the mast to fully pass through it and attach to a base-mounted rotator.

I already have all of the materials, so it should be a relatively easy project. I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes. With a setup like that I will be able to run better antennas, more easily, and will be able to re point antennas at will rather than being tied to a single direction. 
73,

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
https://brandonclarklabs.com/

Sent with Proton Mail secure email.

------- Original Message -------
On Saturday, March 11th, 2023 at 20:52, Ed Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:


> Net Report:
> 
> 144.200:
> KL7BSC/p - S1 (mobile whip) Sterling Hwy (BP40)
> KL7ZK - S9+30
> KL6M - S3 (on vert w/multi-path dist), S1 on yagi pointed to KL7BSC
> KL7YK/m - by relay
> 
> 146.52:
> KL7BSC/p - S6
> KL7ZK - S9+15
> KL6M - S7
> NL7OW - S7
> KL7XJ - S6
> KL3WF - S3/S7 (multi-path dist)
> 
> 223.50:
> KL7ZK - 3bar (new 60w radio into 2m yagi)
> KL6M - 3bar
> KL7XJ - 3bar
> 
> 446.00:
> KL7BSC/p - S1
> KL7XJ - S3
> KL7ZK - S9+15
> 
> 50.125 Noise=S4:
> KL7ZK - S9+15 (loading 40m antenna)
> KL6M - S6
> NL7OW - S8
> KL7BSC/p - NA
> 
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> new man door installed and two attic vents this afternoon; 2nd 36x48
> window tomorrow.
> 
> 
> On 3/10/2023 8:57 PM, Brandon Clark via ak-vhf wrote:
> 
> > Hi Ed,
> > 
> > The truck is packed and I'm all ready to go. With good roads I'll be on the net around 0930.
> > 
> > Frequency plan you posted is still good.
> > 
> > Brandon Clark, KL7BSC
> > https://brandonclarklabs.com/
> > 
> > Sent from Proton Mail mobile
> > 
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > On Mar 10, 2023, 19:56, Ed Cole wrote:
> > 
> > > Special operation times this week: 9:30am - 10:00am 144.200 USB 10:00am - 10:30am 146.52 FM plus: 50.125 USB 223.50 FM 432.200 USB/446.00 FM* Brandon -KL7BSC/p will be on the Sterling Hwy east of Sterling with his truck portable system and using IC9700 on 2m & 70cm with yagis Also IC7300 on 6m with dipole and selected HF bands with vertical. This will be a POTA activation so every contact counts. He will be capable of SSB/FM/FT8. The hwy in the mi 62-64 range is higher than that to the west so offers better access north (I can bring up 146.94 repeater along there). Leave details for Brandon to post. 10:30- will be exclusively used to contact Brandon. *Note: I had a hunch that my vertical might be working on UHF and tested SWR=1.1 from 420-450 MHz (with 58w). Station is now wired thru a manual 4 pos coax switch to enable 2m/70cm/33cm/23cm (once antennas are installed on the tower). 2m/70cm QRV thru the vertical. I will be QRT at 11:00am for breakfast as I have a worker arriv
> > > ing at noon to work on my new hamshack. Should be an interesting net and more. 73, Ed - KL7UW ______________________________________________________________ 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
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