[AReU] New antennas at W4TAS

[Tony Stone]

I have been fairly busy getting some antennas up lately. The old rotor was
in bad
shape as was some of the hardware holding my old arrays in the air. It was
good
fortune for me for the rotor to quit because I had the antennas down when
the
storm hit.

I have installed a new 3 element beam for 6 meters and re-installed my 18
element beam for 432 MHz and my 14 element beam for 144 MHz. I have
not significantly increased the height but at least the hardware is in good
shape
now. I will be looking for any activity on any of these bands on the weak
signal
calling frequencies. For 432 MHz it is 432.1 MHz USB, for 144 MHz it is
144.2 MHz
USB and for 50 MHz it is 50.125 MHz USB.

I am also in the process of installing a 25 element loop Yagi for 1296 MHz
and
a 2.4 GHz grid antenna for 2304 MHz. The grid antenna was used for AO 40
on 2400 MHz but it showed a fairly good return loss number for 2304 MHz.

If anyone has equipment for these bands please get with me and we can
schedule
a QSO if for nothing else that just getting on the band. The antenna system
can
be vertical or horizontal for local work but a horizontal antenna is pretty
much
required for any serious distances.

I have worked Cozad, Nebraska on 2 meters SSB (1250 miles) and Pasadena,
Texas on 432 MHz SSB (860 miles). My best distance on 6 meters is Hilo,
Hawaii
(5500 miles). I am hoping to get across the Gulf of Mexico on 1296 with my
5 watts and 25 element loop Yagi antenna. That should be just a matter of
time for
a good band opening.

Let me know if you are interested in operating on any of these bands.

73

Tony