[BARC-List] 10 meter rig question

[Jason Pramas]

Hi all,

 

More in my continuing wee shack building saga. 

 

Got a used Realistic HTX-100 25w 10 meter ssb/cw rig last week-because I
figured that, despite being in a trough in the solar cycle, it would be
easier to deal with antenna issues (short compared to, say, an 80 meter
band antenna) and to find a cheap HF rig to mess around with until I get
my general (and save some money for a better HF rig). Plus, Techs with
code like myself get a reasonable slice of the band compared to our
allowance on some other HF bands.

 

The antenna I got as part of the deal from a ham on Ebay was a modified
cb mag mount vertical whip. Not ideal, I know, but it was basically
thrown in for free, and I paid a bit less than what people are paying
for the HTX-100 on average anyway. I'm on the third floor of a triple
decker, too, so I'm already 30 feet off the ground.

 

The rig powers up nicely with a 25 amp switching DC power supply I got
(temporarily) from Radio Shack (I'm going to return it because I think
its fan is too loud).

 

The antenna is inside for the moment. If I'm going to keep using it, I
may put a metal shelf out of one of my windows to place it on, or mount
it on the back porch.

 

However, I'm not sure that I should stick with the whip. I'm not able to
pick up anything but some musical sounding tones that increase or
decrease (as on a musical scale) for a few hertz (with each hertz or
fraction of a hertz) I scan as I move up or down the band. I have not
yet been able to pick up a beacon or anything else. I do notice that I
get varying signal readings on different frequencies, but nothing more.
And I just missed a W. MA 10 meter net on 28.375 khz tonight that I had
been unaware of until just now.

 

So my question is: Is it unusual for someone with an underpowered rig
and a lousy antenna to get nothing on a somewhat underused band during a
low point in the solar cycle?

 

Or is it a bad rig (I don't think it is, but I'm not an expert),
therefore necessitating an attempt to get a refund for it?

 

And what are these musical tones I hear on some frequencies? I recall
hearing them on some frequencies above 50 MHz as well. Do they prove
that this rig is, in fact, ok?

 

Any advice appreciated (everyone's advice was great with my last newbie
question; so now I'm back for more-I'll try to space my question a week
apart to not clutter up the listserv ;> ).

 

73,

 

Jason, KB1JPB



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