[Elecraft] KX1 did good at OPARC

[David F. Reed]

   Michael,
   do  not despair.  What you are experiencing is common enough, and made
   worse  no  doubt  by  the  terrible  band  conditions we are currently
   suffering.   I offer some suggestions below, and I am confident others
   on the list will have better ones to offer.
   mc wrote:

HI Chuck,

I was in North Florida this week-end and WELL,  I now know its something I am d
oing wrong and not the KX1.  I took the KX1 to a OPARC  meeting contest head qu
arters and asked one of the operators named Jim to check it out for me. He hook
ed into his antenna used for the contest and in less than five minutes had cont
act with some one in Indiana. The KX1 was  using new internal batteries and was
 measuring almost  0.7 watt output on 20 meters. 
  

   First of all, it is reassuring to hear that all is well with your KX1.

So where in the world do I start, I have tried changing the antenna direction ,
 the height of the antenna, the size and length of the wire. Where else do I lo
ok for problems as to why I can not get out from my neighborhood. 

any suggestion,  help would be appreciated.
  

   My  suggestion is fairly simple, and most QRPers have had to learn it;
   some the hard way, some by an easier way...
   My help offer is equally simple.
    1. Calling  CQ  is not very productive for QRP most of the time (some
       exceptions  of  course,  and  on  the  QRP  calling frequencies is
       better.  It can be frustrating enough with a full powered rig when
       the bands are dead, so go easy on yourself in this area.
    2. Listening  is a good approach; tune around and find someone who is
       extraordinarily  loud; if they are calling CQ, answer and throw in
       a  QRP  after  your call... if they are not, wait until the QSO is
       over, and call them.
       I mean after all, if you can hear them real well, you will be some
       number  of  db  down in level, but likely to be "hearable" if they
       are listening.
    3. while  Field  day  is  going, still try stringing something up, as
       long  and  as  high  as  you  can easily get it; then tune around,
       looking  for  some  strong signal to answer.  40 meters might be a
       good bet, but any of the three on the KX1 should yield results.

   There  is  a repeater analogy that sort of applies; they call the ones
   that  you can hear from far away but cannot get into "Alligators" (Big
   mouths,  little  ears); in some ways the KX1 is the opposite; it has a
   great  little receiver, and though a nice clean transmitter, it is low
   power,  so  its not shouting; you can hear better with it than you can
   shout.
   So,  you  want  a  reasonable  antenna,  and look for loud stations at
   first;  later as you refine your technique, try other things; you will
   recognize  when the bands are open and when you will likely get heard,
   and it becomes easier; do not despair.
   Now, a couple of questions...
   are  you  familiar  with the dx packet clusters?  if so, you will note
   that  you  can  see  "spots"  of  DX  stations,  but also the spotting
   station.   If  you  are  on  the  Internet  and have a PC you can load
   running  windows,  I can point you at some good freeware to use to see
   these  spots,  log,  and so on - anyway, the idea I have is this; if I
   can  see  stations  around  your QTH on and hear them, and you can see
   them  and hear them around me, I am glad to try to make a contact with
   you; we could use MSN messenger to work the details out, and see if we
   can  manufacture  a  contact so that you get your confidence up... you
   can  reply direct to me if you care to try this, and we can set it up.
   If  this  does  not work, find a more local Elmer, and I am sure there
   are  many  there in Maricopa county that would be happy to do the same
   thing.

MC -- KB7DPC

   73 de 5SV, Dave
-- 
David F. Reed  - W5SV -     cell: 512 585-1057