[Elecraft] KX1 Tricks

[drew.neve at us.army.mil]

Wow!
I never thought I'd get so many responses to my little submission to this forum.  Thank you, I'm afraid I can't respond to them all.
Thanks for the encouragement in the dipole at reduced height, Leigh.  I hadn't thought of the depth of the water table adding to my antenna height.
There is a group of vacant tents that are on the list to come down, they are kind of tucked back in the corner on the camp.  That's where I feel the safest doing experiments with wire. Covert is a good thing.
The sand (soil?) around here is packed hard.  There is a little spike to hold the PAC-12 that is a challenge to get even half way in.
One little bit of ingenuity that I am proud of:  I did string up a long wire, a little over 100' between tents.  I cut the tops off plastic water bottles to make insulators.  Seems to work like a charm.


CPT Drew Neve
Battle Captain
S3 ASG-Kuwait
Eager to Assist

----- Original Message -----
From: "Leigh L Klotz, Jr." <Leigh at WA5ZNU.org>
Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2006 1:48 am
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 Tricks

> Drew,
> FB on your new KX1; I carry mine with me most of the time, though 
> not in
> such circumstances as yours!
> 
> I don't know your topography, but if the soil conductivity is 
> poor, you
> might consider the following:
> 
> The PAC-12 depends on ground coupling and good soil conductivity, 
> so you
> may want to double up and/or lengthen the stock radials and even 
> considerusing symmetric 1/4 wavelength radials if you're really on 
> sand.
> Or turn necessity into a virtue:
> 
> If you're on dry sand, you might actually not need much elevation, 
> as the
> RF ground may be well below you (water table).  Others here and on 
> HFPackhave much more experience operating from deserts and report 
> this.  So, a
> dipole at tent height (or even on the ground) might perform quite 
> well. 
> Plus you will get serveral dB of gain from your 9K prefix.
> 
> 73 es GL,
> Leigh / WA5ZNU
> 
> > but the tents are only 12' at the peak, there are no trees.
>