[Elecraft] Best band for low cost DXing?

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/28/07 12:15:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Keith.Darwin at goodrich.com writes:


> I'm interested in the
> band that allows me (or by friend) to be a contender, not an also-ran,
> for low cost.  I'm CW and he's SSB.  I'm lucky that I have 40 and 30.
> 

The question is, how do you define "contender" and "also-ran"? If you mean
being able to work almost as many DX stations as the Big Boys, that's 
possible - it just takes more time. 

But if you mean you want to beat them, or come close, without their hardware, 
sorry, that's not how it works.

A lot can be done with a modest station, particularly when conditions are 
good and the ham on the other end has a decent setup. But conditions aren't 
always good and the ham on the other end doesn't always have a decent setup. That's 
the difference. 

AC7AC is right; if you want to compete in a Formula 1 race, you need a 
Formula 1 car. My old 1980 VW Rabbit Diesel and its 11 gallon tank could do the Indy 
500 without a pit stop - in 8 hours and change. 

What I thought you were asking is how to get the most DX performance out of a 
limited space and money budget. That can be done, and it's a fun quest to see 
how
close you can come to the Big Guns. 

73 de Jim, N2EY




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