[Elecraft] KAT500 question

[Tom H Childers]

It seems like I've heard someone suggest that spray-on car wax does a
good job of making the ladder line real slippery.  I haven't tried it
yet, but I have two ladderline pieces on my NVIS loop. Twenty seven
feet of feed line and a ten foot stub at the opposite corner that
detune a bit in the rain.  However when the loop needs to be
re-matched I just hit the straight key here and the KAT500 finds a
match that works.  However I seldom run less than 100 watts.

73,
Tom
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
ARRL Lifetime Member
QCWA Lifetime Member



On Mon, 24 Dec 2012 14:01:19 -0500, KD7YZ Bob <kd7yz at denstarfarm.us>
wrote:

>
>On Monday Claire used a Straight-Key to send:
>-------------Original Comment-------
>> You don't have to keep that power level, Bob. You only need it if the KAT500
>> needs to retune, and then only for the retune cycle. For that you might QSY
>> a few KHz
>
>On CW or SSB I could try that. With some of these WSJT-Like modes, it's
>pretty important to be on the same freq u were on, within Hertz; And,
>call me old, but with about 6 to 10 seconds before the other cycle
>starts, there isn't a lot of time to QSY and retune.
>
>> to a clear spot although between five and twenty watts you are
>> only talking about a one S-unit difference in signal. 
>
>thanks. Although I was more worried about damaging the K3 than the
>signal strength.
>
>
>> The next thing is to find out why your antenna is so sensitive to moisture.
>
>hmmm, true.  Same when there is ice on it or snow. The other night in a
>45mph wind, the 160m DP was going up and down about 30 feet it looked to
>me. I use blocks and pulley to let it "float"  It was graceful to watch
>but worrisome too.
73,
Tom
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
ARRL Lifetime Member
QCWA Lifetime Member