[Elecraft] TX5K

[Keith Heimbold]

I was a little bummed to not have a chance to work them on 160/80 this week as I was out on business travel until Thursday night and I didn't see them on the cluster in those bands friday or yesterday morning pacific time. I did get to work them on five bands in about 35 minutes over two days. 

The K3 did a nice job of picking them up on my inverted V on 40m and lower than optimal height mounted three element SteppIR on a couple higher bands.

Keith
AK6ZZ

Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos

On Mar 9, 2013, at 5:16 AM, "Dyarnes" <w7aqk at cox.net> wrote:

> Yep, I worked them on 160 SSB on the 8th, which was apparently about the last day for that band.  I worked them on 160 CW a few days earlier.  Not sure why the antenna for 160 and 80 came down so early--maybe it blew down???  It seems like after they crossed the 100K QSO mark, their activity started to fall off.  Perhaps that was their goal, and after that they wanted to enjoy a little R & R?  Or, maybe the sand crabs got to them!  Hi.
> 
> Like you, I wasn't sure 160 SSB was on their agenda.  I don't think VP6DX brought up anything on 160 SSB, so maybe that's not considered to be a particularly productive band/mode combination.  In any event, the TX5K website had a neat feature that showed, at any point in time, just what bands and modes were active.  At this moment they are still only operating on 40 SSB.  It's odd to only see one position light on.  Usually there were at least 4 or 5, and as many as 7 or 8.
> 
> As I mentioned previously, my working them on 80 and 160 is still sort of amazing--to me anyway.  I say that because I've tried various "goofy" antennas on 160 before with almost no luck whatsoever.  An R8 vertical isn't supposed to work on 80, let alone 160.  I had tried it, mainly as a lark, on the VP6DX DXpedition.  Surprise!  Surprise!  They heard me!  You know my ERP had to be just one step up from a dummy load.  It's proof positive that just about anything will radiate something, and further provided whoever is at the other end has a decent antenna to hear you with!  The R8 actually shows a half-way decent SWR even without the tuner.  160 is more problematic, but the KAT500 (or just the K3 internal ATU when running barefoot) will bring it down to close to 1:1 on both bands.  That certainly substantiates some of the performance claims by Elecraft.  If you just don't get greedy, and run very much power, everything behaves nicely.
> 
> By the way, it was interesting to see them often on the same band with more than one mode.  Not all DXpeditions do that--at least not as much.  I think at least part of the credit for being able to do that is the Elecraft equipment.
> 
> Dave, AA7EE posted a link to a very interesting historical summary of Clipperton Island on the QRP-L reflector.  I've added the link below for those who may be interested.  I found it fascinating!
> 
> The other historical thing I am reminded of is that, back around the time I first got my license, there was a DXpedition to Clipperton Island by the YASME group--mainly Lloyd Colvin (W6KG?).  It was all over the cover of CQ Magazine.  Maybe that was the first DXpedition to Clipperton???  Do I also remember that later there was some sort of "flap" about YASME?
> 
> Here's the link on Clipperton's history.
> 
> http://www.damninteresting.com/the-tyrant-clipperton-island/
> 
> Dave W7AQK
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Fred Smith
> Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 3:13 AM
> To: 'Dyarnes' ; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] TX5K
> 
> Did you work them on 160m phone (they weren't going to work 160 phone
> according to them) I missed them on that and 12m SSB. Most all the early
> info shows them shutting down today, haven't looked at their web site.
> 
> Good job to you! I hope we can work them as well on their next big
> DXpedition (deep breath) I think a lot of people need it. These guys did a
> great job and I liked the log as well as any I have ever seen.
> 
> BTW I tried for 20 mins the other morning after I had worked them QRO on 80m
> SSB (1st call lucky) with my KX3 I was never heard. The noise floor was
> rather high but I thought with their superior equipment 8>) that they might
> hear me but no joy it was a poor band/mode choice, but I tried you never
> know.
> 
> Fred/N0AZZ
> 
> 
> 
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