[Elecraft] KXPA100- How impactful to making contacts?

[Barry LaZar]

SSB at QRP levels can be a bit challenging. I do have a KXPA100 and use 
it. However, I only run QRP seriously for Field Day with a group who are 
doing the same with KX3s. We do very well at 5 Watts, but we do have a 
few acres of antennas. I have found two things that make a very big 
difference, antenna height and minimizing antenna system loses.

You say you are running a fan dipole. You don't say what you are feeding 
it with or how long your feed line is. I have a dipole up 40 feet and 
feed it with open wire to a good 4:1 current balun where I transition to 
LMR-400 to come into the house. You may not need a 4:1 balun for a fan 
dipole, but a good 1:1 balun. And, this is only needed if you have a 
fairly long run or want to extract the very last milliwatt out of your 
system. I would tell you what we do for Field Day, the extremes we take, 
but that would give away our competitive secret. ;-)

73,
Barry
K3NDM



------ Original Message ------
From: "Eballina" <eballina at cfl.rr.com>
To: "Barry LaZar" <k3ndm at comcast.net>
Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Sent: 6/21/2016 2:12:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KXPA100- How impactful to making contacts?

>Thanks Barry, up about 30 feetr al top of
>of inverted V.  Ends of antenna up about 25 ft. SSB phone preferred but 
>did pick up PSK31 Signalink but prefer voice.
>Sent from my iPhone
>
>>  On Jun 21, 2016, at 1:54 PM, Barry LaZar <k3ndm at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>  You don't say how high your antenna is or what modes you are using. 
>>However, If you aren't already there, I would get my antenna up at 
>>least about 35 feet, 60 feet would surely be better. At QRP power 
>>levels, I would focus on CW or PSK31, or one of the other weak signal 
>>modes. The exception is 10 or 15 meters where anything that can be 
>>radiated seems to work. The problem is 10 and 15 aren't open all the 
>>time meaning you are going to need to do a lot of listening on these 
>>bands if you want to be successful. There is a trick you might want to 
>>employ, using the beacons that are there and knowing their schedule. 
>>Just leave your receiver on on one of them, and when you hear it, you 
>>know the band is open to that part of the world.
>>
>>  73,
>>  Barry
>>  K3NDM
>>
>>  ------ Original Message ------
>>  From: "Road Runner" <eballina at cfl.rr.com>
>>  To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>  Sent: 6/21/2016 1:08:06 PM
>>  Subject: [Elecraft] KXPA100- How impactful to making contacts?
>>
>>>  Have had my KX3 for a couple of weeks and love it. Biggest issue I 
>>>have is even at 15 watts, unless conditions are right, I am having 
>>>issues making DX contacts. The KX3 is connected to an Alpha Delta 
>>>80-6 meter fan dipole. I have been thinking about getting the KXPA 
>>>100 but wonder whether it will be enough of a bang for the buck. I 
>>>use this at a summer cottage, at home I started with a Kenwood 
>>>Ts-590SG and eventually upgraded the rig with an Ameritron 811H to 
>>>get more punch. I have no problems getting picked out of pileup so 
>>>now...
>>>  So my question is for those of you that have gone the upgrade path 
>>>to KXPA100... Did you get enough punch or are you wishing you had 
>>>gone with more power? I am not really too crazy about going all the 
>>>way to the KPA500...
>>>
>>>  Sent from my iPad
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>>
>