[Elecraft] RF miracles continue to happen

[Frederick Dwight]

I have been a ham for 64 years and continue to be surprised.  For example about 3 years ago I decided to try QRP CW on 160 meters.  I live in Alaska and the nearest significant ham population is in Seattle, which is about 1500 miles away.  I have an inverted L and only a mediocre radial field.  QSO’s over about 1500 miles have usually been quite difficult if not impossible with my 100 watt rig.  For a transmitter, I quickly constructed a breadboard 5 watt battery powered transmitter, which probably did not meet FCC specs, but my reasoning was that the nearest active hams were over 40 miles away, and probably no one would hear my flea powered rig anyway.  I did not have a battery powered receiver, so I tacked on temporary 1500 pF capacitors across each of the 80 meter antenna coils in my trusty modified KX-1.  Previously the KX-1 was rather deaf on 160 meters, but with the mod it received about the same as my regular station receiver.  In only a few hours of operation in 2 or 3 contests I worked about 6 west coast states, Texas, and Japan.  Most of the QSOs were over 2000 miles.  I was very surprised that this would even be possible.  So please continue to try things which seem to be logically impossible.  If you have a KX-3, go out in the woods during the next contest and try 160 meters, perhaps with a low dipole in the trees.  Good regional contacts should be very possible, and with none of the noise present in urban areas should be a very relaxing experience.  Rick  KL7CW

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