[FARC] FT-897D QRP

[M and J Gillespie]

Kirk,
Don't fret  so  much about the antenna and just "do it". No kidding. 
Remember it is just a hobby. Do the best you can.  Sounds to me like you are 
doing a great job considering band conditions. I have found the band 
conditions the past few weeks deplorable. This afternoon I did get on twenty 
meters CW and worked a MX0NRC in England but conditions were deplorable with 
much fading out and high noise. Conditions are not good now.  Don't blame 
your gear.  I think it is working as best as it can, conditions being what 
they are. This is not a repremand but a reminder that you can only do as 
well as bad conditions permit. Have fun!

73s de Jim Gillespie, K3DQ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <kirktal7237 at msn.com>
To: "Frederick, Maryland ARC" <farc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 3:37 PM
Subject: [FARC] FT-897D QRP


Just got an Yaesu FT-897D for portable use with the Buddipole antenna.  I'm 
running it on two NiMh battery packs which contrary to Ham radio dealer 
literature only provide 4 hours of continuous operation at 20 watts on HF 
not 8 hours.  The FT-897D automatically switches to 20 watts maximum RF 
power when using battery packs, I have no control over this.

Now I haven't set up the Buddipole antenna yet, but I am using the FT-897D 
with my 40 meter inverted V dipole.  This dipole has given fair to marginal 
performance at 100 watts with other radios depending on band conditions. 
Today using the FT-897D on 40 meters I made my first contact using 20 watts. 
I reached Joliet, Illinois and got a confusing signal report.  Very weak 
signal but good audio, with 0 to 1 S-units on the meter.   The guy could 
barely copy me over the background noise.

So this radio is evidently a QRP rig, not that there's anything wrong with 
that, and I was just wondering will I need some type of gain antenna like a 
beam to make this rig work?  I've been told that the right antenna with gain 
can be a good substitute for brute RF power and put out a fine signal.  Any 
thoughts on this?

See you all at the luncheon tomorrow.

73
KB3ONM
Kirk


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