[ILQSO] W9GRS operations

Tue Oct 18 12:08:55 EDT 2016

Also, a problem with a vertical on 40/80 is they are a low angle radiator, where the take off angle favors stations far away. And if you are concentrating on working stations inside of 800 miles or so, a low dipole will always blow it away...

73-Chuck KI9A

Sent from my iPad

> On Oct 18, 2016, at 10:25 AM, Tim Childers K9CQ <kb9fbi at arrl.net> wrote:
> 
> Troy,
> The lower you go in frequency with any type of vertical, the less effective they are with loading like a mobile antenna has.  The feed point impedance drops as you go down in frequency (even if the antenna allows you to tune there) so you have to add in some inductance or capacitance to make the mobile antennas work.  It should have worked somewhat better on 20 though. You didn't mention if you had it mounted on a vehicle or what type of ground radial system you were using if you didn't.    I have found that the easiest portable setup that works well is a low height dipole/G5RV.  I used a mount that slides in a trailer hitch that has a 3 ft tube (made for mounting an offset umbrella on your porch) with sections of the "military 4 ft poles" to get the apex above 25 feet.  With this setup you can run a 10-80 G5RV and be a lot better on the lower frequencies.  I have found that my Comet CP-45 Telescopic Aluminum Mast fits inside of the sleeved end of the military mast so I use three section of it and the Comet to get it high enough.
> 
> It would be interesting to know what everyone else is using for portable or mobile op's.   While moving I am using a Yaesu ATAS-120.  I run it a lot normally and have worked all over Europe and as far as Japan on 17 and 20 meters but it tends to be way less effective on 40.  That is the challenge in the ILQP, to be effective on the bands that you can work close in so that the other counties in the state can hear you.  When I was on the county line of Pike/Brown, I wasn't sure how long we were going to stay and although I was out of the way enough, I decided to not put up the dipole.  I called CQ for quite a while on 20 with seemingly no takers.  Switched to 40 and calling CQ was pretty ineffective.  As I was calling CT moved in half a KC up and started calling.  I worked Craig but he said I was pretty weak.  I worked several more on 40 with varied results and decided to move along to the next stop.  Using the dipole on Scott/Morgan was much better.  I didn't get to the Cass line because I heard several stations working someone in Cass on phone so I knew it was somewhat covered.
> 
> 73
> Tim, K9CQ
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Simpson, Troy
> Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 7:52 AM
> To: ilqso at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [ILQSO] W9GRS operations
> 
> Good Morning All!
> 
> We tested out the mobile antenna and battery set up during the ILQP in
> anticipation of this week's School Club Round-up (SCR).  Using a borrowed
> Tarheel II, we had difficulty tuning it to 40m and we couldn't hear
> anything on 20m.  The battery provided power enough to get a signal out as
> we tested it with the base antenna as well.  We managed a few qso's with
> close ones using the mobile/battery combo and called it a day.
> 
> Anyway, W9GRS will attempt mobile operations during SCR on Wednesday as we
> have a field trip to Turkey Run S.P. in Indiana.  Mounting the antenna on
> our "yellow charter" (school bus) should help with the tuning issues on
> 40m.  Our plan is to be on air around 16:00UTC for about an hour.  We will
> be using the callsign *W9GRS/9 *for the Indiana operations.  We will still
> be in the very sought after school multi as well.
> 
> I will try to spot us on DXsummit if I can get a decent cell signal.  We
> will focus on 40m, but might try 20m if we can't get it to go.
> 
> We will also be on air after school today as we introduce a new group of
> students to the different modes.  We will be on 20m primarily.  If you
> see/hear us give us a call!
> 
> 73's from the Flatlands of Illinois!
> 
> -Troy W9KVR and W9GRS Crew
> 
> -- 
> Troy J. Simpson
> 
> Science Instructor - Glenn Raymond School
> Head Coach Girls Track & Field - Watseka Community High School
> Twitter:  @GRS_Science
> Watseka, IL
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