[Lowfer] DIR on the air

[Jim]

I worked on the antenna matching a bit this morning. I also found where two 
wired has touched and basically shorted out the loading coil. I was using my 
active antenna (which is about 50 feet away from the xmitter antenna) into an 
o'scope as my field strength meter.

Initially I had about 10 mV of signal (measured peak-to-peak because that's 
the easiest and the numbers are all relative anyway). When I "unshorted" the 
loading coil I had to crank the voltage back a bit to get back down to 1 watt 
input and my field strength went up to about 25 mV.

I messed around with the matching coil and eventually found a combination that 
resulted in me backing the voltage off a bit more and ending up with about 75 
mV.

So the bottom line is I'm just under 18 dB better on the near field voltage 
than I was before today. Still at 172.945 kHz +/- a bit using QRSS-30. 
Running at 8.0 volts and 120 milliamps. Hopefully getting close to being 
heard by someone...

I am working on a divider for my DSS that will give me the resolution I need 
to get to the watering hole. Hope to be there before the end of the month.

73 de
Jim W4JBM

Receiver - Ten Tec RX320D
Antenna - Butternut Vertical (SW) and mini-whip (LF)
Location - Bowdon Junction, GA  USA (33.6581,-85.1249 EM73)

http://www.hamuniverse.com/w4jbm/

"With a soldering iron in one hand, a schematic in the other, and a puzzled 
look on his face..."

Working the world from the New Dog Iron Ranch!