[MRCA] [MMRCG] Delaware Goes to war AAR

[Ray Fantini]

This is a YouTube video from two years ago of the tenth anniversary M& S Net from the mutt in the backyard using the same inverted V that I have been using for some time now. Note the S meter readings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDWuuc38wQA&t=16s

sixty meters use to be a strong band but the last year or so its sucked. Have no idea why, used different radios, antennas  and locations and still the band is nothing like it used to be.
I also have a backpack with a ten foot whip and will usually drag a counterpose behind, it runs about twenty watts on sixty and three or four years ago up at Gilbert worked several stations at considerable distance during the net but would guarantee that I would not be able to do that today.
Think we are just in some sort of weird solar cycle or something.
The end of next week will be up in Hagerstown, May 5th and 6th  and will see what happens up there. Last year from that location worked the net no problem and being they had the Military cross band test going did a lot of sixty on that so lets see what this year brings.

Ray F/KA3EKH


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From: MMRCG at groups.io <MMRCG at groups.io> On Behalf Of N2MS via groups.io
Sent: Monday, April 24, 2023 12:26 PM
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Subject: Re: [MMRCG] [MRCA] Delaware Goes to war AAR

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Ray,
Nice chatting with you.

I frequently check into the Moose and Squirrel Net in an effort to test out various equipment and antennas for portable "on patrol" operation.  I usually am the southernmost check-in station here in East Central NJ. The net controllers are usually located in VT and NH (KK1K Dean, KW1I Dale, W1AEA Jeff, WB2JWU Pete)  or Upstate NY (KD2GFM Ken).

Here are some of my observations:

Propagation - When the band is "long" the VT and NH controllers are strong. When the band is "short" Ken in NY is a Q5 and the northern stations are weaker. For the last couple of months propagation has been poor and all stations have been weaker. I don't know what is causing this - D Layer Absorption? - but when operating portable I've been running 50 watts with my FT-857 instead of using my lower power radios.  This limits backpack portable because of the heavier battery,

QRM - My noise level at home is quite high. I believe this is an issue with most operators these days. You really notice it when operating from a low noise area. I have to use a radio with Noise Reduction when operating at home. I always enjoyed portable operation and the reduction of the noise level really makes a difference. I try to design portable kits so that I can set up within 15 minutes. I am retired now but is seems I am busier than ever so when I have a couple of free hours I try to get out.

Antennas - What antenna are you using for 60?  My 60 meter home antennas are an inverted L about 35 feet high designed for 160 meters and a low 30 foot 80 meter dipole. Both are matched with tuners. I find the Inverted L consistently works better that the dipole on all bands so my portable antennas consist of a 60 meter inverted L and a Hustler Whip. Both are fed against minimum of 4 short radials. I try to get the vertical portion of the L as high as possible with a 20 foot telescoping fishing pole but the Hustler does an effective job when space is tight. I never liked dipoles for portable operation because I have to lug around coax and worry about the coax losses.

That's it for now. Hope to hear you on the net.


Mike N2MS