[NJARC] VHF

[Robert Flory]

Hi All,

The little rigs like Heath Lunchboxes, Gooney Boxes, and my WWII aircraft stuff seem good for about 10 miles, absent extraordinary location or antennas.  

For instance, Joe Cro and I have worked each other, fairly marginally, at a distance of 7 miles, with these types of rigs.  We have some high ground between us, and are each using higher-gain verticals such as Ringo Ranger and bigger at 20 feet off the ground.

On the other hand, my "neighbor" W2KV worked Marty all the way across the state with his lunchbox, but he is on top of the hill at 500 feet, and I am way down at 300.  He also has a bazillion elements at 100+ feet.

In addition to hills, trees suck VHF signals, too, so maybe by the time John gets his Gooney Box going, the leaves will have fallen off the trees and things will better for those like me who live in the woods.

For contacts beyond "across the hamfest" or "across the parking lot at the meeting", bigger power and big antennas are in order.

Back in the 80s, it took 30 watts, hardline, and a Ringo Ranger at 85 feet for my buddy WW2Y to make a marginal packet connection between Princeton and Flemington.  Once again, hills suck when you are not on top of them.

Thanks to Joe D, I am now running 19 element horizontal beam on 2m.  (guess we are due for another try, Joe, soon as I get this BC-639 receiver tuned a little better)

I've got my "triple rectal blowout" transmitter ready. Thanks to John R,  I can now call it such because each of the 3 units of the TDQ are real arm-stretchers.  Al failed to hear the TDQ with his modern rig last we tried, though terrain analysis was encouraging.  I'm going to blame trees and meager 30-foot height of my Ringo Ranger.  We will try again with the 19-element beam on my end and 3-element beam on his end, soon.

Al's suggestion of trying modern stuff first is a good idea if you can.  I would also recommend the "across the hamfest" test of the Gooney Box before trying across the county.  

I'll be bringing my ARC-4 for "across the hamfest" at Packrats on 144.450

OK, I'm done with my coffee.  CUL

73 and good DX to you and your entire family,

RF