[NLRS] PSK31 on 2m SSB

[Dan Larson]

Well, there *are* limitations to what I an attach to my camper!

First of all, I don't have a clear shot at the sky unless my mast was
40ft high to get *over* the tops of the oak trees, the branches of which
spread above my camper. Not to mention, that there is not enough room
in my "lot" to bring down guys to stabilize a mast that high. 25Ft is
the best I can really do without the objections of my "neighbors", the
campground owner, and my XYL ;-) A 15 element beam would hit the trees
as it spun around. Terrain-wise, its flat.

I get lots of questions already about my "TV antenna". At least they don't
see the HF wire strung through the trees unless they stand right under it!

I am feeding the 6-element homebrew yagi with RG-8X from the "candy store"
in Moundsview. Not the greatest stuff, but there's only 30 ft of it to
my radio. Yeah, sure I can run some LMR400 up there instead, but the XYL 
won't be happy with the insect life forms exploiting the 1/2 gap in the 
window, nor the 1/2 inch hole in the side of the camper either ;-) 

I am using those "Made in U.S.A" silver plated teflon PL259's, and I did 
fine job soldering. I checked the feedline with my MFJ-269 for shorts or 
any other problems. I'm pretty picky about that part. I agonized and fretted 
over my own design using simulation software until I could not stand it any 
more. I built the darned thing out of 3/8 Al tube from McMaster-Carr. Its a 
short boom design optimized for FB ratio and fed with a gamma tube. The 
software predicts a 60 degree "view" angle of -3dB from peak gain. Its about 
the best I could get on a 6' boom. ( < 1WL) According the the software, it 
ought to be about 11dB of forward gain, ground and such taken into account. 

The only real obstructions to the signal path are the oak trees & their 
leaves. The elevation at my "weekend QTH" is about 300ft higher than 
the other station I am trying to reach in Hastings. (The south part of town
with a great view of the horizon, not the lower part of town with
"Holywood Hill" in the way...)

What I am *really* want to know is how much PSK31 can help in my less than 
ideal situation.

Dan 
KC0LUY

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 09:23:50 -0500, Gerald wrote:

>Antenna? feedline? You loose a lot in RG-58. 6 elements is a start. 15
>from a reputable maker can make a huge difference in performance.
>Antennas and fat feed lines help both ends. Hygain and crumcraft are not
>reputable vhf beam makers. Well, they have a reputation, all bad. M2,
>K1FO designs, and DL6WU designs (when made in aluminum, not steel) are
>good designs.
>
>I've worked mobiles out to 200 miles without enhancements, beam to beam
>should do better.
>

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 10:33:07 -0500 (CDT), Chris Cox, N0UK wrote:

>Dan,
>
>with the amount of power that you're using, 125 miles should be a piece of 
>cake under normal conditions on two.  Are you using decent quality cable 
>and connectors and how obstructed is the path?
>
>Chris