[PVRCNC] 20 dB down

[brian]

Guys,

is a lesson in humility.  Participated in the ARRL CW DX contest from 
new FL QTH.  Antennas are a problem here with a 0.16 acre lot and no 
useable owned trees.  No HOA but some really old covenants which 
evidently are never enforced.  Aluminum may push the envelope too much.

SOLP-assisted
  Band    QSOs    Pts  Cty
    3.5      35     105   28
      7     135     405   62
     14     133     399   65
     21     184     552   70
     28      45     135   28
  Total     532    1596  253
Score: 403,788

18 hour effort using a 100 W TS-480 with USB stick SDR based panadapter.
Panadapter display fits nicely in created rectangular hole between N1MM 
windows.

Pouncing on spots was an exercise in futility early on.  What did work 
was tuning from the top to bottom on the band and pouncing on panadaptor 
blips between the big boys.  The tuning process was speeded considerable 
by having a panadapter display.

Ants:

80M MFJ 1/8 wave vertical with two 45' elevated radials
	
40M Inverted Vee with apex at 20' ( #18 wire, plexiglass insulators, 
monofilament fishing line supports) Used on 15M too.

20 M Vee at 40M antenna feedpoint.

10 M dipole in the attic.

12/17/30M attic antennas

160M has me stymied.  Nothing yet.  Have almost a year to come up with 
something.

The 80M antenna was completed Saturday with low expectations. Maybe work 
just a few mults... The push up pole goes through overhanging tree 
branches on the back corner of the lot.  The two elevated radials were 
run at right angles along the property line wood fence.  Pretty 
stealthy.  It had been modeled in EZNEC.  The Z was as predicted. EZNEC 
predicts a "gain" of -2.4 dbi--ground and loading coil losses excluded. 
  Its performance exceeded my expectations.  Heard lots of EU and even a 
few strong JA's.  Best DX 5800 miles.  Thank the super stations on the 
other end for hearing me.

Despite the dummy load antennas we're up to 147 countries worked since 
Jan 1. RTTY/CW, no phone.

The actual estimate is 20-25 dB down depending upon band compared to old 
QTH.

Operating at all is better than not.

73 de Brian/K3KO