[SixClub] Any one hear any Aurora yet?

[Gary - N3JPU]

For me I felt it was important to save .75dB. Additionally I have found 
on several occasion new LDF4 for $.75 foot and found cases of new 
Andrews N's for $5 each. My last buy was less than 2 years ago when I 
moved to this new QTH. I have N connectors on every antenna (6M, 3L 
SteppIR yagi and even my 160M antenna), personal preference.

I could of made the gain up with the antenna, went back to a Directive 
System 5L from a F12 9L. The 9L played very well but required a lot of 
turning the beam since the F/B was so goo and beamwidth was narrow. Plus 
I wanted to be able to put up the SteppIR I sold the 9L to Joey.

Antenna gain makes all the difference in the world, back in the early 
2000's I ran only 100W and made WAS in 3 years (my initial VUCC 
submission coincided with my WAS submission), but my antenna was a stack 
of DS 5L's. I really liked that setup but no longer have the mast space 
to accommodate. May have to reconsider, I need 5 more for DXCC on 6 so 
am getting hungry.

BTW, the SteppIR 3L on 6M is a poor performer compared to the dedicated 5L.


Gary Mitchelson
N3JPU Davidsonville, MD   FM18
http://www.mitchelson.org/

On 8/5/2010 22:46, Roger (K8RI) wrote:
>
>
> On 8/5/2010 5:56 PM, Gary - N3JPU wrote:
>> You are pretty far south for AU (although on strong AU it will go far
>> south).
>>
>> Yes I have used a LNA Technology GasFET pre-amp on 6M, did not really
>> help much. When I did WSJT EME it did not help, worked stations the
>> same, pre-amp or no pre-amp.
>>
>> I use LDF-4 Heliax, saves a lot of loss over stuff like LMR-400.
> 0.463 db/100' while LMR-400 is 0.9 That is about 0.5 db difference for a
> 100 feet. To me that is not a lot of loss saved. It's also a figure that
> is unnoticeable whether receiving or transmitting. You can't tell it on
> receive and the guy on the other end can not detect the difference.
> Add to that I have found 1/2" Heliax to be fragile and easily kinked.
> OTOH LMR-400 has a minimum bend radius of one inch, or a repeatable bend
> radius of 4 inches and it's quite rugged. I had two 100' runs of LDF4
> with N connectors given to me. I gave away one length and it's unlikely
> I'll use the other.
> NOW if I could come up with a couple hundred feed of 7/8" to 1 1/4" with
> connectors I'd certainly use it. No it's not very flexible, but it's a
> lot tougher than the 1/2". Unfortunately the last 7/8" run I had was
> taken out by lightning. It blew a hole in the dielectric about 20' from
> the antenna making it too short for me to use.
>
> In the past I have picked up large coils of 7/8" for the repeater system
> with connectors...cheap! When I need some it takes a lot of looking and
> I've still not found any.
>
> What I'd really like now are two 90' runs, two 60 foot runs, and three
> 100 foot runs of 7/8 to 1 1/4" Heliax with connectors, but my hunt has
> been unsuccessful so far. So I went with LMR-600 which is rugged and
> cost me $1.29 a foot two years ago.
>
> Yes, you are correct in that I do not like 1/2" Heliax. I've had too
> many mechanical problems with it.
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
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