[SixClub] Any one hear any Aurora yet?

[Gary - N3JPU]

Only "approved" for one tower so have to go for the biggest bang for the 
buck!

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

On 8/6/2010 08:03, Richard J. Fiero II W5TFW wrote:
> I personally prefer two tri banders to a steppIR........( 10,15&  20 )&
>   (12,17,&30 )
>
> but I have 10 acres of land to put up antennas.
>
> no motors less to break down,
>
> my Mosleys do a fine job for me. at 240 COUNTRIES there no slouch.
>
>
>             Joey
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gary - N3JPU"<n3jpu_gary at verizon.net>
> To: "World Wide Six Meter Club"<sixclub at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 6:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [SixClub] Any one hear any Aurora yet?
>
>
>> 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)
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> SixClub mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sixclub
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:SixClub at mailman.qth.net
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> SixClub mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sixclub
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:SixClub at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> SixClub mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sixclub
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:SixClub at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>