[SixClub] Back on the air...sorta.

[Roger on six]

Well, I'm back on the air, but with a minimal setup.  Just the AV640 at 
25' on a mast. It works surprisingly well on six, but it's certainly not 
the equal of that 7LC3i at 115 feet.  That and I could run 800W PEP on 
SSB.  That Tokyo Hi-Power SS amp would also do 800W carrier on CW. Wish 
I'd kept it as they are no longer made.  BTW that AV640 may be the best 
multiband vertical I've ever used, but it's extremely sensitive to the 
40 meter, center fed, half wave slopers

The station in the den is working although I need to get the AIM running 
and the 6-pack plus the remote antenna switch operating so both stations 
can get back on the air AND I can monitor six from both stations. The 
wiring is in for the 6-pack, but the remote antenna SW is only wired to 
the shop.  I need to replace the hard wired SW with one controlled by a 
signal on the coax.

The LM470 crank-up (68 ft ) still needs the control circuit wired, the 
rotator, mast, and tribander mounted as well as the coax and rotator 
cable installed.

With just my right side working, it takes about ten times longer than I 
estimate to do things, BUT the left arm and hand are still slowly 
improving. Working out, now has my left leg nearly as strong as the right.

The 7L C3i 6-meter Yagi needs the coax matching section resoldered. Its 
just setting on sawhorses like the C19XR tribanders. Recent 60 MPH winds 
put both antennas on the ground. Well the 7L C3i was on the ground, 
while the C19XR ended up on the concrete apron for the shop. The 2' drop 
didn't hurt either antenna. I can't say the same for the big UHF TV 
antennas that were under the C19XR as it pretty much trashed 3 of the 4 
that were under it.  Something, I don't know what, dissolves exposed 
solder on the tower.  It might be chemical, or Ozone/corona from 
lightening. I'm not downwind from any manufacturing

We (Joyce N8JBW and I) gave the one good TV antenna to our new neighbors 
across the road who graciously put both antennas back on the sawhorses.  
I have lots of new 72 +/- ohm coax plus the new F connectors with the 
installation tools. Man those connectors are so much better than the old 
crimpons we used to use. One type is a "Snap and seal".  I'd need to 
look at the container as I've forgotten their name of the others, but 
they are similar to the snap and seal.  They are strong mechanically and 
easy to weatherproof.  They are "almost" immune to the weather as is.

I had two UHF TV antennas located at 90 and 95 Feet with antenna mounted 
preambles, so I had a lot of use for that coax and connectors.  With the 
one at 90' pointed SSE and the one at 95' pointed NW, I could get 22 OTA 
digital station out to well past 100 miles.

I now have a contact to install the PST-62 rotator, mast, coax, and 7L 
C3i at roughly 115 feet, much like it was before the Cormorants decided 
to roost on the boom truss.  "I might" try to assemble the 40M3-125 and 
have it installed at the top of the 45G with the 7L C3i about 15 feet 
above it, but IIRC the 7L C3i has a 29'6" boom and I don't know if it 
will interact with the 40M3.

I need to get rid of the excess equipment so I can afford to get a new 
auto tune HF amp for the shop.  I seem to accumulate "stuff" that I no 
longer use.

So that's the status from Midland, MI.

I do miss those days where six was open world wide and you could have 
all continents in a single conversation <sigh>

73, Roger (K8RI) EN73


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