Thanks to AC7AC, F5LCI, GM4ESD, K5VH, N2WN, W6FB, WB1DOG. For their comments on and off the reflector. I have changed my antenna from about 6 m of wire draped inside over a window frame and ground being the ground in an AC outlet, to an 26.8 m wire at 12 m high, center fed with 450 Ohm line. What a difference! Eznec says I have picked up about 12 dBi to the northwest. I usually now contact WD5ONS directly instead of having someone check me into ECN.
The antenna is supported between two trees, with pully and weight for windy day allowance. The center is about 12 m above ground. The feedline comes to ground and then to a spark gap lightining arrestor mounted on an 8' ground rod. Then the feedline goes arond the cornor of the house to the ICE arrestor mountd on another ground rod, then into the outside junction box. Inside I have a knife switch that takes the feedline to the K1 or to ground. All ground rods have been connected together with nr 6 wire and also connected to the power company ground rod. The wife even let me put some holes in the wall for the feed lines. Junction box outside and another one inside so that future ideas of antennas can be implemented easily. With the new antenna I have worked W0CZ for ND and a random QSO with UT. AK and HI should not be to far away and I will make WAS, as soon as the QSL cards arrive. Getting on the air is so much more enjoyable with a good antenna. I even call CQ and get replies now (sometimes). Thanks Elecraft and the reflector for bringing me all the ideas that I could put together to make this work. 73, Ty, W1TF, GA K1 (4 band) - 1423 and BL2 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
