Antenna Advice for working the Texas QSO party.
This coming weekend, brings in the Texas QSO Party. A very popular contest here and around the USA and the world. The money bands have always seemed to have been 20 and 40. Antennas -- For working as many stations as possible from your QTH literally any antenna will do from dipoles to verticals to Yagis...stations from all over the USA and the world will be trying to work you and all of the other stations in Texas. As far as you (in Texas) working the other "in Texas" stations, which you will want to do as they provide county multipliers, the antenna situation changes. Most of the in state QSO's are done on 40 meters and 40 meter propagation is NVIS or similar, so the radiation from your antenna needs to be very high angle. You'll find 40 Meters on Sunday morning is a treasure trove of stations, fixed and mobile, throughout the state. Some of Texas is so far away that single hop DX type propagation is possible on 20 , typically in the daytime and afternoon. Recommendation: so for all bands use what you have..but if you have a DX type antenna for 40 meters, such as a DX delta loop or a monopole vertical, both low angle radiators, then you need to add, for the TXQP weekend, a low 40 meter dipole. Up 20 to 30 feet at the center will do wonders. 65 feet of wire, 3 insulators and coax into the shack is all you need. Most hams have these parts in their junque box. This is simply a recommendation for you to have more enjoyment in working the contest - you'll make more Q's, get a better score and have a lot more fun, which is what it is all about..having fun with your Ham Radio station. GL and enjoy - Rick - W5RH ps..N3FJP.com has a TQP specific logging program for Windows that you can download for $8.99, if you intend to make more than 20 Q's. If you just want to dabble and make less than 20 Q's the free, eval version will do just fine. Don't forget to list BVARC as your club.
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