Bill brings up a good point. For some people the results are all that count and 100 foot tower with multi-element beams and legal limit amps is the only way to go. Fortunately, that is only some people. I listen to friends who have been very successful with a long wire and a 10 watt QRP rig (in one case a crystal tuner) and who have had many successful DX QSO's. This is exciting to me because it requires one to know every part of the system from top to bottom in order to squeeze out the maximum capabilities. Sure, its not in the "unlimited" class, but the same challenges and excitement are there. The person you can hook up their shop's metal roof and hold a conversations across the country deserves my applause. I also applaud those who did the careful planning and care to create a elegant "super" station. Ham radio is fun precisely because it is so many things to so many people.
In the past I used a Hustler 5BTV and recently a simple trap dipole and they do different things. Right now I really like my NVIS dipole because I spend most of my time chatting with the locals and DX is not that important to me. I am sure that I will be experimenting with something different in the future. Eric, WB7SDE On Thu, Sep 11, 2014, at 02:14 PM, William Levy wrote: > I think some folks misconstrued my Vertical comments. > They work. They load. They radiate. > They worked for me in the circuit I wanted to complete. > Doesn't matter what the other station has. > > The first time I was 5Z4PI it was 1973 and I had a Hallicrafters Safari > rig. > Beauty of that rig was built in 12/110 and 240 supplies. > One VFO, long before the dreaded RIT was invented. > Made a trap dipole. Printed 250 qsl cards. > > In those days I was running a 100 watts and a dipole. > When the States opened up the guys I worked ran 4 el Hygain 204BA's and > KWs. > > That isn't the important thing. > > Before the states were open I worked everyone else in the world with > modest > transceivers and antennas with my dipole and 100 watts. The only reason > we > have giant towers and amps today is because everyone else in this wealthy > country does. > > But before the band is open to the states all the DX is very happy > working > the rest of the world with modest gear. > > The other night I heard a fellow in Pakistan tune and then call CQ on > the > frequency my KX3 was tuned to. > KX3 ran 10 watts to a Log Periodic. He barely heard me, said I was in and > out of the noise. > When I powered the baby amp on he could hear me Q5. > > Back to my old R5. It worked as good as the trap dipole did 15 years > earlier. Perfect for ragchewing and hamming up. > > The rest of the world is very happy playing a different game then us > before > the bands open up to the States! > WE are nothing but a wall of noise. > > I am glad we have K3's that are bullet proof to adjacent channels and can > tune down to 100 cycles. > It's beautifully made stuff and I wouldn't leave home without one! > > 73 all, Bill N2WL > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] -- Eric Ross ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
