Re: [Elecraft] Where to guy
I would like to thank everyone for their advice on guying my R8 antenna. I think I am going to use two sets of guys because, as several people pointed out, the angle will be somewhat steep and downward pressure will tend to make the antenna buckle. I will be using either nylon or dacron because they are UV-resistant. The wind is not too strong here, but I don't want to take any chances on top of a 10-story building! No, they will not be rocket proof, but due to their minimal thickness, the chance of a rocket hitting one will be pretty small. On 9/7/14 12:49 AM, Howard Benham wrote: Unless your guy lines are rocket proof it probably won't make much difference. :-) Seriously though, near the top and in the middle work well for me in high wind condition. Howard KG5AON -- Vic, K2VCO/4X6GP Rehovot, Israel http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Using the PR-6 with K3 control
If you have the PR-6 6-meter preamp and control it via your AUX like to turn it on (when on 6 meters and off when not), and you have a KPA500 on the AUX line and a KAT500 on the AUX line and you use a separate RX antenna connected to the RX in on the PR-6 (yeah, lots of IF's) you may experience what I have - the preamp not shutting off so it gets into the act on your separate RX antenna with its own preamp. What I experienced was artifacts on cw signals and in some cases a Christmas tree like distortion that I could see on my P3. The good folks at Electraft support diagnosed the problem as the configuration draws too much current for the pulldowns in the K3. The fix was to get a DB15 port extender (this one has all 15 pins with male on one side and female on the other), break off pin 11 (which is easily done with a small screw driver and bending that pin back and forth until it breaks). No not use the port extender that's provided with the KPA as it isolates your TR line (unless you are already using it and have alternative means of controlling the KAT and KPA key line). Once done, the problem was gone. I wanted to share this with the community in case someone else had a similar configuration and was having this problem. Pete, W1RM __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 and Preamp
On Sat, Sep 6, 2014 at 6:24 PM, Fred Jensen k6...@foothill.net wrote: I've never had much luck with the K3 APF, I know others do and its probably pilot error for me, but I wonder what it would take to make it adjustable both in BW and frequency? DSP Q-Multiplier? :-) There is something I remember from the old radios and some really bad headsets that were peaky in their response, and that was a moderate rolloff above and below that allowed one to hear up there and down there but did not allow it to dominate. I've asked for a config menu adjustment on the APF but that never had enough support from others to move it up on the K3 do list. The audio shaping could do that, but I can't put in a menu selection of favorite settings, there is only the one. It would need to be easily accessible for switching in/out on a QSO by QSO basis. 73, Guy. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 and Preamp
Guy == Guy Olinger K2AV k2av@gmail.com writes: Guy There is something I remember from the old radios and some really bad Guy headsets that were peaky in their response, and that was a Guy moderate rolloff Guy above and below that allowed one to hear up there and down Guy there but did Guy not allow it to dominate. I've asked for a config menu Guy adjustment on the Guy APF but that never had enough support from others to move it up Guy on the K3 Guy do list. isn't this sort of what DUAL PB does ? -- Pierfrancesco Caci, ik5pvx __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
I've been following the R8 guying discussion with interest, because I may be in the market for a vertical in the next year or so. While I have read the reviews for the R8 at eHam Forum, I especially trust the experience of the hams here on the K3 list. I presently have a SkyHawk tribander at 60ft. However, an upcoming move to a new home may leave that combination out of the running with some sort of vertical the only option. So, I'm not expecting any vertical to equal the SkyHawk, but I would like to get a general feel for the mechanical quality and general performance of the R8. Thanks in advance. ...robert On 9/6/2014 21:49, Howard Benham wrote: Unless your guy lines are rocket proof it probably won't make much difference. :-) Seriously though, near the top and in the middle work well for me in high wind condition. Howard KG5AON Sent from my iPhone __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to rc...@verizon.net -- Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY rc...@verizon.net.usa Syracuse, New York, USA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
On Sun,9/7/2014 9:36 AM, Robert G Strickland wrote: So, I'm not expecting any vertical to equal the SkyHawk, but I would like to get a general feel for the mechanical quality and general performance of the R8. Some things to study. One costs a few bucks, the others are free. 1) Buy the report written by N0AX on the testing of verticals that he did with K7LXC. Sold by K7LXC's Champion Radio website. Well worth the money. 2) Study the Power Point slides on my website about Vertical Antenna Mounting Height and Antenna Planning for Small HF Stations. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 and Preamp
It has been established that there is a possible +27 dB total of various between-the-ears enhancements, or conversely an absence of between-the-ears enhancement. This is of particular significance during contests and working DX pileups, zero enhancement to DX spots clearly observed in entirely mechanical responses having no relationship to the DX station's TX/RX rhythm. 73, Guy. On Sat, Sep 6, 2014 at 5:48 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Bud, I think a lot has to do with the 'material between the ears'. Some have developed the ability to hear signals that to my ears are buried in the noise. Those chasing Low Band DX are examples of folks with that ability. Some report using a wide bandwidth while others report good results with a narrow bandwidth. I believe it all depends on the brain training. The human brain can provide a wonderful filter if you know what to pay attention to (and ignore things that can distract). Some have it while others do not. It may be something that can be learned, but I have not accomplished that feat. 73, Don W3FPR On 9/6/2014 5:28 PM, W2RU - Bud Hippisley wrote: On Sep 6, 2014, at 2:34 17PM, Dauer, Edward eda...@law.du.edu wrote: I received a couple of off-list comments that might be of interest to those who are following this thread. One was that narrowing the BW also improves the S/N. Maybe. Maybe not. Or, maybe up to a point. I believe that whether one observes monotonic improvement in ability to decipher the intelligence carried in a very weak signal as one reduces receiver BW will be a function of _how_ the BW is narrowed in the various electronic circuits and/or digital algorithms, as well as a function of our own individual hearing characteristics. Perhaps I am not on the main part of the normalcy distribution curve (my close friends will assure me I’m _not_!) but I know for a fact that many, many times I have been best able to pull intelligible information out of a very weak CW signal on the low bands by using a receiver BW somewhat _wider_ than that provided by my narrowest filtering options. I have used primarily Kenwoods and (more recently) the K3 for most of my serious low-band DXing efforts, but I can’t tell you if this effect is more or less apparent in one model vs. any other. I am also a strong believer in what I have been told is “stochastic resonance” as an aid to hearing and copying the intelligence carried in weak signals. I have found repeatedly, for instance, that I am more apt to hear certain “unusual” vehicle sounds from the engine compartment or underbody when I have the car radio playing music within a certain range of amplitudes. Of course, that might also depend on my choice of music genre … :-) __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to k2av@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
ORIGINAL MESSAGE (may be snipped) On 9/7/2014 9:53 AM, Jim Brown wrote: 2) Study the Power Point slides on my website about Vertical Antenna Mounting Height and Antenna Planning for Small HF Stations. 73, Jim K9YC REPLY: Jim, I went to your website http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/K9YC/K9YC.htm and could not find the presentation. A google search only turned up broken links. Could you provide a link please? Thank you, 73, Bill W6WRT __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
http://audiosystemsgroup.com/VerticalHeight.pdf ORIGINAL MESSAGE (may be snipped) On 9/7/2014 9:53 AM, Jim Brown wrote: 2) Study the Power Point slides on my website about Vertical Antenna Mounting Height and Antenna Planning for Small HF Stations. 73, Jim K9YC REPLY: Jim, I went to your website http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/K9YC/K9YC.htm and could not find the presentation. A google search only turned up broken links. Could you provide a link please? Thank you, 73, Bill W6WRT __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to k...@flex.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
We need to be careful on evaluation of verticals that we forget to consider the ground. In the early 60's living in a top floor row house apartment out Connecticut Avenue in Washington, DC, I had an early equivalent of an R8 style multiband vertical. I had a pair of radials each for 40/20/15/10. They were over a copper roof, pretty much in a sea of copper roofs. It was totally gangbusters. Worked all over the globe on 40 thru 10 with 35 watts output from an 807 final. A bit later, moving to the suburbs and a house for impending parenthood, I relocated the same antenna to the southeast corner of the new back yard with the feed just a little above the grass. It was a dummy load, even though now we were running 65 watts from a 6146. The house version had a much better SWR than the row house so I was pretty much bumfuzzled why it wasn't getting out. No good scoop on what was wrong, other than the typical come back from the PVRC club crowd that verticals radiate poorly in all directions. It would be a string of decades before I caught on to what was going on. With verticals, first work out what you are going to do for the counterpoise/ground system and THEN worry about the vertical. The latter may vary you a dB, maybe even approaching 2. The former deals with one, two, maybe three S units. Huge losses are possible with poor ground/counterpoise situations. 73, Guy On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 12:53 PM, Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com wrote: On Sun,9/7/2014 9:36 AM, Robert G Strickland wrote: So, I'm not expecting any vertical to equal the SkyHawk, but I would like to get a general feel for the mechanical quality and general performance of the R8. Some things to study. One costs a few bucks, the others are free. 1) Buy the report written by N0AX on the testing of verticals that he did with K7LXC. Sold by K7LXC's Champion Radio website. Well worth the money. 2) Study the Power Point slides on my website about Vertical Antenna Mounting Height and Antenna Planning for Small HF Stations. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to k2av@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 and Preamp
I'm not sure anything in the menus would help for me ... the ability to adjust both the width and the center frequency from the front panel was what I was dreaming of. Since all the turn-ies [i.e. knobs] seem to have multiple functions, I don't know how they could do it. Possibly some external gizmo, similar to a PigKnob maybe? A little hands-on training with someone who finds it useful would probably help too. :-) 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014 - www.cqp.org On 9/7/2014 7:20 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: On Sat, Sep 6, 2014 at 6:24 PM, Fred Jensen k6...@foothill.net mailto:k6...@foothill.net wrote: I've never had much luck with the K3 APF, I know others do and its probably pilot error for me, but I wonder what it would take to make it adjustable both in BW and frequency? DSP Q-Multiplier? :-) There is something I remember from the old radios and some really bad headsets that were peaky in their response, and that was a moderate rolloff above and below that allowed one to hear up there and down there but did not allow it to dominate. I've asked for a config menu adjustment on the APF but that never had enough support from others to move it up on the K3 do list. The audio shaping could do that, but I can't put in a menu selection of favorite settings, there is only the one. It would need to be easily accessible for switching in/out on a QSO by QSO basis. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
On Sun,9/7/2014 10:27 AM, Bill Turner wrote: Jim, I went to your website http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/K9YC/K9YC.htm and could not find the presentation. A google search only turned up broken links. Could you provide a link please? Hmmm. That's a very old link. Try k9yc.com/publish.htm 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Announcement
Good Afternoon, It has been a hot, dry week. Luckily the heat will end soon and there is a hint of rain in the forecast. The sun is more active this week; hopefully propagation will improve. A few large sunspots have moved across the limb and are coming into a geoeffective position. X-class flares may be in our future. Please join us this afternoon and evening. 14050 kHz at 2200z Sunday (3 PM PDT Sunday) 7045 kHz at 0100z Monday (6 PM PDT Sunday) 73, Kevin. KD5ONS - __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
ORIGINAL MESSAGE (may be snipped) On 9/7/2014 10:33 AM, Merv Schweigert wrote: http://audiosystemsgroup.com/VerticalHeight.pdf REPLY: Excellent, thanks. 73, Bill W6WRT __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K3 Speakers
Hello, take a look at this made in EA3 line of speakers for the K3, they also have for other radios: http://www.phonemaspeakers.com/altavoces/ksp3.html 73 Juan TG9AJR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 and Preamp
Ted, Observes that his K3 noise level drops on 10m if he disconnects the antenna. That indicates that sky noise (plus any man-made noise in his locale) is the dominant source of noise. But then he states that the PR6 improves weak-signal copy. That is not exactly contradictory. Noise power, Pn: Pn = Psky + Prx + Plocal So all these sources add up. The PR6 lowers the internal receiver generated noise so Prx get smaller and that helps lower the N part of S+N/N (or SNR as some write it). If Psky were many times larger than Prx+Plocal then adding a preamp to lower Prx will have little effect (probably not noticeable)...typically what exists on lower HF bands. Also, it you live in a noisy urban electronic environment the Plocal noise factor may rule what you can hear and the preamp will not be much help. Noise level of your locale will certainly have an effect. The point raised about receiving weak-signals with adjacent high level signals is also true. High IP3 devices should be used in a preamp used under these conditions. Typical low-noise devices are sensitive to any RF energy in their passband which usually pretty wide. So in conditions often seen on HF, a preamp may not work well. The dynamic range of the K3 may be more important in that situation. Operating on 6m during a contest would even be an example of that in many locations with high ham population. If you live in a quiet neighborhood and have no local QRO stations, then a low-noise preamp will usually help get those weak ones (on 10m+). This is much more apparent at 2m and above. On 2m noise on the horizon is about one s-unit higher than looking up into the sky. On 1296 I can only find about two birdies in the first 100 KHz of the band; my antenna noise is dictated by what I am looking at with my dish. I see the noise rise as I lower it to the horizon where I pick up thermal noise of the earth (rises about 6-dB over cold sky. If I look at the sun my noise rises 16-dB! 73, Ed - KL7UW --- From: Dauer, Edward eda...@law.du.edu No argument with the theory here, though my personal experience is not consistent with the earlier observation that a preamp won?t do much if the noise level drops perceptibly when the antenna is disconnected. On my K3 on 10M the noise level drops when no antenna is connected (by 10dB? Maybe not); AND the PR6-10 preamp improves the readability of very weak signals when it is in the circuit compared to when it is not. If that?s just a placebo effect, I?ll take it. I received a couple of off-list comments that might be of interest to those who are following this thread. One was that narrowing the BW also improves the S/N. That is quite true - indeed, BW narrowing in the K3 is generally better, in my circumstances, than the K3?s on-board NB and NR facilities are (though I confess I have much to learn about those.) ==snip 73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com Kits made by KL7UW Dubus Mag business: dubus...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
Hi All, I would like to compliment Jim Brown's analysis regarding verticals and height above ground. Based strictly on personal experience I would agree with just about everything he said, and now I know why!!! Hi. For years I used a Cushcraft R7 vertical, and I soon found that when it was mounted off the ground somewhat it performed much better. Of course, these antennas are compromise antennas, but still you can improve your results with some experimentation. Nothing produced better results for me than elevating the antenna. A number of years ago I purchased a copy of the study Jim refers to which was authored by Ward Silver and Steve Morris. This was published in about 2000, and many of the antennas they analyzed have been replaced or modified somewhat by newer offerings. However, the crux of the info is still very relevant. I think Jim is suggesting that any of these antennas will work better if elevated. Subsequently I acquired a used R8, which is similar to the R7, but an improvement in some ways. It is taller, but still uses much the same matching unit at the base. It also purportedly covers 6 meters, which the R7 does not, but my results there have been marginal. Still, the R8 does seem to perform somewhat better than the R7. In the analysyis by Silver and Morris, I think they more or less conclude that the R8 was the best of the bunch, at least if you only compare the bands each antenna is capable of--some of the tested antennas covered 80 meters, which the R8 does not. My R8, like my R7 previously, is mounted approximately 20 feet off the ground--just above the top of my roofline. The performance is much improved over a simple ground mounted system. Neither the R7 or the R8 produce very stellar results on 40 meters, but they do work, and DXing is possible in decent conditions. Since I favor CW, that helps too. SSB results are not so great, which tells me the antenna is struggling a bit on 40 meters. Not a big surprise! Since then I acquired a used Sigma 40XK, which is a vertical dipole. This is another NB6T design, while he still owned Force12. On 40 meters this antenna works better than my R8, and I have it elevated, but only about 6 feet. Based on Jim's analysis, I think it should be even a good bit higher. I actually would have expected that, but Jim makes it obvious. I also have another N6BT design, the Bravo 7. This is, according to N6BT, also a vertical dipole, but it looks more like an ordinary vertical, with adjustable loading at the base. I heard N6BT make a presentation about these newer designs of his, and he reported very good results. However, I think his results are substantially based on being mounted over salt water! Notice the dramatically improved results in Jim's analysis when mounting over salt water. My own results using this antenna are not all that good, at least not on 40 meters. It does seem to work fairly well on other bands. On a couple of occasions I've had this antenna somewhat higher, and although I don't have measurements to confirm it, the results did seem to be better. So, although my results don't prove much, they do compare favorably to what Jim says. I've tried various antennas, and with the same apparent results--higher is better! Dave W7AQK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Headset for KX3
I am thinking about going mobile with the KX3, using SSB (for the first time ever, and only because CW seems impractical while driving.) A lightweight one-ear one-piece headset seems like a safe way to go. If anyone has a brand or type they¹d recommend, I would much appreciate hearing suggestions - on list or off. Many thanks, Ted, KN1CBR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
Robert, I have a band by band breakdown of the GAP Challenger at: http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ -- Thanks and 73's, For equipment, and software setups and reviews see: www.nk7z.net for MixW support see; http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info for Dopplergram information see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info for MM-SSTV see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info On Sun, 2014-09-07 at 16:36 +, Robert G Strickland wrote: I've been following the R8 guying discussion with interest, because I may be in the market for a vertical in the next year or so. While I have read the reviews for the R8 at eHam Forum, I especially trust the experience of the hams here on the K3 list. I presently have a SkyHawk tribander at 60ft. However, an upcoming move to a new home may leave that combination out of the running with some sort of vertical the only option. So, I'm not expecting any vertical to equal the SkyHawk, but I would like to get a general feel for the mechanical quality and general performance of the R8. Thanks in advance. ...robert __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] MFJ-1786 Antenna
Yes. I've owned and used one. They can be amazingly effective. I still have an AEA ISOLOOP - a forerunner. The 1786 is surprisingly well made. The tuner with the built-in SWR/Power meter is very handy. They are *VERY* narrow banded - especially on 40. QSY a few KHz and you will need to retune. After a while your ear gets good at picking out the rise in the noise level as you approach resonance. When I was restricted as you are, I had many, many solid, enjoyable QSO's with a 100 watts. Just be careful that there is nothing metal near by - and most of all be sure no one touches it while you transmit. The rf burn one can get from contact are deep and extremely painful. 73, Doug -- K0DXV On 9/6/2014 7:50 PM, David Guernsey via Elecraft wrote: Does anyone have any experience using a MFJ-1786 with a K3? I live in a 2nd floor condo in a 5 story brick building. Considering a magnetic loop on my balcony to get back up on HF. 73 de Dave KJ6CBS __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to k0...@aol.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT - R8 antenna evaluation
Howard, I have a Hy-Gain AV-620 (20 through 6 meters). Very much the same as the AV-640 (40 through 6) meters. It is mounted about 8 feet off the ground. It's SWR characteristics are excellent on all bands. No tuner required. Performance, however, is not impressive. Were I to be limited to a single vertical, I think any of the various models will get a signal into the air. I particularly liked the GAP Titan. The most important thing is to get it off the ground. 8 to 10 feet at least. Otherwise, go with a regular quarter-wave with ground radials. Typically I find the AV-620 to be one S unit lower than a dipole for a given band. 73, Doug -- K0DXV On 9/7/2014 10:36 AM, Robert G Strickland wrote: I've been following the R8 guying discussion with interest, because I may be in the market for a vertical in the next year or so. While I have read the reviews for the R8 at eHam Forum, I especially trust the experience of the hams here on the K3 list. I presently have a SkyHawk tribander at 60ft. However, an upcoming move to a new home may leave that combination out of the running with some sort of vertical the only option. So, I'm not expecting any vertical to equal the SkyHawk, but I would like to get a general feel for the mechanical quality and general performance of the R8. Thanks in advance. ...robert On 9/6/2014 21:49, Howard Benham wrote: Unless your guy lines are rocket proof it probably won't make much difference. :-) Seriously though, near the top and in the middle work well for me in high wind condition. Howard KG5AON Sent from my iPhone __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to rc...@verizon.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
