Had a ball with my nearly new KX3 and AX1 vertical.
Set up portable at 7am Sunday in Bay View Park in Milwaukee (right next to Lake
Michigan). Spent about 3 hours using only 3 watts and managed to work about 75
stations across 40, 20, 15 & 10. Thank goodness for 15 being open.
This was my first time using the AX1. Worked flawlessly out of the box. It
does help to elevate the counterpoise wires so it helped to have a few bushes
near my park bench.
Spent the rest of FD before and after the park operation using a 35’ wire up
maybe 7 feet at most, strung outside the window of our AirBNB. Overall 141 Qs
in about 7 hours. No where near my best effort but for running 3 W in the park
and 15 watts to a suboptimal wire antenna it was one of the most satisfying
contests I have had in awhile.
With QRP/suboptimal antennas (as with most other things in life - like waiting
for a K4D) you have to be patient. QSOs take time but they can be more
satisfying than rotating the beam and turning on the KPA500, thus blasting your
competition out of the water ;-)
- Yes, I do have a K4D on order but if it had arrived in early 2021 I would
not have purchased the KX3. And BTW the KX3 works just fine with a KPA 500 -
“only” 200 watts but works better for me that the old IC737.
I find it amazing that you can re-invent your love of a hobby just by getting
some new gear. (First new radio in 26 years). This FD reminded me of my first
FD in 1979 using an HW8 and a 135’ wire and just how much fun it was (and still
is) to have someone come back to your call.
73
Jay
N9CIQ
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