[Antennas] Re: B&W window antenna

Thu, 4 Apr 2002 23:25:47 -0500 (EST)

 Bob:
 I like QRP and work it often with a FT-817. Alot of fun. The biggest difference between running 100 watts and QRP centers on your objectives. If you want to maintain consistent communications with a known station, you need 100 watts. If you are willing to go where the atmosphereics take you, QRP works fine. 
Ron W7MRR
--- On Thu 04/04, wrote:
> In a message dated 4/4/02 6:20:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
> [email protected] writes:
>> I once worked a station that was 1000 miles away on 10 meters (when it
>> was open) by loading up a light bulb that was hung from a tree. The
> lesson 
> was that DX can be worked with antennas ranging from as little as light
> bulbs 
> or bed springs when conditions are right. Now my signal report was 55,
> but I 
> am sure it would have be >>
>> Hi Ron,
> This is very true and for 2 years my station was the very early MFJ rock 
> bound TX.
> My RX was a Drake 2-B.
> My antenna was the screen door that had the chicken coupe type screen
> nailed 
> to the wooded door.
> But consider how easy working DX on 10 meters is.
> I'm suprized that you find QRP DX challenging running 100 watts
> The ham AL7SF lives in Fairbanks and we work
> him many 
> times QRP 5 watts or less.
> I'm on the FP-QRP-L list and I think a person on the same list from FL had
>> just worked DXCC running less then 200 mils.
> I work DX almost everynight @ 5 watts starting at 0700 UTC and get deep
> into 
> Europe.
> =====================================================================>
> The changes to the B&W.
> We had my friend lathe out a 9 inch piece of aluminum stock.
> The one end fit inside the whip and the other end was tapped to screw in
> to 
> that stub on top of the coil.
> We left the 2 turns on and now the thing hums.
> We clampped it to tha back of my station wagon and this time no ground.
> Just the factory counterpoise.
> We worked W1TBT on 2 watts and received a 579 report.
> He was located in MASS.
> I thought we bagged FL because his last name is Orlando.
> Well I guess what the factiory makes and on the bench with lab grade gear
> is 
> one thing but I didn't like seeing the instructions saying not to use the
>> coil tap on 40 meters.
> I wanted to see room to move that tap so I can get the bugger to resonate
>> without a tuner
> There was no room for adjusting it and now with some homebrew mods we no 
> longer need a tuner.
> I have the B&W here now and I have the radial hanging straight down
> from the 
> 4th floor.
> I'm shooting for DX on 40 tonight and will log and post to the list how
> good 
> these little things work.
> I do cheat and many times switch to the long random wire for RX only.
> Again thanks for your time writing.
> It's fun at times just playing to see the results.
> 73
> Bob
> AF2Qrp 
>
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