My Astron is putting out 13.6 volts resting... I know it's nothing to worry about, but I'm a nudge - can anyone be a little more descriptive of this adjustment pot?

I just sold an Icom 718 to buy the FT-897D. As several that have owned both have said, you can't go wrong with either - they both are fine radios.

I used the 718 for HF and also had a TenTec 6-meter transverter for 6-meters, but that was limited to only 10 watts out. I had a dual band mobile for 2-meter/440 work, though FM only.

My club also likes to go to a local metro park, throw a dipole up in a tree, and play radio using a deep cycle battery for the afternoon. While you can use the 718 portable, the 897D handles it a little easier.

So I went with the 897D for several reasons... higher power on 6-meters - 100 watts out versus 10. The 897 has portable operations designed in. I had a 11 element 2-meter beam given to me, so I was really wanting to give 2-meter SSB a try.

I will have to disagree with one person that posted that the 718 handled "noise" better than the 897D. I have had a digital noise on 40-meters centered near 7.238 where I hang out most mornings, and when using the 718 I had to use a Radio Shack external DSP in addition to the Icom internal DSP to hear anything. I can get better results using the 897D internal DSP alone.

The 718 does have easier to use controls - no doubt about it, but you get used to what you are using.

If you would rather have HF/VHF/UHF all in one rig, the 897D is the way to go. If you like separate rigs, there is nothing wrong with the 718, especially if you consider how inexpensive that little gem is. Some people are "Icom guys", some are "Yaesu guys". Either will do a fine job for under $1,000.

As of today I am the one for my club that Net Control Operators send thier net check-in logs to. I just found out that it has basicly been done by hand! Does anyone know of software that can keep track of club net check-ins? Keith, N8EB@arrl.net

I just wanted to update everyone since so many of you took the time to respond!

So far I have built two 6-meter antennas - a wire vertical and a wire rotatable dipole.

The wire vertical was the easiest - a 54 inch wire connected to a chassis mount SO-239 center, and 3 counterpoise wires mounted to the chassis of the connector. Antenna has a little loop on the top with a zip tie to slip over a painters pole for support.

The rotatable dipole was made with 2 shock corded tent poles attached to a small piece of wood. I used zip ties to hold about 54 inches of wire to each side. One side attached to the center connector and the other to the SO-239 chassis. This antenna can break down to about 3 foot by 3 inches for travel.

I have trimmed each one with a borrowed MFJ antenna analyzer in my back yard, and was able to hear signals on each. I plan on taking both antennas out for a "Lark in the Park" later this week to give them both a good "shakedown cruise"!

The one other thing I have to mention is that I had to buy nothing, nada, zippo, to put these together. Both were completely made with stuff on hand in the garage and the junk drawer.

While these two antennas give me a start into 6-meters, they are by no means my last attempts into 6-meter antenna building! If anyone comes up with any other ideas, please, PLEASE, send them to me!

Once again all, thanks so much for all your input!

Boy I can't believe how many responses I got, and how fast! Thanks to all of you guys!

I have gone to the web site for all of your suggestions, and asked for prices aand info from Omni and KB6KQ. For some reason I can't get the KU4AB web page to load.

Charles, KC8VWM, said that I am having fun experimenting already, and he is completely correct - I love building antennas and trying them out, I have been in the hobby only 15 months and I have built almost a dozen antennas for myself plus helped at least 10 other people build or install some sort of antenna.

But all of those have been "normal" HF antennas - never built or even looked into a 6-meter antenna until yesterday, much less a 6-meter antenna with some sort of gain.

Some of the guys around here say that once 6-meters opens, it won't matter that my rig only puts out 10 watts, I will get out. I would really like to cover my bases and build an antenna with at least a little gain.

I had thought of building a small Sterba Curtain for 6-meters, but again, as of now I don't have a tuner for 6-meters.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions, and plese, keep em coming! Keith

Several ham friends and I love to "Lark in the Park" - we all have HF rigs mounted in coolers, and we run out to our local Metro Park and play radio off of a battery for an afternoon. We try to do this 2 or 3 times a week if possible.

I just picked up my own Lark in the Park rig - an Alinco DX-70. I have mounted it with an extra MFJ-949E tuner I had lying around, and I have a couple antennas that I drag out - a 20-meter dipole, a "Slinky" multi-band dipole, and a 40-meter wire caged dipole. All easily stowed in a small space.

My question is this - the DX-70 has a second antenna port for 6-meters - what would be my best bet for a fast deploy antenna for 6 meters?

Unfortunately I have the DX-70T that only puts out 10 watts on 6-meters. I wish I could get a yagi of some sort for some gain, but that would either be too heavy or complicated for an hour or two in the park. Also if I am correct the MFJ-949 does not tune 6-meters...

Any suggestions?