Before I changed antennas, I would try to run the G5RV as a flat top.  Various articles indicate that there is tremendous cancellation of signals with dipole antennas, esp G5RV.  I would try to get the top flat first.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

I have had mine for decades and it handles 100w without a problem.  I usually tune at reduced power, however.  I don't have the literature.  Remember it is a random wire tuner and works for that best.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

Great!

I agree with the other reply that says "First find a local club."  I am not much of a joiner, but you will spend far less money and have far more enjoyable contacts by accepting the help of a local club.

If you ask, for example, "What rig should I consider buying?"  The response usually comes back "It depends on what you want to do."  This is no help at all.  A club will have members in many facits of ham radio and you can talk with fans of many different aspects.  This will help you determine what your initial directions will be.  (Note I said initial directions because hams rarely stay fixed in one area very long.)

Welcome aboard.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

If you are not using the 70 ohm coax as a transformer section, you should not need to splice in a 50 ohm section unless you need the extra feedline length.  70/50 represents an SWR of 1.4:1 which should not be a problem for most rigs, assuming a reasonable run length and that you are on HF.  Adding a length of 50 ohm coax would not decrease the SWR, but would introduce unnecessary additional feedline attenuation.  A little SWR is not really all that bad and trying to keep it 1:1 can be futile.

If you are using a dipole, its feedpoint resistance may be near 70 ohms which would match the coax well.  I have used 70 ohm coax with no great noticable problems.  Be sure to use the correct adaptors for PL-259s if you use 70 ohm coax.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

I agree with KA7QOR.  The battery situation is probably going to be the weak point in any QRP operation.  Be sure that you don't mind missing a few pileups and things as 5 watts is definitely less than 100 watts.  That is probably why people sell the 817s.

Next to power, the antenna is also a significant consideration.  Tradeoffs galore.  I find that the most fun part.

I am so far impressed with my 817.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

I don't think a map or a formula exists.  The two big emitters in HF are the Sun and Jupiter.  Amateur radio astronomy projects include these in the HF region.  I am not sure what the galactic plane looks like, or if it is significant.

That's what I know.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

If you run the twin-lead/ladder line all the way back to the tuner, the antenna is no longer a G5RV, but some sort of double zepp, and you lose the transformation of the twin lead.  Yes coax is lossier with high swr, but the swr isn't that high on the coax if the transformer section is the proper length.

In some cases you may even be able to get by with the internal tuner of the newer radios, or the output tuning circuits of the tube radios.

For construction details. search for wire antenna construction on google or yahoo.

I agree with the others.  A lot of people get the 817 as their first rig.  Maybe even their primary rig.  It is a QRP radio and if you are aware of what that means it is really a tremendous QRP radio.  If, however, you are not an experienced ham, I would suggest avoiding QRP for the immediate and get some QSOs under your belt before venturing into QRP.  QRP takes some extra skill and patience and it is my guess that some ops don't realize this when they buy the unit.

I like the IC718, FT840 or the FT747GX for beginners.  Not many controls and great receivers.

The ends of the antenna (any half wave dipole) are very high impedance and very high voltage.  If you are arcing at the antenna ends, you need to provide better end insulators and get the ends away from the tree.  Trees are fair conductors at rf  The military has even investigated using trees for antennas.  The wire size does not effect the voltage at the wire ends.  It will be high.  In a dipole you may have a low SWR on the feed line but your SWR on the antenna must always be high.  Antennas use the standing wave to radiate.  The standing wave on an antenna causes high voltage peaks which sounds like why you may be burning.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

Hi,

DSP is not a good replacement for a mechanical or crystal filter.  It can improve things by allowing you to tailor the band edges, but it works, generally, in the audio and does not help prevent things like amplifier overload of other stages like the IF filter can.

All in all, I would say that DSP enhances, but does not replace IF filters, esp. for CW.

John Pawlicki, K8AG

I agree with WB2WIK.  The best audio is headphones.  If possible, get a pair that encloses the ears to eliminate ambient noise as well.  When the going gets tough, I get headphones.

If the ceiling fan has an electronic control, it might be forced into some conduction by the rf.  This could put current to the motor, but not enough to actually run the motor.  For there to be a noise, something has to be physically moving.  If your audio system is off, that would leave things like the fridge, heaters, air conditioners etc.  Any of these with electronic controls could be providing small amounts of AC to a stalled motor.  Be sure you have a good RF ground for the station, not just an artificial ground.

Remember that "The only hame without RFI problems is the ham who doesn't operate."

I agree with the other responses.  A wire loop into the tuner would probably be a very good antenna.  Remember that hamsticks by their very convenient size have a very very low radiation resistance.  Even if the reactance can be tuned out, a lot of power would be burned up as heat.

I have used wire loops in hotel rooms for years and it serves about the best if you can't get outside.  Of course, outside is always better.

Being fundamentally lazy I cruise the 40 Novice segments.  Some of the high speed CW sounds like too much work to me.  I work hard enough during the week.  Like has been said before, call CQ and someone will come back.

In addition, when we answer a CQ we should try to match the speed of the sender.  If you send CQ at 10wpm, someone who answers should expect to stay at 10wpm unless asked to speed up.

In my opinion the station being piled is doing a service simply providing contacts.  Ops should have thicker skin than to be offended because it is time to close down a pileup.