As I mentioned before, I live in an apartment and will continue to do so for the forseeable future.  So do NOT suggest I drill a hole in the exterior wall.

How do you connect coax from an indoor radio to an outdoor antenna WITHOUT letting the cold air in?  Do I use thinner coax?  Break into the 4th dimension?  I would like to hear from apartment dwellers who use outside antennas.

I can only hear net control, and only net control can hear me when I try to check into our club's LOCAL 10m HF net at night.  I thought that my bad QTH was the reason, but this might be only part of it.  You see, NOBODY has responded to my CQ calls in SSB, even when I operated in the field (20m, 17m, and 10m in the afternoon).

To see what type of HF antenna I have been using, go to:
http://www.usa2way.homestead.com/CliffDweller.html

According to one individual who responded to another question I had in this forum, this Cliffdweller II antenna is a DUD!  This individual found that his Cliffdweller VASTLY underperformed a 10-foot random wire.  One of the more experienced hams in my club said that the helical design couldn't work effectively, because the electrons must change direction too many times.

Is there any way I can compare the performance of various antennas?  PLEASE note that I live in a ground floor apartment with NO bushes or trees close enough to conceal anything.  Any outdoor antenna MUST be a temporary installation for nighttime.  Some options I am considering:
1.  The random wire connected directly to the tuner: I will go to Radio Shack to purchase some wire.  This is only a temporary solution, and I MUST be QRP in order to avoid excessive RF feedback.
2.  Texas Bugcatcher: Texas Radio Products sells these for $150.  I was seriously considering using a Texas Bugcatcher due to the EXCEPTIONAL reviews it has received (like having other hams on the air mistake it for a booming base station).  It can be used anywhere from 10m to 80m.  It outperforms Screwdrivers, Hamsticks, Hustlers, Outbackers, and other mobile HF antennas in shootouts.  High cost, the need for a ground plane/radials, and doubts that a mobile antenna could be as good as a non-mobile antenna stopped me.  Would a tripod work for non-mobile use?
3.  MFJ-1621: This is a telescoping whip antenna that extends to 54".  I have seen fairly postive reviews, but not as glowing as those of the Texas Bugcatcher.  Any thoughts?
4.  Wire antennas strung around the apartment: Would too many turns (due to walls) harm performance?  Would having the wire antenna so close to everything cause RFI?  At least a Bugcatcher or MFJ 1621 only occupies a small area.

This sounds like the Code Quick program.  Go to:
http://www.cq2k.net

I used Code Quick to learn Morse Code, and IT RULEZ!  There are MANY testimonials on this site and on USENET.

To those of you wondering about my radio and antenna:

My antenna is the Cliffdweller II sold at:
http://usa2way.homestead.com/CliffDweller.html

It is a rather wimpy antenna.  But at least since it is a dipole, I don't need an RF antenna ground or ground plane.  I suppose a wire antenna would be better in the field, as I could launch it into a tall tree for greater height.

My radio is a Kenwood TS-430S.

My home is in an abysmal RF hole.  I live in a ground floor apartment at a LOW elevation.

Is this sufficient to explain my problems?

I operated my HF radio from the field (at a high elevation) last Sunday afternoon.  I tried 20m, 17m, and 10m, and I heard many stations.  Unlike the case at my apartment in an RF hole, the S-meter actually moved.  Many stations were S3 or better, and one was as high as S7.

But I didn't hear anyone call CQ on this outing or a previous outing.  What gives?  It seemed that everyone was on a net or locked in a long QSO.  (I also tried calling CQ many times to no avail.)

So where is everyone?  I thought that hams call CQ to initiate random contacts.  Doesn't anyone do this?  Are there SSB calling frequencies?  Are there special ragchew, contest, and special event bandplans that I don't know about?

Can anyone tell me how these options compare in terms of performance?

I am shopping for a 2m/70cm antenna to use with my handheld so that I can operate from inside my AWFUL QTH.  (The RD-98 flexible HT whip doesn't cut the mustard.)  Can anyone offer me some advice on which of these options I should buy?

1.  PJ DualS ( http://www.antennasmore.com/prod02.htm ): This is the cheapest AND most convenient option.  It is a roll-up J-pole that requires NO ground plane and NO additional accessories.  It even uses an SMA connector!  While I expect it to be far better than my RD-98, how does it compare to the bigger antennas?

2.  Arrow Pole Model J146/440 ( http://www.fix.net/~jparker/radiopaul/j-pole.html ): No ground plane is needed.  I think this would offer better performance than the above option, but it is more expensive and requires additional accessories.

3.  Diamond X50A/NA: This vertical antenna received good reviews on this site.

4.  Cushcraft AR-270 vertical: Ditto.  It was also a suggestion at last weekend's emergency management training seminar.

5.  Cushcraft A270-6S 2.8-ft. Yagi: Would a small Yagi be an even better option for me?

6.  Cushcraft CS 270M magmount mobile: I would simply add a metal pizza pan to use as a ground plane.

7.  ZR-2M/440: From Force 12 ( http://www.qth.com/force12/zr.htm#ZR2M440 )

8.  Anything else I should consider?

I have here more causes of RFI.  Unfortunately, the RFI to the GFI is like the killer in the slasher movie sequels; just when I thought I had slain it, the monster returns to life!  I am now suspecting the power supply again.  How do I SAFELY and nonintrusively test the power supply?  Please don't suggest I cut the cord and insert an ammeter.

I will share with you my observations.

(Yes, I'm the one with the hair-trigger ground fault interrupt.  One cause of the RFI was improper use of the tuner as a result of not realizing that the BPS toggle meant bypass.)

I found out last night that the lamp in my shack is a culprit.  With the help of a more experienced ham in my club, I learned a way to diagnose RFI.  I tried 20m last night only to keep tripping the breaker.  Even using my Power Station gel cell battery didn't cure it.  I unplugged everything on the affected circuit and continued to use the battery.  The breaker didn't trip, even at full power.  I plugged in devices, one at a time.  The breaker didn't trip.  I plugged in the lamp.  BINGO!  Even when the lamp was off, the breaker tripped.  Plugging the lamp into the Radio Shack AC line filter cured the problem.  Evidently, the lamp and its electrical wire had behaved as an antenna.  The RF entered the apartment wiring and found its way to the ground fault interrupt, causing the circuit to trip.

I tried operating again today.  This time, I tried using the power supply.  The circuit breaker keeps tripping.  Even with the crazy lamp out of the equation and with the power supply plugged into the AC line filter and with toroidal cores around the power supply cable, the RFI continued.

Using the battery and keeping it unplugged eliminates the RFI.  Plugging the battery into the wall outlet brings it back.  But plugging the battery into the wall through the Radio Shack AC line filter eliminates the RFI again.

Rolling up my Cliffdweller slinky dipole hasn't cured the problem unless I use the AC line filter between the power supply and electrical outlet.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

<<him: kd5knv, thats ru4gr, ru4gr, as in good riddance, good riddance, "are you for good riddance.">>
RU4GR made up his own phonetic alphabet.

R=Are
U=You
4=For
G=Good
R=Riddance

<<If that is the case you may want to try CW if you are having such difficulty. When you are in a position where you have a "less-than-ideal" situation (such as low or shortened antenna, low power, bad location, etc.) CW will work at least twice as well for you. This I know from personal experience.>>

I will try this suggestion.  I better refresh my Morse Code skills.  I was up to 7 wpm when I passed the 5 wpm exam back in July.  I hope to one day become one of the CW speed demons.

To all fellow Britney Spears fans: Morse Code baby one more time!

I am interested in buying a mobile 2m/70cm antenna (with a magnetic mount on a flat sheet of metal, such as a wide baking pan, plus some coax and the appropriate adapter) to USE WITH MY HANDHELD transceiver (a Yaesu FT-50R).  I should note that my QTH is as bad as Eminem's singing and that I need a better antenna to compensate for this.

One of the manufacturers advises against using an antenna taller than 50 inches with a magnetic mount.  Why is this the case?  Is this because magnetic mounts are weak and taller antennas need more support?

Are there any other considerations I should take into account?

Due to my lousy QTH (ground floor apartment, indoor antenna due, AND low land elevation compared to surrounding areas), I haven't been as active on HF as I hoped to be.  The only QSO I had so far was with the net control of the LOCAL 10m SSB net.

I ventured out to a better QTH (at a small park at a high elevation) this afternoon, hoping for my first real QSO.  I heard many QSOs, but I was unable to get any QSOs.  I couldn't get through the pile-ups, or I didn't feel like sitting through the entire net.  So I tried calling CQ on unoccupied frequencies, but NOBODY responded.  I tried to get into QSOs in progress (giving my call sign during a break), but this didn't work either.

What does it take to get a response from calling CQ?  How do I guess if someone is listening?  Did I simply go to the wrong frequency?

Have any of you experienced anything like this when you were new to HF?