I wasn't really asking about antennas.  When I get a number of issues straightend out I'm going to put up a tower.

I've got this HTX-100 rig setup and about the only thing I've heard swirling the dial is an occasional solid tone with a sort of a xilaphone sound coming towards and away from it.

If you've read my previous posts you know that my dad was a HAM and I grew up hearing these sounds coming from the hamshack.

Maybe someone could shed some light on this?

How good are things REALLY at the peak of the sunspot cycle?  

I have a HTX-100 connected up to a mobile 10M antenna on my roof and as expected it's deader then a doornail, I've heard though that when the sunspot cycle comes back up that a setup like mine would be able to pick up tons of stations.

I'm thinking of jacketed 12 to 20 guage wire.

Okay whats a good alternative to using coax for the 8 foot arms?  Can someone recomend a good wire?


Rob

For 10 meters at around 28.4 MHz I could take a length of RG-8U and solder some type of wire (more coax or another "recommended" wire) in 8 1/4 foot lengths coming off of it. Obviously one 8 1/4 element would be soldered to the center conductor and the other to the outer shield.

This would in effect create a very simple horizontal dipole. Of course I would want to strengthen it mechanically so it's not hanging on its solder joints and insulate it from weather where need be.

One questions remains and that is what kind of length for my feedline would I want, and how would I calculate my balun?

What if I did this to cover 28.3 to 28.5:

For 10 meters at around 28.4 MHz I could take a length of RG-8U and solder some type of wire (more coax or another "recommended" wire) in 8 1/4 foot lengths coming off of it.  Obviously one 8 1/4 element would be soldered to the center conductor and the other to the outer shield.  

This would in effect create a very simple horizontal dipole. Of course I would want to strengthen it mechanically so it's not hanging on its solder joints and insulate it from weather where need be.

One questions remains and that is what kind of length for my feedline would I want?

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    Last weekend during the ARRL Intl SSB, I worked Curacao, Bonaire, Venezuella, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Argentina (twice) and Costa Rica (twice) in about half an hour, from Oklahoma City on my RS HTX-100 at 25 Watts.

    The antenna I used was a very simple home made 1/4 wave vertical, elevated only 6ft off the ground, with four speaker wire radials extending at 45 degrees down to the ground and doubling as guy wires. It is fed directly with coax and requires just a simple coax choke ("Ugly Balun") to keep RF where it belongs.
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Could you email me the specs? and Perhaps a few photo's? phundle@gmail.com



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    When you get an antenna up, start watching the DX spots and tune around 10 when you see action there. You should have decent activity almost every weekend, mid-day. Also getting a look at the Real-Time MUF map would help you too.
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What do you mean by DX spots?  ARe you talking about the 10M beacons?  

HAH I work swingshifts and have thurs-friday nights off.

I must wonder though what a 10M magmount on my swamp cooler would do? It's at roof height. OR what 8 or so feet of coax would do, with each 8 foot segment soldered to the braid and the center conducter respectively (only problem is that it will be against my house and not out in the open.

Well heck, I just need to experiment and see what I can do.

But please email me some pics and detailed instructions on your antenna It sounds like a winner.

Has anyone used a RS HTX-100 10 meter radio for PSK-32?  If so can someone point out how one would hook it up?


Also could the TH-2KAT 2M from Kenwood be used for PSK-32 ?


Really I'm looking forward to trying some long distance contacts on 10-meters down low here in the bottom of the sunspot cycle.

Do they exist anymore?

Does anyone make a low cost radio that will cover 6-10-20-40-80 etc?

I wouldn't expect ONE radio to cover all of those bands, but some sub-set.

And by low-cost I mean under 500 bucks!

Actually the code tests kept me away from Dad's hobby for  20 years, but now that they've dropped them, I have an incentive to learn code at my own pace, also to get into QRP etc.

And I want my general ticket by field day '08

Okay, here is the 70cm coax I made.
http://flickr.com/photos/32162739@N00/417260485/

And here is the one I made for 2M
http://flickr.com/photos/32162739@N00/417260484/

The 2M antenna already has the center conductor pulled out and the braid is just taped straight down.

So If I'm readying everyone right.  I could just hang that braid up in a V and I've got a real dipole?

and on the 70cm I could pull the center conducter through the braid and make another V.

I guess the whole point here is I  could have just exposed the center conductor and braid, soldered on two pieces of wire in the correct length one to the braid and one to the center conductor and instant dipole?  Am I right?  

What type of wire would be good?

Would I need a Balun?

Would I have to use an SWR meter or an antenna tuner?

I'm taking my technician test on the 27ty (havn't failed one of the QRZ practice tests yet, so I think i'm good.  Still studying however.

I know I'll get a sequential callsign WN7, or NE7 or some such.  I want my dads callsign W6NZX.

Three questions.

1. Can a Technician hold a 1x3 ?
2. How hard is it to apply for them? the FCC website is confusing as hell.
3. And is it true that the FCC has stopped accepting applications for vanity callsigns?

AC5E,

So lets say we strip off 8 or so feet of black shielding from the coax, and then run the braid back down over the outside of the black shielding, tape it down, then drop the ferrite beads where?

OR,

Do you mean to say that you would strip back say 8 1/4 of the coax ALL THE WAY DOWN to the center conducter, then run 8 1/4 of ferrite beads from where the center conducter enters the insulation?

N3OX, can you point me to some step by step directions on how to build a standard dipole?  Where you talking about a verticle or horizontal dipole?

My soldering skills are not all that bad.

I also have a fear of heights so getting on the roof is not something that is going to happen.

Course I could lash a 10ft mast to short-thick tree in my back yard and attach another 10 feet or so of PVC to it, and then connecting my coax dipole to that or some other design.

I need to get involved with the local club out here nad get some local elmers to come on by help me survey out my options.