All of the information that is input with the dials is the same as that used to determine ERP in modern day RF coverage software. With the selection of HF and UHF, I'm guessing it was used for commercial broadcast site development.

73,,Roger

I have a Panasonic 50" plasma. Awesome TV but it is god-awful noisy on HF also. Unfortunately, I purchased it before I got back into radio and the wife would shoot me if I tried to replace it. I've done pretty much everything but wrap the screen in tin-foil. I feel your pain, my friend.

73,, Roger

I listened around for several hours trying to gather some counties and didn't hear any active QSOP stations from Ky. Guess I should start activating my own station during QSOP.

Roger

PSK on VHF FM....wouldn't that be PSK25K or PSK12.5K if using narrowband?

My shallow attempt at a little humor this morning.

73,,Roger

Okay, so you have a 160m dipole with an apex of about 40' and your antenna is only 246' total. That's barely at the top of the 160m band for a half wave dipole and with insulated wire you're probably looking at about resonance somewhere around 2.3mhz. I would expect SWR to be high.
From everything you've said, I take it you do not have a tuner in line. Using the RS SWR meter will give you a relative reading, not accurate, so you should be looking for a dip.

Start by adding 10' to each side of your antenna, set your xmtr around 1.9mhz and plot a curve every 5khz, up then down from 1.9.

Adding a tuner with built-in metering would be beneficial.

73,,Roger

The preferred method of equipment ground is to run a short ground wire from the equipment to a ground bus bar that is located in the vicinity of the equipment. The bus bar is then attached to the SPG (Single Point Ground) which is normally located outside the shack, with a large conductor.
73,,Roger

The preferred method of equipment ground is to run a short ground wire from the equipment to a ground bus bar that is located in the vicinity of the equipment. The bus bar is then attached to the SPG (Single Point Ground) which is normally located outside the shack, with a large conductor.
73,,Roger

I'm not familiar with the antenna, but looking at a pretty good picture of one, and given the fact that not all bands are affected the same, I think I'd start on the ground with binoculars and inspect each element for any damage to a tuning arm.

73,,Roger

If it was me, I'd borrow or buy a cheap SWR meter and place it in line between the radio and the tuner so you can see exactly what's going on. Then you can feel better about what's happening when you go thru the tune-up process and have a visual reference that you can relate to the indicators on the tuner and radio. Once you have determined the meaning of the various indicators you can remove the SWR meter and feel comfortable with what you see with your equipment.

73,,Roger

Well, thought I'd provide a little closure to this post. I know I enjoy hearing the outcome after folks have provided input. So in my case, the tower is up, the stack changed slightly. On top I put the mobile whip after extending the mast slightly which works just as I had expected, I redesigned the 6m yagi and made it 5 instead of 4 elements. It is the top yagi. The 7 ele 2m turned into a 9 ele and is second down and the Th6dxx is at the bottom.

I have a nearby beacon for testing the 6m yagi and it seems to be working quite nicely.

No long range opportunities for the 2m yagi yet.

And the Th6dxx is hearing things I never knew was out there.

I've yet to purchase and install the Comet.

Thanks for all your input.

73,,Roger

I put in a 40' freestanding 45G and it's wobbly at the top. Using 25G, you can build it, but I sure wouldn't climb it.

73,,Roger

Yes, to utilize the full potential of a ground rod, it should be spaced one to two rod lengths from the tower base. This is to insure that each ground rod has essentially "clean" conductive soil.
Something I was taught in a training session on Comm Site Grounding.

73,,Roger

I wouldn't even go there. Not worth the effort. The difference in ground level is not relative unless your outside upper layer of earth is nothing but boulders without soil. The difference in conductivity is probably immeasurable.

If you feel the need, add another ground rod outside and bond it to the rest, but no closer than about 2 ground rod lengths together.

73,,Roger

No, your Single Point Ground (SPG) is normally external to the shack and is bonded to the ground rod system outside the shack. The ground bus bar in the shack is bonded to the SPG with a single large conductor or multi-conductor wire.

Consider the SPG as the hub of the ground system with various legs (ground rods and tower, service panel ground and shack bus bar) connected to it using large conductor wire.

It sounds as if you have direct ground (dirt) access in the basement. A ground rod in there would certainly enhance your overall ground system. You can bond the interior bus bar to that ground rod, but, you still MUST bond the interior bus bar to the external SPG (hub), otherwise, you've set yourself up for ground loops.

73,,Roger

There are many who have differing oppinions on the subject of grounding inside the shack. My opinion is one of a professional working in the industry.

Yes, install a ground plate in the shack bonded to the external SPG with a #2 ground wire. Make all equipment ground connections to the ground plate in the shack using as large a wire and as short a run as practical (#6 preferred) but certainly no smaller than #12.

73,,Roger