>>CQ CQ CQ de:...
You dont mind who or what area answers your CQ

>>CQ CQ CQ DX de:...
You really want anyone outside your current country to reply.

>>CQ CQ CQ Japan de:...
You want Japan operators to answer your call..

>>CQ CQ CQ Contest...
fast exchange contest style..

I hope it helps..
73- KI4CYB

Good activity here in SFL on 2M SSB...  

KB3KYO,  what antenna are you using for SSB?  I hope not a vertical antenna....A vertical antenna will not wont cut it on SSB...


Also you might want to play around with meteor scatter.. great way to log new grids from 500-1200 mile distance! Even when band is closed.. This applies to 6M also!

73 - KI4CYB

YES Meteor scatter is great when there is no band openings on 2 & 6 meters...  Like prior post states range on MS can from 300-1200 miles...  

0-300 miles you can do that almost anytime on 2M SSB... (with a 2M yagi & ssb)


73 - KI4CYB

To take advantage of sideband you would need a
horizontally polarized antenna on 2M, or at least a
LOOP on your car.

I personally do not think its worth the effort to do
all this for your car... But if you want to be a
ROVER then go for it!

BUT, if you would use the all-mode in the shack with
a 2M yagi, you will have fun..

Having a all-mode radio opens allot of doors, you can
try Meteor scatter using WSJT on 2 meter sideband, or
try Simplex DXing and so on..

Also, most all-mode radios also have 6 meters... Add
a 6 meter beam and watch for band openings..

I hope this was of help...

73 Joe - KI4CYB

I Need Iowa State for WAS...


Help appreciated!

KI4CYB

I just wanted to post a follow up as to not leave the posts without a final post or comment for those reading later on.

I installed the 17 foot Workman UVS-300 on top of my tower.. I have 1 word.. WOW!!! what a difference!
I can talk to people on FM simplex 35 miles away with no problem..  And even had a qso with a fello 80 miles
away on 2 meter SSB (both using vertical antennas) what a difference!

These miles I posted I am getting them from my LogicPro logging software...

In the peruse of improving my station, I ordered a Workman UVS-300 2m dual band vertical. Similar height and gain figures to comet GP-9..  I swapped mast to a 6 foot mast allowing future 2m SSB yagi to be installed, and mounted this vertical on top of mast.. The bottom of the vertical should be approx 56ft up.


Next will be a M2 9SSB yagi between my HF yagi and vertical antenna...


KI4CYB

UPDATE:

Last night after our WED night net, stations were asked to QSY and help make some range tests on a new local repeater. I assisted spotting people not making the repeater, and I was able to pickup a station using a HT with stock antenna inside his house running 3 watts.

This station was approx 11-12 miles from my QTH.  Station heard me perfectly, He was a little hard to work, but workable.  Not bad I would say..

I do not have a single issue with breakers... If someone breaks in we just start a round table.. And usually the breakers say a few words and continue on their way...

but NEVER just ingore someone trying to break in..

my .02 cents

73,
KI4CYB

I did the same for my HF antenna...  I used GAPs tilt-over mount...  Makes its super easy to bring down and up...


Joe, KI4CYB

>>Will a vertical be able to do a good job on DX-ing

YES! verticals work well...

I love DXing (and busting up pileups, hehehe)
I use my vertical 70% of the time since my tower mostly remains in the lowered position while station is not in use..   just take your time and install the vertical correctly...


And to the gentleman stating an amp will only raise your signal 2 S-units...  Well, That's a full 2 S-Units more that can make a difference if his signal is in the mud on the other end...  

but before anyone goes buying an amp, I suggest you spend the money on a better antenna system..

100w is all that's needed to make contacts, that is so true.. but for pileups 100w you will need to work at it..

73,
Joe - KI4CYB
Miami, FL

Chris,

  Thanks for your input...   A little info about my station:  I always try to extract every bit of performance I can from every aspect possible.
My Coax is all BuryFlex for HF and UHF with all runs as short as possible with no unnecessary couplers or connectors. The reason I use this
type of coax is because I have a crank up tower, If not I would have used LMR1200 hard-line everywhere.  My feed line for UHF is approx 65-67 feet, 50 feet of that just to go down the tower.

YES the Diamond antenna is not working optimally (that's my I called it LAME in my 1st post) Not Lame because of the antenna, but lame because the way I was using it in my application.

Yes I have assessed operating conditions on my end. I figured I could use the 7500 because as you stated It does not require a ground plane.
No I am not seeing high swr, I see approx 1.8 to1.

I believe I stated I was being heard, I just could not work some stations that were in the noise...  I do not know what equipment they were using,
for all we know they could have been using a HT with 3 watts to TX...

Thank You Chris for your input....

Joe - KI4CYB
Miami, FL

Mark (K5LXP)  Thank you for getting back to me...   By lame I was referring the use of a mobile vertical, and
not a base vertical for the home station...

As far as geographic advantages, I feel like I have more advantages
compared to my VEs station. For one he has many tall trees all over the established neighborhood, I do not
have tall trees (for now) all the trees are no taller than 2 story houses. He has over head power lines and utility
running all over, All utility and power are underground in my QTH.  Just me standing on top of my roof I can
see really far away from all areas, I cannot imagine looking from the top of my tower (birds eye view).

MAYBE you are also correct, maybe some of the guys are using low power or HT or something...

And about my rigs sensitivity,  hum very Interesting... Never really tried simplex before... The little FM I do Is always repeaters and usually NET checkins and never had a problem receiving from even farther out repeaters. but again I am mainly on HF...



>> You'll get more signal strength, but not more distance.

If I understand you correctly, maybe that's why my VE can pick these guys out... since he gets more signal strength he can work
them?



TU KI4CYB

Ok fellas... I need some feedback on your experiences with vertically polarized 2M VHF FM antenna system...

A little info,  I have a lame 2 meter setup for FM, but for repeater work it works fine... My VE holds the SIMPLEX NET
for our weekly net checkins..  The reason all this came up was on our last net, On the main repeater net I check in,
the net operator was asking for any ham to help and cover checkins on the SIMPLEX net because nobody was available..
He asked 3 times and I cannot believe nobody came back to him. Knowing my stations 2 meter FM limitation I volunteered...
I believe it was better than nobody being there to take checkins..   I was being heard by all the stations, but my RX capability
was not there... (that night everyone hops to the main repeater after the net was done) And we were chatting about me
helping and not hearing the checkin guys that normally checkin...  I am running an Icom 746 PRO and it puts out 100w on 2
meter FM... I believe vertical at 50 feet @ 100w might be the reason these guys can hear me.. but the RX is a different
story...


My VE lives 1.5 miles away from my QTH and runs a Comet GP-9 vertical on a 35-40ft push up pole... He runs 50 watt
into his vertical FM..   I am running a lame FM setup but for repeaters it works fine.. For the time being I am running a mobile
diamond 7500 vertical on top of my 50 foot tower driven with 100w from my 746 Pro.

Now, here is where I need your suggestions...  I don't have a large back yard and my antenna farm is already out of control.
I have a HF yagi at 50 feet (crank up tower) R8 vertical on top of a 17 foot mast, and a butternut HF2V 30 ft vertical on the ground
for 80 meter work.  I am hesitating adding a 17 foot 2 meter GP9 on top of my tower because of the neighbors... not that they complain,
I just don't want to abuse their kindness...

PERFORMANCE:  for what I keep reading, people state a vertical 2M FM antenna at a stated height wont perform
any better than a higher gain antenna mounted at the same stated height for simplex 2m FM operation?  If this somewhat holds true
can a shorter  2 meter vertical be used and expect to be able to hear the same people my VE hears with his setup?

If performance is that much different from a 17 foot 2 meter fm vertical to a shorter vertical at a stated height, I will somehow
justify and find an excuse and mount a 17 foot 2 meter vertical on top of my tower (Grin).   But if RX performance wont be enhanced
then Why do it?

I also don't mind adding a 10 element yagi on top of my HF yagi. but for net control simplex operation a yagi
might not work as well...


Thoughts / suggestions / Ideas?

73 - Joe
KI4CYB

Maybe the problem is not Floridians but 3-Land related... <g>

73 - KI4CYB