M0TTB:  500miles from South Florida??? Try 1500

Good point, and it is greater than 500 miles.  But when I rechecked distance using the maidenhead grid distance calculator http://www.chris.org/cgi-bin/finddis and used HK0NA grid=EJ93 and Key West, FL grid=EL94 distance between them computes to 766 miles, ~ 1/2 your estimate.  thanks, K3VAT

Malpelo – HK0NA is finally on the air  .  Also Malpelo:

•   Is number 9 on the DXCC Most Wanted List and needed by 80% of world hams and 70% of all NA hams - see http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php.  So it is very likely that tens of thousands of US amateurs will want to get this one in the log on as many bands and modes as possible.
•   Is approximately 1500 miles from the closest US mainland (South Florida) and the majority of US amateurs are within 2,500 miles.  http://www.mapquest.com .  This is true backyard DX’ing.
•   Operators, besides being highly skilled have the use of great equipment: transceivers, amplifiers, antennas.  Expect them to be loud on all bands.  Any US station with a decent rig/antenna will have the potential to work them on multiple bands.
•   At least at first, it will be tough, perhaps very tough for EU, Asia, AF, and Oceania to work these guys due the Great NA Wall.  This is particularly the case for the Japanese who have nearly twice the number of amateurs as the US and have a somewhat difficult path (and they do not share a mutual gray line).  However, we may anticipate HK0NA operators specifically requesting calls only from certain geographical areas (such as “JA Only”  “EU only”).
•   Speaking of gray line … the evening gray line covers a large swath from the upper plains and eastern Rocky’s southward to Texas and the Mississippi Delta region.  Morning gray line is the entire east coast (W1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and a sliver of 9 and 5).  DXAtlas
•   As soon as someone (or some robot) spots the HK0NA call on any band, expect that within one minute that hundreds or possibly even thousands of stations will be on their door step – that’s the nature of high-speed internet and the desire to get them in the log.  Of course this will diminish with time.
•   Don't worry about not having that 5 element 20M yagi stack on a 120' tower.  In fact, some US stations have antennas (yagis and wire) on towers that may be too high OR high-performance verticals that are designed for really long-haul DX (very low elevation angles) for QSOs in this close in.  So yes, it is entirely possible for the little guy to grab the QSO with his 20M dipole at 12 feet or his multiband vertical on 80M.  Don’t think that you don’t have a chance.
•   A final saving grace is that this DXPedition is already on the air, albeit with only part of the team but still making lots of contacts.  They’re scheduled to operate until February 7th – that’s about 4 weeks away.  They’re planning to be fully operational for over two full weeks with the full complement of operators (1/21 till 2/7).  Why not wait awhile – toward the end of the DXPedition it is possible that on certain bands/modes that HK0NA will be beggin’ for contacts.
•   Always monitor their website http://hk0na.com/ for any news that will help you work them.  You can also analyze the spots on http://www.dxsummit.fi/CustomFilter.aspx to see when you stand your best chance of working them.

I’m sure that other members of the eham.net community have good advice or experiences that can make this DXPedition meaning for you.  GL and 73, Rich, K3VAT

Thanks.  Using the loaded radials seems to be a viable option - and may have other benefits as well.  Good point!  73, K3VAT

Planning for spring antenna projects:  Homebrew Aluminum 80M shorty vertical mounted on woodshed (6’ high) using four (possibly 6 or 8 radials) tuned elevated radials (~70’ long).  Center loaded (3”x4” #6 wire coil) with small (4' diameter) cap hat.  Good ground, no surrounding metal within 30’, but lots of shrubs and vegetable/flower beds.  Operating goal: DX’ing/contesting.

Question 1) I have the ability to construct and permanently deploy fat radials, i.e. multiple wires (3 or 4) spaced 6” to 9” apart and connected together at the antenna feed point and tied off at a distant tree.  Will four of these fat radials significantly increase the efficiency of the antenna system (by providing substantially more surface area to collect returning currents), if so, approx. how much?

Question 2) One side of the property slopes uphill (maybe 10 deg slope) for most of the 70’.  Will having one end of the radial about 10-15 feet higher than the other three present any kind of problem that I would need to compensate for?  Should I also upward slope the radial across from it? [I've seen mixed responses re: this question, so I'd like to ask it again.]

Question 3) If I ever wanted to try 160M with this antenna (converting to an inverted L, changing load coil, and feedpoint matching) are the use of folded radials (70' out and 60' back in with ~4" of separation) an option where I just don't have the 130'?   

PS: it is not feasible to construct a ground-based radial field at this location.

Any empirical data certainly appreciated.  73, Rich, K3VAT

thanks Allen for the info.  may be they saw my post - hi hi
73, Rich, K3VAT

Does anyone have recent (say, within past month or so) information on fate of the Ham-Radio-Deluxe software suite?  It was announced (Sept 2011) that HRD was sold 3 US amateurs and that HRD development was to continue.  Couldn’t find any recent info on W4PCSoftware, WA9PIE, nor on theTimewave websites.  Sent a couple of emails, but guess they’re busy on development.  73,  Rich, K3VAT

KB1GTX - that's exactly what I've been looking for; so now I can check out big drug stores and get one for my soldering iron.  thanks! Rich, K3VAT

K0JEG & K5LXP:  Thanks for the reply; I'll try that out.  73, Rich, K3VAT

AC4RD - Thanks, can you give me the brand, size, etc. that you found?  thanks, Rich

Does anyone know where I can obtain the butane cartridges for the RadioShack Butane-Powered Mini Soldering Iron (64-2188)?  Local RadioShack and RadioShack.com have no info.  Casual google search didn't help.  Thanks, 73, Rich, K3VAT

Does anyone know where I can obtain the butane cartridges for the RadioShack Butane-Powered Mini Soldering Iron (64-2188)?  Local RadioShack and RadioShack.com have no info.  Casual google search didn't help.  Thanks, 73, Rich, K3VAT

N4UM has provided good recs.  One caveat - using above ground radials can be a bit tricky, this could be especially true in your apartment setting.  They are often difficult to tune (lots of cutting and splicing), tend to interact with other elevated radials (or other close by metal structures), act as radiators themselves, and might not be as efficient as a ground-mounted system.  Over the years I've found that it is often best to start with the classic vertical antenna with buried radials - as many as your situation permits.  good luck!! Rich, K3VAT

Also check out Tom, N6BT's new lineup of vertical dipoles - they're small footprint, good efficiency, reasonably priced, and materials are top-notch.  They mount just a few feet above ground and can be 'hidden' among trees.  At HF, trees have negligible loss.  There is even a remote switchable version for 10-20M (all 5 bands). His website is:  www.n6bt.com.  good luck!  Rich, K3VAT

From the ARRL Antenna Handbook (page 3-18) … For 20M mounting your horizontal antenna at 33 feet (1/2 wavelength) will yield one nice lobe with absolute gain peaking ~30 degrees.  This will be very good into Europe, SA, and parts of AF and the Pacific.  Mounting  at  65 feet (1 wave length) will yield a pair of lobes, one peaking at ~15 degrees and one at ~45 degrees.  This should be sufficient to work into most parts of the world now that the sunspots are back.  For 10M mounting at ~33’ is one wavelength (a pair of lobes) and at ~65’ you’ll see 4 lobes, the lowest may allow you to work even deep into SE Asia when conditions are favorable.  My portable QTH uses an indoor dipole (at 25') with 30 watts and I'm able to work the S Pacific DXPeditions on the higher bands (10,12, and 15).  Good Luck, Rich, K3VAT

thanks to all who replied about my inquiry about radials under a vertical dipole.  73, Rich, K3VAT