I love to work QRP SSB and will start to do PSK-31 as well at 5 watts and below.

My best contact so far was on 15 Meters SSB @ 2.5 watts on my Yaesu FT-817ND from New York City to Croatia (4200 miles) with a 57 report on a Buddistick portable antenna. The antenna was 5 foot tall up about 20 feet off the ground.

Looking forward to PSK-31 as it is more efficient than phone. I do not do CW but you should read the forum 1000 miles per watt.

73's and good DX! 

Eric (N2MVV)

Just got a great DX SSB contact from New York City to Croatia (9A3KS) on 15 meters, 21.292 @ 2.5 watts (4207 miles)

Band is open and I received a 57 report on my Yaesu FT-817ND with Buddistick portable antenna.

You don't need the big towers and amplifiers.

Eric (N2MVV)

Royce (W3IF) had a Radio Shack HTX-10 10 Meter mobile radio for sale listed on this site, and was selling it on behalf of another senior ham. After a few e-mails, I purchased the radio via Paypal. The radio arrived today via U.S. Priority Mail with the original box, manual, etc and the radio is in pristine condition.

Anyone else will have a positive experience dealing with Royce too!

Thanks Royce for being reputable and honest and others should follow suit.

Eric (N2MVV)

Brian,

I recently bought a Yaesu FT-817ND and was looking for a case to protect it from scratches, etc. I suggest for you to take your rig to Walmart and see the various netbook sleeves, etc that they have. You can put your rig inside of the various bags to see how it looks and what other items may fit inside. Best Buy is another good alternative. I bought a Targus bag at Walmart for $25 that holds my rig, cables, mic, notebook, etc.

I will place that bag into a backpack when I go QRP soon.

I posted the pics on the Yahoo Groups for Yaesu FT-817 site with my rig, mic, cables, etc inside the bag.

73 and good luck!

Eric (N2MVV)

Mark,

I had an RF issue on my 2nd floor apartment over the last month. I have an Icom 718 and use 25 feet of coax to a Buddistick vertical antenna outside of my window on the same floor. I was overloading the ALC when transmitting on 60-100 watts. After getting advice from many hams the thing that finally worked for me was creating a counterpoise. I went to Radio Shack and bought about 250 feet of 22 gauge hook-up stranded wire and quick disconnects.

I made a 4 wire counterpoise system which connects to the ground lug on my rig (no tuner) and made sure the wires were placed on the floor away from the rig. I cut the wire to 1/4 wavelength for the lowest frequency on each of the bands that I use often. Today I cut 13.5 feet (4 lengths) of the wire for 17 Meters and I was able to use my rig without any problems on 100 watts phone to Wales with a 59 report and beautiful audio.

I am not sure what your situation is but that worked for me out of my 2nd floor apartment.

73 and good luck!

Eric (N2MVV)

Brian,

Your welcome and be safe!

Eric (N2MVV)

Thanks Charles.

KC9SFG,

I have owned my Icom 718 since 2004/2005 and I love it!

I also have the LDG IT-100 automatic tuner which may work better than the AH-4 with broader band tuning.

I used to live in a QTH with trees and I could not erect a dipole either.

You should explore the old Par Electronics EF (End Fed) antennas which are now Lnr Precision.

You can erect the antenna without a tuner as a vertical, sloper, etc. They have various single band and multiband antennas that are great!

I have personally used the EF-20 (End Fed 20 meter) antenna with my Icom on 100 watts and I have had a QSO from NY to S. Africa on 20 meter SSB with a Sig. report of 59.

They make various antennas and all have great reviews. Be sure to check out all the great reviews.

I did not have all of the floor to ceiling noise issues either. You hook your coax to one end and string the other end up in the tree after you tune it once.

Here is the link: http://www.lnrprecision.com/

Also, a tuner is sometimes a band aid for a poorly resonated antenna. You want to maximize your 100 watts of power (more/less) on each band.

Here is a chart to show you what high SWR does to your output power.

http://www.wcerc.org/swrlosschart.asp

Good luck & 73

Eric

WB6BYU,

Thank you so much for all of your help. I am definitely looking at adding the extra radials for each band.

Fyi, the Buddistick antenna comes with a kite winder and 31 feet of #26 wire. (sorry incorrect on length of previous post)

Using my antenna analyzer, I was able to resonate the antenna with low SWR readings using a constant whip length and various coil tap settings with the appropriate radial wire length.

The radial wire necessary for the low SWR on each band is rolled out off of the kitewinder to approximately 1/4 wavelength. Excess wire is left on the kitewinder.

If you use more whip length on the antenna you use less coil as the antenna is more efficient.

Example of coil tap settings and radial wire length.

http://www.corail.nc/FK8DD/buddistick_eng.html

I have made nice contacts off of this antenna with my Icom 718 and also via my Yaesu Ft-817ND QRP rig.

73


Eric

Jim,

Thank you for the info.

I was checking it out as a last resort.

73

Eric

Thanks Phil,

Unfortunately the proximity is the best I can do in my apartment.

I am going to continue to read more and try the cheapest alternative first such as adding more 1/4 wave radials.

73's

Eric

Thanks for reply,

I already have (1) radial wire on a kite winder with 33 feet of #26 wire attached to the High Sierra Jaws mount which is metal.

This wire is used for a 1/4 wave radial on each band.

Are you saying to just add more #26 radials to the Jaws mount to make the antenna more efficient?

This will cure the RF issue also?

Willing to try.

Would like more feedback from experts as well if possible.

I am seeking input on curing RF in my shack out of my 2nd floor apt.

RF is apparently causing my ALC to overload while the Heil and stock mic's are keyed even with the mic gain at 0 and the speech compressor and pre-amp off.

Recently had a W4RT 500 Hz & 2.3 KHz filters for CW/SSB installed this month and problems started on my end.

W4RT tested the rig with proper grounding and everything worked great on all bands during QSO's. They had the speech compressor and pre-amp on and the mic gain adjusted from 42 to 60.

I had no problems with RF burns, ALC problems, etc without having a ground for the last year prior to the installation of the filter.

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Icom 718 @ 100 watts
Heil icM mic
LDG IT-100 automatic antenna tuner
Buddistick vertical portable antenna 10-40 meters ( 1 radial wire)
Samlex power supply
Rig Expert AA-30 Antenna analyzer
25 feet quality coax (new)

Cold water metal pipe in the bathroom is approx. 9-12 feet depending on placement of rig.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I primarily operate on 17 & 20 meters in QTH due to the radial length needed in tuning the Buddistick antenna to appropriate SWR.

I would like to use 10, 12 & 15 meters also but understand their may be limitations.

Buddistick is mounted on a 2 x 4 via a metal Jawsmount antenna mount and swivels outside of my bedroom window when in use and taken back inside when complete.

Coax is ran 25 feet from my antenna into the living room to the rig. A plaster wall divides the bedroom from the living room.


I am seeing if anyone has tried the following as I have read many articles and forums on this topic.

Was wondering what would be my best choice for setting up ground to cure RF and what gauge wires (I have read about the below as well and some info seems contradictory):

A: Star configure ground wires (10-12 ga?) from tuner and rig to busbar. Run larger gauge 9-12 foot wire (6 ga.?) to metal clamp onto cold water pipe.

B. Run ground (10-12 ga?) from rig to tuner ground. Run ground from tuner ground to cold water pipe. (I have read this as daisy chaining and also read it was okay)

C. Cut 1/4 wavelength wires (10-12 ga) for say 17 & 20 meters and connect to the ground lug of tuner only for each operating band to create a counterpoise.

D. Using MFJ-931 Artificial ground with counterpoise

As far as an automatic antenna tuner, check out the LDG IT-100.

It works great on my Icom 718 and works on the Icom 7000.

Read the reviews.

Eric (N2MVV)

I am writing about my experience with working 146.520 on a recent trip from NY to FL via I 95.

After reading about working simplex, I had one side of my Yaesu FT-8800R locked in on 146.520 at 50 watts. The other side had all the repeaters programmed from NY to FL along my route.

You really have to be active to try and work a mobile or base by calling out every 5 mins or so. I had some nice QSO's with mobiles, bases and a portable in DE, MD and NC.

Some states were active on repeaters more and had no simplex activity.

This was the first time that I got to operate simplex and I enjoyed it very much. It definitely made my long drive that much easier.

There are hams out there that monitor simplex and want to have a QSO.

I say keep it going!

Eric (N2MVV)