K2CMH, do you have an SWR meter that indicates the mismatch?  Without that, there's really no way to know how much loss there is (just to be in the know).  Remote tuners for high power are WAY more expensive.  How long is the coax run?  It might be cheaper to just replace the coax with some DX Engineering 400 Max which is lower loss than 213, and just accept the higher SWR and thereby eliminate any worries about SWR losses.  But again, no way to know for sure without the SWR meter.

I have my ZF 43 footer in central NC.  5 years.  LOT of winds.  Never an issue.  Both models should be of good quality, both companies have excellent reputations.

OK, good info.  I love the 480, esp receiving and the NR2 on CW

Thanks for the encouragement, fellow hams.  I guess I should not listen to the predictions, and just get on the air.

OK, this is PURE HERETIC talk, but I am going to take a look at the 590.  I have been SO happy with the 520S, then the 570, and the 480.

Yes, I am a very satisfied Flex 3000 owner, but you guys (and everyone else) keeps raving on and on about it with facts and observations to back it up.  I think I need to take another look.  I do use the 480 and 570 occasionally, so...

Good point on the spectrum analyzer, I was presuming it was restricted to lower power and not suitable for placing after the amp.  But the concern about overdriving the amp is a good one, so if it is possible, put it after the amp and before the tuner.

KY6R

If they announce activation of a rare one that I need, I will  ___________

1. Contribute to the cost (and I don't mean $5.  At 307, every remaining entity is very rare and expensive.  I am talking about personaly giving a lot more than that as contribution to the cost...especially if it is a South Atlantic...which are the most expensive and difficult).

2. Assist the DXpedition (like you did, RIch) with logistical coordination stateside, QSLing, whatever they need.  I don't have a TON of time, but I do have time and would be willing to assist.

3. Someday (oh, do I have dreams!) I would like participate in the DXpedition itself once we get word of the activation.  I would EAGERLY take time off from work to activate Navassa.  And I would find a way to pay my cost....I would even sell some of my gear to raise funds, and whatever else I had to do.  I don't want to go to the South Atlantic (I HATE cold), but I have no issues with activating a bird-covered island in the tropics...especially if it is in our hemisphere.  Hey, I am low maintenance and a team player.  I'll lift luggage.  I'll run the high speed CW position.  I'll do digital or SSB.  I'll cook.  Whatever is needed.

Not that we can do anything about it, but it's not very cheery news regarding the forecast.  Cleary the lower-than-normal predictions appear to be accurate, and the peak will occur later this year.

http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/images/ssn_predict_l.gif

What really blows my mind is how fast the first half, since 2009, has passed.  Hard to believe it is already February 2013!  I guess time goes by faster as I get older.  I guess we'll be back in the lull doldrums pretty soon.  Maybe I need to improve my 80 meter antenna instead of worrying about the high bands.

Whoops.  Yep.  TUNER as close to antenna as possible!  The last thing in the chain.

Thanks, W8JX.

Gene/AF3Y, how about sending some of that sunny weather further north?  And can you do something to help with the sunspots?  You are closer, right?   

I hope the lower sunspot cycle is not deterring any DXpeditions.

Agreed, good results so far this year: juicy bandfills in January = JD1BMH (30), JT1CO (40), PY0F/PP1CZ (40),  EY8MM (80), TZ6BB (15), and four new ones on 160.

It's not like last January with four ATNO (HK0NA, VK0TH, C21HA, TN2T), but I am NOT complaining this year.

I think we were spoiled last year.  So much DX in 2012 really set the bar high in terms of expectations.

I will keep putting down more radial wire and doing DX dances in the shack to the DX gods, and something good will come to those who are deserving.

Not sure why noone has responded yet.

I will give it a shot.

1. You want the wattmeter as close to the antenna as possible to measure what is really getting to the radiator.  So it goes furthest from the transceiver.
2. You want to see what's coming directly out of your transmitter before going into the amp, so you want it closest to the transceiver.
3. The amplifier needs to see a balanced load when it looks towards the radiator, so it comes BEFORE the tuner.

So, from shack to antenna, left to right:

Transceiver, analyzer, amp, tuner, wattmeter.  Hope this helps.

K8AXW, awesome post!   

Mike/K2MK- in ON4UN's book on low-band DXing he cites another ham with a low dipole who has worked DX on 160.  When was most of the DX worked for you? At their sunrise?  Was it EU?  Just wondering...thinking I should have a low horizontal antenna as backup for the inverted L, just in case...

I learned the hard way from my 2nd story window, that running a wire to a grounding rod can bring in RF currents BACK INTO THE RADIO.  Lesson learned.  I have a 3 prong plug and a 3 prong receptacle.  And I use a common-mode choke balun on my verticals to take care of THAT problem.

Now...my old TS520S is a different story.  I believe the way to address these older rigs is plug a 2 prong to 3 prong adapter into the outlet, plug the TS520S plug into that adapter, and run a short wore from the ground screw on the back of the TS520S to the ground lug on the top of the adapter.  (Not in that order.  Wire up the ground wire and insert the plug into the adapter, THEN plug the adapter into the wall outlet.  (If somebody sees something wrong with this approach, let me know.  It seems to address the electrical ground issue.)

Fernando, thanks for QSO's from several callsigns with BB (3V8, Z21, TZ6).  You are very FB, OM!  You shold write an article for QST, "How to run an effective DXpedition without KW and without yagis"