Compared to some of the other threads on eHam, this one is superb.

I apologize for not providing MY specifics.  I have been hamming for 34 years, lived in FL, VA, PA, CA and now NC.

EU, Africa from US East Coast are definitely a lot easier.  And my QTH in Florida was right near the ocean so that helped a LOT.

My California QTH was on a hill about a mile from Pacific ocean.  I had little success getting into Europe even at the peak of the 1979 sunspot cycle, but Asia and Oceana were like shooting fish in a barrell.  I had dipoles on 20-10, and I still have my logbooks of running JA pileups with only 100 watts, well into the wee hours local time.  Booming signals, all of them.  And a pipeline to UA0, every time I called CQ on 20 CW it generated a pileup.  It really was incredible.

And from North Carolina, I FINALLY worked my FIRST 9M2 and XV stations ever, just last month.  With an amp.  And a yagi.  The soil is clay (and dried out from the drought).  So SE Asia is a real challenge to being with. 

I guess I would take ANY QTH without antenna restrictions and  some elevation.  The XYL wants a horse farm for her beloved quarterhorse.  I saw a pic in QST back in 2004 of a ham who had similar situation.  He moved to rural Tarrant county (Houston?).  Towers and horse pastures.  Works for both of them.

I bought a used IC-910 from W4AS last May (thanks, Sebastian!).  I got it fully loaded for a great price.  I just recently started getting into weak signal work, as I am normally an HF DX CW op.

So far, it seems to be a great rig...but I don't really have anything to compare it to.  I like the features, it's easy to get the hang of it.  I have worked EME, MS, tropo, and sporadic E on 144 and 432 using modest antennas (2 x 9 el on 144 for EME using WSJT).

I wondered about getting a TS2000 since I am a long0time Kenwood op, but the 910H had great reviews...and me Elmer helped me to understand that I need to invest in a good antenna if I want to have any success.

Good luck, keep us posted on progress.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Brian, WB6RQN/J79BPL

Interesting observations about avoiding RTTY as well as PSK31.  I am not on digital modes that often (unless trying to chase new DXCC, which is 99% of my operation).

But on May 30, I let out a CQ on 20 meters RTTY.  I ended up with a 45 minute rag chew with W7TTY.  George and I went back and forth in a fascinating series of topics.

After the QSO, just before I went to bed, I looked up W7TTY on QRZ.com.  Which led me to this website: http://www.rtty.com/

Looks like Mr George Hutchison, W7TTY, is an old timer in the sense that he's an RTTY guru.  Been doing RTTY since I was running around in diapers!  I had accidentally stumbled upon a VERY interesting individual, and had the most amazing QSO.  No brag files for me!

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Please help by sharing your goals.  Do you want to DX?  You can do that with stealth wires and PSK31 and low power easy on 20 meters.

Are you looking for Worked All States?  You can do that in a contest on 40 meters.

20 meters is always open to somewhere, 24 x 7.  Recommend considering that band as your starting point.

Feel free to contact me off-board for any assistance that I can provide.  Congrats, welcome to the greates hobby ever!

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG
wd4elg@arrl.net

My 2 cents...it all depends! 

What band?  What mode?  What type of antenna?

For example, a quarter wave vertical on 40 meters will generally have a much better far-field enhancement due to seawater than the same antenna over rocky ground.

Perhaps a better question(s) for you: what is your current situation?  Ground conditions? Height above average terrain of your antenna, type of antenna?  What successes are you referring to?  What are your goals?

Personally, I would not necessarily consider moving closer to the coastline until I completely evaluated my options at my current QTH...and aligned those with my DX goals.

Again, just my view.  Please share more details so we can help you achieve your targets/goals!

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

I have the IC-910H, and I am attempting to power an ARR 432 mast-mount preamp.  I enabled the preamp voltage on the IC-910H (at least I followed the directions, so I presume that i did).  But the ARR 432 is not activiating.

I took the ARR 432 into the shack, tested sending a DC voltage of 12 volts over the coax using a separate injector, and it turns on the ARR.  (I can't use this injector in practice, as it is not rated for 432 MHz).

Is the voltage coming from the IC-910H less than 12V?  I can't locate any specifications on it or the AR-25 Icom preamp that it was intended for.

My next step is to measure the voltage across the coax with the preamp on, but before I tinker any further I would appreciate some guidance.

Thanks

Mark Lunday, WD4ELG

OK, I did some reading...looks like the GaaSFET devices in the preamps have failed.

Back to ARR for repairs, as these units are expensive and they work quite well, I don't want to skip out on using them.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

OK, I am at my wits end.

ARR pre-amps:
50 MHz mast preamp
144 MHz mast preamp
432 MHz mast preamp

Mounted in attic: stressed moxon on 6, 9 ele on 2, 14 ele on 432. Power supplied to the preamps from a 12V supply in the attic.

Rigs are IC910 on 432/144 and TS480SAT on 50.

The preamps are not working as intended on 144 and 50.  When I power them up, the signals and noise are attenuated.  When I transmit, the attenuation is turned off momentarily.
The preamp is working as intended on 432, the noise does appear to be higher.

I have tried everything - reversing polarity (nothing happens in that case), reversing feed (signal is constantly attenduated)

I have tried reversing feedline, reversing voltage.  I tried different coax.  I checked SWR on 50 and 144. 

I am CERTAIN that the 50 and 144 worked properly last weekend when I was listening to beacons.

Did I somehow mess up the pre-amps?   The 130 degree heat in the attic must be affecting my brain...

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG
wd4elg@arrl.net

DISCLAIMER: I am no expert, but I have followed some good guidance from VK1OD and some other experts, and have tinkered with the 43 foot antenna for a couple of years.

N4UM, great thread.  Who says eHam is of no value.  You're getting some awesome guidance here.   BTW, lots of folks (me 2) have often failed to consider the entire system for losses.

I won't comment on the feedline length recommendations for chaning those up, except to say I have never understood the logic of that recommendation.  But I am not an antenna manufacturer.

I agree with AA4PB's comments, although I have seen my installation work quite well on 40 and 30 meters when stealth and multiband operation was required.  (Separate note on the 43 footer, higher angle of radiation on 15/12/10 means it won't work as well for DX when other antenna solutions are available...like a shorter vertical!). 

As VK1OD points out on his website (and he has schooled me on this and many other topics, for which I am thankful), we need to define "good."

Good means maximum power radiated from the antenna (at least it does for me).  The trick is how to accomplish that.

Good does not necessarily mean lowest SWR at the shack.
Good does not necessarily mean lowest cost.
Good does not necessarily mean simplest.

In my case, after much trial and error, I have found that maximum power radiated from the antenna happens when I do two things:

1. Use a remote tuner at the base of the 43 foot vertical, along with as many radials as I can put down (poor soil).  This eliminates my concerns about SWR losses in coax, and consistently works around my issues with the unun.

2. Don't use the 43 footer on 160 meters, because it is not radiating much RF at all.  Instead I use a 132 foot inverted L.  (Surprisingly, the 43 footer in my case does work OK on 80 for 100+ DXCC entities at 100 watts).

3. Don't use the 43 footer on 15/12/10 unless it is short skip and/or there is no other alternative (unless DX is not the objective, and you want stateside only!)


http://vk1od.net/balun/application/Z5.html

http://vk1od.net/antenna/multibandunloadedvertical/index.htm

Keep us posted on your results, OM

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Wayne, I am doing some investigating and attempting to also find some activity on these bands.

The only reasons for vertical polarization would be: FM or Satellite (rotation of the bird) or EME (sometimes Faraday rotation makes signal reception better on vertical for a particular signal).

For terrestial SSB/CW weak signal, my money is on horizontal.

What is your approx new QTH?  Maybe we can work a sked, I want to get some VUCC action going from my QTH.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Thanks for the help, everyone.  Mark, interesting test results!

KB3RPE

Thanks for the feedback.  I am the original poster.  I put this up to show the absurdity of the situation.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Thanks!  I have a 9 ele yagi for 144, so I am hoping for some good results.  I will keep an eye on the Hepburn map!

Thanks, David!  Well, I hope to work you on the air soon.  I am also new to VHF SSB weak signal work.  It's a whole new frontier for me.

73
Mark, WD4ELG

I would like to do more CW/SSB on 2 meters and 70 cm, but not sure how to start or who to contact to set up a schedule.

In order to do some of the "rain reflection" or tropo stuff on 432, need to get some other hams with same time online.

Also, are there any regular nets or other activity beyond 144.2 and 432.1?

Thanks

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG