Bored & looking for a QSO

[AF9J]

Hi Bob,

I also responded to you via the personal message option.  Sure, that'd be great!  I'll let you set the speed (whatever you're comfortable with, 5, 10, 20WPM, is fine with me).  40 might be better at night, and 20 will probably be better to use during the day.  I'll either use the Bencher RJ-1 straight key, or my Champion Bug.  Let me know when you feel ready to go (if you don't feel comfortable sending, do slow speed). 

73,
Ellen - AF9J
SKCC #1369

[WB3JOK]

Ellen,

I think a magnet loop antenna might be the answer for you.  For 80 meters, an eight foot diameter loop made from 1/2" soft copper pipe and a 350 pf variable cap will do the job.  Use a 2' dia single turn wire to a BNC for coupling to coax.

The noise attenuation with magnetic loops is fantastic!  The only downside is that the loop must be tuned.

Keep using your drain pipes for transmission.

Tom

Magnetic loops are also usable for transmitting antennas, if properly constructed. I'd recommend 1" copper pipe.  Also you'll need a GOOD variable cap - I highly recommend one of the 10-350pf 15kv Russian surplus vacuum "bottles".  Because the Q is so high, at legal limit power the voltage across the cap is about 12 kv, and the circulating current in the tens of amps. A BC-band tuning cap won't cut it (even for 100W you need at least .100 and preferably 1/8" spacing). An air cap that can handle a kw would be a big bread-slicer.

That's what my 80/40m loop is made from (1" and a vacuum cap). Performance is better on 40 but it's still decent on 75m. Very narrow though (2:1 SWR BW is about 40-50 KHz on 40m!) so that's another reason to use the vacuum cap which can be fine-tuned without a gear reduction drive.

I also like small loops because they can be placed indoors, thus reducing spurious (pun intended) TVI complaints from the neighborhood.

-Charles

[W1GFH]

...Swan for a transmitter or transceiver,  and (depends upon when it arrives) the SX-96 as a receiver, since I haven't had a chance to fire up the Cheyenne (still need a mic and a power plug for it). 

SX-96? Good score, E! Now all ya need is a Valiant and a Matchbox and you'll be Old_Buzzardin' with the best of 'em.

[AF9J]

Hi Joe,

Yep the SX-96 arrived here at work a few hours ago.  It's in the car, and ready to go home.  I had to remove some packing around the tubes, and noticed what looked like a 6V6 in it!  If it is, I think a have a spare one, that's been in my junk box, as a left over from a Fender Princeton II guitar amp I had back in 1990.  As for the Valiant - Yeah it looks cool.  I almost bought one at a hamfest back in April or May of 1986 (right after I got my General).  I mentioned this in another thread - one rig I'd like to get is a Lakeshore Phasemaster II or Phasemaster Jr.  Yes they were early SSB by phasing method rigs, but they also did CW, NBPM, and AM.  I'm assuming that like the CE rigs, they do decent AM.  Why do I want one? - as I've mentioned, they were made in my hometown of Manitowoc, WI in the late 40s or early 50s by Lakeshore Industries.  I used to belong the the radio club in my hometown, and we had a Phasemaster IIB, sitting in the anteroom to the club shack, on a shelf.  One day in the mid 90s, I was looking at it before a club meeting. An old balding gent in his 80s with coke bottle glasses and a lazy eye started talking to me about it.  It turned out that he not only owned Lakeshore Industries when it existed, he also designed the Phasemaster rigs (I verified later on from some club OTs that this was true, and he wasn't pulling a fast one on me)!  I think it would be cool to own a piece of ham radio history, that was made in my hometown.  I can't remember the old guy's name, but I e-mailed one of the club OTs, to see if they remember his callsign and name.  The guy's been a silent key, since at least the late 90s (I remember reading the he had died in the club's newsletter).  Unfortunately, the club sold the Phasemaster IIB back in 1997 or 98.  So, I'm at square one of my search.  And I need to get the Cheyenne up and running. 

73,
Ellen - AF9J

P.S - I broke the AM QSO jinx last night with a QSO Brian, W8KHZ.

P.P.S. - BTW, I see the SX-96 (SX-85, or SX-100) in the photo with your post.  I assume that was you in the photo?

[W1GFH]

P.P.S. - BTW, I see the SX-96 (SX-85, or SX-100) in the photo with your post.  I assume that was you in the photo?

Nope. Not me. A buddy of KL7OF I think.

Very buzzardly radio setup though.