shedberg

Hex Beam

From : K2JXW
Sent : Tuesday, October 17, 2006 1:30 PM
Subject : K2JXW’s Hex Beam

A few have been asking about the new Hex Beam that I just installed. I purchased it from Trafie Technology (see web site at http://hexbeam.com and was able to assemble it in less than an hour from a sitting position in my WHEELCHAIR. Mine is a 20M monobander, but 5-band models are available, albeit a bit pricey ($900 or so). The construction is supurb — every part fit exactly and went together exactly as described. Light weight (a pound or so) and compact (9-ft turning radius), this thing went up easily on a 30-ft fiberglass mast, again whilst in my wheelchair.

Now, if you dont want to buy the commercial version, construction of an easy and cheap homebrew 5-band version is described at http://www.leoshoemaker.com/hexbeambyk4kio/general.html

C U on the air with a signal about 3 S-units stronger than previously.

73 from K2JXW and the
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society,
with 1400 members and over 10,000
subscribers, the largest lighthouse
society of its kind in the world!

Monday night QSO

I jumped onto to 80M CW around 10pm eastern and received a reply to my CQ from Shawn, KB1CKT up in Sutton, NH. His initial reply to me was very strong, but on the second go around, his signal dropped down quite a bit. He said the same of my signal. So it ended up being a short QSO. I still was noticing that 80M had less noise than before. I’m also getting better at getting the callsigns on the first go around. I used to have to ask for a QRZ but am lately getting the callsigns right away. I still have a lot of work to do, but it is encouraging to know I am slowly improving my CW skills.

Lunchtime DX

Instead of trying to knock out a quick CW QSO, I decided I’d try to tune around 20M to see if the new antenna was picking up any DX. I was rewarded with a brief QSO SSB with Mike, RX6AM. I believe that was my first SSB contact with Russia, up to now I’ve only had a few confirmed PSK31 QSOs. The next station I heard was Abdula, 9K2GS from Kuwait! That marks a first – up to now, I’d never heard an amateur station from the middle east. I was unsuccessful in breaking the pileup and had to head back to work. All this is helping to build my confidence in the new antenna.

Sunday night QSOs

I had two QSOs last the night. The first was am 80M CW contact with Ken, K5GAT and the second was a 40M PSK31 QSO with Ron, K0??? in Kansas City, MO. The CW QSO went well – again I noticed much less noise on 80M than I have been used to. We both exchanged an RST of 569. I was also able to use the 500Hz CW filter as well as IF shift to sharpen the reception of the signal. Ken is in Naples, TX and he gave a WX report of rain. On 80M both the SWR and power out appeared to be normal on the new Carolina Windom.

I then went up to 40M to take a look and see if there was any PSK31 DX. I saw a CQ from K0??? and answered him. We chatted for a bit. He was trying to find a friend of his from St. Louis that he had a sked with and thought that the 40M skip was bouncing him over St. Louis and asked that I try to call him. I did but did not have any success. On 40M both the SWR and power out looked good.

I’m really hoping I’ll be able to hear (and maybe contact) Australia or Asia with the new antenna – we’ll see. So far it appears to be functioning very well.

Weekend Wrap Up

I finally got the RadioWorks Carolina Windom 80 up in the trees! Again, a wonderful job done by the CSV19 Pneumatic Antenna Launcher. I used it four times, each time it performed perfectly.

The matching unit is up about 50′. I was able to put the 82′ leg over the house and tied off to a tree in the front yard. The 51′ leg went out the other direction tied off to a tree behind my backyard. Each leg is tied off at about 35′. Unfortunately, the antenna is not in a completely straight line from end to end, but I think its the best I’m going to get. So far I have noticed a lower noise level than my inverted vee. I participated in the MARS training net tonight and was able to hear all the stations very well. I also had a 20M USB QSO with Argentina and a 40M LSB with southern Florida.

I had a few CW QSOs Saturday night. I hoping to have a few tonight and test the new antenna a bit more.

Lunchtime QSO!

Jim, N8NLE answerd by CQ on 7.112 MHz during my luch break. Jim had a nice signal for Toledo, OH that cut through some rough band conditions. We did the standard exchange (RST, name, QTH, rig, antenna and WX) and then I had to QRT. I believe Jim was using a straight key. I’d like to be able to tell the difference between a straight key and a bug.

W7 QSL Bureau

I received some cards today for my old KD7PJQ callsign from the W7 QSL Bureau. The coolest one was from Senegal – there was also another from Grenada and one from Croatia. A bunch from Germany. After I’ve sent out what’s left of the W4M cards, I am going to consolidate my old KD7PJQ log with my AD7MI log and figure out exactly where I am at towards DXCC. My guess is that I’m still short by about twenty confirmed entities.

Lunch contact

I had a short QSO with Ray, W3YBF during lunch today. After my second call of CQ on 7.114 MHz, Ray came back with a nice 599 signal. He started out sending faster than I could copy, but then slowed down. I wish had had more time for a longer QSO.

I’m also slowing sending out the remainder of the certificates and QSL cards from the W4M Memorial Day special event station. These are to folks who have not sent a SASE (or anything else), but I figured I might as well send out the certificates I’ve printed and the QSL cards that I have.

FISTS: Basic Century Award

I want to work towards this award. I need to finish logging in a bunch of QSL cards and see how many points I have.

The Century Award is earned by working 100 points of FISTS members. FISTS operating from the same country that you are in are worth one point. FISTS operating from a different country, as defined by DXCC rules, are worth two points. FISTS affiliated club stations are worth three points.

The following FISTS National Club Stations are worth 5 points towards FISTS awards;

GXØIPX #1, ZL6FF #9600, VK2FDU #9610, and KNØWCW #10,000

Radio Room Reconfiguration

Spent some time today reworking the shack…. still have a bit more to do.

(1) I was using two different power supplies – a PS-125 (25 amps) for the IC-706MKIIG and a different power supply for the FT-2800M (2M FM), and FT-1500M/KPC3+ (2M FM packet). I am now using the Alinco DM-330MVT (32 amps) to power the IC-706MKIIG and the FT-2800M. I’m now using the RigRunner 4010S for power distribution. I still need to make a power cable for the RigBlaster so I can get rid of the wallwart.

(2) I moved the FT-1500/KPC3+ and the other power supply out to the garage. My intent is to hook it up to the garage computer. I’ll be able to access the packet functions over the network.

(3) The weather station is down! I plan on getting that working off the garage computer as well.

(4) Heathkit SB-220 – now in the shack. But I’m still a long way from getting it operational. I need to make a list of everything I need to do to get it operational. Part of that will include putting my heavy duty MFJ tuner into action.