My Amateur Radio Life

///////////////////////////////////////////
Maybe its NOT the antenna

Posted: 30 Dec 2019 11:43 AM PST
https://va3qv.wordpress.com/2019/12/...t-the-antenna/


I was looking at my log for the RAC Canada Winter Contest and decided to
look at the contacts a little closerÂ*

With the 100w of my Yaesu FT 450 and the magic of the SGC 237 auto tuner
along with $20.00 of the finest Princess Auto wire here is where my signal
from Eastern VE3Land made it to during the contest.


VO1 (Newfoundland) 20m and 80m contacts
VE1 (Nova Scotia) 40m and 80m contacts
VY2 (Prince Edward Island) 80m contacts
VE9 (New Brunswick) 20m, 40m and 80m contacts
VE2 (Quebec) 40m and 80m contacts
VE3 (Ontario) 20m, 40m, 80m and 160m contacts
VE4 (Manitoba) 20m and 40m contacts
VE5 (Saskatchewan) 20m contacts
VE6 (Alberta) 20m, 40m and 80m contacts
VE7 (British Columbia) 20m contacts

My antenna for HF is an approximately 45 foot long wire that snakes its way
around a Fir Tree in my backyard.Â*



This along with radials on the inside perimeter of my fence is my Stealthy
HF antenna and using the SGC Tuner will load up on all bands between 6m and
160m.

I was (as always) blaming my normal lack of results on my very poor
compromise antenna and the lack of band conditions.Â* I was not really
complaining, but more whining about it.Â* Its been a while since I was able
to spend so much time in the shack at a time when others were around at the
same time that I am thinking.Â* If I lived in a location that was antenna
restrictive then I might actually make more contacts but. as I would rather
be on the air with a compromise antenna system than not being on the air.Â*
This seems to be much better than nothingÂ*

I still long for the day I can operate without antenna restrictions but
till then. what I got aint that bad

Hope that your antennas survived the recent Ice Storm.Â*

Here in Kingston my fir tree is bending a bit but still keeping the wire up
in the air.Â* Praying for a melt to save the tree branches and keep what I
have for an antenna functioningÂ* and above ground.

73bob