Ham bs
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 423
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 423
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
Went out to the shack last night and had some fun again on 40m. First guy that came back to my CQ was a guy in Birmingham AL. That was really nice because for the most part when 40m is getting good, most the guys towards the east coast are asleep. And even tho I've had the big loop up for over a year, I just haven't experimented with it enough towards the east. I've been thinking I have a big null that way. But when he gave me a 5/9 report, that helped me know I was at least getting out that direction pretty good.
From there on out I had a mini pile-up going. Had guys from ZL and VK all the way to Venezuela calling me. I do believe this was the first time I've got down into So. America before on 40m. All gave me reports from S5 to 10 over S9 down in VK. One guy in VK was running 10-12 watts and had an S5 signal so the propagation was really pretty good. I did however have heavy static crashes between S5-7 so it was pretty difficult at times hearing everything the guys were saying.
One guy from the big island of Hawaii I was pretty impressed with. He was running a dipole and 100 watts and was a solid S9. So like I say guys even a simple dipole up at least 30' on 40m can do a good job.
Have any of you mobile ops that don't have a shack thought about putting up a dipole with a length of coax and running it out into your jeep? The way the bands seem to be you could probably sit out in your driveway and have a blast. Just a thought for any of you who would like to take advantage of the conditions with a little better antenna.
73....
From there on out I had a mini pile-up going. Had guys from ZL and VK all the way to Venezuela calling me. I do believe this was the first time I've got down into So. America before on 40m. All gave me reports from S5 to 10 over S9 down in VK. One guy in VK was running 10-12 watts and had an S5 signal so the propagation was really pretty good. I did however have heavy static crashes between S5-7 so it was pretty difficult at times hearing everything the guys were saying.
One guy from the big island of Hawaii I was pretty impressed with. He was running a dipole and 100 watts and was a solid S9. So like I say guys even a simple dipole up at least 30' on 40m can do a good job.
Have any of you mobile ops that don't have a shack thought about putting up a dipole with a length of coax and running it out into your jeep? The way the bands seem to be you could probably sit out in your driveway and have a blast. Just a thought for any of you who would like to take advantage of the conditions with a little better antenna.
73....
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Athens, OH
Just popping in to say hello. Picked up a 2007 JK Unlimited Sahara a few weeks back and have been pouring over the wealth of knowledge on the site.
I'm an Extra class and am getting ready to install a Yaesu FT-857D on my JK... still struggling with what antenna mounts to use, however.
In the home shack, however I have an Alinco DX-70T, LDG Z100Plus and mini G5RV. Works well for my limited space and antenna height.
See you on the trail or on the air.
73's
KB8SRK
I'm an Extra class and am getting ready to install a Yaesu FT-857D on my JK... still struggling with what antenna mounts to use, however.
In the home shack, however I have an Alinco DX-70T, LDG Z100Plus and mini G5RV. Works well for my limited space and antenna height.
See you on the trail or on the air.
73's
KB8SRK
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
From: Corona, CA
Just popping in to say hello. Picked up a 2007 JK Unlimited Sahara a few weeks back and have been pouring over the wealth of knowledge on the site.
I'm an Extra class and am getting ready to install a Yaesu FT-857D on my JK... still struggling with what antenna mounts to use, however.
In the home shack, however I have an Alinco DX-70T, LDG Z100Plus and mini G5RV. Works well for my limited space and antenna height.
See you on the trail or on the air.
73's
KB8SRK
I'm an Extra class and am getting ready to install a Yaesu FT-857D on my JK... still struggling with what antenna mounts to use, however.
In the home shack, however I have an Alinco DX-70T, LDG Z100Plus and mini G5RV. Works well for my limited space and antenna height.
See you on the trail or on the air.
73's
KB8SRK
Enjoy and welcome,
dave w6daf
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 0
From: Alb., NM
So I have two Ham Sticks20M & 17M,
20M tunes great... have used it with the Jeep a few times..
and a 17M which I can tune to about a 1.5 swr with my MFJ-259 but when I run the SWR check with the 706MKIIG it gives me a full bar which means >2.
any thoughts on what might be going on?
20M tunes great... have used it with the Jeep a few times..
and a 17M which I can tune to about a 1.5 swr with my MFJ-259 but when I run the SWR check with the 706MKIIG it gives me a full bar which means >2.
any thoughts on what might be going on?
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
It will be very rare for two swr meters to read exactly the same. I actually have 3 of them....the one in the Kenwood, the Palstar tuner, and an Autec power/swr meter. All of them are inline at the same time, and they will all give different readings. Remember you also have another jumper between the radio and the tuner, where the tuner goes right to that antenna right? This alone is enough to change things. All that really matters is what the radio is seeing.....that's the important one.
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 0
From: Alb., NM
the MFJ 259 is a meter that is not inline with the radio, it is placed in line as the radio. 20M shows very good readings on both..
your right it's the radio SWR reading I mostly care about. so I need to figure this out before I use 17M.
Maybe I have a bad Ham stick and the MFJ doesn't see it... but the Radio does...
I may post this on the HAM forums.
your right it's the radio SWR reading I mostly care about. so I need to figure this out before I use 17M.
Maybe I have a bad Ham stick and the MFJ doesn't see it... but the Radio does...
I may post this on the HAM forums.
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Oh...I wasn't thinking it was the MFJ "Analyzer". In that case, those things are usually pretty damn accurate. I would have to say that the Icom may be out of calibration on 17m. Do you have any other antennas you can check other bands to see if it may only be doing it on 17m.....10m, a dipole, etc? That way if on everything else they read the same, I wouldn't worry about it. Could be the 706 meter is just out of adjustment a little bit. Have you tried the 706 into a dummy load on 17m.....what does it say there?
JK Super Freak
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 1
From: Aurora, Colorado, United States
I've been in electronics for many years. My grandparents were big into the CB culture. enough that thy would run a 20 foot tower on our garage. I've always wanted to get into HAM radio operation. My wifes mother is an operater and so was her father when he was alive. i know several of her family members have haid their license for many years and use to operate the repeater in Osowotomi KS. I was looking into testing to become an Technician Class as most of it is common knowladge for me. We moved to Colorado and i'm not sure who or where i would need to go to get into this hobby again.
There is only so much you can do with a peaked and tuned CB
There is only so much you can do with a peaked and tuned CB