Monday, November 3, 2014

Greetings From NA-076!

Life doesn't suck.

Almost two months at our new QTH. Time to start thinking about antennas. The Tarheel screwdriver served me well in Texas where trees were few and wire antenna possibilities fewer. But now...


Among these marvelous, 100% organic antenna supports are three somewhat equidistant trees that should be adequate for a 100' inverted-V dipole. I'm leaning towards an Alpha-Delta DX-LB Plus for 160m-10m (less WARC bands).

Yes, a pre-built wire antenna that isn't particularly cheap ($190). Rolling my own is a possibility but I know I'll never get around to doing it, so I'm not coughing up extra money because I'm an appliance-operating novice, but rather because I want to get on the air, like, right friggin' NOW!!!

I had great luck with a DX-CC 80m-10m dipole, it was my main antenna for years in NJ. the DX-LB Plus is just a bit longer with an extra set of coils for 160m. The antenna and 100' of RG213 will cost about $300 -- not cheap but not a huge amount.

The Cushcraft R7000 is in storage; I think that will go up eventually as a second antenna. The Tarheel will be set up as well; it will also be perfect if and when I start operating from some of the islands here; there are 15 different entries shown on the US Islands Award directory for little islands in Levy County (including the one I live on). Have Boat Will Activate!