Sunday afternoon was good on 12 Meters. I didn't light up the band; but made solid QSOs with Portugal, Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe. OX3CR from Greenland was booming in at over 599 also. The funny thing there is that on the DX Cluster, everyone was reporting 4A4A on that frequency. Now 4A4A doesn't sound anything like OX3CR on CW. The only thing that I can think that might have been happening was that they were both on the same frequency and some people were hearing and working 4A4A, while they were being covered up by the Greenland station here.
There's only one week to go for the 4A4A DXpedition and it's looking doubtful for me. That direction is just one of my weak points from this QTH, with the current antenna set up. I'll keep an eye on the Cluster for them every night this week. Maybe I can pull a QSO out at the eleventh hour. I've managed that before with other DXpeditions.
I also got the 88' EDZ built today. Built, but not installed. I found some good 14 gauge insulated wire in my junk box that was left over from making HF9V radials. I measured of the two 44' legs and connected them to the window line. Using the Ladder-Grabber as the center insulator, I was able to make good mechanical AND electrical connections. Emtech says soldering is not necessary; but I went that route anyway.
I also dug up some plastic dog bone insulators at the bottom of the junk box. If the weather is decent next weekend, I will be good to go to finally retire the G5RV and replace it with the EDZ. Since it's really early in the season, I'll have all summer to replace it, if it turns out that I don't care for its performance. Always the optimist, eh?
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Hello Larry, indeed, 12 meter will be very interesting when conditions are good. 73 Paul
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with 4A4A is not hearing them, it's trying to negotiate the bad ham practices, the Dx code of conduct just doesn't exist !
ReplyDeleteWhats the EDZ antenna, any links, also have you ever heard of the ZS6BKW, I use one and have been very surprised and pleased with the results.
73 Paul.
Paul,
ReplyDeleteThe 88' EDZ seems to be VERY similar. However, it;s only 88 feet log as opposed to 93 feet long.
Some links:
http://home.frognet.net/~mcfadden/wd8rif/text/zepp.txt
http://home.frognet.net/~mcfadden/wd8rif/field-antennas.htm
There are also articles on it in the W4RNL antenna site; but you have to register (free) to access them.
In my case, the antenna will be fed with 450 Ohm window line, which will terminate in a 1:1 current balun. Coax form there to the rig.
73 de Larry W2LJ
Larry,
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of experience with the EDZ, so if you run into questions drop me a line (my blog is Cloud Warmer). I have one up now as a matter of fact. I've fed it with the tuning stub, but I am going to convert it to multi-band soon by adding a couple of in-line caps (from RG-8 coax) and bringing the window line all the way to the tuner. It will still retain the terrific gain on 20 meters, of course.
73,
Casey TI2/NA7U