W4C/CM-001 Mt. Mitchell

Nice 2 hour drive to Mt. Mitchell on a clear, balmy day in the valley around 60F.  Upon reaching the visitor center some 10 miles away, the temperature was 34F with a brisk wind.  I put another layer of clothes and a hat

I came with KE4EA   We set up near the entrance of the concrete observation deck.   There was a convenient rock that served as an operating table.  Another ham visited with - forgot his call.   Here below is a photo of Dave KE4EA.

The views were fantastic

Our antenna mast was fastened to a short pine tree to the right of the rock.  Here Dave is making SSB contacts.

VP6D Worked on 80m

At 1124 UTC on 30Oct2018 on 80m CW at 3.523 MHz

W4C/US-001 - Sassafras Mountain

This was an impromptu activation.   It was cloudy and threatening rain but I still had the rest of the afternoon.  So I quickly drove out to Rocky Bottom and headed up the mountain.

At the summit is an observation deck under construction.   I was at the overlook just below the summit.   

Just worked VP6D QRP for #182 at 5 Watts

At 1101 UTC- worked VP6D Ducie Island DXpedition with a dipole at 5 watts for my #182 (or 182nd)  unique QRP DXCC entity contact made.

Just worked #313 VP6D Ducie Island

Worked them 08:59 UTC on 40m CW working up 2.1 KHz from 7010.1

W4C/CM-011 - Mt. Pisgah

I successfully activated a summit - Mt. Pisgah - a 10 pointer on Thursday - October 18th.

Getting there was quite an adventure - approaching the mountain from the backside (noth side) on Cruso Rd.   That mountain road was very steep with 25% grade in many places and very twisty.  Thanks to KW4JM for helping me navigate the driving.

The trail itself was pretty challenging - carrying a 23 pound pack as it ascended 700 feet over 1.1 mile.   I recorded the hike on my smartwatch and uploaded the track and all the data to Strava (heart rate, elevation gain, elapsed time).  It took me close to 1 hour (maybe 50 minutes) to ascend and 1 hour to descend.   I could have been quicker on the descent but with tired legs I had to be careful not to twist an ankle.

Upon reaching the top, I found a wooden observation deck.  It had a convenient rail to which I fastened my SOTABeams 30 foot long fiberglass mast and to the mast I fastened my LNR precision EFHW into an inverted V configuration.   The other side of the inverted V was fastened via a guy rope to a place about 50 feet away.

The rig I used was a KX3 and the mode I was able to use was CW.  I made 9 QSO's in quick order on 20m at 14.065 MHz.

KW4JM was activating a peak Mt. Mitchell at the same time and I was able to talk to him on the 2 meter HT on 146.52 MHz.

ATNO Status for 2018 - Baker Island Confirmed in LOTW

#309 3B7A Agalega and Saint Brandon Islands April 5 to April 17- QSO April 06 - LOTW
#310 VK9X/N1YC Christmas Island  April 14 to April 21 - QSO April 19 1156 40m CW - LOTW
#311 KH1/KH7Z Baker Island June 1 to June 30 - confirmed in LOTW
#312 4B4B Revillagigedo March 1 to March 15 QSO made - confirmed Clublog
#313 VP6D Ducie Island Oct 20 to Nov 3 - confirmed through online log
#314 4U1UN due to activate soon

ATNO #312 Baker Island KH1/KH7Z worked

Finally worked him on 20m CW

at 0326 UTC on July 1st - came back to my call - I responded but QRM came and I was not sure
at 0335 UTC - made a clean exchange

310 DXCC Overall and 300 DXCC Milestone on CW

Highlights from the above chart:

• 7.85 years from 0-312 DXCC
• 6.2 years to the major milestone of 300 DXCC
• 125 DXCC to 225 DXCC in less than a year - thanks to an amplifier and the peak of solar cycle 24 in 2014
• 250 DXCC to 300 DXCC took close to 2 years
• 301 DXCC to 312 DXCC took another 2 years as Cycle 24 comes to a minimum and with fewer ATNO available to be activated
• It will be a slow slog to Honor Roll - if I even get there

I would have to say that I am quite content to having reached 310 DXCC with my "little pistol" station with wire 2 element beam and two vertical wires and a wire dipole.

It may be  while before I see another sticker. Next stop is 315.

2017 DX Marathon Effort Results

160 METERS

1st Place   NO3M*

198

2nd Place  K7ZV

164

3rd Place  W1TC

150

4th Place AA6YQ

148

5th Place N8PR

146

6th Place VO1HP

133

7th Place NY4G

130

8th Place K4IQJ

123

9th Place IK2WXQ

93

*Certificate Winner

Baker Island DXpedition from 2002 and 1993

Baker Island will be active again in a few weeks as the team KH1/KH7Z prepare for the upcoming one.  In the meantime, Dave K4SV sent us some pictures from the expedition he was part of in 2002 to Baker Island.  Dave Anderson is the tall guy on the back row.   Another ham I know is Vlad N3CZ with NCDXCC and he is in the front row on the right in a squat position.

Here is the picture from 1993 and Greer Club member  Phil W9IXX is on the second one from the right

New Antenna for 6 meters

I designed this 6m Moxon antenna using EZNEC.  The SWR figures predicted are pretty much spot on, with a dip right around 51250.   It is pretty flat across the entire 6m band with 1.8 at 50.0 and 1.3 at 54.0 MHz, although model predicts higher at the upper end of the band.  See the SWR chart below:

The SWR only follows the model somewhat around 50500 and 51000 kC and then the model diverges and shows a monotonic increase in SWR up to 54000 kC.   Both measurements track as the SWR remains below as the frequency goes up.

The gain and F/B are pretty impressive and rivals 3 element beams on gain and very decent F/B of close to 14 dB at 3.5m AGL.  The reflector is isolated from the driven elements by a couple of plastic blocks.  Overall weight of the antenna is less than 3 lbs.   It uses no transformer but will have a more predictable pattern with a choke at the feedpoint.  The following plots are for 6m AGL

The front to back is decent and actually gets better at lower heights

The forward gain is best at the height of 6m and the max lobe is at a relatively low takeoff angle.

Tried hitting the RBN with 500W of RF but no luck on getting any hits beaming northeast.

And all of a sudden a pileup - without even hitting a beacon

K0ZK, K3ZA, K1RNO, K1SX, W2SM all in rapid succession.

To those that may be interested in building it - Elements 2, 5 and 6 form the driven element and Elements 1, 3 and 4 for the reflector

All dimensions are in inches:

Element 1 - 14 ga THHN insulated - 76 

Element 3 and 4 - 5/16 aluminum tubing - 17 and 3/16 long

Element 5 and 6 - 5/16 aluminum tubing - 12 long

Element 2 - 3/4 square aluminum tubing - 42 long per half driver

The 2 half drivers are separated by an insulation block which is bolted to an insulated angle which is also the mast holder.  If you are interested in having me build it for you - contact me at ny4g@hotmail.com.  The pattern is very sensitive to the length of element 1 and this length should not be compromised.  I almost forgot that the spacing between the driven element and parasitic element is 2 and 3/16 inches.  I used 2 blocks of UHMW plastic drilled with 5/16" holes at each end leaving 2 3/16" between the holes as solid plastic.

New Milestone for QRP #180 Z66D

Z66D was pretty loud on 80m - giving me the hope that with reciprocal 2 way propagation, I can be heard with 5 Watts even with high QRN.  Well it worked, no pressure since I already had Z60A on 80m.

3B7A Agalega and St. Brandon Island DXpedition

ATNO #310 and ATNO #300 CW 7023 2340 UTC 6APR

#164 on 80m from QSO on 09Apr2018 CW 3.523 0115 UTC

#183 on 40m from QSO on 06Apr2018 CW 23:41 UTC

Slightly northeast in Azimuth.  This will be #310 ATNO if I can get it.   Team arrived April 4 in Muritius and has taken the boat ride to St. Brandon Island.  Saint Brandon Island is indicated by the light blue pin.

New Trans Continental Distance Personal Best (MILES PER WATT)

New Transcontinental Personal Best- 

I had to a call a second time to break my personal best with margin (previous best 9800 MPW from NY4G to CE2AWW)

First Call NY4G to HA3NU - Hungary 4982 miles with 1/2 watt or 9964 MPW 0131 UTC

Second Call signed as VY2AJ/W4 to HA3NU - same 4982 miles with 0.4 watt or 12455 MPW 0145 UTC  (VY2AJ is my Canadian Call Sign)

Third Call Signed as NY4G/QRPp to HA3NU - same 4982 miles with 250mW or 19928 miles per watt @ 0154 UTC

HA3NU asked me how much power I was running - I told him 250mW.  He asked me what kind of antenna - I told him dipole at 60 feet.  His comment was that my signal was super steady  - gave me a 559 report

Made it to US Virgin Islands with 1 Watt on 160m CW.   NY4G to NP2J 1621 miles per watt

The previous days resulted  in Intra-Continental Personal Best

NY4G to W2EG 684 miles with 100mW  6840 miles per watt (40m CW)

Tried hard to beat it - but all I got was the following (40m CW)
NY4G to EI5KF 3685 miles with 5W
NY4G to WB8WKQ 542 miles with 100mW 5420 miles per watt
NY4G to W2RR 567 miles 100mW - 5670 miles/watt
NY4G to HB9CVQ 4522 miles 5 Watts
NY4G to K9OM 434 miles 100mW 4340 miles per watt
NY4G to N6AR 456 miles 100mW 4560 miles per watt
NY4G to NA8V 552 miles 100mW 5520 miles per watt
NY4G to LZ1KPO 5354 miles 1 Watt 5354 miles/watt
NY4G to N8OO 636 miles 100mW 6360 miles/watt

Till K1RM came along
NY4G to K1RM 687 miles 100 mW 6870 miles per watt 40m CW

Made it to Ireland with 1 Watt on 80m CW.   NY4G to EI5KF 3685 miles (confirmed in LOTW)