From Peter Dodd, G3LDO.
Set up the station at GB2CPM this morning at 0830 using my old Shogun
as the shack. The main problem was the earth/counterpoise and not the
antenna loading coil as I originally thought. The 140m length of wire
laying close to the ground allowed only about 500mA of antenna
current. Worked GW4ALG 589/589 at 0905. Thought I heard DJ5DI. Worked
G3YMC 589/589. Tried to improve the counterpoise by first raising it
above the ground in small trees but antenna current now only 300mA.
Nevertheless worked GW3XDV/P 589/589 (great signal from Mike in a
portable location).
Tried earthing the end of the counterpoise - no good at all. Tried
using earth stake - no good in chalk.
Fixed counterpoise close to ground using rocks - much better.
Readjusted taps on PA output transformer and got nearly one amp
antenna current.
Worked PA0CWP 449/459, PA0SE 589/589, SM6PXJ 549/549, G3KMP 569/599+,
PA2NJN 439/519, G6NB 579/589, G3BDQ 599/599, G3GRO 599/599, DK9DX
329/449 and G8RW 589/599 and finally G8IK449/569.
I also heard DL3FDO calling CQ at 1400hrs but he didnt hear my call.
The QTH is an old chalk quarry, and the inverted L spans a horseshoe
shaped chasm cut into a hill. The open end of the chasm faces north
so I expected there to be a lot of attenuation of signals from the
south. In fact the Loran signals from northern France come pounding
in holding the S meter at S8 on 2.7kHz bandwidth and even S3 on the
narrowest CW bandwidth. All the signals of the DX I worked had to go
through the hill so a predominately chalk hill seems fairly
transparent to LF signals.
The museum is now closed down for the Winter (this Sunday was the
last day it was open and I had audio QRM from steam engines
chuntering around the place!). However the closure will not prevent
operations throughout the winter because I am a volunteer worker there.
I must do something about the counterpoise!
--
Regards, Peter, G3LDO
<[email protected]>
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