Shortwave radio help?

[Grizzle_Bear]

Rastus:

Rhombic antennas have to be HUGE to really work well, and are very directional. Huge as in 3 or 4 wavelengths on EACH side.   A Lazy-H (without a reflector) would at least be bidirectional.  If you have the real estate to even think about rhombics, you might consider a Sterba curtain, although if you go to more than a couple of bays they also become very directional.  We made a six-bay Sterba on 20 meters for Field Day one year, had it aligned from NNW to SSE.  We were working the Northeast and southern
California like crazy, but couldn't even hear the Southeast or Northwest.

Rob  N0GMT

[hollandm]

I vote for the Sterba Curtain.

[Rastus]

Yes, rhombics need to be big and I do like the Sterba Curtain.  The more I look into large directional antennas I am liking the Lazy H with a reflector.

Here's the application.  I'm hoping to organize a DXpedition to Peleliu for September 2019.  That will be the 75th anniversary of the battle.  The JA's are there a lot and they beam back to their home.  I'd like to be there, since my dad fought there, and see what it's like for the place he hated more than his Shuri Castle battle. 

Anyway, dependent upon terrain and the ability to erect poles/towers I'm wanting directional antenna to beam back to the Continental US.  A couple of Rhombics, can do that and the minor lobes help fill in.  Here's what one guy did:  http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/wieser/rhombic.htm

It's probably overkill and with the price of crude oil right now I may not be able to finance my way over.  Anyway, I'd like to have a good 40M antenna running down there.  There is quite a bit of relief on Peleliu so I am hoping something between hills can be erected...but that's going to take some reconnoitering and preparation way in advance of the actual event and probably a good two weeks work prior to the event just to build it after the much earlier survey.

I had a blurb put in QST some time ago about this.  With my wife's successful cancer treatment and work demands I've had to back off....but I'm hopeful things will level out this summer and I can begin to organize. 

A gentleman from Oregon wrote me today about making a trip to Peleliu very soon if his wife is well enough.  He asked I hold his name and callsign until he departed just in case medical conditions made it impossible for him to go.  He has a broker which has gotten him the T88 callsign and will be on location in February, Lord willing.  He's going to look at various sites, gather contacts, that sort of thing to help me.

And...any help you can provide on antennas and anything else related is much appreciated.  I'm hoping there can be multiple stations operating so interested operators can have multiple contacts much like Ships Weekend, Route 66, etc.  I'd like to see operations on the 12th of September from a boat until such time as the assault was made on the 15th.  Then switch to land ops from the various beaches, airstrip, monuments, etc.  So...cheap directional wires that don't have to be hanging from 200' may be the answer.

Input is welcome.

HRD says N0GMT is only 207 miles away from KE5JDJ.  You're pretty close!  I've tried to get the WWI museum events but I'm at an awkward distance.  Check out my QRZ page.

[billt]

This is something that I could really get into. But there is just TOO MUCH to learn and know.

[Rastus]

Not really Bill.  People pick an area of interest and focus...and then before you know it you drop that "toy" aside and look for another.  I'm wanting to play with antennas right now....

Some guys like Morse code, others telemetry, amplifiers, etc....

[Sponsor]

[dipisc]

Hi;

     BillT ; if you think you may be interested but not sure of what it all takes - why don't you buy yourself a scanner for local frequencies and also a short way scanner/monitor radio for any long distance/international radio signals.

     maybe $200.-$250. depending on how fancy you want to be, if you don't like what you hear - sell the scanners/radios and try something else.

[Pathfinder]

OR, spend $30 on a Boafeng UV5 - if unlicensed, DO NOT EVER KEY THE MIKE - and download free software like Chirp. Import the repeater list for your area, program the Baofeng, and listen for a total investment of $30 and about an hour of your time - plus listening.

I used HamtestOnline.com ($25) and got my tech license with 100% passing score. It's easy, the General, not so much.

Got to do my first QSO today too! Need to get a better antenna though . . .

[billt]

Hi;

     BillT ; if you think you may be interested but not sure of what it all takes - why don't you buy yourself a scanner for local frequencies and also a short way scanner/monitor radio for any long distance/international radio signals.

     maybe $200.-$250. depending on how fancy you want to be, if you don't like what you hear - sell the scanners/radios and try something else.

Because I don't even know how to do that. There is "Trunking", (whatever that is)? Then there is (I forgot the name), of whatever is not Trunking. If you buy the wrong one you won't get the cops in your area if they are Trunking and your receiver won't, isn't, or doesn't.... Or some such that I don't understand. I wouldn't know where to start, and I would be at the mercy of some salesman. Not a good place to be.

[Rastus]

<snip>
I've been looking at the Uniden BCD996P2 Digital Mobile TrunkTracker V Scanner....<snip>

If the software bugs from a 18 months or so ago are gone you are able to control this one through an iPad.  If you bring it on the road, it has a GPS module you can add that will allow it to change to the local frequencies without you ever touching anything. 

$450 from Universal add $90 for the GPS module.

My research is that it picks up everything that's not scrambled.

C'mon Bill, let go of that $$$$$$$

[dipisc]

Hi;

      And it is a shame that at 1 time all you had to do was go to a local Radio Shack or TV repair/Electronic  Supply place and the people behind the counter were either Hams or KNEW just what you needed and started you off slow and cheap with the reminder to come back if you wanted more/bigger/better later on !

     now Radio Shack is just about all Phone(s) and Game devices and the people give you a blank stare if you mention Ham Radio.  No such thing as an "elmer" anymore !

     * an "Elmer" is a guy you could go to for advice and questions/answers in the Ham Radio world !