Re: [IRCA] Puyallup, WA Ultralight TP's for 3-26

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi Mark (and Craig), 

Thanks for your comments. Until very recently there haven't been any high performance FSL antennas that would be small enough to pass TSA security screening without running the risk of confiscation (or even shutting down an airport). Some of the larger Oregon cliff models (17" and 15" diameter) weigh from 35-40 pounds, and look exactly like huge rings of dynamite. They include a switch, with large-diameter wire that looks like fuse wire. 

This past winter a deliberate effort was made to design small, compact FSL's that combine sensitive performance with a non-threatening appearance. The 3.5 inch "Baby FSL" is one of those models, and the 5 inch "Frequent Flyer" model is another one. By themselves they can provide some exciting DX on the ocean coasts, but their real advantage is a capability of being combined for cumulative gain. 

I'm very happy and pleased with the TP-DXing performance of Craig's "Baby FSL" during his Kalaloch visit, and we do plan further testing of these "airport friendly" models next month in Hawaii. I'm also happy that Craig has some other vacations planned in the near future, and I certainly wish that I could join him in visits to places like Newfoundland and other east coast locations. Unfortunately a lack of free time currently makes it tough to do that, at least in the near future. On the other hand, continued refinement and improvement in FSL antennas is a very fascinating challenge, and as long as I'm in this current situation there should be continued progress in making these antennas even more competitive in ocean coast DXing performance. 

Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) 



> Mark, 
> 
> I appreciate your insights, particularly regarding Latin American stations. A trip to the Maritimes is on my radar. Not sure when, but sooner than later. I met Kaz at Grayland some time ago and I indeed drooled over the DX he experienced in Newfoundland. As I recall Allen Willie has had nice success with his "ultralight" as well. I will be traveling to 3 Hawaiian islands. I will be on the north coast of Kauai first, then on the west coast of the Big Island, then a day and a half just west of Honolulu. 
> 
> Best of DX 
> 
> Craig Barnes 
> On the road from Kalaloch, WA to Rockaway Beach, OR 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone 
> 
>> On Mar 27, 2017, at 8:38 AM, Mark Connelly < markwa1ion@xxxxxxx > wrote: 
>> 
>> Gary + Craig - We definitely need one of you to get to the eastern side of the continent and take a crack at things from New England, PEI, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland - or, maybe even more interestingly, Bermuda or Barbados. 
>> 
>> Weaker / rarer pre-sunset / sunset TA's would be the main event but later evening "deep" Latin American and rarer long-haul domestics would also be on the front burner if conditions went auroral. 
>> 
>> Sometimes the major interference is in the opposite direction to the DX (e.g. NYC at 255 deg. versus southern Europe 75 deg. from here on Cape Cod) so a figure-of-8 pick-up pattern may not do as well as the cardioid pick-up of the antenna more often used by serious DXers here: DKAZ, Kaz, SuperLoop, Flag, terminated Bev. etc. 
>> 
>> Anyway it would be an interesting exercise for someone to do FSL + Ultralight on the East Coast. Certainly a spot such as Cappahayden, Newfoundland with a considerable separation (> 800 miles) from most US pests would do best. Sort of like the eastern version of Masset or Paul's Alaska QTH ... and of course Hawaii. 
>> 
>> While in Hawaii, besides TP/DU, you should also be mindful of Deep South America possibilities - especially Pacific Coast countries such as Peru and Chile that are rare here in the east even when we're feasting on Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay at beach sites during aurora. See if you can find Richard Wood's old reports from Hilo to get you inspired. Even if some of the stations are now silent or changed, the best reception times - sunset, late evening, wee hours, or dawn - will be of value. Remember also that Richard had some near-dawn receptions much deeper into Asia and even Europe than are customary in OR, WA, and BC. India, numerous countries ending in "-stan" etc. Also of interest: how far east into US / Canada can you go? As dawn hits Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, etc. maybe stations from those easterly cities get enough of a boost to override closer stations farther west in the US and Canada. This would be similar to transmitter dawn enhancements that kick stations from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Moldova, and Romania above closer-in UK and Spain stations received here in MA. 
>> 
>> I will definitely be looking forward to that Hawaii DXpedition report with logs, audio clips, photo's, and human-interest narrative. It should provide great tips to help less-favourably located DXers just as the Newfie and PEI reports provide the "drool-worthy" targets for us here in the eastern US... 
>> 
>> Mark Connelly, WA1ION 
>> South Yarmouth, MA 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Mark Connelly via IRCA" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Cc: "Mark Connelly" <markwa1ion@xxxxxxx> 
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2017 8:38:12 AM 
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Puyallup, WA Ultralight TP's for 3-26 

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