Re: [IRCA] Puyallup, WA Ultralight TP's for 11-22

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi Mark, 
 
<<<ÂÂ I think you need to figure out a way to get the DXing indoors somehow, Gary.ÂÂ >>> 
 
Thanks for your suggestion, Mark. It's not that I really enjoy DXing outdoors in extreme weather, but of all of the compact antenna designs theÂhigh-QÂFSL's seemÂespecially effective outdoors, away from indoor house wiring and RF noise sources.ÂÂ 

<<<<ÂÂ Options: 
(1) Varactor tuning of sizeable passive loop, pick-up link winding couples to speaker wire or coax. feed back to shack. DC for varactor tuning can be passed out on feedline through RF chokes / DC block cap's scheme, e.g. bias tee. (Similar to how DXers are running remote Vactrol resistance control for termination null adjustment.) Feedline signal can be coupled to INDOOR portable via link wound on ferrite rod, or sent directly to a communications receiver or portable that is equipped for low impedance signal input.ÂÂ >>> 
 
Hometown buddy Guy Atkins has recently done some experimentation attempting to adapt the standard FSL antenna to a varactor-tunedÂdesign for inside-the-car DXing at the Oregon cliff sites, but apparently was disappointed at the results. Many he will chime in with a summary of his experimentation, but I do know that heÂdecided not to continue with the idea. The High-Q standard FSL with aÂsingle-optimized-frequency (andÂrazor-sharp tuning)Âhas been a superior transoceanic performer at the Oregon cliff sites, but it does require a DXer willing to tolerate the extreme weather that these ocean cliff sitesÂattract. Very few seem to have interest in this. 
 
 
<<<ÂÂ (2) Install passive BROADBAND loop in backyard (either terminated or figure-of-8 type), bring signal into shack, link-couple to tuned loop used adjacent to a portable radio, or go through a tunable preselector (active or passive) en route to a standard receiver input. In-shack broadband amplification (e.g. DX Engineering RPA-1) of the loop feedline RF is also possible if you "allow" active devices to be used. Battery power would be advisable to keep indoor noise sources out of the system. 
Outdoor broadband loop reference drawings: 
http://www.bamlog.com/broadband.htm (figure-of-8 pick-up) 
http://www.bamlog.com/superloop.htm (cardioid pick-up)ÂÂ >>> 
 
Thanks for your suggestions, Mark. Actually the discovery of potent transoceanic propagation at the Oregon cliff sites has been a boon forÂcompact broadband antenna experimentation of all types-- currently the hot topic here on the west coast. Chuck'sÂreception of 87 Kiwi stations on a 15' x 15' loop at Rockwork 4Âlast year and Tom's reception of 56 Kiwis with an even smaller loop this August have demonstrated the transoceanic potential of such sites. DaveÂand Guy recently compared the performance of compact ALA loops at the Rockwork cliff sites, and Guy has posted some interesting information about the results. My own personal favorite among the compact broadband designs has always been your micro-Superloop, although since I DX with single-frequency Ultralight radios (incompatible with spectrum capture) I can obtain better single-frequency results with the standard, manually-tuned FSL antennas. These antennas have carved out somewhat of a niche for themselves in all-out transoceanic DXing on the ocean cliffs, especially on the extreme low-band frequencies where compact broadband loops sometimes drop off in sensitivity.ÂDespite this theÂPerseus-SDR DXers (with their broadband loops and spectrum capture)Âwill always come away with far more total DX stations than the FSL antennas.  

<<<Â Maybe try some one of these ideas and you'll be "the DXer who came in from the cold."ÂÂ >>> 

Somehow, Mark, the cold seems much easier to tolerate when you are enjoying some very hot DX. 
 
73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)Â 

 
----- Original Message -----

From: "Mark Connelly via IRCA" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Cc: "Mark Connelly" <markwa1ion@xxxxxxx> 
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2015 9:16:33 AM 
Subject: Re: [IRCA] Puyallup, WA Ultralight TP's for 11-22 

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