Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Reverse Beacon or CW Skimmer Monitor Network


This is the Reverse Beacon Network of CW Skimmer monitors worldwide. Above, I have set it to 40 meters and have just called cq. You can see that monitors K1TTT and WE4S both heard my call at 0703z and 0702z respectively on December 29, 2009. Sweet! Congratulations Pete Smith - N4ZR and Felipe Ceglia - PY1NB.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

80 Meter Loop

Circumference: 243' of Insulated 14ga solid copper wire from Home Depot
Dimensions: 90' x 30'
Height: 60'
Shape: Rectangular
Feedline: 200' of Ladder Line feeding the loop at one corner at 30'
Orientation: Vertical supported by two trees on axis of about 100 degrees East.

This is the best wire antenna I've ever made. It's got great ears and it's even pulled out S-0 signals out of the noise with the preamp on and the rf and af gain turned all the way up on my trusty Icom-706 MKIIG. Never done that before.

I'd rather hear them and not work them than the other way around.