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Wednesday 3 July 2013

What kit am I using on these IOTA in Scandinavia?

I was asked this by email...

My radio is a standard Elecraft KX3, I run with the filters wide open and rely on the filters between the ears.
Headset essential and mine (details on blog) is a cheap computer headset.
For power on his trip I am using 8 NiMH internal AA batteries and an external 7AH SLA so operating between 5W and 10W (depends on conditions really)
Antenna is a vertical dipole (details on this blog it is made from pound shop speaker wire, power poles to switch in and out different bands 10-20m (No 40m!!) and old store and credit cards) using RG174 feeder suspended using a DX-Wire 12m telescoping pole.

You put it up as close to the water (sea) edge as you can.

You (I) have to cqcqcq a bit before I get the first contact (sometimes) but then it has turned into a zoo. I note have been spotted as these are all IOTA.

The skip if it is spot on means you will RX me 59+, and will wonder am I really QRP... I am I assure you, if the skip is not right I will probably be in the noise. Ver deep fast QSB at times yesterday, lots of stations works fom the quay before the ferry then on the island as well as lots of EU I worked EAST and WEST COAST US and JA's whilst I could hear nothing from UK at the time then 15 minutes later I was 59+10 in Glasgow, Edinburgh and on HMS Belfast in London so it is all about the skip conditions. QRP you really have to listen and work stations as soon as you can. Famine followed by feast (or feeding frenzy) is a good description...

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