Back on the air !

[Dave]

Hello all,

Just thought I'd post my happy news.  After almost a year off the air
due to a 'change in family organization', I didn't think I'd ever get back
on.  I moved from my 'dream house' with a large radio room and
antenna farm to an 800 square foot 3rd floor condo with strict 'no
antenna' rules.

That didn't stop me!  Last weekend I strung 35 feet of 26ga hookup wire
with brown (to match the building) insulation out a tiny hole in the
plastic window frame, under the eaves (20 feet exposed, although
very close to wood the whole way) to my balcony, then around the
sliding door using the Christmas tree hooks, and tied off at deck
level.

Then I ran another short wire to the metal downspout, which also
happens to be 35 feet long and just outside the window, to use as
a counterpoise.  Fed both to my tuner (Kenwood AT-180) and
to the rig.

Thinking it would never work, I fired up my little Atlas 210x for the
fun of it, and loaded into the dummy load.  Then switched to the
antenna, and WOW!  It loads like a 'real antenna' on 40m, needing very
little 'tuner' to make it match.  I get full output, with no TVI, phone
interference, or anything.

I tried it on 15 and got similar results.  So with my new enthusiasm
for radio, I ran over to my 'old house' (now a rental with my radios
locked away in their tomb of a radio room) and picked out the
Drake C-Line I bought last year and brought it home.

Spent the rest of the weekend working Japan on 15 and a host
of states on 40, getting 589's from all over with this silly little
antenna.  20 and 10 won't load, and 80 is too noisy from all
the electrical junk in my condo.  But hey!  I'll take 2 bands that
work great ANY day!

Moral of the story is don't give up!  I NEVER thought I could get
an antenna working in this condo, and had all but given up.  Now
I'm on 40 and 15, and I honestly can't tell all that much difference
from my old 4BTV.

See ya on 40 and 15 with my C-Line back in service!!! On the
air most evenings 0300 UTC to 0500 UTC, 7.010 to 7.050 or
so.  Hope to see some of you there!!!

73

Dave WB7AWK
http://www.boatanchors.com

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