DXing

Contesting from the West

June 30, 2014

Here’s my perspective from the West Coast, looking at what we do that may be different from the tactics of contest stations located further East.

End of paper QSLs from VA7ST

August 5, 2011

The cost and environmental impact of paper QSL cards makes this aspect of ham radio part of our history, not our future.

The 80M elevated wire vertical array

August 26, 2010

Here’s a great 80M antenna: a pair of raised 1/4-wave (68′) verticals in the pine woods, using Christman phasing, and capable of firing in either of two directions. Mine aim east and west.

A cheap 40M DX machine: the twin half-square array

August 19, 2010

This may be the cheapest, lowest, no-radials-required, no fancy networks, way to get great gain on 40M. If you have some rope, trees, junkbox wire, a couple of DPDT relays, and some coax laying around, you have all it takes to build this antenna.