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Homer, For your 4:1 Guanella or current balun you need to have 100 ohm balanced line. The 4:1 is wound in series on the load or antenna side (100 ohms + 100 Ohms = 200 ohms), and in parallel (100 ohms /2 = 50 ohms) for the radio side. Use the formula for balanced line 276 Log b/a, where b =...

I suggest the Little Taheel II screwdriver antenna. I have been using one for the last five years without any trouble in wind, rain, snow, or ice. 73, Mike, KC9Q

I'm going to break the pattern and recommend the Alinco DM-330MVT switching power supply. It delivers 30 Amps anywhere between 5 and 15 VDC ,and is as quiet as a traditional linear power supply. I use it on HF thru 440 MHz and have never heard any birdies or hash anywhere. There's a noise...

There is nothing preventing you from running horizontal on FM as long as all stations are horizontal too. The only thing you need to take into account is a 20 dB signal reduction due to cross polarization, if the other station is vertical. The SSB/CW operators use horizontal polarization to...

All reverse burst does is provide a 180 degree phase reversal of the PL tone for a 250 ms time period when the PTT is released. It was provided to eliminate any trace of squelch tail from the speaker. It only applies if you have the receiver decoding the PL tone. You'll know it is working if...

307, I have the AT2K so I know what it does. I like the repeatability of the settings. Keeps the on-the-air tuning to a minimum: Just set the dials and inductor to the documented setting and you are OK to go. I have a MFJ-941E and a LDG-7000 tuner and the AT2K runs rings around them. It's a...

For a few dollars more I'd go with the Palstar AT2K. Tunes darn near anything, handles 1.5 KW easily, tunes 160 thru 6 Meters, and the settings are very repeatable. BTW, it's built like a tank.

This weekend is the ARRL Int'l Phone DX Contest: Starts 3/7 at 0000Z till 2359Z 3/8. I'm sure you'll hear a lot of DX on 20 (and the other bands too!) during that time. As stated above the US phone band is 14.150 to 14.350 MHz, USB; most of the Int'l DX will be from 14.150 to 14.250. Have...

Your question will only apply to the HF bands: 80, 40, 15, and 10 Meters. Probably using AM will be in violation since your only allowed CW on those bands, and 200 Watts max on SSB from 28.300 to 28.500 MHz. I would suggest that you follow your instincts and use CW for tuning on those bands...

Good luck on the test. At a 90%-96% success rate you'll pass the test.

Looked up the highest SFI for Cycle 24: 237 on Jan 7, 2014. Today's SFI is 227 thanks to that great big sunspot. Cycle 24 is a real fooler: This would be a second peak. So 10M should be in top shape for the weekend.

Welcome Jonathon, You're on the right track getting the portable and making your own antenna. You can add a dual band amplifier later. Probably the easiest antenna you can build is a ground plane. Using the formula 234/F(MHz) will give you a good starting point for the radiator. Add 5%...

I have built a 10 Meter Moxon and have made several contacts with the antenna mounted at 12 ft above ground. Measured VSWR with a MFJ-269 antenna analyzer shows the following bandwidths: 2:1 = 27.740 to 30.160 MHz 1.5:1 = 27.900 to 28.840 MHz 1.3:1 = 28.000 to 28.600 MHz Resonant at 28.300...

Like most say: Get a second clock and set it up for UTC. Some transceivers have a clock display - set that up for UTC. Problem with translating is the time change from standard time and daylight saving time. Easiest thing to do is to get a second clock that displays 24 hour format.

RS, When you checked the voltage did you measure 13.8V or higher? The 7000 requires 13.8V or a little more. Anything less and your TX power drops 3dB. I tested that out on my own 7000 with a variable power supply, an Alinco DM-330MV switching supply. The voltage regulator on your car...

Hi MR_FX, I'd used 3/8" tubing for all elements. Nothing wrong with the 1/2" solid rod, however, the solid rod just adds a lot of needless weight, plus the solid rod is needless as the RF conducts on the outer skin of the rod. Mike

Here's some old adds on the CLR2 (CLR-II) antenna. Last add states maximum power is 300 Watts. Must be small wire on the inductor I presume. I would also venture to say this is a 5/8 wave radiator and likely had a shunt fed coil to bleed static. Just a standard 5/8 wave loading coil...

Page 5 of the ASTRO Plane manual I have says it will handle 2 KW.

Here's an alternate source for LMR-400 type of cable: Ethernet Cable | Wifi Antenna Cable | AIR802. Select Cable (By Foot); then go to 400 Series Coax-By Foot; then select CA400 or CA400FLEX. You could use CA400 up to the rotor, and then an appropriate length jumper of CA400FLEX from the...