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Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

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Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

As there are only one or two days left before the KH1 crew packs up and leaves Baker Island, I thought I’d post this in hopes that other antenna-restricted hams don’t think they have no shot. I live in a CC&R / HOA “no ham antenna” neighborhood. However, I DO have several stealthy wire antennas strung through the trees in our yard. My 60-6 meter antenna is an 88 foot long doublet, about 45 feet high, fed with 110 feet of home brew 600 ohm ladder line. I also have a Hustler 5BTV ground mounted that I use for diversity receive. My primary station is a K3 / P3 combo, 100 Watts max.

I had tried working the DX-petition on several evenings, usually on 20 or 40 meter CW. The pileups were horrendous. I knew I was duking it out with guys running mega antennas and a LOT more power than me, so I didn’t have much hope after the first few evenings. Usually went to bed with a headache and frustration. Last night was different.

After an evening of TV with the XYL, I thought I’d give it another try. Listened on 20 and I could hear them, but just barely at the noise level; not loud enough to try calling. So I jumped up to 30 meters. Wow - the KH1 station was great copy at close to S7! And the pileup was once again monumental. Well, using the P3 I found a nice “hole” where it seemed like there were no other signals. Took about 15-20 minutes and.... bingo: W6JHB 599 K. Yes! In the log for an ATNO!

My hats off to the great ops at KH1/KH7ZZ and to the Elecraft developers for the fine rig. Having the K3 and the diversity receive capability certainly helped offset having to use crummy antennas and “low” power.

If I could work ‘em, so can you!

Yeah, I know - being on the west coast helps! :-)

Jim Bennett / W6JHB
Folsom, CA
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ab2tc

OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

Hi,

I have a similar experience. Tried several times the first few days and got
frustrated. Then last night I figured I'd try one last time before they pack
up. Lo and behold, shortly before midnight EDT they started coming out of
the fog at 14210 with a fixed QSX of 14225. So I started calling and after
about an hour they came back to AB2... One more update to the call and and a
response and I was done with an ATNO! Just 100W and a G5RV here. No HOA or
antenna restrictions here but there are too many trees to put up a tower. I
have several resonant dipoles and a delta loop for 20m but the G5RV is
almost always better.

AB2TC - Knut

Elecraft mailing list wrote

> As there are only one or two days left before the KH1 crew packs up and
> leaves Baker Island, I thought I’d post this in hopes that other
> antenna-restricted hams don’t think they have no shot. I live in a CC&R /
> HOA “no ham antenna” neighborhood. However, I DO have several stealthy
> wire antennas strung through the trees in our yard. My 60-6 meter antenna
> is an 88 foot long doublet, about 45 feet high, fed with 110 feet of home
> brew 600 ohm ladder line. I also have a Hustler 5BTV ground mounted that I
> use for diversity receive. My primary station is a K3 / P3 combo, 100
> Watts max.
>
> I had tried working the DX-petition on several evenings, usually on 20 or
> 40 meter CW. The pileups were horrendous. I knew I was duking it out with
> guys running mega antennas and a LOT more power than me, so I didn’t have
> much hope after the first few evenings. Usually went to bed with a
> headache and frustration. Last night was different.
>
> After an evening of TV with the XYL, I thought I’d give it another try.
> Listened on 20 and I could hear them, but just barely at the noise level;
> not loud enough to try calling. So I jumped up to 30 meters. Wow - the KH1
> station was great copy at close to S7! And the pileup was once again
> monumental. Well, using the P3 I found a nice “hole” where it seemed like
> there were no other signals. Took about 15-20 minutes and.... bingo: W6JHB
> 599 K. Yes! In the log for an ATNO!
>
> My hats off to the great ops at KH1/KH7ZZ and to the Elecraft developers
> for the fine rig. Having the K3 and the diversity receive capability
> certainly helped offset having to use crummy antennas and “low” power.
>
> If I could work ‘em, so can you!
>
> Yeah, I know - being on the west coast helps! :-)
>
> Jim Bennett / W6JHB
> Folsom, CA
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:

> Elecraft@.qth

>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to

> lists+1215531472858-365791@.nabble

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Jim Brown-10

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

On 7/5/2018 9:59 AM, ab2tc wrote:
> Just 100W and a G5RV here.

I'll bet that if you had tried FT8 you would have worked them far more
easily and on more bands. That mode has an advantage of about 16 dB (40x
the power) over SSB, which is the most difficult way to work weak
signals. CW is about 10 dB better than SSB, FT8 is about 6 dB better
than CW with very good ops on both ends.

73, Jim K9YC

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Drew AF2Z

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

Not only that but if we could operate FT8 in fully automated mode we
could let it slave away while we are called away to watch Downton Abbey
with SWMBO or in case we need to hit the rack early on a work night.

Would I do that? No, but I'll bet there will be loads of "operators" who
will.

73,
Drew
AF2Z

On 07/05/18 13:12, Jim Brown wrote:

> On 7/5/2018 9:59 AM, ab2tc wrote:
>> Just 100W and a G5RV here.
>
> I'll bet that if you had tried FT8 you would have worked them far more
> easily and on more bands. That mode has an advantage of about 16 dB (40x
> the power) over SSB, which is the most difficult way to work weak
> signals. CW is about 10 dB better than SSB, FT8 is about 6 dB better
> than CW with very good ops on both ends.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>

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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

In reply to this post by ab2tc

Although there are several DXpedition cards on my wall, this was really
my first somewhat serious attempt at working a DXpedition. The antenna;
a 256 ft center fed wire as an inverted V at 50 ft, with a balanced feed
line all the way from the feed point to the operating desk where it
terminates into a 1:1 Balun Designs 1171t current balun. Then using a
CMC {Common Mode Choke} from The Wireman, model 8232, to connect the
balun to the Tentec 238 tuner. The radio........is an Elecraft K3S.

While I don't consider my station anything but modest, I did work the
Baker Island group on 20M {CW & SSB}, 17M {CW & FT-8} & 15M {FT-8}.
All in all, a fun experience and most enjoyable experience thanks
largely to the folks at and from Elecraft. And thanks to the excellent
operators at the KH1/KH7Z site. Nice work fellows.

Now......looking forward to another one and seeing the confirmations on
LOTW.

73

Bob, K4TAX

On 7/5/2018 11:59 AM, ab2tc wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have a similar experience. Tried several times the first few days and got
> frustrated. Then last night I figured I'd try one last time before they pack
> up. Lo and behold, shortly before midnight EDT they started coming out of
> the fog at 14210 with a fixed QSX of 14225. So I started calling and after
> about an hour they came back to AB2... One more update to the call and and a
> response and I was done with an ATNO! Just 100W and a G5RV here. No HOA or
> antenna restrictions here but there are too many trees to put up a tower. I
> have several resonant dipoles and a delta loop for 20m but the G5RV is
> almost always better.
>
> AB2TC - Knut
>
>

Chris Hallinan

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

In reply to this post by ab2tc

Anyone else have to look up ATNO? LOL
Even funnier, Google found it - the questions was asked on eHam 5 years
ago. Came up near the top of the search <grin>

73 de K1AY
Chris

On Thu, Jul 5, 2018 at 1:00 PM ab2tc <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have a similar experience. Tried several times the first few days and got
> frustrated. Then last night I figured I'd try one last time before they
> pack
> up. Lo and behold, shortly before midnight EDT they started coming out of
> the fog at 14210 with a fixed QSX of 14225. So I started calling and after
> about an hour they came back to AB2... One more update to the call and and
> a
> response and I was done with an ATNO! Just 100W and a G5RV here. No HOA or
> antenna restrictions here but there are too many trees to put up a tower. I
> have several resonant dipoles and a delta loop for 20m but the G5RV is
> almost always better.
>
> AB2TC - Knut
>
>
> Elecraft mailing list wrote
> > As there are only one or two days left before the KH1 crew packs up and
> > leaves Baker Island, I thought I’d post this in hopes that other
> > antenna-restricted hams don’t think they have no shot. I live in a CC&R /
> > HOA “no ham antenna” neighborhood. However, I DO have several stealthy
> > wire antennas strung through the trees in our yard. My 60-6 meter antenna
> > is an 88 foot long doublet, about 45 feet high, fed with 110 feet of home
> > brew 600 ohm ladder line. I also have a Hustler 5BTV ground mounted that
> I
> > use for diversity receive. My primary station is a K3 / P3 combo, 100
> > Watts max.
> >
> > I had tried working the DX-petition on several evenings, usually on 20 or
> > 40 meter CW. The pileups were horrendous. I knew I was duking it out with
> > guys running mega antennas and a LOT more power than me, so I didn’t have
> > much hope after the first few evenings. Usually went to bed with a
> > headache and frustration. Last night was different.
> >
> > After an evening of TV with the XYL, I thought I’d give it another try.
> > Listened on 20 and I could hear them, but just barely at the noise level;
> > not loud enough to try calling. So I jumped up to 30 meters. Wow - the
> KH1
> > station was great copy at close to S7! And the pileup was once again
> > monumental. Well, using the P3 I found a nice “hole” where it seemed like
> > there were no other signals. Took about 15-20 minutes and.... bingo:
> W6JHB
> > 599 K. Yes! In the log for an ATNO!
> >
> > My hats off to the great ops at KH1/KH7ZZ and to the Elecraft developers
> > for the fine rig. Having the K3 and the diversity receive capability
> > certainly helped offset having to use crummy antennas and “low” power.
> >
> > If I could work ‘em, so can you!
> >
> > Yeah, I know - being on the west coast helps! :-)
> >
> > Jim Bennett / W6JHB
> > Folsom, CA
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:
>
> > Elecraft@.qth
>
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to
>
> > lists+1215531472858-365791@.nabble
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

--
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David Olean

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

In reply to this post by Bob McGraw - K4TAX

I would echo the comments about the Baker/ Howland Island DXpedition and
Elecraft. I am only on two HF bands: 160 and 10 meters. I figured that
ten meters was a stretch, but that 160 meter CW was possible from Maine
with a little luck. I was away from my shack for most of the operating
period, but managed to get home on July 3rd and set my clock alarm for
4AM on July 4th for about the last chance to work them. When I got on
and listened at 0800 UT I heard nothing. No KH1 and no callers either. I
parked on 1822.5 and set my TX up 1 kHz. I heard static crashes and
white noise for about an hour. No signals heard at all!! I was all set
to give up, and was reading an article on the web, when, all of a
sudden, KH7Z popped out of the noise, weak but fairly audible calling CQ
and UP. I was startled by how fast they peaked up from nothing and
called them once. Imagine my surprise when they answered my first call.
(Someone had really good ears!) I could not believe it and called them
again. This time I was sure they heard my call and we completed the
contact. I just sat there in awe contemplating the fact that I had them
in my log within one minute after they first appeared out of the noise
on 160 meters. The contact took place right at sunrise. I suspect that
the KPA-1500 was working overtime on 160 M. Thanks Elecraft for the
support of the operation, and thanks for making such a nice receiver
that is the K3! I used diversity reception with two beverages. The TX
antenna is a single vertical. All I can say is WOW!

Dave K1WHS

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Ed Pflueger

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

I'm in far Western KY just about 30 miles from the Mississippi river and I worked them on FT8 at 10:33 UTC on the 3rd and got my 160 CW contact on the 4th at 10:33 UTC. Amazing both contacts at the same time on both days. They were super loud on the 4th and my KPA1500 did the job on CW. I was running 100 watts on the FT8 contact.

Ed.. AB4IQ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of David Olean
Sent: Friday, July 6, 2018 7:34 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

I would echo the comments about the Baker/ Howland Island DXpedition and Elecraft. I am only on two HF bands: 160 and 10 meters. I figured that ten meters was a stretch, but that 160 meter CW was possible from Maine with a little luck. I was away from my shack for most of the operating period, but managed to get home on July 3rd and set my clock alarm for 4AM on July 4th for about the last chance to work them. When I got on and listened at 0800 UT I heard nothing. No KH1 and no callers either. I parked on 1822.5 and set my TX up 1 kHz. I heard static crashes and white noise for about an hour. No signals heard at all!! I was all set to give up, and was reading an article on the web, when, all of a sudden, KH7Z popped out of the noise, weak but fairly audible calling CQ and UP. I was startled by how fast they peaked up from nothing and called them once. Imagine my surprise when they answered my first call.
(Someone had really good ears!) I could not believe it and called them again. This time I was sure they heard my call and we completed the contact. I just sat there in awe contemplating the fact that I had them in my log within one minute after they first appeared out of the noise on 160 meters. The contact took place right at sunrise. I suspect that the KPA-1500 was working overtime on 160 M. Thanks Elecraft for the support of the operation, and thanks for making such a nice receiver that is the K3! I used diversity reception with two beverages. The TX antenna is a single vertical. All I can say is WOW!

Dave K1WHS

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Joe K2UF

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

My 2 cents. Thanks Baker group and Elecraft for number 329 CW

73 Joe K2UF

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of AB4IQ
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2018 8:49 PM
To: 'David Olean'; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

I'm in far Western KY just about 30 miles from the Mississippi river and I
worked them on FT8 at 10:33 UTC on the 3rd and got my 160 CW contact on the
4th at 10:33 UTC. Amazing both contacts at the same time on both days.
They were super loud on the 4th and my KPA1500 did the job on CW. I was
running 100 watts on the FT8 contact.

Ed.. AB4IQ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of David Olean
Sent: Friday, July 6, 2018 7:34 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

I would echo the comments about the Baker/ Howland Island DXpedition and
Elecraft. I am only on two HF bands: 160 and 10 meters. I figured that ten
meters was a stretch, but that 160 meter CW was possible from Maine with a
little luck. I was away from my shack for most of the operating period, but
managed to get home on July 3rd and set my clock alarm for 4AM on July 4th
for about the last chance to work them. When I got on and listened at 0800
UT I heard nothing. No KH1 and no callers either. I parked on 1822.5 and set
my TX up 1 kHz. I heard static crashes and white noise for about an hour. No
signals heard at all!! I was all set to give up, and was reading an article
on the web, when, all of a sudden, KH7Z popped out of the noise, weak but
fairly audible calling CQ and UP. I was startled by how fast they peaked up
from nothing and called them once. Imagine my surprise when they answered my
first call.
(Someone had really good ears!) I could not believe it and called them
again. This time I was sure they heard my call and we completed the contact.
I just sat there in awe contemplating the fact that I had them in my log
within one minute after they first appeared out of the noise on 160 meters.
The contact took place right at sunrise. I suspect that the KPA-1500 was
working overtime on 160 M. Thanks Elecraft for the support of the operation,
and thanks for making such a nice receiver that is the K3! I used diversity
reception with two beverages. The TX antenna is a single vertical. All I
can say is WOW!

Dave K1WHS

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Wes Stewart-2

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

In reply to this post by David Olean

I only needed KH1 on 17, 30 and 160. I didn't much care about 17 and 30 but 160
is my newest interest. My station is modest, particularly on Topband, where I
use on both TX and RX, an inverted-l with 55' vertical and the top wire sloping
down to about 45'. At the moment about twenty 55' radials laid on the ground. A
K3S and KPA500 round out the station.

I first heard and worked them at 1134Z on 6/27. That is just beginning my
sunrise. They were weak and in the noise, but I eked out a marginal contact.
Ten minutes later they were way out of the noise and I considered making an
insurance contact but didn't want to get on their bad side, so I refrained. A
couple of days later on the 29th I thought I would get some insurance. This
time I worked them @0618Z which was their morning twilight. The enhancement
peak was amazing. They boomed in for ten minutes or more and then started
fading into my noise, but they were still readable when I believe they gave up.
My first QSO didn't show up in Clublog at first so I was glad for the
insurance. Later it did show up along with an extra one. They show me making
three Qs but I only made 2.

Maybe they're making up for 20-meters where I called and they came back to
N7WH. I sent my call twice and he finally sent it correctly but must have left
the log wrong. So I worked them again. I did also get them on 30 and after
working them on 17 CW and SSB, I broke down and let my computer work them on FT8.

Wes N7WS

On 7/6/2018 5:34 PM, David Olean wrote:

> I would echo the comments about the Baker/ Howland Island DXpedition and
> Elecraft. I am only on two HF bands: 160 and 10 meters. I figured that ten
> meters was a stretch, but that 160 meter CW was possible from Maine with a
> little luck. I was away from my shack for most of the operating period, but
> managed to get home on July 3rd and set my clock alarm for 4AM on July 4th for
> about the last chance to work them. When I got on and listened at 0800 UT I
> heard nothing. No KH1 and no callers either. I parked on 1822.5 and set my TX
> up 1 kHz. I heard static crashes and white noise for about an hour. No signals
> heard at all!! I was all set to give up, and was reading an article on the
> web, when, all of a sudden, KH7Z popped out of the noise, weak but fairly
> audible calling CQ and UP. I was startled by how fast they peaked up from
> nothing and called them once. Imagine my surprise when they answered my first
> call. (Someone had really good ears!) I could not believe it and called them
> again. This time I was sure they heard my call and we completed the contact.
> I just sat there in awe contemplating the fact that I had them in my log
> within one minute after they first appeared out of the noise on 160 meters.
> The contact took place right at sunrise. I suspect that the KPA-1500 was
> working overtime on 160 M. Thanks Elecraft for the support of the operation,
> and thanks for making such a nice receiver that is the K3! I used diversity
> reception with two beverages. The TX antenna is a single vertical. All I can
> say is WOW!
>
> Dave K1WHS

Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

Re: OT: Re: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!

Administrator

In reply to this post by David Olean

Hi Dave,

Their good ears were due to good ops, using K3S with its clean TX noise and
excellent RX, and of course our amps helped them on TX. :-)

Congrats on the Q's!
73,
Eric
/elecraft.com/

On 7/6/2018 5:34 PM, David Olean wrote: