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KX3 remote transmitting

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James Denning

KX3 remote transmitting

I am moving and am going to be in a challenging location. I am currently 1000ft above sea level and 600ft above a valley in Oregon. I am spoiled as currently I can make SSB contacts in Brazil using my KX3 at 10 watts and a Hexbeam antenna. I will be moving into a valley surrounded by nearby hills/mountains at least several hundred feet higher than my new QTH. There is a high knoll nearby I could put an antenna on that would require about 1100ft of cable. Is it a dumb idea to instead put a KXPA100 or maybe a KPA500 at the end of the run at the antenna base and make the long cable run between the KX3 and the amplifier rather than a straight run from my shack? Are there other better/cheaper solutions?

n7ws

Re: KX3 remote transmitting

1100 feet of 7/8" Heliax would have about 2dB loss at 30 MHz. That's the $7000 solution. But it works well on receive too. :-)

Something like LMR-400 will cost about $1100 and have about 7dB loss. A KPA-500 has about that much gain. I would keep it in the shack. That's the $3200 solution.

Either way you still have a 10 Watt radio.

Another consideration would be to look for some surplus 7/8" CATV cable. In years gone by, I've been given the stuff as it was being removed from power poles. That could be a near zero cost option.

Last you could try remotely controlling the radio.

Wes. N7WS

Laboriously typed on my iPhone.

On Apr 16, 2013, at 3:58 PM, James Denning <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I am moving and am going to be in a challenging location. I am currently
> 1000ft above sea level and 600ft above a valley in Oregon. I am spoiled as
> currently I can make SSB contacts in Brazil using my KX3 at 10 watts and a
> Hexbeam antenna. I will be moving into a valley surrounded by nearby
> hills/mountains at least several hundred feet higher than my new QTH. There
> is a high knoll nearby I could put an antenna on that would require about
> 1100ft of cable. Is it a dumb idea to instead put a KXPA100 or maybe a
> KPA500 at the end of the run at the antenna base and make the long cable run
> between the KX3 and the amplifier rather than a straight run from my shack?
> Are there other better/cheaper solutions?
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX3-remote-transmitting-tp7572708.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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Doug VE3VS

Re: KX3 remote transmitting

In reply to this post by James Denning

Years ago I worked a chap ( maybe in Wyoming or Montana ) in a similar QTH. He had built an "open wire" line suspended on posts with fencing insulators, every so far, to keep the lines taut in the breeze, over a huge distance . . can't recall for sure, but I think it could have been up a steep slope as much as a mile to find clear horizons. Baluns at both ends of the twin feeders . . I think there was more going on there, that is, switching of different antennas, rotators, etc. but it certainly worked. Not a small project I would say.

Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

Re: KX3 remote transmitting

In reply to this post by James Denning

Maybe it's just me, but....

I think before I put a whole lot of time, money and effort into getting
an antenna on the knoll, I'd do some experimentation down in the valley.

Maybe buy a really great antenna, and if it doesn't work, re-use it on
top of the knoll.

73 -- Lynn

On 4/16/2013 3:58 PM, James Denning wrote:

Mike WA8BXN

Re: KX3 remote transmitting

I too live in a river valley. While working DX has not been a priority to me
I have wondered what the effect of being in a valley may be. I do like Lynn
s response to what to do. Beyond that I would look into remote operation of
a rig on the knoll if its easy to get power there and its a secure location.

73 - Mike WA8BXN

-------Original Message-------

From: Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT
Date: 4/16/2013 11:21:29 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 remote transmitting

Maybe it's just me, but....

I think before I put a whole lot of time, money and effort into getting
an antenna on the knoll, I'd do some experimentation down in the valley.

Maybe buy a really great antenna, and if it doesn't work, re-use it on
top of the knoll.

73 -- Lynn

On 4/16/2013 3:58 PM, James Denning wrote:
> I am moving and am going to be in a challenging location. I am currently
> 1000ft above sea level and 600ft above a valley in Oregon. I am spoiled as

> currently I can make SSB contacts in Brazil using my KX3 at 10 watts and a

> Hexbeam antenna. I will be moving into a valley surrounded by nearby
> hills/mountains at least several hundred feet higher than my new QTH.
There
> is a high knoll nearby I could put an antenna on that would require about
> 1100ft of cable. Is it a dumb idea to instead put a KXPA100 or maybe a
> KPA500 at the end of the run at the antenna base and make the long cable
run
> between the KX3 and the amplifier rather than a straight run from my
shack?
> Are there other better/cheaper solutions?
>
>
>
______________________________________________________________
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n7ws

Re: KX3 remote transmitting

In reply to this post by James Denning

My previous message on this topic was composed while I was in a doctor's office waiting on my fiancee. To gather some data on coax, I did some Google searching and found several "calculators" (that all seem to copy each other). Another thing they have in common is that they all use the data I derived for "window line" which was published in an ARRL Antenna Compendium article I wrote. All without attribution, of course :-).

--- On Tue, 4/16/13, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:

From: Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 remote transmitting
To: [hidden email]
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 9:11 PM

That's how the commercial HF stations did it. Keep in mind they used real
ladder line and NOT "window line" that is frequently mislabeled "ladder
line".

True ladder line has large diameter conductors (usually No. 12 or larger
wires) and only enough insulator bars separating them to keep the wires
stable. That's compared to the window line that has a brown (polyethylene I
believe) web between two much smaller wires with openings (windows) cut into
the webbing.

Window line works reasonably well, but does not have the stability and low
losses of true ladder line, especially for long runs. One of its biggest
drawbacks is that moisture, ice, snow, etc., can change its characteristics
appreciably in spite of the windows. Ladder line does not suffer such
changes unless it's buried in snow or iced over.

73 Ron AC7AC

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Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

Re: KX3 remote transmitting

In reply to this post by Mike WA8BXN

My other thought would be to put an actual "shack" on top of the knoll.

We're talking about a KX3, and maybe an antenna rotor and some lighting.

A couple of solar panels, a good deep-cycle 12v battery, 12v LED
lighting, and a small inverter for AC-only loads would knock that out,
probably for less than the cost of Heliax.

-- Lynn

On 4/16/2013 8:35 PM, Mike WA8BXN wrote:

> I too live in a river valley. While working DX has not been a priority to me
> I have wondered what the effect of being in a valley may be. I do like Lynn
> s response to what to do. Beyond that I would look into remote operation of
> a rig on the knoll if its easy to get power there and its a secure location.
>
>
> 73 - Mike WA8BXN
>
>
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT
> Date: 4/16/2013 11:21:29 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 remote transmitting
>
> Maybe it's just me, but....
>
> I think before I put a whole lot of time, money and effort into getting
> an antenna on the knoll, I'd do some experimentation down in the valley.
>
> Maybe buy a really great antenna, and if it doesn't work, re-use it on
> top of the knoll.
>
> 73 -- Lynn
>
> On 4/16/2013 3:58 PM, James Denning wrote:
>> I am moving and am going to be in a challenging location. I am currently
>> 1000ft above sea level and 600ft above a valley in Oregon. I am spoiled as
>
>> currently I can make SSB contacts in Brazil using my KX3 at 10 watts and a
>
>> Hexbeam antenna. I will be moving into a valley surrounded by nearby
>> hills/mountains at least several hundred feet higher than my new QTH.
> There
>> is a high knoll nearby I could put an antenna on that would require about
>> 1100ft of cable. Is it a dumb idea to instead put a KXPA100 or maybe a
>> KPA500 at the end of the run at the antenna base and make the long cable
> run
>> between the KX3 and the amplifier rather than a straight run from my
> shack?
>> Are there other better/cheaper solutions?
>>
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

gm3sek

Re: KX3 remote transmitting

In reply to this post by n7ws

>
>My previous message on this topic was composed while I was in a
doctor's
>office waiting on my fiancee. To gather some data on coax, I did some
>Google searching and found several "calculators" (that all seem to copy
each
>other). Another thing they have in common is that they all use the
data I
>derived for "window line" which was published in an ARRL Antenna
>Compendium article I wrote. All without attribution, of course :-).
>

This is the line loss calculator that you can take to the bank (or even
the doctor's office) because VK1OD always does his own thinking and he
gets it right:

http://vk1od.net/calc/tl/tllc.php

As expected, a site search shows several references to N7WS :-)

73 from Ian GM3SEK

>-----Original Message-----
>From: [hidden email] [mailto:elecraft-
>[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Wes Stewart
>Sent: 17 April 2013 05:02
>To: [hidden email]; Ron D'Eau Claire
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 remote transmitting
>
>My previous message on this topic was composed while I was in a
doctor's
>office waiting on my fiancee. To gather some data on coax, I did some
>Google searching and found several "calculators" (that all seem to copy
each
>other). Another thing they have in common is that they all use the
data I

>derived for "window line" which was published in an ARRL Antenna
>Compendium article I wrote. All without attribution, of course :-).
>
>--- On Tue, 4/16/13, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>From: Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]>
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 remote transmitting
>To: [hidden email]
>Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 9:11 PM
>
>That's how the commercial HF stations did it. Keep in mind they used

real
>ladder line and NOT "window line" that is frequently mislabeled "ladder
>line".
>
>True ladder line has large diameter conductors (usually No. 12 or
larger
>wires) and only enough insulator bars separating them to keep the wires
>stable. That's compared to the window line that has a brown
(polyethylene I
>believe) web between two much smaller wires with openings (windows) cut
>into the webbing.
>
>Window line works reasonably well, but does not have the stability and
low
>losses of true ladder line, especially for long runs. One of its
biggest
>drawbacks is that moisture, ice, snow, etc., can change its
characteristics

>appreciably in spite of the windows. Ladder line does not suffer such
>changes unless it's buried in snow or iced over.
>
>73 Ron AC7AC
>
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html