Paddling Up River?

[Frank MacDonell]

Looking for some advice. I am a new ham running a K3/10 with 66 feet
of stranded copper in the attic using RG213 as a feedline. Using
Fldigi, I hear and de-code CW, PSK, Olivia and Hell very well and from
all over the world. When I call CQ I see it on the waterfall, hear
sidetone and see 4 ALC bars on the K3.............but never an answer.
Is it because I am using 5 watts from an attic location or maybe
antenna problems? I don't believe it is the DATA A issue since I
downloaded the most recent version of the K3 software. Any ideas?
Thanks.

--
Frank KD8FIP
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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Frank,

You were not specific about your antenna except the length and the feedline.
If it is center fed, and you are using it on 40 meters, that should be a
good antenna - 15 meters might be also possible, but it is not optimum.
If you are using it on other bands or if the feedline is not connected
in the center, then you should feediit with balanced feeders if you
expect it to work well - OR - put traps in the antenna.

So if your data mode operation is on 40 meters, and your antenna is
center fed, then it should work OK  Give it a shot there, and if still
unsuccessful, try increasing the power, and/or, ask a local to listen
for you to see if you have a working signal.

73,
Don W3FPR

Frank MacDonell wrote:

> Looking for some advice. I am a new ham running a K3/10 with 66 feet
> of stranded copper in the attic using RG213 as a feedline. Using
> Fldigi, I hear and de-code CW, PSK, Olivia and Hell very well and from
> all over the world. When I call CQ I see it on the waterfall, hear
> sidetone and see 4 ALC bars on the K3.............but never an answer.
> Is it because I am using 5 watts from an attic location or maybe
> antenna problems? I don't believe it is the DATA A issue since I
> downloaded the most recent version of the K3 software. Any ideas?
> Thanks.
>  
>

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[Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU]

Frank,
It's also possible you have some modulation problems such as overdriving
or RF feedback, and you're signal is getting out but it's not decodeable.
Maybe you can find a local ham to listen on 40M during the daytime?
Leigh/WA5ZNU

Frank KD8FIP wrote,

> Looking for some advice. I am a new ham running a K3/10 with 66 feet
> of stranded copper in the attic using RG213 as a feedline. Using
> Fldigi, I hear and de-code CW, PSK, Olivia and Hell very well and from
> all over the world. When I call CQ I see it on the waterfall, hear
> sidetone and see 4 ALC bars on the K3.............but never an answer.
> Is it because I am using 5 watts from an attic location or maybe
> antenna problems? I don't believe it is the DATA A issue since I
> downloaded the most recent version of the K3 software. Any ideas?
> Thanks.
>
>  

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[AC7AC]

CONTENTS DELETED

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[Julian, G4ILO]

Frank,

It should certainly be possible to make PSK31 contacts with 5W to an indoor antenna. There are a number of posts on my blog that include screen dumps from PSKReporter.info showing where my signals have been received. For example this one http://www.g4ilo.com/2009/07/psk31-contacts.html shows where my CQs were copied running 5W to a home made magnetic loop sitting on the desk beside me. Using 25W to my attic dipole I have often been received by Leigh WA5ZNU on the west coast USA although due to the noise level here I haven't been able to decode his signal so we have yet to make a QSO. Of course if your QTH has a tin roof your attic antennas may not get out as well as mine do!

It does take a lot longer to get replies using low power during the current conditions with next to no sunspots. It was for precisely that reason that about 18 months ago I gave in and got the 100W PA for my K3. But it should be possible with QRP and a bit of patience. The suggestion to get someone local to check your transmissions are readable is a good one. If you are getting a lot of RF back into the shack it could be causing a poor signal. You could try sending a string of CQs, make sure they include the string DE <yourcall> <yourcall> and then check http://pskreporter.info and see if your call has been received anywhere. It should be, even with 5W, if everything is OK.

You don't give much info about how your wire antenna is configured. Long wire antennas don't work very well on transmit, and they need a good ground which is hard to arrange in an attic. Without one you could be getting a lot of RF on the feeder and that could cause all kinds of problems that may not be apparent if you can't monitor your signal.

I would suggest, especially as you appear to have a decent sized attic, that you go for a fan dipole, that is a set of dipoles that share a common feed point with the wires fanned out a bit so the ends are at least couple of feet apart. Each dipole will be resonant on a particular band so you will get minimal losses in the feeder and you may not even need the tuner at all. A dipole is balanced so you don't need a ground. Use a balun at the center and you will also eliminate any RF on the feeder.

[W7GJ, Lance]

Frank MacDonell wrote:

> Looking for some advice. I am a new ham running a K3/10 with 66 feet
> of stranded copper in the attic using RG213 as a feedline. Using
> Fldigi, I hear and de-code CW, PSK, Olivia and Hell very well and from
> all over the world. When I call CQ I see it on the waterfall, hear
> sidetone and see 4 ALC bars on the K3.............but never an answer.
> Is it because I am using 5 watts from an attic location or maybe
> antenna problems? I don't believe it is the DATA A issue since I
> downloaded the most recent version of the K3 software. Any ideas?
> Thanks.
>
>  

Hello Frank,

If you are interested in completing contacts using QRP, try downloading
WSJT and running the weak signal digital mode of JT65A.  Although
originally developed for EME, where signals are VERY weak, there are a
number of people using it now to chase DX on HF:

http://www.chris.org/cgi-bin/jt65talk

JT65A has about 10 db advantage in sensitivity over other digital modes
and CW.  That makes up for a LOT of antenna!  GL and VY 73, Lance

--
Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
QTH: DN27UB
TEL: [phone]   URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
2m DXCC #11, 6m DXCC #815

Interested in 6m EME?  Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME email!

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