kx1 hotel qrv best antenna suggestion

[Sergej Kindsvater DF6MU]

hey KX1 users out there: what would be the ultimate hotel room antenna
(that can be accomodated in laptop bag)? maybe a loop of some kind?

I am always flabbergasted by the reports from kx1 users as to what
everything they are able to achieve when using kx1 with a random wire,
working from a park bench or similar...

I have completed my kx1 something like a half a year ago and being a
frequent traveller I am since taking it with me on every business trip.
Till today not a single qso with a random wire out of a hotel room.

I am currently in Yugoslavia. This time an old hotel, no beton walls, no
BPL, fourth floor (Hotel Moskva in Belgrade), 10 meter long wire out of
the window facing the Balkanska Ulic, two same length  wires serve
counterpose in the room- and my first qso with this setup, wkd UR5IF,
qrb abt 1500 kms, not bad! Mike himslef has been running inly 5W into a LW.

One other thing: when I am usisng an indoor antenna and a switching
power supply,  that worked well for FT817, I am getting three S units
more noise, ferrite rings won't help. Thought maybe I should use those
12v 3300 mAh NiMh Racing battery packs people use for the plane models.
Any opinion? Any airport security experience?

many thanks

Sergej DF6MU

PS KX1 is good thing to brag about: recently in Tel Aviv I happened to
have a breakfast at a hotel beside two hams from Ohio also on business
there, heard them talking, engaged in a conversation and impressed  them
while having produced my Kx1 in a Pelicase 1060 out of my laptop bag
right there!

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[Ron D'Eau Claire-2]

Sergej, DF6MU asked:

hey KX1 users out there: what would be the ultimate hotel room antenna
(that can be accomodated in laptop bag)? maybe a loop of some kind?

-------------------------------

Hi Sergej!

I'd say that any wire you can get outside of a hotel room would be better
than any wire inside. That's because of all the metal in the buildings. Most
have a metal skeleton at least, plus wiring, plumbing and more. It sounds
like the hotels you are staying in have windows that open. Here in the USA
most are sealed shut.

Assuming you have an open window, if you drop the wire down, be aware that
you don't want it to exceed 1/2 wavelength (actually 5/8 wavelength) because
beyond that point the radiation pattern skews upward. I'd shoot for whatever
is closest to 1/2 wavelength that the KX1 ATU can handle. The closer you can
get to 1/2 wavelength, the higher the efficiency your antenna will have
because it won't be dependent upon a good RF ground. Of course, if you can
get the wire away from the building, all the better.

If you find yourself stuck indoors with no windows that will open, I'd run
two wires of equal length away from the rig - one along the ceiling and
perhaps the other along the floor.

Ron AC7AC


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[Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU]

Using a short fishing pole pointed at about a 45 degree angle helps get
the wire away from the building and up as well so it doesn't dangle into
the downstairs balcony.  I did that last weekend from a hotel room with
the Cabelas 14ft pole.
Leigh / WA5ZNU
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[Howard W. Ashcraft]

I have had similar issues with using a random wire antenna and the KX-1.
The random wire suggested in the antenna tuner manual works for receive,
but no one hears me.  It is very frustrating to be listening to S-9+ CQs
where it is obvious that the sending station hasn't a clue I'm around.

I have worked successfully with an MP-1 Superantenna, which can be
connected to balcony railings, but I find that it works best if I use an
antenna analyzer to pre-tune the antenna. I also use the KX-1 mostly for
travel, so a good "hotel" arrangement would be very useful.

By the way, I use the Micro908 Antenna Analyzer kit from AMQRP.  Since
it also works as an audio DSP filter (same DSP unit as the K2), I can
use it for audio dsp with the KX-1 once I have adjusted the antenna.  It
works very nicely to reduce the ambient noise levels and gives you lots
of filter choices.

Howard Ashcraft W1WF

-----Original Message-----
From: Sergej Kindsvater DF6MU [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 4:54 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] kx1 hotel qrv best antenna suggestion

hey KX1 users out there: what would be the ultimate hotel room antenna
(that can be accomodated in laptop bag)? maybe a loop of some kind?

I am always flabbergasted by the reports from kx1 users as to what
everything they are able to achieve when using kx1 with a random wire,
working from a park bench or similar...

I have completed my kx1 something like a half a year ago and being a
frequent traveller I am since taking it with me on every business trip.
Till today not a single qso with a random wire out of a hotel room.

I am currently in Yugoslavia. This time an old hotel, no beton walls, no
BPL, fourth floor (Hotel Moskva in Belgrade), 10 meter long wire out of
the window facing the Balkanska Ulic, two same length  wires serve
counterpose in the room- and my first qso with this setup, wkd UR5IF,
qrb abt 1500 kms, not bad! Mike himslef has been running inly 5W into a
LW.

One other thing: when I am usisng an indoor antenna and a switching
power supply,  that worked well for FT817, I am getting three S units
more noise, ferrite rings won't help. Thought maybe I should use those
12v 3300 mAh NiMh Racing battery packs people use for the plane models.
Any opinion? Any airport security experience?

many thanks

Sergej DF6MU

PS KX1 is good thing to brag about: recently in Tel Aviv I happened to
have a breakfast at a hotel beside two hams from Ohio also on business
there, heard them talking, engaged in a conversation and impressed  them
while having produced my Kx1 in a Pelicase 1060 out of my laptop bag
right there!


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