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| SWR 1.1:1, power 5 watts and memory CQ message |
With getting most if not all of my "to do list" done it was time once again to swing the Alexloop into action and have a nice late afternoon of ham radio and relaxation. Setting up the loop has become faster for me I'm getting the hang of the in's and outs of the loop. I also am able to tune the loop in less than 20 seconds and be up and running on different band segments. The SWR is anywhere from flat to 1.7:1 and the band width is very good and retuning is not needed unless 20 khz changes are needed. This weekend the Worked all Germany CW contest was going on so I wanted to be a point giver for the contest. With 5 watts, my KX3 and the Alexloop in the living room I was able to contact the following all on 20m:
DK1NO
DK9PY
DR4A
LX/DF1LON
I did try dropping the power lower than 5 watts but is was just not doing the trick. I then was on 30m and WA3SCM Dave was calling CQ. I came back to him using 5
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| Time to recharge the battery |
watts. I was at times in and out with Dave but he was in P.A and that's off the backside of my loop antenna. Dave was running a long wire with 100 watts and all was going well until my KX3's batteries decided to die! The KX3 just shut down and my lesson was learned in that I should be monitoring the voltage on the KX3 (via it's display) and I would had known it was due time to change over to my external battery supply. I did go upstairs and get the extra battery but it was too late as Dave was gone. I did email him and explained what happened and on Sunday he emailed me back. He was wondering where I had gotten to and did tell me that he was very interested in the Alexloop as he has worked with lots of different types of loop antennas.
I was able to spend some time on the radio today (Sunday) and I again tried 10m to see what was happening.....it turned out that 10m was good to me today. I was only able to make 2 contacts but they were sweet ones!
IS0GQX from Sardinia
MD0CCE from Isle of Man
I was shocked at both these contacts two very nice and sometimes rare areas and I did both in one day! If I get the time this evening I will try some more radio time but if I don't get around to it I am very happy with the two contacts I did make today.
This weekend it was DX with the Alexloop!
20 October 2013 | by 
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Did you change the menu for the BAT MIN ? If running on internal AA,that should be set to 8.0-8.5.The default is 10v..I always change mine depending on the power source of internal AA or external LiFEPo4
Nice QRP contacts to Sardinia and Isle of Man.
10m has been open pretty nicely,I’m listening on 10m right now with the KX3
Scott W0SGM
Good evening Scott, I did change the min on the KX3 to 8.5 but I did not have the voltage showing on the display. When the power is below 8.5 then the rig shuts down…..and when powered up does not remember the freq you were on either! I am now pressing the Disp button when in trans now and then to see what the voltage is at.
Yes I had heard 10m was great and it was not until this weekend that 10m worked in my advantage for me.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Scott have a great week.
Mike
Sardinia and Isle of Man… nice going!
ok Mike..I figured you had already done that.. I hope Elecraft fixes that in an update..maybe have the KX3 give a warning of some kind,or reduce the power down more instead of just shutting down/off. Or have they ?
I worked a couple SSB stations on 10 today,nothing as nice as Sardinia or Isle of Man,but I had fun with the KX3 while watching NFL football kicked back in the recliner none the less..
Scott W0SGM
Good evening Jim, I was very surprised with the contacts myself but I was just trolling the bands and hooked them.
Mike
Good evening Scott, yes for Elecraft to do that I think it would be a simple update to do to the rig. Sounds like you were having both hobbies at the same time football and radio….nice.
Mike