• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

Recent content by Keith Thompson

  1. K

    Anyone use an artificial ground?

    My shack is in a second-floor room and a member of my radio club suggested I try an artificial ground to possibly improve my signal by giving my radio something to "push against" electrically. The AG, an MFJ model, arrived this week. It appears that grounds are connected in series from radio to...
  2. K

    Sky High SWR

    Sorry it took so long to get back, but I followed your advice quoted below. I ran the ladder line directly to the tuner and I've had terrific success and good audio reports ever since. Last night alone I worked three stations from Italy and one each from Belgium, Northern Ireland, England...
  3. K

    Sky High SWR

    Gary, Thanks for the terrific information. I appreciate your taking the time. Earlier tonight I ordered an MFJ -993B Antenna Tuner, Intellituner, Automatic, Desktop, 300 Watts, 160-10 meters. Should be here Wednesday. I ordered it before reading your missive. Will the 993B work or do I need...
  4. K

    Sky High SWR

    Thanks, I was considering one of these. May take a chance on one.
  5. K

    Sky High SWR

    The manufacturer claims it's good for 80 to 10 meters. It's a Granite State Ultralite Junior. 4:1 balun. I've been told not to cut the ladder line, that it's okay to coil the excess in loose coils, not to coil it. It's a little confusing. Ideally, I'd cut the excess six or seven feet off and...
  6. K

    Sky High SWR

    Brand new 4:1. Coax is all new, as well.
  7. K

    Sky High SWR

    Center-fed, no rain gutters, cedar siding. The manufacturer of the antenna says that excess ladder line can be loosely coiled. This coil is a little tight, but not sure it's enough to cause SWR this high. Could be wrong, of course.
  8. K

    Sky High SWR

    Only the last six feet or so. The total length of the ladder line is 82 feet, I believe.
  9. K

    Sky High SWR

    I put up a 73' dipole antenna between two trees and hooked it up this week. The antenna is above the house and about 20' away. I let the ladder line droop until it was even with the eaves, then ran it along the eave to the balun. From there, I ran the heavy 400 coax down to a surge arrestor...
  10. K

    Dead Air

    Thanks for the antenna suggestions, guys. I may undertake building one of those soon. By the way, how do those antennas perform on the 70cm band?
  11. K

    Dead Air

    Things have improved in my area since I started this thread. There's one repeater that's fairly active with chat during the morning and evenings and hosts a newcomers' net every Sunday evening. It also hosts SkyWarn activity and will probably be activated later today as we go into yet another...
  12. K

    My Little Shack in Progress

    Love that cabinet.
  13. K

    I'm Excited!

    Finally got the tree guy over to get the hoisting tackle placed in the trees for the dipole antenna. Went pretty smoothly, with supervision from my noble dog, Denver. Once this Nor' Easter passes through this weekend, I'll start getting the final stages of the station set up. Looks like he got...
  14. K

    One power supply, two radios?

    Thanks, guys. I certainly can't imagine a situation where I'd be transmitting on both simultaneously, so it sounds like I'd be okay. Ham Radio Outlet, where I purchased the power supply, had a shelf of around six mobil units hooked into a single SPS-30DM power supply and it ran them all just...
  15. K

    One power supply, two radios?

    Nah, don't have that level of concentration any more.:LOL: