First base station

[222DBFL]

I always put ring connectors on 918. This way a wire can't slip loose and arc off. Normally a yellow ring terminal with a 1/4" hole works perfect.

 

[918Oklahoma]

Man, DXing is easy with this dipole and my 959, I am talking all over new england with it. It is very directional however, i am yet to make a contact outside of the Northeast, we will see what conditions continue to yield. Chances are if you jump on 27.385 and youre in New England, i will hear you. This antenna is very sensitive.
My galaxy is really impressing me, what a difference stable room temperature makes with this thing.

 

[2RT307]

I realize you have already ordered a dipole, however, for future reference, or for someone reading the thread, here is a cheap dipole.

1. Use oOne 9' extension cord. $2 - $3

2. Cut off the female block end.

3. Separate the two conductors back to the male plug.

4. Attach center coax conductor to one male plug prong.

5. Attach coax braid to other male plug prong.

6. Fold back ends of both wires so each is 8' 6" long.

7. Hang this in the air horizontally.

8. Hook opposite end of coax to the radio and start talking.

What about SWR and all that? I've done this so many times that unless the dipole is really close to something conductive or the wires are shorted or broken the SWR will be so close to just right that the difference in performance in indistinguishable.

 

[2RT307]

That is so cool, HomerBB. For a portable quick setup, I'm thinking of keeping the female end, and connecting the coax the a short tail on it. Wouldn't work in a windy situation though.

73,
Brett

 

[HomerBB]

I have shown someone to keep the female block and terminate the antenna end of the coax with it so the dipole can be plugged into it. I did not advise it here because too much info confuses folks sometimes.

If it's too windy just use tape or string to hold the plugs together for portable work.

 

[222DBFL]

Glad to hear you are having fun 918. Sounds like you need to set a dipole up facing the opposite of the one you have now and you will be set. Get a good coax switch and go at it! Anyway, glad to hear you got it working and happy dxing!!

 

[HomerBB]

It may be you are seeing some directionality from the dipole, but unless it's 1/2 wavelength or more up it isn't going to be severe. If it is, two dipoles hanging for each direction as suggested will help. Wait a few days and you may see that the reason all your getting is from the Northeast is because that's all that's running right now.

It is great you're having fun. Good deal.

 

[918Oklahoma]

So an update on my base station...

Just got a yeticom optima mk3 which i bought specifically for my base setup... also came with a nice Midland external speaker that I am really enjoying, great addition to the station.

The next plan is to put up a vertical... I've decided to go with a Sirio Tornado. Since I cant mount it off the house , its going in the backyard. Im going to cement a treated 6x6x12 post into the ground and build my own mast out of two pieces of fence toprail, giving me 20ft of mast, which will be bolted into the post another 5ft up. So it will be about 25ft to the base of the antenna. Really hoping ill be able to work some local base stations with it and capture some of that skip that my directional dipole is missing.

 

[HomerBB]

So an update on my base station...

Just got a yeticom optima mk3 which i bought specifically for my base setup... also came with a nice Midland external speaker that I am really enjoying, great addition to the station.

The next plan is to put up a vertical... I've decided to go with a Sirio Tornado. Since I cant mount it off the house , its going in the backyard. Im going to cement a treated 6x6x12 post into the ground and build my own mast out of two pieces of fence toprail, giving me 20ft of mast, which will be bolted into the post another 5ft up. So it will be about 25ft to the base of the antenna. Really hoping ill be able to work some local base stations with it and capture some of that skip that my directional dipole is missing.

You may find you'll need guy wires on the top rail as it gets flimsy when stood vertically. Also it sometimes will bend if you mount an antenna on it and attempt to walk it up from horizontal to vertical.
That is one reason why I built the wooden tilt over mast.

 

[tba02]

"nice pole" seems appropriate, but sounds oh so wrong for some reason.

 

[HomerBB]