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Not the best shot but it's an evening shot |
I was able to get the loop on the air today after work and I was very much wanting to see if it was actually working on the air.........testing it and putting it on the air can be a whole different kettle of fish. I am happy to say the antenna works just fine if not better. It seems to tune to a better SWR and seems more smooth at arriving at a low SWR. In the past it seemed to have a very sharp tuning curve and if you did not pay attention the sweet spot was gone. So the bands were decent sounding well were I was on 30m that is. I called CQ and I had a come back from VE3HEU! Not exactly DX but it's a contact and from what I have been reading the bands at times have been rough shape......HI HI. Vic was so close we could had met for coffee in the local Starbucks for goodness sake. He is a fellow condo ham that was using a mobile whip antenna and at 10 floors up using approx 90 watts. I am not that bold and my power is at a steady 5 watts as I don't want to have a knock at my door. This gave me a great opportunity some CW practice and boy when you don't use it for some time you really have to think about what you are sending. It felt really great to get on the radio again as it has been go go go here with work, out of town guests and just plan old stuff around the house that has to be done. I think I may stick with 30m's as it seems to be very much alive in the early evenings.