ab8lq


 Why I have an Extra Class license
 My current equipment
 Some thoughts on license tests


Welcome to some random mumblings and thoughts about amateur radio.

I'm located in Columbus, Ohio and work currently as a computer administrator, though I've done and still do software development professionally. Ham radio's a new hobby for me, though it's something I've known about for a long time. I've known about it since my father got his novice license when I was about ten. I couldn't talk myself into learning code and so didn't get a license myself until recently -- but all that's spelled out detail by detail in one of the sidebar items, and anyone who really want to know can go read that.

Other hobbies include music -- I've performed everything from bluegrass to classical over the years, computers -- a bit of gaming, and some PalmOS software development, film -- I have a video collection so large I'm a bit ashamed, and sailing (anyone want to buy a Catalina 22? :-).


Logbook

May 20, 2002

After trying a different style of center connector, I still had major problems tuning. Gary suggested I shorten the south end of the dipole by 20 feet and see what happened. Finally did, and that seems to help. Haven't tested enough to be sure just yet, but that may have been the problem. Still need to shorten the north end -- I'll get to that sometime soon. I hope. But this tuning thing has got to go. I'm going to pick up an LDG autmatic tuner before too long.

April 19, 2002

Well, it doesn't look like it's the tuner. Gary's tuner works better than the MFJ I have, but not so much better that he thinks that my tuner isn't working. Gary still thinks it must be the center connector. I'm going to hit the local ham store tomorrow and buy a different style, and I'll install it and see if that's the problem.

April 18, 2002

No luck in figuring out the problem from pulling the center connector down. Connections look good, and there doesn't seem to be anything loose, and the ohm meter says all is well. Time to try another tuner. Also need to check the coax to make sure there's no break. Sigh.

April 17, 2002

Well, we finally put up the dipole last night. All in all, it wasn't that difficult, but the high humidity and being very out of shape really ruined my stamina. The 2m/440 vertical had been put up with an eve mount, but Gary, my Elmer (n8emr), didn't like the mounting because of the shallowness of the angles on the eve. So, I bought a couple more sections of mast so we could run the mast to the ground. It's no fun lifting a 36 foot mast that can't really support itself when lifted from one end. We managed it through luck and perseverance.

With all the connectors on the coax, I'm still having trouble tuning. We've replaced the coax between the tuner (MFJ Versa Tuner II) and the 706, we replaced the coax on the tuner side, we've grounded the tuner, and nothing seems to work. Next step is to drop the center connector of the dipole and see if there's a bad connection up there. Gary believes that one side of the dipole isn't getting loaded. I plan on doing that tonight.