EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT:
As I am always a portable operation I have had to downsize my station equipment. Gone are the big base radios and Cubical Quad antenna system, the 80M loop I kept as well as a couple of wire dipoles.
I built an Aluminium Tower that I could fit to a trailer and still comply with the overall length laws. The tower is made up of three sections each 3.7M in length and each section is fitted with Delrin slide guides to keep it all smooth and vibration free when travelling and to prevent any binding when erecting and retracting.
The stainless steel wire which is used to facilitate winding the tower up and down is rated for a lifting load of 750Kg and is wound onto a 5:1 braking winch. The wire is crimped as well as fitted with compression clamps to secure it to each section. The winch sends both sections up at the same time which enables me to quickly raise the tower to full height and then use up to four nylon guy ropes to secure the top of the tower for safety.
I then made a pivot point on the trailer and (TIG) welded a plate to the tower and use a 20mm steel pin as the pivot.
RADIO:
I operate an Elecraft K3 which I bought new just over four years ago now and it is absolutley ideal for the type of operation I run.
The compact size and portability of the K3 is ideal for my use and it is very easy to see why the K3 has been accepted by many of the top DXer's around the world. With 5 onboard roofing filters fitted, down conversion receiver, fully adjustable DSP, 8 band equalizer and many more features, too many to list here, the K3 has enabled me to work DX as a portable station but retain some of the comforts of having a permanent "shack".
Transmitted Bandwidth using the KPA-500 ar legal limit!
Antennas:
4 Element Tri-Band Yagi for 10/15/20M:
On top of the portable tower usually sits a TET-Emtron TE-43 which was optimized for portable use. Each element slips into a tube which remains attached to the boom at all times. As each element is in halves, they can be easily stored in PVC tubes attached to the top of the trailer for travelling. When slipped into their tubes on the boom a simple pin system is used to secure them in place. Assembley of the beam takes less than 5 minutes.
40M Double Extended Zepp:
Supplied by WoodTech Electronics, ( VK4KY - Andy ) the Zepp is 85 feet each side and fed with open wire line made in Australia by WoodTech Electronics also and you simply have to see it to understand the quality of this fine transmission line. WoodTech also manufactured the 4:1 Balun (BL-1000-4) which is also of superb quality. This enables me to work all bands including 160M.
http://www.woodtech.net.au/index.html
80m Dipole:
The usual wire dipole.
40M Dipole:
Another home brew antenna of standard construction but does provide me with a reference antenna for 40M.
Rotator:
A Yaesu G-1000DXC is used to rotate the TE-43 yagi.
POWER SUPPLY:
I now use a pair of 'Powerwerx' 30A peak, 25A continuous switchmode power supplies which have a very small footprint, silent fans and no RFI.
73's
Gary Gregory
VK4FD
