Antenna Help Needed Sat. Aug. 18

RAIN…RAIN…RAIN…enemy number 1 of antenna work. Ten hearty CTRI members showed up this past Saturday for a club meeting/antenna raising.  Guess which didn’t get done?

CTRI Contest Group is a helping hand bunch.  It was decided to try again this Saturday, August 18 at 9 AM at the W1XX QTH, 48 Shannock Rd., South Kingstown.  My 160 meter vertical thanks you!

It shouldn’t take over an hour. It takes 3 “crankers” on the winches, guy rope holders, and spotters.  Not hard to do, but several folks needed for success.  Hardhats recommended.  We will celebrate with a BBQ.

So no one makes the trip in vain, your affirmative RSVP reply needed here in comments, email to w1xx[at]cox[dot]net, or voice message at 401-783-1588.  I know some can’t make it…certainly understandable.  If we have enough manpower committed, and the weather holds up, we’re a GO. If we don’t have enough folks to do the job or the weather looks unfavorable, by 7 AM Saturday I will post a CANCEL comment to this thread on the website, ctri[DOT]club.

73! — John, W1XX 8/13/2018

 

Highlights of August 11, 2018 Meeting

CTRI August 11, 2018 Meeting

   Arriving for the August 11 CTRI meeting at W1XX QTH proved rather daunting due to inclement weather.  An Uber shuttled arrivals up the hill amidst downpours scuttling any attempt to do planned antenna work. A separate posting will address “what’s next” regarding the Lazarus-like 160 vertical.   

     Attending:  KS1J, K1DM, W1AN, NG1M, K3IU, K1ECU, KE1J, K1PAD, K1HSY, and W1XX (in the chair).

   Treasurer NG1Mike reported we are still “flush” with cash in spite of the beau coup expenditure for K-cups on Field Day.  Contest Manager K1ECU indicated we are in a bit of a lull on the contest calendar but about to pick up in September with the CQ WW RTTY Contest. Keep your powder dry.  

   Charlie, K1ECU, reported on his recent participation in the 4-day Teacher Institute on Wireless Technology at ARRL in Newington.  This included a neat “show-and-tell” of a 2-meter radio operated “buoy” launched for reporting air and water temperatures. I can’t do justice in describing this excellent youth oriented program that Charlie will be incorporating into his environmental studies classroom.  TNX Charlie!

   Field Day Chairman W1XX reported on his mathematical analysis of the Field Day logs this is posted in the website where one can see conclusions.  A lengthy discussion ensued that became mired “in the weeds” somewhere in the Great Swamp in South ​Kingstown. One result was that KE1J was tasked to research the merits, cost etc. of using a triplexer. 

The September 8 meeting will be held at a luncheon table in Boxboro. W1AN will rent a club flea market space for which you are encouraged to bring your saleable boat anchors and other goodies. Be prepared to spend some time behind the counter.  

Respectfully submitted, 

John, W1XX

     

CTRI Meeting Saturday Aug. 11 @ W1XX QTH

The CTRI Contest Group will hold its August meeting this coming Saturday August 11 at 9:00 AM at the QTH of W1XX, 48 Shannock Road, South Kingstown, RI.  Agenda:  Field Day results analysis; upcoming contests.

Your host requests an early arrival at 8:30 AM for the somewhat annual raising of the 160 meter vertical that took a storm hit last March.  Your help would be very much appreciated.  It takes several hands to man the 3 boat trailer winches and guy ropes to assure success.

Suggest parking on Shannock Road as the driveway will be blocked at the top by the antenna.  Sorry… rope tow transportation to the top of hill not presently operational.  Hardhats (extras if you got ’em) recommended.

Hot dogs (Saugys of course) and hamburgers on the grill post meeting.

Please join us.  Members and  guests welcome. 401-783-1588 if you get lost. 73!  — John, W1XX

KE1S 2018 Field Day Log Analysis

KE1S 2018 Field Day Log Analysis

By John Lindholm, W1XX

Objective:  (1) Break down the log mathematically to see if there are things we can do better in the future. (2) Analyze the performance of the antennas.

Caveats:  (1) Since it is an objective of our Field Day to get everyone involved, there is a certain “training” aspect of the operation.  This has an effect on the “numbers.”  (2)  There are numerous “variables” that cannot readily be taken into account:  operator skill; nighttime operations which tend to slow down results; break times; propagation vagaries; cross station interference; radio and operator malfus; modal proficiency difference;  etc. (3) Nonetheless, there is sufficient data to draw some general conclusions.

 

Overall Numbers:

 (1) Total QSOs by KE1S = 1470 + 22 GOTA QSOs by W1DX = 1492 Total QSOs.  This analysis disregards QSOs by W1DX and 6 meter QSOs.  We consider only 2 stations; QSOs/hr are per station.

(2) Total hours on SSB = 22.8; total hours on CW = 17.2.  Total on-the-air time = 40.0 hours.  FD = 24 hours  x 2 stations = 48 hours.  Thus we “wasted” a total on 8 hours.

(3)  SSB QSOs/hr= 31.2.  CW QSOs/hr = 42.0.  Total QSOs/ hr = 35.3.

 

Total Per Band Numbers:

Band  QSOs  QSOs/hr

80       315     28.1

40       369     36.5

20       503     37.2

15       225     43.3

6          58       N/A

TOT    1470  35.3

 

Total Per Band/Mode Numbers:

Band  CW     QSOs/hr        SSB     QSOs/hr

80       55       45.8               260     26.0

40       303     37.4               66       33.0

20       207     40.5               296     35.2

15       158     56.4               67       27.9

 

Hex-Beam v. 20/40 Wire Performance:

Performance comparison of the Hex-Beam v. the 4-element 20 meter portion of the 40/20 wire (henceforth referred to as the “wire”) pertains only to 20 meters where both can operate.

  1. 20 meters SSB on the Hex from 2 PM start – 3: 50  = 1.8 hrs for 58 Qs @ 32.2 Qs/hr.  Wire was being repaired during this time.
  2. From 3:48 PM – 4:43 = .9 hrs.  20 CW on wire = 53 Qs/hr. 20 SSB on Hex = 22 Qs/hr.
  3. From 3:48 – 6:47 = 3 hrs. 20 CW on wire =34 Qs/hr. 20 meters SSB on Hex  from 2 PM start – 4:43 = 2.7 hrs = 28.8 Qs/hr.
  4. Difficult to draw any conclusions here as cross station interference was significant. More on this subject later.

 

First Time on 40 Meters CW:

First time on 40 CW on the “wire” was from 6:47 PM  — 12:18 AM  with 272 QSOs in 5.5 hrs = 49.5/hr.

 

More Hex v. Wire Comparison on 20 Meters During Sunday Daybreak

During the best run of the contest – from 7:20 AM to 8:37 – Pat NG1G  had 91 QSOs on 20 meter SSB on the Hex for a rate of 81/hr during the 1.12 hour span.

 

Because 15 meters was showing promise at this time, Pat was switched to the wire for 20 meter SSB while the Hex went to 15.  What was the effect and was it a good move?

 

20 SSB now operated on the wire.  Using the next 1.12 hour span for comparison to the previous 1.12 hour period on the hex = 55 Qs @ 49.0/hr.  Clearly a drop.  But meanwhile, the Hex now on 15 meter mostly CW for the same 1.12 time period = 67 QSOs @ 60/hr.

 

The Hex remained on 15 to the end at 2 PM (with two dead periods) for 4.7 hrs,

211 QSOs @ 44.9/hr.

 

Conclusions:

  • The Hex-Beam really works! It would take little extra effort to get it up another 10 – 15 feet where it might play even better.
  • On Sunday morning, we switched 20 SSB from the Hex to the wire. As a result, Pat felt that the hex played better than the wire. He’s right. The rate dropped from the off-the-charts 81 to 49. But was this caused by his initially being “fresh meat” as the band opened?  We’ll never know but obviously the subsequent 15 meter performance made it the right move.  And the wire rate of 49/ hr was still way more than the average SSB rate.
  • The 40/20 wire played really well on 40 CW a bread-n-butter band – lesser so on SSB. 40 SSB is a tough QRM band.  It may not have played quite as well on 20 as the Hex.
  • We had 260 QSOs on 80 meter SSB at a rate of only 26.0/hr. That was 10.0 hours of graveyard shift working hosts of “please copy” operators. Since the CW rate was 45.8/hr. in only 1.2 hours of operating, we could have used more CW operators on the graveyard shift. The 80 meter antenna did work very well.
  • While on the graveyard shift, we could have used a K3 and N1MM expert to better handle a couple of midnight malfus.
  • Fifteen meters really played well on the Hex. Maybe 10 meters next year?
  • There was a nice 6 meter E-skip run to the Midwest from about 3:15 – 3:45 Saturday afternoon. Only occasional stray groundwave Qs after that. 58 Total Qs. Luck plays an important role on this band.
  • To operate same band different modes – such as 20 CW and SSB at the start of the contest – we need band filters.
  • GOTA: Unless we have an overnight operator, the only antenna we need is for 20 and probably a better antenna if we are to make hay here. We may need a better transceiver here.

(10) Satellite:  Good effort this year.  Next year pay dirt.

Comments:  Comments are solicited here and at the next club meeting August 11.