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G4XNH > FT-817 06.01.07 20:36l 91 Lines 5042 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : B90003G4XNH
Read: GUEST DL1RX VE7HFY DG4IAK
Subj: Re: Green wire mod,empty cell
Path: DB0FHN<DB0THA<DB0ERF<DB0GR<DB0TEM<SR1BSZ<TU5EX<F5KBJ<F5GOV<DB0RES<
ON0AR<GB7FCR
Sent: 070106/1822Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:13090 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:B90003G4
From: G4XNH@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : FT-817@WW
Andy, GM7HUD wrote:-
> in an ageing Berghaus rucksack along with an SLA cell (and what feels > like 500kg of other junk)
and carried up the local hills/mountains for > SOTAing
Thanks for the information Andy. I have started to take my 817ND out when
I walk the dog as I did with my FT-290R for nearly 2 decades. It has been
a while and my body is not withstanding things as they once did. Sadly,
there are many unsavoury characters walking around now that were NOT there
when I last went out with a radio so I keep it hidden as much as possible
when I do take it. I have already been threatened once by five agile
teenagers (And struck by two of them carrying tree branches) and would NOT
like to take a chance on losing my rig. It cost too much. You could never
get it back and the insurance would cost me dear.
Last night I took the dog up to the top of an old pit heap (A SOTA of
sorts Hi) the last remaining sign of a nearby coal mine. Three mines
are\were within walking distance (They closed in the 60's).
Sadly, things are not much better now than they were when I gave it up
some years back. I called for a long time and only got one response, no
others being heard, even on a scan. That included two or three repeaters!
Pity really, but not unexpected.
At the home QTH I have a decent take-off, being 365 ft ASL at the top of a
decent hill with a good view to the local repeater. However, While working
on the PC, researching and continuously collating my dowsing information,
I generally monitor both 2m and 70cm, or at least the local 70cms repeater
GB3NT, and ANY call is quite rare really. The usual cliques come on
shouting ONLY for their usual compadres and few others shout CQ. Outside,
as to be expected, even fewer are heard due to the circumstances, low
power, poorer take-off etc. so it could be that this effort will cease
soon too.
Speaking of dowsing, (Hmm, as if) I have done a LOT of dowsing in this
area as it has been my haunt for over 36 years and have taken all of my
(Five) Border Collies (Owned one at a time, except for Sam who came along
a few years before Lucky and the pair were great with each other. Having
two means you do not need to walk so far too as they chase each other all
over the place) all over the local area, dowsing as I go to find various
things, coal mines and passages, railway lines etc. and have tracked a
tunnel (Coal mine) which actually runs between two of the three defunct
coal mine sites.
I have tracked this particular passage all the way from one known
subsidiary colliery, through the adjacent housing estate and ended up
where I KNOW the main colliery of the three was situated. The shaft is
known to be in a particular place and I have tracked the passage to there.
An old map of the 1860's shows its position accurately. After over-lapping
it onto a modern map, this confirms the position of the colliery that I
tracked it to.
I wonder what aerial you use for the FT-817ND? I have not yet used it on
HF as I do not have a suitable aerial and was\am content to use it just
for 2 & 70 for the moment. However, the mind works on these things and I
was contemplating what I could use just on 2m. I have this idea of some
sort of fishing pole to give me some height with my 1/4 wave welding rod
with a PL259 on one end and a spark plug cap on the other to prevent eye
injuries :-) at the top with a length of feeder to the rig. This
particular home-made aerial is MUCH better than any commercial aerials
that I have which are (Supposedly) tuned to 2m. Of course the fact that
they are less than a 1/4 wave is the answer. The short-coiled variety are
never as good as a decent 1/4 wave of 18".
This could possibly give me an extra 10` or 15` of height (You know what
they say, double the height, double the effective power\gain, at least on
2m). Although not a great deal, it would certainly clear the ground more
and is not being shielded by my body. This is always a problem. As it is,
I usually rotate through 360 degrees as I shout in order to ensure getting
out equally in all directions. This makes a tremendous difference as the
rig usually hangs around my neck with the aerial just about touching my
chest, making my body a decided bar to the transmitted signal.
I used to have a regulated sealed gel "car starter" battery in a plastic
case (I still have it somewhere, but the battery will be long dead now)
with two cigar lighter sockets, two 3.5mm DC plugs and more as well as a
handle with a rope to hang around my neck as a feed for the FT-290. It was
totally useless as a car starter, but excellent as a DC feed for the rig.
I took it everywhere with me and it was worth carrying the extra weight
(Not sure I would like it now with my osteo-arthritis in the ankles and
knees. :-(
It would last all day with the FT-290's 2.5W. I may start looking for
something similar or even replace the battery if the mood to carry it
again keeps stirring. I wonder if one can get a decent 12v Lithium Ion!
Regards, Jeff.
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