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ik4mhb Scrive "You surely know Bob W4MYA, its signal is always present in all contests, here you can see some details of its station.
Because of my work I often am in the States and sometimes I pay a visit to our contester mates.
After NQ4I Rick and W8JI Tom (only to mention the latest ones), I spoke by radio (yes, I still use the radio rather than the internet HI HI) with the ... W4MYA Bob
who, after I said I'd have been in Richmond for several days in the following months, invited me to his shack to show me his contest station.
Just a little before the CQWW CW we had already setup my station, which for that event should have been operated by IK4ZGO, when my boss decided I had to go
on the other shore of the ocean. Therefore no contest, and so I decided to accept Bob's invitation.
I arrived in Richmond the day before the WW, and, after a short nap to attenuate the jet lag, I input the geographical coordinates into the satellite navigator
of the car I rented and I went to Bob's home with no problems..
In the map here below you can see the path from my hotel to Bob's shack, about one hour drive.
AWhen I arrived there, I was welcomed by Bob, in the meantime his team was contesting on the various bands and someone was sleeping.
Outside I could admire some good antennas, and with W4MYA as guide, we exchanged several comments; you can find below a synthesis.
His property is 65x320 meters, where 7 towers and 8 beverages have been installed, of course together with the shacks (old and new) and lots of wires which are
often very useful for receiving.
As a true US OM his pick-up plate reports his call.
Here is the plant of the tower inside the Bob's property.
Let's now see in detail each single system (for many of us even one of these would be sufficient).
Tower 1
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Tower height 43m
Rotating antennas:
- 7 el 10m boom 12m @ 43m
- 2 el Cushcraft 40m @ 41m
Fixed antennas:
- 2 el Cushcraft 40m @ 21m direzione EU
- 5 el 10m @ 19m EU direction
- 5 el 10m @ 11m EU direction
These antennas can be used in a stacked configuration:
2 over 2 on 40m
6 over 5 over 5 on 10m
Quad loop 80m (diamond shape) NW/SE
Delta loop 160m NW/SE
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Tower 2
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Tower height 30m
Rotating antennas:
- vertical 2m/70cm @ top
- 5 el 10m @ 30m
- 17 el 2m @ 28m
- 28 el 70cm @ 27m
- 4 el 20m @ 26
- 3 el 10/15 @ 22m
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Tower 3
Tower height 17m
Rotating antennas:
- 5 el 6m @ 17m
- TA33 @ 15m
Tower 4
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Tower height 43m
Rotating antennas:
- 7 el 6m @ 45m
- 6 el 15m boom 15m @ 43m
Fixed antennas:
- 5 el 15m @ 27m EU direction
- 5 el 15m @ 14m EU direction
Quad loop 80m (diamond shape) NE/SW
These antennas can be used in a stacked configuration:
6 over 5 over 5 on 15m
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Tower 5
Tower height 20m
Rotating antennas:
- A3WS + kit30m @ 20m
- TH7 @ 18m
Tower 6
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Tower height 36m
Rotating antennas:
- A3WS @ 30m
- 4 el 20m @ 36m
Fixed antennas
- 4 el 20m @ 18m direzione EU
These antennas can be used in a stacked configuration:
4 over 4 on 20m
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Tower 7
Tower height 36m
Rotating antennas:
- 3 el Force12 40m @ 36m
Fixed antenna
- 3 el Telerex 40m @ 18m EU direction
These antennas can be used in a stacked configuration:
3 over 3 on 40m
Between tower 6 and 7 you can find a hat top antenna for 80m, an inverted L for 160m with elevated radials.
8 Beverages for 40,80 and 160m receiving in different directions.
Here are some Bob's comments related to his installation.
The inverted L antenna for 160m is 10dB below the Delta Loop.
The 2L Cushcraft/Cushcraft stack for 40m is better than the 3L Force12/Telerex stack.
The system where Bob gets the best results is the 15m one (Tower 4).
Let's go inside the "New Shack" which replaced the old one because of problems in the air flow.
The air conditioning system (even if we were in the last days of November) in fact was working hard, but not as you may think because of the PAs but to dissipate
the toxic cloud generated by all the occupants of the room, who strangely enough had so good prices from that famous firm in Richmond.
All the setup have a Yaesu FT1000 in every flavour, instead the PAs are various, let's see in detail the setup.
Setup 1
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40 M
FT1000MP
PA Dentron DTR2000 (8877)
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Setup 2
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10 M
FT1000 + PA Titan
Op. KI4FDF (T97C) Sejo
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Setup 3
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160 M
FT1000MP + PA 8877
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Setup 4
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80 M
FT1000MP Mark V + PA 4-1000
Op. W4MYA Bob
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Setup 5
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15 M
FT1000 + PA Commander
Op. K4VU Robin |
Setup 6
Various rigs for 2/6 meters.
Setup 7
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20 M
FT1000 + PA AL1500
Op. W4TNX John |
The software they use is the well-tested Writelog, which even if a little heavy on the hardware needed, improves many features offered by the old good CT, and allows
having a common interface also for RTTY; Bob's comments were all in favour of this program.
All the PCs are networked together by a wireless network, and are connected to the radios and to W4ML cluster via telnet.
As usual all Multi-Multi's comments are similar, it's very difficult to find clever operators, available not only for the contest time but even for routine and
extra-routine maintenance, that in particular with so big a station are multiplied at least by a 7 factor (rotators, rtx cables, PAs, PCs and various accessories).
"Last but not least", when you hear him call and work him on all bands, his setup is very good, so even without big means you'll succeed in working him.
A big thanks goes to Bob for his kindliness and his warm welcome in such a particolar time (just during the CQ WW CW 2004).
73 MCC Staff
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Postato il Friday, 14 January @ 22:16:51 CET di roberto |
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