Busy Day! Antenna’s! Digging!

Cloudy, sometimes really dark clouds, but no rain. And the temperature wasn’t too bad either. So I spent the day outside as much as possible moving antenna’s around trying to get the best signal.

Moved the 144/440 antenna across the driveway to a good spot for tx and rx. Then had to dig a hole for the pipe that I mount the antenna on. Then had to dig a shallow trench across the driveway (good thing it’s a gravel driveway!) to hide the wire in so we don’t keep running over it. You cannot just pound a post into the ground because of all the rocks in the dirt around here!

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Mounted my 6BTV inside the bed of the truck by hanging it on one of the tie-down holes at the back of the bed. Drilled a small hole in the bed for the other bolt to hold it all upright. Received just fine but my friend in Vista, CA (NC7V) said he could barely hear me at 50 watts on it. (I could hear him @ 100 watts clear as all get out.) Maybe because the truck itself was pointed West instead of South. Maybe that’s just the way it’s gonna be. But PSK31 @ 25 watts should work just fine.

Then I had to take the 6BTV off the truck and re-mount it on it’s post in the front yard. Redid the coax connections first since they were kind of corroded/rusty. Painted the bare wires with that paint-on rubber stuff and wrapped it all in new electrical tape. Should last a couple of years. Should.

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Not much else going on. Haven’t done all my chores yet; but I will before bedtime. Actually, thinking about it, I got everything done, including weeding the garden and planting the new pepper plants, except getting the coffee pot ready for tomorrow. Need to sweep my room too. Had a lasagna TV dinner for dinner. While watching TV. (Actually “First Spaceship On Venus (1960) on YouTube on TV.)

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I get to take SWMBO to the Ferry Landing tomorrow morning and pick her up tomorrow night. Cool! Her Son has a Fair (Medieval Fair? Senior Moment) starting tomorrow that he attends every year. Don’t get me started on wondering why he has to use her car (his truck is almost out of gas) yet he can take a day off and attend a fair dressed as a Knight (or whatever). It’s not like he pays rent, food, electricity, or anything else around here. But don’t get me started.


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