The past week has been a very enjoyable holiday break away from work with lots of quality family time. As mentioned earlier in the week we have been enjoying ourselves up on the moor tops at the holiday home where I get to play with my other radio equipment whilst soaking in some r & r. During the middle of the week we headed off to the coast where my little girl got to take her first paddle in the Sea.
As well as playing with my daughter and YL, I got some spare time to resurrect my old CobWebb HF antenna. On Thursday afternoon I managed to install it at the bottom of our garden without getting too much ear ache from Louise (YL). The last time I tried using this antenna was back in 2005 when I was told to take it down, I have had it in storage ever since and have been itching to try it out again.
I decided to use this CobWebb antenna with my FT-847 radio as my FT-1000 is already hooked up to my Carolina Windom and Hustler 6BTV. The plan is to play around and compare the 3 antenna's using the two radios operating from 20m through to 10m during the reception of stations from various locations.
Over the past couple of days whilst testing I was surprised just how well the CobWebbs reception was with zero noise levels on all 5 bands allowing 0-Signal levels to be heard.
The CobbWebb is designed for operation on 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m & 20m bands.
Back in the shack, over the weekend I was active later on in the Evening time and managed a new DXCC in the log whilst using the CobWebb. The new DXCC was claimed when I worked JX9JKA from Jan Mayen. I also worked HK3JJH from Columbia on the same CobWebb antenna.
My favourite DX QSO's of the week were both worked on my Carolina Windom which were JY4CI - Jordan and VK7ZX - Tasmania both stations were worked on 15M.
Conditions are good again tonight and as you can see my young apprentice is ready to help me work some more stations! 73
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