[WARC] NVIS Progress

[Len Litvan]

Well....  I ran the 50' random wire dipole horizontally from the deck 
railing (up 13-14') this evening.  Got into the MN Section net on 
3.860--but the station able to read me was "north of Brainard".  Net 
control, K0BLR in St. Cloud, knew I was there but couldn't read me.  So 
my check-in was relayed by the Brainard station.

Close, but no cigar.....   However--this was my 1st QSO on 75/80 
meters!!!!  So that's progress.

Other than Red, WO0W, this is my first MN contact on HF I think, so that 
was some progress.

Later, I was on CW (SKCC monthly all-day event).  Heard lots of activity 
on 80 M and other bands, but eventually the only contact made was with a 
North Point, AL, station on 30 M--hardly NVIS local contact.

Tomorrow night I hope to have time to move the antenna down to 6' and 
try again!  If I have to move it down to 6", I will get NVIS to work!

Ont thing concluded today with the help of a source from Ed, W5TWR, and 
other sources is that a flat top or slightly sagging dipole seems to 
work best.  Think about it--an inverted V will give some outward 
directions to the major lobes.  We want straight up.

See you on HF tomorrow night!!!!

This stuff is FUN!

73,
Len