First QSO today.

[WRYS709]

Yes: what you call the SWR Sweep is very handy on both radios when working with my "challenged" antennas.

But the convenience of the nanoVNA should make a big difference once it comes in.

[WRYZ926]

9 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

Yes: what you call the SWR Sweep is very handy on both radios when working with my "challenged" antennas.

But the convenience of the nanoVNA should make a big difference once it comes in.

Yes the SWR sweep is better than trying to use a built in SWR meter or SWR/Power meter as a meter only shows the SWR at the frequency you transmit.

The NanoVNA will be a big help once you learn how to use it. It takes the guesswork out by telling you if the antenna is short or long

[TNFrank]

Set up my antenna in an inverted "V" and hooked up the antenna tuner(which does help bring the SWR down a bit) and got a couple more contacts this morning. 1 in Georgia and 1 in Ohio. The inverted "V" seems to transmit in a wider pattern vs the horizontal set-up which was more North and South. Anyway, I'll be back on later today if anyone wants to play. I'll be moving between 28.3MHz and 28.5MHz USB. 

Also, one question, why doesn't anyone use LSB more. I rarely hear anyone on LSB and when I do they're very faint. Seems like most traffic is USB.

[WRYS709]

24 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

Also, one question, why doesn't anyone use LSB more. I rarely hear anyone on LSB and when I do they're very faint. Seems like most traffic is USB.

By historical convention, 40 and 80 meters are LSB and the rest are USB. 

[TNFrank]

Just now, WRYS709 said:

By historical convention, 40 and 80 meters are LSB and the rest are USB. 

Ahhh, ok. Seems like a waste of bandwidth if it's not being used. Is there any practical reason why we can't use LSB on 10M like poor propagation or ? ?

[SteveShannon]

32 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

Ahhh, ok. Seems like a waste of bandwidth if it's not being used. Is there any practical reason why we can't use LSB on 10M like poor propagation or ? ?

Nothing to do with propagation and it doesn’t mean it’s not being used. The 3 kHz slices use exactly the same amount of bandwidth when the carrier is on the left as on the right.
Nowadays it’s just the convention. All SSB including and above 30 meters is USB. All SSB below is USB. 
From mdarc: 

It's a historical oddity. Early amateur SSB rigs used a 9 MHz IF system, and it was easier and cheaper to generate LSB below 9 MHz and USB above 9 MHz. With most designs these days, USB and LSB are equally easy to use, but we keep to the old convention.

    [Source: http://www.arrl.org/forum/topics/view/1337]

[WRYZ926]

3 hours ago, TNFrank said:

Set up my antenna in an inverted "V" and hooked up the antenna tuner(which does help bring the SWR down a bit) and got a couple more contacts this morning. 1 in Georgia and 1 in Ohio. The inverted "V" seems to transmit in a wider pattern vs the horizontal set-up which was more North and South. Anyway, I'll be back on later today if anyone wants to play. I'll be moving between 28.3MHz and 28.5MHz USB. 

A horizontal dipole is directional and it the impedance is actually closer to 75 ohms.

The impedance of an inverted v when kept between 90 and 120 degrees is 50 ohms. And changing the shape to an inverted v also  makes the antenna more omni directional. I mentioned this several times when talking about dipole antennas. 

[TNFrank]

42 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

 And changing the shape to an inverted v also  makes the antenna more omni directional. I mentioned this several times when talking about dipole antennas. 

That's why I went from horizontal to inverted V. I was getting Canada with the horizontal more than any place else. Inverted V got me Georgia and Ohio. 

[WRYZ926]

I will always suggest an inverted v dipole over a flat top (horizontal) dipole for that reason. Plus an inverted V can be easier to setup and deploy. 

I understand that you have HOA restrictions to deal with. If they allow you to have a fairly tall flag pole, then you could hang a dipole off of it or use the flag pole for a vertical antenna. wire antennas tend to disappear from view and go unnoticed. 3mm Dacron guy rope tends to blend in quite well too. It's the masts and other hardware used to deploy them that is more visible.

I have talked to stations all over the world with my 10m inverted v using a 100 watt radio. I have also talked to European stations with that antenna and my 20 watt Xiegu G90. I have worked all over the world with the antenna and either radio using FT8.  This is all from my location in mid Missouri. 

You are going to be getting your general before you know it now that you have caught the HF bug. I like the 12m and 17m WARC bands since contesting is not allowed on any WARC band. The 30m and 60m WARC bands require more room for an antenna. But a telescoping vertical whip antenna can easily be tuned for 12m and 17m. 

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, WRYZ926 said:

The 30m and 60m WARC bands require more room for an antenna. But a telescoping vertical whip antenna can easily be tuned for 12m and 17m. 

I have ordered the 40 and 20 meter monoband telescoping whips from this vendor in Thailand who is well regarded in making these whips.  Won't arrive until February however:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/136099792146

These will add to my "cheapie" $3 10/11 meter telescoping whip I purchased from AliExpress.

 

[WRYZ926]

@WRYS709 if those have to use a coil then you will need to adjust the coil and whip to get them to tune other bands. If no coil is used then you can shorten the whips to get higher bands.

I use my REZ antennas for every band from 6m through 20m without the need for a coil. I just adjust the telescoping while for each band.

There is the 30m WARC band but only CW and digital modes are allowed.

[warthog74]

On 12/29/2025 at 1:22 PM, TNFrank said:

This is way more fun than 2M/70cm IMHO.

If you think that small portion of 10 meter is fun try the 11 meter “free band” frequencies. Start on 27.555 USB. Make a call on that frequency, or jump on somebody calling, then QSY to another frequency thats unused to continue your conversation. Unlike the standard CB 40 channels that get overrun by nut jobs, the frequencies between 27.410-27.515 LSB and 27.525-27.785 USB are full of worldwide contacts that treat it more like licensed HF frequencies. I talk to Ireland, Sweden, Russia, Germany, Italy, UK, Australia, Canada, etc pretty much daily up there. Also Jamaica’s main frequency is 27.515 LSB if you’re feeling a little rastafarian. You don’t need more than a Tech license (or even need a license for 11 meter) to have fun during a solar cycle.  

Edit: It’s also fun jumping on the UK FM 40 in the early morning (their evening) here in the US. Their channel 19 (27.78125 FM) can be hilarious at times. I guess it’s called “the muppet channel” for a reason. Anyway, enjoy this solar cycle while it lasts. We still have a few years left before it dies off.

[WRYS709]

9 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

@WRYS709 if those have to use a coil then you will need to adjust the coil and whip to get them to tune other bands. If no coil is used then you can shorten the whips to get higher bands.

I use my REZ antennas for every band from 6m through 20m without the need for a coil. I just adjust the telescoping while for each band.

There is the 30m WARC band but only CW and digital modes are allowed.

I got both the Radioddity HF-008 and HF-009 on Black Friday discounted bundles that were too good to pass up!  I had also thought I purchased the JPC-12 on a Black Friday deal from AliExpress, but that turned out to be a scam and got a refund.  Ironically last week another vendor at AliExpress had it for a good price, so I purchased it from them and it is then a waiting game to receive it.

The two telescoping whips from Thailand will take until early February to receive.  The nanoVNA arrives Friday!  Lots to learn and mix and match and have fun with Antennas 101!

Sorry if I am repeating myself: I am following two different threads...

[WRYZ926]

7 hours ago, warthog74 said:

Start on 27.555 USB. Make a call on that frequency, or jump on somebody calling, then QSY to another frequency thats unused to continue your conversation. Unlike the standard CB 40 channels that get overrun by nut jobs, the frequencies between 27.410-27.515 LSB and 27.525-27.785 USB are full of worldwide contacts that treat it more like licensed HF frequencies. I talk to Ireland, Sweden, Russia, Germany, Italy, UK, Australia, Canada, etc pretty much daily up there. Also Jamaica’s main frequency is 27.515 LSB if you’re feeling a little rastafarian. You don’t need more than a Tech license (or even need a license for 11 meter) to have fun during a solar cycle.  

We aren't allowed to use those frequencies here in the US. We are restricted to the 40 CB channels so that we do not interfere with the military or other federal agencies.

I know "free banders" don't care about the regulations and will operate outside of the 40 channels along with using illegal amplifiers.

The 11m band falls under International licensing agreement for amateur radio for most of the world. But here in the US it is not part of the amateur bands nor is it covered by US amateur licenses.

Now if you want to have fun on CB/11m then work DX on the legal US channels without using an amplifier or a MARS modded radio that puts out more than 4 watts on AM/FM or 12 watts on SSB.

[WRYZ926]

4 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

I got both the Radioddity HF-008 and HF-009 on Black Friday discounted bundles that were too good to pass up!

I bought the HF-008 on sale too. It works well but can be a pain as it is very narrow banded on some bands. But that's how it is with any short vertical antenna that uses a coil. I would have went with the HF-009 if it would have been available when I bought the REZ Recon. I bought the REZ Recon on sale and just pieced together the REZ Scout parts a little at a time.

I also got the REZ case and it fits the Recon base, the Scout base, tripod, ground spike, two 17' telescoping whips, the delta loop kit and all of the ground radials. I was even able to fit my short radials that I made into the case along with my low power band pass filters.

Band pass filters are needed when operating near other HF stations while on different bands. one example is Field Day where you can have two or more radios operating at the same time.

[warthog74]

3 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

We aren't allowed to use those frequencies here in the US. We are restricted to the 40 CB channels so that we do not interfere with the military or other federal agencies.

I know "free banders" don't care about the regulations and will operate outside of the 40 channels along with using illegal amplifiers.

The 11m band falls under International licensing agreement for amateur radio for most of the world. But here in the US it is not part of the amateur bands nor is it covered by US amateur licenses.

Now if you want to have fun on CB/11m then work DX on the legal US channels without using an amplifier or a MARS modded radio that puts out more than 4 watts on AM/FM or 12 watts on SSB.

Spoken like a true “Sad Ham”.

You have NO clue how many licensed Hams use their high power HF rigs on 11 meter do you? The FCC doesn’t care and those frequencies haven’t been used by the US gov’t in decades.

[WRYZ926]

Just now, warthog74 said:

Spoken like a true “Sad Ham”.

Feel free to add me to your ignore list.

While we do talk about using unlocked radios on other bands, we never talk about using bands that are not allowed here in the US. So if advising people not to transmit on bands/frequencies that can interfere with military use then I will be a "sad ham"

You do you. I'll keep stating not to transmit outside of the 40 CB channels authorized for use in the US.

Again ignore me if you don't like what I have to say.

[SteveShannon]

5 minutes ago, warthog74 said:

Spoken like a true “Sad Ham”.

You have NO clue how many licensed Hams use their high power HF rigs on 11 meter do you? The FCC doesn’t care and those frequencies haven’t been used by the US gov’t in decades.

I thought wryz296 did an excellent job of explaining why we don’t do that without scolding, shaming, or bullying, but your response, resorting to name calling, says more about you. 

[warthog74]

So be it. I know the rules, and so does every licensed ham “illegally” broadcasting on those frequencies. You can’t stop propagation either. Nobody cares. Not even the FCC. How many people on THIS forum are using type accepted radios for GMRS? I bet not even half. I don’t see anybody stating the obvious to those users here. Yet people use them anyway. It’s not a big deal. You guys need to take a chill pill. 

[WRYS709]

5 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

I bought the HF-008 on sale too. It works well but can be a pain as it is very narrow banded on some bands. But that's how it is with any short vertical antenna that uses a coil. I would have went with the HF-009 if it would have been available when I bought the REZ Recon. I bought the REZ Recon on sale and just pieced together the REZ Scout parts a little at a time.

I also got the REZ case and it fits the Recon base, the Scout base, tripod, ground spike, two 17' telescoping whips, the delta loop kit and all of the ground radials. I was even able to fit my short radials that I made into the case along with my low power band pass filters.

Band pass filters are needed when operating near other HF stations while on different bands. one example is Field Day where you can have two or more radios operating at the same time.

I was not aware of the REZ System when I did my Black Friday purchasing.  It looks like a quality system and was probably some of the technology that our Chinese friends "lifted" when they designed their antennas...

[WRYZ926]

American and European made 1/4 wave vertical antennas definitely cost more but the quality is also better.

Like I said, I would have considered the HF-009 if it would have been available at the time I bough the REZ Recon 40. That being said, the REZ antennas are made in the US with excellent quality control. REZ has even tested their antennas to see how much power they can take before things start to melt. I will always try to support American companies, especially small companies, when I can. I didn't bother getting the Ranger 80 as I never plan on using 80m for POTA. 

The Recon 40 covers 6m-20m with the coil bypassed and covers 40m with the coil. The Scout covers 6m - 20m and works in many different configurations.

[Northcutt114]

I made my first international contacts this afternoon. Helped a POTA station in the Dominican Republic get a QSO and then later heard a guy calling CQ from Costa Rica. My Spanish is a little rusty but fortunately the guy from Costa Rica's English was way better than my POTA brother from the DR.

Headed out tomorrow to retry my first failed activation. Fingers crossed!

 

[WRYZ926]

It's nice making DX contacts.

Try to post when you do your activations and what frequencies you are on so we can try to work you. 

I know that sometimes it's hard to get 10 contacts for an activation. Other times it's a pileup. What helps is spotting yourself on the POTA website.

[Northcutt114]

18 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

It's nice making DX contacts.

Try to post when you do your activations and what frequencies you are on so we can try to work you. 

I know that sometimes it's hard to get 10 contacts for an activation. Other times it's a pileup. What helps is spotting yourself on the POTA website.

Will do. I also spot myself using the PoLo app. It will be somewhere between 28.3 and 28.5 on 10m. Lowly Technician here. 

[WRYZ926]

Let us know what time.