Frustrating POTA Activation today

[WRYS709]

38 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

Rain was a possibility today here in AZ. so I set up the HF-009 to use. 

With or without the coil?

[WRYZ926]

Here is a trick with 1/4 wave vertical telescoping whip antennas with adjustable coils.

Tune as best as you can with the coil then fine tune by adjusting the whip. Here is where an antenna analyzer or NanoVNA comes in super handy.

[TNFrank]

Without the coil. I tried both ways and the coil made no difference. It tuned just as well without it. 1.8:1 without, best I could get with the coil was 1.9:1. 

The radio's SWR meter worked just fine to tune the antenna. 

[WRYS709]

Glad you’re enjoying the HF-009. 

Keeping the rod with the coil installed, even if the coil is bypassed , it gives you some extra elevation. 

I had another good Late Shift Activation tonight with the HF-008 exclusively this time. It is getting easier to change bands, even in the dark with my Cheap Chinese Flashlight. 

Funny how in my last Late Shift Activation,  80 meters was the drag and 40 meters exploded on me. 

Tonight, it took me two hours to get my first 3 FT8 contacts on 40 meters and then when I switched to 80 meters, the squeal of FT8 just boomed from my G106 and I made 9 more contacts in one hour!

I am preparing for my first CW Activation soon! Watching some YT videos there is a common format to be followed Hunting or Activating, which removes much of the anxiety of sending CW for me

 

[TNFrank]

I actually was getting 1.6:1 without the the coil section today. Again, 10M started off slow and picked up as the Band opened up in my area. 

[Northcutt114]

OK, a few more data points for anyone still following or if you landed here via Google. I recently picked up a Yaesu FT-897 and took it out for its maiden POTA voyage. It has an FC-30 tuner attached to it as well. Running off of a EcoWorthy LifePO4 20AH battery. 2hours, 25 QSO's all over the country on 20m. All park to park. Even managed one contact on 10m, despite the poor conditions. Strong 59 signals from most stations. The difference in a 20W QRP radio and this 100w beast were noticeable.

Interestingly enough, the FT-897 tuned the JCP12 on 10m with absolutely no problem. It also tuned on 20m, no problem. But it would not tune it on 40m. Interesting. The G90 will tune the JCP12 on 40m no problem. So it looks like different radios work differently....who woulda thought?

So it appears that there is nothing wrong with the JCP12 antenna. I'm chalking up the G90's inability to tune on 10m due to the fact that the radio's head unit is separated. Something about that, I'm guessing, and the close proximity of the antenna to the radio in a POTA setting is throwing it off. I've read a lot of reports about the front end of that radio being sensitive. At least that's my uneducated assumption, given that the FT-897 (a 20+ year old radio with a 3:1 tuner) will tune it on 10m, no problem.

So it appears that if I want to hunt or activate on 10m, I'll either need an EFHW with the G90 or I'll have to take the FT-897 out. Data points all around. I'm beginning to feel confident in this POTA that. Diamond Hunter now, with 4 activations under my belt. Ooorah.