I heard K5RXL Kevin in Phoenix, Arizona calling CQ on 7.041. There was a lot of QRM from Pactor Monsters, the Russian R and K buoys, and others stations above and below, and a bit of QRN and QSB as well. I thought it would be a good test of my newly-installed KDSP2 so I answered at 5W and got silence, and at 10W I got most of my call back, so I quickly tuned up the K5OOR amplifier and Z100 tuner and re-tuned the K2 for the new match and answered with a big 30W or so. Kevin gave me a 339, and persevered through the QRM and QSB and we had a half-hour long QSO. On my side KDSP2 helped a lot. I found that 0.70 or 0.40 or during the Pactor Storms 0.20 IF filter bandwidth, and then CF1 with Noise Reduction 1 helped a lot on my side. Then I had nothing but QSB to contend with, except during the worst of the Pactor Attacks.

Kevin had a bit of trouble with my signal, probably because I seemed to have mistuned the Z100 (I wish it were more obvious about what it was doing -- having everything with one button is a pain), and the amp did get a bit hot, but at least it still works, and it's cooled down now.

Kevin has been a ham for 30 years, and in addition to his Yaesu FT-817 and vertical, has an Elecraft K1 that he takes camping. We both like the internal autotuners on the Elecraft rigs...and Kevin recommended that I try to get my G5RV up high and flat. Maybe this winter I can get another higher rope up in one of the trees and try that, at least on one end. It was warmer (52F) in Phoenix, but raining all day, Kevin said.

- posted by Leigh @ 06:17 z