W5WZ Station JournalHere you will find changes, upgrades, experiments, scores, etc. Basically whatever I choose to put here. 08/30/10 -- Finally repaired my TopTen Band Decoder/Yaesu with source driver mods. It was damaged in the May 2009 lightning fiasco. I just had not made it a priority. It is now on Radio 1 (left), and automatically switches the ICE 419 bandpass filter between the FT-1000MP and AL-1500, and the SixPack for antenna selection. 08/28/10 -- Finished burying radials this morning, with a total of 40 radials, most about 125 feet long. A few had to be shorter. In all, used 5,000 feet of wire. Silver soldered the radials to the ring of #4 solid copper wire around the base of the tower. Installed the shunt wire up the tower to 75 ft, and put the shorting bar at 36 ft. Now I have to build the tuning network and put in all in a weatherproof box. 
08/26/10 -- Buried another 16 radials this afternoon. 08/25/10 -- Began burying 1/4 wavelength (~125 ft) radials around my 120 ft tower. Got 14 done (1,750 ft of wire). I'm installing 36 radials, 10 degree spacing. The ends of the wire are 21.6 ft apart. The goal is to shunt feed the tower on 80m and 160m. This project began with the purchase of 5,500 ft of 12 gauge solid THHN wire and 2 vacuum variable caps at Dayton in May. 08/23/10 -- Modified my middle-buster plow to be a radial/cable burying plow, complete with wire roll holder and dispenser tube. It only took about 2 hours . 
August NAQP SSB 2010 -- Total Time On 07:54 (474 mins) Band QSOs Pts Sec NA 1.8 1 1 1 0 3.5 1 1 1 0 7 77 77 30 0 14 377 377 47 2 21 2 2 2 0 28 1 1 1 0 Total 459 459 82 2 Score : 38,556 08/20/10 -- Parts to repair the ICE 419 arrived. Installed the 6 mica caps. Testing the unit yielded less than stellar results; it now attenuates RF power output by about 20%. I will put on the thinking cap and figure this out later. 08/14/10 -- Very important! My wife and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary! IARU 2010 -- I got to play some, but not nearly as much as I wanted to, spending 5 hours on the air. Band Mode QSOs Pts Zon HQ 7 LSB 1 1 0 1 14 CW 34 98 0 6 14 USB 307 969 21 7 21 USB 12 46 4 1 Total Both 354 1114 25 15 Score: 44,560 07/09/10 -- Wow, it has been hot this summer. This evening, I installed the rotor cable to the middle TIC ring, finishing well after sunset. Also tweaked the 80m dipole at 75 feet. Found water in a barrel connector on the middle 15 meter antenna; dried and resealed. My FT-1000MP returned from WA4GEG. He got it all repaired, aligned, and returned. 07/03/10 -- Using W8JI's website as resource material, I built another beverage transformer. It is a little faster to use the binocular core design. Too soon to tell about performance. Late June -- My ICE 419B bandpass filter on my 2nd radio failed (unknown to me) while running QRO on 10 meters on the 1st. The consequence - blown receiver in the 2nd radio (FT-1000MP). Sent it for repairs to Byron Campbell WA4GEG. Moved the IC-756P2 to position 1, and am in process of aquiring parts to repair ICE unit. For now, am only running single radio. 06/13/10 -- With help from W5KGT and K5ER, we got the TIC ring at 85 feet completed and the antenna (C31XR) installed. Now I need to dress the coax and install the rotor cable up to it. W5KGT and I went up the tower around 7 pm. I witnessed my first sunset from up a tower. It wasn't too bad being on the tower after sunset; in fact, I rather liked the temperature as compared to daytime. 06/05/10 -- Installed my new LP-100A from N8LP. Spent some time cleaning the shack. Replaced a few old coax jumpers with new, and spent most of the day making some QSOs. Worked E4X on 20m SSB. 05/30/10 -- CQ WPX CW Band QSOs Pts WPX 7 62 156 32 14 149 225 102 21 42 81 32 28 11 25 7 Total 264 487 173 Score : 84,251 Late May -- Aquired a spare 8877 "pull" for the AL-1500. Dayton 2010 -- I made the trip with K5ER and KC5WA. I always enjoy the fleamarket and Mendelson's downtown. Attended CTU for the 4th consecutive year. Won the CTU eyeball sprint, edging out N9NB by only a few points. Enjoyed Wed thru Sat nights in the Contest Super Suite. Attended the 18th annual Contest Dinner; congrats to Louisiana Contest Club member Don Hill AA5AU for his induction to CQ Hall of Fame. I always seem to bring home work from Dayton. I bought the 'stuff' to: 1) shunt feed my tower on 80m and 160m (vacuum variable capacitors, 5,500 feet of 12 AWG for radials); 2) enhance my beverage receiving antenna system; 3) continue streamlining control cabling in the antenna switching shed; and 4) be LOUDER and HEAR better! 05/08/10 -- Today I installed the frame and bearing portion of the 1st TIC ring rotor at 85'. My C-31XR will reside on it. Looks like it will get completed sometime after returning from Dayton. 04/14/10 -- I pulled control wiring for the 2 new TIC ring rotators thru conduit from the antenna switching shed to Tower #1. Also made up the cables from the shed to the shack. 04/12/10 -- My 2 oldest children received their technician licenses today. My only son Delton age 12 is now KF5GDK, and oldest daughter Jordan age 10 is now KF5GDJ. 04/06/10 -- Received new set of tubes for AL-811. Now I have an amp for the 2nd radio, albeit not legal limit. 03/29/10 -- CQ WPX SSB -- I operated 21 hours 40 minutes as a SOAB HP NON-ASSISTED (SO2R) Band QSOs Pts WPX 1.8 4 4 2 3.5 39 62 18 7 208 395 95 14 759 1144 245 21 475 971 232 28 58 163 29 Total 1543 2739 621 Score : 1,700,919 
W5WZ Max Rates: 2010-03-27 0002Z - 5.0 per minute (1 minute(s)), 300 per hour by W5WZ 2010-03-27 0011Z - 3.2 per minute (10 minute(s)), 192 per hour by W5WZ 2010-03-27 0305Z - 2.3 per minute (60 minute(s)), 139 per hour by W5WZ W5WZ Runs >10 QSOs: 2010-03-27 0000 - 0029Z, 21219 kHz, 66 Qs, 134.2/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0039 - 0050Z, 21219 kHz, 12 Qs, 63.0/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0053 - 0125Z, 21219 kHz, 58 Qs, 108.4/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0141 - 0223Z, 14184 kHz, 97 Qs, 137.3/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0224 - 0307Z, 14184 kHz, 91 Qs, 128.5/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0323 - 0347Z, 7162 kHz, 33 Qs, 82.5/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0350 - 0438Z, 7161 kHz, 50 Qs, 62.8/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0441 - 0523Z, 7161 kHz, 55 Qs, 79.3/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0543 - 0556Z, 3660 kHz, 21 Qs, 95.6/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 0622 - 0637Z, 7203 kHz, 31 Qs, 122.4/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 1304 - 1322Z, 21213 kHz, 34 Qs, 108.8/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 1337 - 1355Z, 21262 kHz, 18 Qs, 60.3/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 1529 - 1547Z, 21214 kHz, 29 Qs, 98.4/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 1556 - 1630Z, 21214 kHz, 50 Qs, 89.8/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 1636 - 1644Z, 21214 kHz, 12 Qs, 84.7/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 1658 - 1711Z, 14176 kHz, 13 Qs, 61.3/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 1731 - 1940Z, 14295 kHz, 170 Qs, 79.4/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 2229 - 2239Z, 21230 kHz, 11 Qs, 65.1/hr W5WZ 2010-03-27 2244 - 2352Z, 21230 kHz, 91 Qs, 79.5/hr W5WZ 2010-03-28 0004 - 0135Z, 14219 kHz, 170 Qs, 111.0/hr W5WZ 2010-03-28 2240 - 2249Z, 21235 kHz, 17 Qs, 119.5/hr W5WZ 02/28/10 -- Constructed my first beverage antenna. It is 285 feet, oriented at 45 degrees. Average height above ground is 5 feet. My homebrew feedpoint transformer is of ON4UN design on a FT-114-43 core. I used the design from the 3rd edition of Low Band DXing by ON4UN as found on page 7-16, figure 7-17. Now only time will tell if it works! Right now at 23:32 UTC on 28Feb2010, I hear EA6DX calling CQ on 3.506. 02/23/10 -- Made a deal to acquire (2) Tic Ringrotors model 1022D. Now I'll be able to rotate the lower 2 antenna! I hope to get them on the tower before really hot weather gets here. 02/15/10 -- Managed to operate 3.5 hours of the Louisiana QSO Party Band Mode QSOs Pts Sec 3.5 CW 1 4 1 3.5 LSB 4 8 1 7 CW 1 4 1 7 LSB 21 42 5 14 USB 344 688 59 Total Both 371 746 67 01/20/10 -- 4 hours and 56 minutes of fun in NAQP SSB NA QSO SSB - 2010-01-16 1800Z to 2010-01-17 0600Z - 407 QSOs W5WZ Max Rates: 2010-01-16 1924Z - 5.0 per minute (1 minute(s)), 300 per hour by W5WZ 2010-01-16 1933Z - 3.5 per minute (10 minute(s)), 210 per hour by W5WZ 2010-01-16 2007Z - 2.1 per minute (60 minute(s)), 126 per hour by W5WZ W5WZ Runs >10 QSOs: 2010-01-16 1822 - 1903Z, 21315 kHz, 67 Qs, 96.3/hr W5WZ 2010-01-16 1919 - 1946Z, 14314 kHz, 83 Qs, 182.3/hr W5WZ 2010-01-16 1949 - 2011Z, 14316 kHz, 39 Qs, 103.8/hr W5WZ 2010-01-17 0005 - 0017Z, 14195 kHz, 20 Qs, 104.3/hr W5WZ 2010-01-17 0026 - 0058Z, 7203 kHz, 60 Qs, 110.5/hr W5WZ 2010-01-17 0101 - 0145Z, 7188 kHz, 78 Qs, 106.2/hr W5WZ Total Time Off 07:04 (424 mins) Total Time On 04:56 (296 mins) 01/02/10 -- Just updated many photos and decriptions on the website. Installed 2nd crossarm on tower at 105 feet for hanging dipoles. Moved my 160m Inv-V to that location. 11/28/09 -- W5WZ operated SOAB-ASSISTED LOW in CQWWCW. As I only had a few brief time periods to operatate, my main goal was learning more about N1MM and the bandmaps/multiplier point and shoot while also adding to my DXCC totals. Band QSOs Pts Cty ZN 3.5 5 8 3 3 7 76 206 47 19 14 91 238 37 23 21 20 57 16 11 28 8 24 3 3 Total 200 533 106 59 11/23/09 -- A four-man team of Louisiana Contest Club members operated Nov SS SSB HP at W5WZ - W5WZ, K5ER, AA5LA and KC5WA. We had lots of fun! Band QSOs Pts Sec 3.5 95 190 14 7 177 354 22 14 652 1304 14 21 231 462 30 Total 1155 2310 80 
10/24/09 -- W5WZ operated SOAB-ASSISTED-HIGH in CQWWSSB Band QSOs Pts Cty ZN 1.8 2 0 1 1 3.5 18 39 12 8 7 93 231 48 14 14 153 361 31 23 21 64 169 39 12 28 5 12 4 4 Total 335 812 135 62 08/16/09 -- Just finished a full 10 hours of NAQP, from the starting gun with no breaks. Now I know why I need some receiving antenna for 40-80-160. Also know that I need better transmitting antenna on at least 160 and 80. Band QSOs Mults ------------------- 160: 1 1 80: 28 11 40: 220 41 20: 388 49 15: 21 12 10: 1 1 ------------------- Total: 659 115 Total Score = 76,444 08/13/09 -- Installed the 160m dipole on the crossarm at 75'. I should have put it up at 105', but will wait until I get a 2nd crossarm up there, so that I can have more options. Completed the last jumpers from my SixPack to the row of Polyphasers. Finally have 6 independent bands worth of monoband antenna fully available in the shack. Finished recording the various *.wav files (including the letters.wav, both letter and phonetic style) for use with N1MM. 08/06/09 -- Received, modified and installed the last StackMatch controller. I'm inching closer to being fully operational. John WE3C gave me the tip back at Dayton to make a goal to complete at least one task each day on the station. That was good advice; I've tried to do so, and the progress is amazing! 08/02/09 -- Made a minor repair to my homebrewed PC-soundcard interface (Icom ProData, from QST March 2002). Verified operation with N1MM. Trying to get ready for NAQP SSB on August 15th. Made a few PSK contacts. 08/01/09 -- Mounted a cross arm on the tower at 75' from which I can suspend two dipoles, etc. Installed my 80m dipole as inverted Vee at that point. I had been off 80m since early April, when a limb fell and broke the old dipole which was up 30 feet.  July 2009 -- Still working to overcome the lightning strike. I have done much this month: installed single-point grounding plate, 6 Polyphasers, bonded those to the existing station ground. I also began 'standardizing' my control cable connections with DB-9 type connectors.  Installed them along with PowerPoles on all my StackMatch control boxes. These 'quick connects' will better enable me to disconnect for lightning protection and also be able to swap a controller to another cable quickly in case of failure.
Also fabricated and installed a cable tray to run the length of the shack. It is about 12 inches above the floor. It is made from a section of 4" PVC pipe. I cut a 1.5" slot down its length. Also pieced togehter a working computer from several that were lying around. It won't win any speed records, but it is Win98 and will run most software that is needful in the shack. Also ran a 1" conduit from my house to the shack (250 feet). Pulled 2 runs of CAT5E, and connected to my wired network in my house. Now I have a network connection with DSL for internet access, and a VoIP phone extension in the shack. What better way to call "room service" at meal time? I've never had high-speed internet in the shack -- it sure is nice! June 2009 -- Much of my ham time was spent preparing my insurance claim resulting from the lightning strike. I did build a new operating desk. Using a borrowed transceiver, I learned that the AL-1500 that I bought at Dayton in the fleamarket was not functional and "only used for three months" as I was told. Sent to Ameritron for repairs (labor bill of over $250 to correct some "strange modifications"). It is in 100% condition now. 05/30/09 -- Installed coax to top C51XR; installed power and control wires to M2 Orion 2800. Tested rotator- it appears to have survived the lightning strike. Also tested all feedlines, control lines, etc. - all test OK. 05/26/09 -- On Tuesday May 26, the station was severely damaged by a lightning strike. Apparently entering via the AC power mains, very little gear that was interconnected survived. As it turns out, another ham ½ mile down the road took a direct hit on his tower, which appears then to have back fed thru his solar power/battery inverter system and then to the power transformer to his home then down the lines toward my home. 05/25/09 -- Installed connectors on shack end of hardline. Installed SixPack. Installed terminal strips for control wiring junctions from 4 StackMatches. Installed feedline up tower to middle C-31XR. 05/18/09 -- Installed the new StackMatch, made up the control cables for the four StackMatches. Climbed up to the bottom C51XR and installed the feedlines in a temporary fashion. Now need to install connectors on the shack end of the hardline. 05/12/09 to 05/17/09 -- Attended CTU and Dayton Hamvention. Acquired a used AL-1500, another used StackMatch, several connectors, some repair parts for 3 Heil headsets, EZNEC 5.0+. Participated in the Kansas City DX clubs CW Pileup event for the first time. 05/09/09 -- Antenna party! With a group of friends and a crane, we mounted the 3 large Force 12 antenna to Tower 1. Certainly no one in our group had ever handled antenna as large as the C51XRs. I thought the crane would be safer and save time - however it was on site for 7 hours. W5KGT and WX5CW were up the tower first to change out the top section (I had pre-assembled a complete top section with rotator, thrust bearings, guy brackets, and mast.) and mount the top C51XR. On the ground, we had much difficulty tuning the 40m portion of the 1st C51XR; took 1.5 hours, with the crane lifting and lowering the antenna a couple of dozen times. We also had difficulty with the crane boom being in the way of the elements as the 2 C51XR were raised and mounted. The C31XR install was pretty easy. W5WZ and W5PEM were on the tower to mount the lower 2 antenna - with W5WZ working on a tower for the first time. A nearby late afternoon thunderstorm brought everyone down the tower before the feedline could be run.  05/04/09 thru 05/08/09 -- Wow! What a week! Many final finishing touches from gathering final nuts and bolts, assembling comlete top section, installing last PL259s, installing baluns, assembly of 40m sections of both C51XR, verifying lengths of coax for the up the tower runs, gathering tools, electrical tape, etc, etc ad nauseam. I did the very best that I could to plan ahead so the install would be smooth. 05/03/09 -- Climbed a tower for first time - my tower - to the top! Assembled 2/3rds of the C31XR. Made a mast plate for the C51XR boom truss cables. Made 2 plates to sidemount the C31. Met with a crane company foreman to evaluate the antenna raising next Saturday. Found a broken element tip on one C51XR - will order tubing tomorrow. Wound the final 15m helical hairpin. Assembled the last balun for a F12 antenna. 05/02/09 -- Helped take down my F12 C31XR from a tower at K5ER and put my KLM KT34XA up in its place. The C31XR will reside as my middle antenna at 85', locked down to Japan. 04/25/09 -- Assembled 11 LMR400 flex coax jumpers for rotator loops with PL259s. Installed baluns on first C51XR. Primed and painted mast. Fit the boom-to-mast cradle to the top C51XR. 04/23/09 -- Pulled control wiring in conduit. 1 - 12/2 UF; 4 - 18/4 w/grd; 3 - 18/4; 2 - RG59, a total of 2,000 feet of control wire. 04/18/09 -- Cut 11 lengths @ 125 feet of LMR400 type coax for my StackMatch feeds to the antenna. Installed PL259s on one end of each cable, using the K3LR method of soldering the shield to the connector body. During the past week, I've continued gathering the myriad of bolts & nuts, truss cable, electrical tape, etc. that we will need to install the antennas. I borrowed an AIM4170, swept both antenna on 10, 15, & 20 -- they do look and perform in a reasonable manner, considering they are only 3 feet above ground.  04/06/09 -- Assembled the second Force 12 C-51XR. Now both C-51's need the 40m linear elements installed and tuned, all 4 bands baluns and feed lines installed, 20m driven elements lengthened for separate feedlines, and the truss cables inspected. Then, a thorough inspection of each antenna, and they will be ready to fly!
04/05/09 -- Installed three StackMatch relay boxes in telco pedastal box at tower base. Parked M2 Orion 2800 at 0 degrees with South stop. Installed studs in 2800, grade 8 bolts in mast clamp. 04/04/09 -- Assembled the first Force 12 C-51XR, and laid out the parts for the second one. The antenna party is getting really close now! My daughter painted the 3/4" plywood. 3/28/09 -- Pulled and pushed six runs of 1/2" hardline through the 200 feet underground 4" conduit to tower. Modified telco pedastal box to support StackMatches. Prepared 4" conduit between pedastal and tower. Mounted 3/4" plywood backer on wall at feedline distribution point. 
3/25/09 -- Acquired another 2,000 feet of 1/2" hardline. Now I can put unbroken runs from the shack to the tower. I have decided to mount the StackMatches at ground level at the base of the tower. Also acquired 1,000 feet of 4-18AWG with tape and braid shield to use as control wiring. 3/14/09 -- Gave a presentation on Antenna Stacking during the Louisiana Contest Club meeting & forum at the Rayne LA hamfest. Met John WE3C at LCC meeting. After discussion, now I'm not sure about mounting stacking relays up the tower. Decidedly undecided, again. 3/13/09 -- Have begun checking inventory of antenna & parts to ensure all will be on hand to assemble and mount on the tower. 3/6/09 -- Visited W5WMU where I spent four hours (midnight to 4am, 80m & 160m) operating in the ARRL DX SSB contest. My wife and I were on the way to New Orleans for a 5-day Carribean cruise. She even slept at W5WMU! 2/16/09 -- Received from JefaTech 2,000 ft LMR400 type and 500 ft LMR400 flex coax. Have decided to install my 4 StackMatches in an enclosure on the tower just below the middle set of guys, roughly 75 ft up. This will allow the individual antenna feed lines from the StackMatches to be about 50' long, instead of 120'. 11 times 70'= a good savings in both money and dB! 
1/31/09 -- Built 3'x3' concrete pad with hole thru center to mount telephone pedastal cabinet on. Installed a piece of 20" culvert in the ground as a cylindrical pull box at the tower end of the conduit. I will place the concrete pad/pedastal over the pull box, and from there use 4" conduit to route lines to the tower. 1/23/09 -- Installed a 4" and 1.5" underground conduit from the shack entry point to the base of tower #1 (roughly 190 feet). Also installed a 12/2 UF cable to provide 120vAC at the tower. Lastly, installed #4 solid bare copper from the base of the tower to the western guy post and then to the shack entry point. There are 10' ground rods installed at 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 feet away from the tower. Now the tower, shack ground, and electrical ground of my shop's main panel and my shack's sub-panel are all bonded together. 1/10/09 -- Used N1MM for the first time in NAQP CW. 9/26/08 -- Acquired KLM KT36XA and M2 KT34XA for second tower. 
9/6/08 -- Tower #1 stacked to 116 feet. 8/28/08 -- Began assembly of Phillystran guy wires. Installed ground rods at tower base, connected to tower legs via #4 solid bare copper wire. After more HFTA modeling, made final decision as to location of antenna on Tower #1. 8/26/08 -- After 18 months of offsite storage since acquiring them from W5IZ, I finally moved the pair of Force 12 C-51XR antenna to my shop, in preparation for assembly. 8/16/08 -- Created new terrain profiles for the actual location of Tower #1. As it turns out, the location models much better than the original coordinates. 8/9/08 -- Attended the Leesville, LA hamfest and as a charter member signed the constitution for the Louisiana Contest Club 7/14/08 -- Installed RIGrunner 8012, fed by Astron RM60. Now have to install lots of PowerPole connectors. 7/8/08 -- Finally strung my 160 meter dipole up in the trees on the north side of my property. It runs east-west, and is more or less an inverted vee. The peak is at about 60 feet, and the ends are about 15 feet up. I know it is not the optimum setup, but it is better than none! Also spent some time tweaking some intermittent problems with my TopTen Band Decoders, Ice 419s, and Six Pack. Finally resolved by making a modification to the source driver boards in the the Band Decoders. The mod is to install 1N4148 diodes to prevent the Ice from switching the Six Pack relays. 
7/3/08 -- Today I got the first tower base and guyposts set in the ground and concreted in. The project used 8 cubic yards of ready-mix. Now, I'll wait at least 3 weeks to stack the first tower, 120 feet of Rohn 55G. 6/21/08 -- Installed 4" PVC pipe through walls to route coax/control into shop and then into shack. 6/19/08 -- I added my terrain profiles to the website. I added a few new exterior pictures. I edited The Station page to reflect the current op position now in the new shack. 6/14/08 -- Moving day! I moved my first desk and equipment into the shack. More pictures can be found in the photo album. I must still install my grounding panel and route all coax and control cables into the shack for my existing antennas. Once the new tower is up, there will be a major overhaul of coax and control cabling to accomodate the several changes and new antenna that will be installed. 5/22/08 -- Construction of new shack begun. It will be 18 ft by 10 ft, and have its own electrical subpanel to supply it. A full kitchen and bathroom/laundry room are attached. 
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