you made it to the
final page of the NØRQ/KC5POV Tower Project!

Well, that's it for pictures, but I'd like to make a few comments.

First, the results.  The Force 12 XR-5 at 65' has been amazing.  Well-built, good instructions -- should make a lot of QSOs.  We have one issue with it -- the SWR at the low end of 15 meters is not good.  It likes 21.5 MHz the best.  By the time you get down to 21.2 MHz, the SWR is 2.0:1.  Others have reported similar problems, but in all fairness, some people have no problem.  I admit that it could be my error, but I don't think so, because there is more than just a couple of guys with this problem.  Email me if you want details.  The internal tuner of the rig handles it fine.

That said, the XR-5 has been outstanding.  With just 100 watts (from a Yaesu FT-900), I made these contacts in just 1 week (Sept 21-28, 2002) -- most of them busting big pile-ups with just 1 or 2 calls.  Maybe it wouldn't be amazing to guys used to beams, but it is amazing to me.  Here they are -- 1 week of QSOs with 100 watts:

Call    MHz QTH
3B8GF    14 Mauritius
5U7JK    28 Niger
7Q7CE    28 Malawi
C56RF    24 The Gambia
C98DC    28 Mozambique
CN8NK    14 Morocco
IS0LYN   21 Sardinia
P5/4L4FN 28 N. Korea :-)
TN3S     21 Congo
TU2IG    14 Ivory Coast
VP8DEY   28 Falkland Is.
XV9DT    28 Vietnam
YA5T     21 Afghanistan
Z22JE    21 Zimbabwe
ZD7CY    28 St. Helena Is.

and some more, not as rare -- yes, in the same 1 week period:

4D70VDG  24 Philippine Is.
6M0MM    28 S. Korea
7X4AN    21 Algeria
9K2ZZ    28 Kuwait
DH2FFF/HI9 28 Dominican Rep.
DU1/KC2CDX 28 Philippine Is.
KC4AAC   14 Antarctica
KH0AC    28 Saipan
R1ANZ    21 Antarctica
V73GT    14 Marshall Is.
VK9NS    28 Norfolk Is.
VK9YL    14 Lord Howe Is.
VU2WAP   21 India
WH2DX    21 Guam
(and others, but then the list would be too long)


How's that for 1 week on HF???

After almost 1 year of use, the M² 6M5X 5-element 6m beam at 70' has been great!  In 10 months of operating on 6 meters, Dave has over 300 grids worked, and Sue has around 200.  That's with 100 watts.

The Trylon T600-64' is good.  Some folks have issues with them -- the galvanizing before cutting, supposedly "light duty", etc.  But if you don't overload it and install it right, I don't see how you could go wrong.  Other options, beside the obvious 3 -- US Tower, Universal Tower, and Rohn -- would be Heights (deluxe), AN Wireless, and Tower Depot.  If you want a Trylon, though, or one of the big 3, get with Texas Towers.  I believe Champion Radio sells them as well.

Other helpful links:
www.eham.net   www.dx-central.com     www.arrl.org
www.qrz.com    www.buck.com   and of course a myriad of others

Comments/questions, please email us at  n0rq "at" arrl.net  .  THANKS FOR VISITING!

73 from Dave NØRQ & Sue KC5POV

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