70 cm Quad Antenna

[KP4MD]

My Cubex 6 element 70 cm quad is up today, replacing the old 5 element Yagi.  The boom lengths are comparable, and I did not expect major difference between antennas.  A few immediate changes I did observe were a 3 dB decrease in noise floor, and a 1 dB increase in the KJ6KO CW beacon signal from -94 to -93 dBm.  Also the rarely heard 2 watt K6ER CW beacon from Sausalito, CA was discerned in and out of the noise threshold on 432.304 MHz..but others had commented that tropospheric enhancement was in progress.  My SSB contact on 432.125 MHz with K6ERF in Martinez, CA reported S9+10 dB signals both ways.  

On the other hand,, my WSPR station is now off air due to sudden failure of the main station computer tonight.  I will attempt to set up a temporary backup soon for the Wednesday 432 MHz WSPR run.

73, Carol KP4MD

More photos at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/114032640816757126398/albums/6237321419621252161

[KP4MD]

After much software installation and configuring, my WSPR station is back on with an old Dell Intel dual core XP computer.  

I am frequency hopping now between 144 and 432 MHz.  

I suspect that in this photo the faint trace at 0012 UTC that did not decode with ACS is K6PZB on 432.301490 MHz.

Carol, KP4MD, Citrus Heights, CA

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Watrous 
Date: Sun, Feb 7, 2016 at 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: {2 Meter WSPR} 70 cm quad
To: KP4MD

I am impressed that you found someone on 432 to make a contact with--K6ERF!

I am on 432 WSPR now....
I understand you may not get back on until Wednesday.

I'd like to think your new antenna will make a difference over our hills!

best,  John