Who has not yet installed connectors on 1/2-inch LDF4RK-50A HELIAX® coaxial cable, so the process could be likened to working with water pipes. The basis is accurate measurement and preparation of the end of the cable. The first connector took me approx 45 minutes, next mon 30 minutes. Such a coaxial cable will be important for VHF PA?
March's VKV PA narrowly wedged itself in front of the incoming cooling wave, which also brought morning frosts. Since it was done, only the cold wind greeted me on Černecki vrch... just... putting the antennas together will take some time, so brittle fingers would have a different opinion. I feed the aforementioned 1/2-inch coaxial cable. According to the attenuation measurements with the nanoVNA, it should bring 0,6 dB. It has less loss than AirCom+ coaxial cable, which is also longer.
I'm finding out, that the USB extension cable was left at home. However, the cable from the USB hub can be plugged into another USB port on the computer. I don't have a good experience with it, but surprisingly all COM ports are loaded immediately and with the same number. Thanks to this, both the rotator control and the CAT control of the TCVR work.
But what doesn't work is AirScout. Although the program is running, but does not have aircraft data. That's with the program, the basic feature of which is the significant lack of aircraft route analysis in relation to the radio route, However? So with a long nose, I leave AirScout with AirScout and go look around the strip. It's time, O 3 minutes, the March VKV PA will start.
I start tuning by band and immediately a notification comes via KST chat from Nikol YT3N. Nikol and I have connections quite often in VKV PA. It is 531 kilometers. Unfortunately, that's the direction, where annoying interference occurs, through which weaker signals cannot be deciphered. This interference also makes the operation of OM2Y and OM3CQF unpleasant. This time the connection was successful even though the interference in that direction is considerable.
Next, I search for stations and try the challenge atypically in the lower edge of the SSB segment 144 MHz band. Fran is calling OK7WA, with which we exchange more words. In the meantime, I'm looking in the KST chat-e, whether Romanian stations will appear. I am writing a request for a sked. Only Stelian reacts YO2BBT. Then I try to turn the antenna further north and find it SN9W, Mirka OL1B to Round OK2VMC. Three more locator squares are written.
Libor already writes that OK1DOL. I can hear it even when the antenna is turned the other way and when I direct it precisely, so comes praise for a strong signal. I'll quickly add a few more connections and launch the call to 144,394 MHz. I bounce to skeds from this frequency, for example with Matej 9A3SM. Four stations from E7 also come to the challenge almost right after each other: E70SIC, E71EZC, E73PS and E76MD. These are long connections, but he calls for them for a while I4GHG. It is 680 kilometers.
Tamasz also showed great patience HG1DRD, with whom we chased down the strip. Finally, the locator JN86 also confirmed 9A1VZD, but in a moment, when he called, so he was a multiplier.
The need for multipliers leads to this, that I turn the antenna to the west. Michael DB7MM/P reliably delivers JN59 and OKAY again JO60. They deserve thanks for that! Another locator is filled in by Daniel DM1DF and unexpectedly calls too DK7VN JN68. The same thanks goes to JN64 IK4GNG.
He greets Draho from the neighboring hill OM3CQF, who gives me o 6 higher number. But 9A7JCY he did not hear from my previous connection. This is not usual. I'm finding out, that I still have relatively easy-to-manage stations in reserve, such as 9A0BB, 9A1W, OK1KTW whose OM5AW. The hundredth connection belongs 9A2MW with almost forty minutes left to go! In the list of stations on the KST chat I also notice SP3KEY, who agree to the attempt and after a while I actually hear the weaker signal from JO71. After a long time, the connection with Fedor also succeeds OK1TRW. The last connection is YT5W. It has a serial number 119. I have never had so much in VKV PA. By 29 locator squares it is 12557 points.
I definitely didn't catch everyone, but hopefully it will be a little better next time. And what is the answer to that, whether it was worth it for 0,6 dB change coaxial cable? You certainly know.
