TXing from Puerto Rico
Here in Puerto Rico, our KP4MD/P station is an Elecraft KX3 QRP transceiver driving a 100 watt KXPA100 amplifier. The entire station fits in a roller bag for easy carry-on during air travel. Our only antenna space is the 12 foot balcony on our studio apartment, so we use a portable Buddistick vertical antenna clamped onto the balcony rail.
The video shows why such a simple station with a shortened 1/4 wave vertical antenna gets out so well.
The antenna has an excellent counterpoise and is almost 100 feet above the ground on the eighth floor of this condo. The clear line of sight to the horizon over the ocean provides a nearly perfect reflector for ionospheric radio waves offering 3 dB signal enhancement. This is a dream location for budget DX operating.
Carol Milazzo, KP4MD – Summer 2018
