My New Balun Arrived

Well, I got my new balun in today's mail.  It's a Balun Designs 4:1 OCF balun.  It has dual cores and a lot of  features that set Balun Designs apart from competitors.  Yep, I paid $96 plus shipping for it, but it is nice.  Having used their 1:1 QRP balun for a while, I can say that this one is a lot heavier.  The thicker NEMA box, combined with another core really added the weight.  Fortunately, my antenna rope is rated at 420 pounds!  Now, if the tree company would just cut down the broken limbs from the storm, so I could get the 80m OCF up and working.  Anyway, check out Balun Designs and look at the comparison page which shows their models vs. another company's baluns.  It's amazing what differences you can see when you take the covers off.  Bob Rumsey is a great guy who will help you in any way he can.

The Yaesu FT-450: A Great Radio!

My Review of the Yaesu FT-450 HF/6m base:  I had people recommend that I buy an FT-450.  Various features set it apart from other radios.  Then, the 450D model came out at Christmas 2010 and people were scrambling to get the 450 on markdown.  I got mine slightly used, in mint condition for $300 less than a new one.  I haven't been using my FT-450AT for that long, but I can say that I honestly love my little radio.  The performance of it really rocks, and the features are amazing for its price range.

In comparing it to the 450D model, there isn't much difference.  The buttons on the D model are back lit, it has feet on it (not sure how helpful they are--mine has an after-market bail), some improvement in the filtering on CW, and a slight change in the knobs.  Borrowing info from FoxTango.org, here is an overview of all the features on the FT-450, before the D model came out:

The FT-450 is a rugged, innovative multi-band, multimode portable transceiver for the amateur radio HF/VHF bands. Providing coverage of the 160-10 meter bands plus the 6 m, the FT-450 includes operation on the SSB, CW, AM, FM, and Digital modes, yielding the most comprehensive performance package available for field operation.  Designed for use from an external DC power source, the FT-450 provides 100 watts of power output from a 13.8-Volt external power supply.  The multi-function Liquid-Crystal Display includes various backlighting, which may be disabled for battery conservation. The display includes bar-graph indication of power output, ALC voltage, SWR, and modulation level.  Among the advanced features of the FT-450 are many incorporated only in large base-station transceivers. These include Dual VFOs; Split-Frequency operation; Digital Signal Processing (Bandpass Filtering, Noise Reduction, Notch, and Microphone Equalizer); IF Shift; Clarifier (“R.I.T.”); IF Noise Blanker; AGC Fast/Slow/Auto/Off selection; RF Gain and Squelch control; IPO (Intercept Point Optimization) and a receiver front-end Attenuator; VOX; Built-in Electronic Keyer; Adjustable CW Pitch; Built-in CTCSS Encoder/Decoders; and Time-Out Timer (TOT) functions; Computer Interface capability; and Cloning capability.

I know some people complain about the 3:1 tuner.  I talked to Yaesu, and the tech noted that it wasn't designed to tune a 10:1 match...  He noted that it fine-tuned an antenna which was close to resonance.  I like it because if I turn the VFO too much and accidentally get out of my band range, the word "tuner" disappears.  Likewise, if I were to accidentally hit the band up or down buttons, it won't tune if the antenna won't match, e.g. a 20m dipole and I accidentally tuned it down to 30m.  If I do hit the tune button, the arrow flashes and it won't do it.  I consider these handy features.  I'm not disappointed that it won't tune a large mismatch.

Anyway, as much as I love my FT-60R HT and enjoy using my FT-1802M mobile, this radio has won my heart.  At least that's my opinion!

Museum Ships Weekend

This weekend was the Maritime Weekend for Museum Ships.  I was only on the radio for a couple of hours Saturday night, on 20m.  There was about S5-7 noise on my end, and I didn't even have a balun up...just a 20m dipole about 15 feet high on a painter pole with some coils of coax.  I got to speak to KK5W aboard the USS Cavalla submarine in the radio room, berthed in Galvaston Bay, TX.  The USS Stewart, a destroyer escort counted as a dual credit.  I contacted the W5LEX station on board the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, TX.  A contact was made with K1USN at the maritime museum in Braintree, MA.  Another contact was made to KK4TE, the Alabama QSO party.  He wasn't aboard the USS Alabama, but he has a cool QSL card of it.  While I was waiting for KK5W to come back on the air after a break--they had a major pileup, I got to chat with K1LDL maritime mobile, who was on his 24 foot sailboat off Gloucester, MA.  He and I had been trying to get through the pileup for a while.  I don't know if he made it or not.  I just happened to be scrolling by when they came back on the air and I made the contact with no competition.  During all this searching up and down the band, I managed to get through a lot of noise and talk with SP9LJD of Poland.  I was especially happy to get this as it is my first QSO with Poland.  I hope he sends me a QSL card!