We made contact!
The antenna test #2 yesterday from the Emergency Communications Trailer was a success! We made full contact with KB5HA a station in Albeuquerque NM on 20 meters with the Crank IR antenna and our Kenwood radio.
We also sort of made contact with a station in Pierre, South Dakota, KE0MPH. We could hear him just fine, but he could only tell that we were transmitting, not understand us. Our ground plane on the Crank IR was not pointing in the optimal direction for him.
We also made contact with our own station in D8 on both the Kenwood with the Crank IR and the KX3 with the Buddipole. We didn’t have the Amp or the Microphone for the KX3 so we didn’t try for further distance with that setup. The D8 contact was made with CW on the KX3.
Best Regards,
Kirk Crawford – KG6MTE- AEA Amateur Radio Club President