20 watts is fine for the digital modes. I've had QSOs over most of the world other than the extreme antipodes using PSK31 and wire dipole antennas. I'd suggest you try the SignaLink USB interface because most modern computers lack a RS-232 port. There are adapters available, but I've had some trouble with the drivers—always a problem with Windows.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
Sell your Argonaut.
Buy a TS 570DG(S)
about $600 on the current market.
Not in the front yard, that's a definite no-no!Originally Posted by nx6d
"Love Trumps Hate."
"You Facist, Sexual Predator!"
" I thought a lot about blowing up the White House"
Uh Huh, What Love?
I'm using an old IBM T23 with xubuntu, no issues with RS-232 ports :)
"Love Trumps Hate."
"You Facist, Sexual Predator!"
" I thought a lot about blowing up the White House"
Uh Huh, What Love?
I have giant oak trees all around the property. My current dipole is about 35 to 40 ft up. The trees are around 60 to 80 feet tall.
"Love Trumps Hate."
"You Facist, Sexual Predator!"
" I thought a lot about blowing up the White House"
Uh Huh, What Love?
Then, before you spend time and energy on another antenna, get the current one up to that height. Be sure to get it set up as a flat-top, not an inverted vee. Also make sure that the wire runs as close to N/S as possible. You may find that your 20 watts now works much better.
If the antennas you proposed to put up are not going to be any higher than the current 102-footer, I wouldn't expect much improvement in your situation.
"People Who Don't Want Their Beliefs Laughed at Shouldn't Have Such Funny Beliefs" -AD5MB
"If someone tells you he believes in and talks to an invisible bunny named Harvey, you put him on medication and a regimen of therapy. If someone tells you he believes in and talks to God, well, that's perfectly acceptable. Why that's the case is impossible for me to fathom." - WP2XX
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In that case, you can probably homebrew your own interface. If you've got a couple of old POTS modems around the joint, cannibalize them for the 600:600 audio transformers; the rest is just common stuff that even Radio Shack still sells.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
If I had allot of room and more than 1 tall tree, I'd put up a Full Wave Loop. As large and as high as I could. Put a 4:1 balun at the feedpoint, feed that with coax. You'll need a tuner. My buddy KA9NRT has a loop cut for 40M and that thing has always amazed me. Check it out ----> http://n1su.com/loop.html
I've been seriously contemplating a 20M Delta loop here. My yard is big enough for a fullwave loop on 80M but I don't have any supports :( (Only 1 tall tree).
I have a homebrew Sound Card Interface around here somewhere...... If I can find it, you can have it.
Last edited by KA9MOT; 02-22-2012 at 02:03 PM.
"One man with courage makes a majority." ~ Andrew Jackson
Steve KA9MOT
Macomb, IL
Well, if you decide to sell the Argonaut...
"Where would we be without the agitators of the world to attach the electrodes
of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?" ~ Professor "Dick" Soloman
The full wave loop is omni directional right? If I had 100 to 1000 Watts I'd be game. Since my little Argonaut only has 20 max, I need to throw it around carefully. That is why I was thinking about a directional horizontal Vee dipole. One pointed in each of the cardinal directions. I think I can get 3 dB gain that way.
Thank you very much for the offer of the Sound Card interface. I have that covered already. Now I'm trying to figure out what computer control software and PSK-31 software I want.
"Love Trumps Hate."
"You Facist, Sexual Predator!"
" I thought a lot about blowing up the White House"
Uh Huh, What Love?
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