HF Ham Radio - Making Those Magical Contacts

[@SuperCapsfan101]

Walt, I get it. Been a ham for 40+ years. Never worked VK or ZL. Last weekend, worked both on 10M with 25 watts and a Shark hamstick from the car here in Maryland! Magic still happens when the DX gods are smiling! 73, Mike K3CXG.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes it does! 73, Walt K4OGO

[@Blaculo]

I had one of those moments getting northern Japan from Florida on 20M one afternoon. Didn't think I had a chance but called it anyway on the G90 with a random wire antenna.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That’s awesome!

[@Tantalicdavid]

Good one Walt I have worked Jay NE2Q Many times on 40m in the silly hours here.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! Yes I’ll be getting up more in the silly hours in the future lol

[@pasjeihobby]

This is pure Ham spirit. Amazing story.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks!!!

[@timg5tm941]

Excellent contact Walt! Amazing what can be done if we wake up before dawn in Europe on 40m. Safe journey home! 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Tim, I’m thinking I’ll be going to bed and waking up much earlier on my next duty tour in Europe lol

[@G5STU]

Nive one ! Yesterday evening at 19:20 UTC I worked VK3SX 59 both ways (I can never work VK from home) , he came back to my call from nowhere after I worked loads of European stations, I was totally blown away! I was on the SIGMA HF 360 (15m up, no radials) with 400w. He said the only other European station he could hear was power station Yanez S51DX who was 30 over to him and I was 59. He played my audio back over the air and I did sound crystal clear. Love this hobby ! You just never know would will come back to your call, even on a quiet band. Keep up the great work Walt, looking forward to working you without the SP/ next time :)

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Stuart, we will definitely get a QSO in very soon from the American Portsmouth. I’m really looking forward to it!

[@martindavies6640]

G5STU I think it was the 400 watts that was doing it not the antenna LOL.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

@@martindavies6640 yeah, I was 59 into New Zealand with my Sigma HF-360 and 20 watts yesterday. It was probably the 20 watts

[@gordsec]

Hey Walt, thank you for the continued content on antennas, working QRP. You have been partially responsible for my renewed love of the hobby, and I will be making QSOs on HF very soon. Being in the UK, with any luck I will get you in the logbook 73 de MM0URH

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Gordie! Hope to get you in the logbook soon!

[@gordsec]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES Defo. Travel safe (if you haven't landed state side already)

[@Johnyrocket70]

I live in a HOA use a 17ft telescopic whip on the 2 floor balcony sticking out at an angle. It does 20m and up. I use a Yaesu ft-991a 100w. I talk to Australia to Europe and South America all the time. I usually have the antenna only out around 99 inches for 10m.

[@yodek1846]

...and this is the moment when you convinced me to stop read theories, but start to practice acquired knowledge so far. Of course first of all: pass an exam to get license to talk on these channels/ frequencies, then practice using on local frequencies, then make progress / "evolve" to the rest of life :) Greetings from viewer who has lived in (Poland) Gdansk all his life!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That's awesome! Good luck and have fun!

[@AzPauly]

fun contact! been watching your videos for a while and have inspired me to run lower power, used 20-50 watts on my 7300 during the WPX Contest and worked South America, US East coast, Caribbean from my Az qth.. 👍 '73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching Paul! Be careful with all that power 😂

[@johnbock3711]

Had one of those couple weekends ago during a pota activation. K8MRD Banana clip 10m inverted V, your speaker wire recommendation, 16 feet in the air. NH to Australia contact.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome John!

[@MikeN2MAK]

I knew the Rybakov worked on 40m, but that's awesome! Safe travels and good DX.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Mike!

[@lvsluggo007]

I've worked Australia on a 80-10m vertical and a G90. Awesome little radio!!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes it is!

[@EvansBoatwork]

Hi Walt. Those sorts of surprises are what keeps us going! Interestingly your Rybakov antenna is similar to the 'majic 8' often used with the old mil rig Clansman PRC320. The Clansman has a 5.4m mast for a wire and that can be extended with the 2.5m whip, equalling 7.9m. If you haven't got all that to hand then 8m of wire straight into the rig, with its superb internal matching unit, allows tuning on alll bands. There must be some weird wizardry to that length..?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Must be, thanks for info I’ll look into that antenna

[@LB0FI]

Safe travels and welcome back to Europe in a couple of weeks!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Morten!

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

5 over 5 signal with that set up is freaking awesome! :) KO4HPC 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Adam, I was shocked

[@jimnelson726]

Exciting moments Walt.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

It was a fun moment Jim!

[@babuszkie]

Super QSO! Greetings from Poland SP5MAS

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! Greetings 73 de K4OGO

[@dangermandave67]

Yeah, I'll always remember the QSOs I've had with operators in Japan and Argentina from on top of mountains in Utah and Nevada. If I can find a long enough pole suitable for SOTA, I'll build one of those Rybakov antennas.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

You will enjoy that antenna if you build it!

[@dangermandave67]

@COASTAL WAVES & WIRES I made one last night. My fiberglass pole wasn't long enough to get it vertical, so it was more of a "very steep sloper". High bands were pretty dead by the time I got on air. But I did talk to some guys outside Dallas TX from my front yard in UT on 20m SSB. So it seems to work. Was able to tune it on every band from 10m to 40m. Will try it on my next SOTA activation.

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Outstanding!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching!

[@jasonlikesokinawa]

LOL, your voice sounded somber as you transitioned to the backyard to take down the magical Rybakov. Your Rybakov will live another day Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hahaha yeah that was tough lol. Thanks for watching Jason!

[@ae1tpa92gwtom2]

That was cool Walt, hf never ceases to surprise, cheersb73 n of course Gd DX !!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Cheers Tom!

[@achildrenmile]

Awesome! You are motivating me to try out a lot of things! Thanks man. 73 de Michi OE8YML

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Michi! Hope to catch you on the bands. 73 de Walt K4OGO

[@kennethblackwell1137]

Wow....that's fantastic. I really love all your antenna experiments. 😀😀😀😀😀

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Kenneth!

[@JReed305]

Nice QSO! Travel safe.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Jeremy!

[@d3w4yn3]

during most weeks, M-Th morning I am in Hampton for work. You have been a great inspiration to me! Maybe we can meet up some time when you get back. Safe travels!!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks DeWayne, sounds like a plan

[@m7trsradio]

Fantastic work Walt. Well fingers crossed I will have a doublet up soon and I gan get a QSO with my my 5w. 😊 Safe travels 👍🏻🤞🏼73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you my friend!

[@aj2isotadxing]

Fun contact !

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes it was so much fun

[@truckinguy92]

What a great QSO Walt! It just goes to show if conditions are right you can work DX with a wet noodle. 😂 I really like that you do this all on SSB. So many people have been enamored with FT8/4 because it’s the easy way out. To me it’s too impersonal. I really need to work on getting some kind of stealth antenna up at my apartment, we’re not supposed to have antennas.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I feel the same way about FT8/4. Not a hater but it’s not for me

[@RandallRash]

Safe travels Walt

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Randall!

[@mcdeadsquirrel]

Thanks for the great vid!!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching!

[@philhayward8696]

I love your videos Walt and all the different antenna's you experiment with but I am not that suprised with the results you are getting. I have been using a JPC Pac-12 antenna with my G90, granted, on some low lying hills around the valley that I live in, and I am regularly getting into Australia, Europe and on good days the US. I will be taking it to the beach one day soon and see what I can work from there. I would love to see you do a video on the JPC and give your more experienced opinion of it. Cheers Phil ZL2VTH

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks so much Phil, I’ll definitely look into the PAC-12. Thanks for the suggestion

[@Wretchedone69]

I love your video’s. ~N1XXU

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so much Andrew!

[@phildurall7466]

Nice job Walt! You put the fire-to-the-wire my friend! 72 - KF6IF

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Haha thanks Phil!

[@joeblow8593]

Nice catch, I wonder what the other guy was running and type of his antenna.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I’m sure he had a beam doing the heavy lifting

[@HouseOfThe8Strings]

Good stuff! -KC4PPS

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73 de K4OGO

[@jamesgeorge1709]

NE2 needs to remember vertical antennas have a better take off angle than a Dipole.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Exactly, I get those dipole comments all the time lol

[@JxH]

Not necessarily better than a *Vertical* Dipole (which admittedly might be a bit challenging on 40m).

[@charlesacaranci9039]

Wow

[@bryantwalley]

Cool

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Bryant

[@bobr6555]

I've got to make me a Rybakov! By the way, a little bhi noise-cancelling speaker would probably make dx signals so much easier on your ears - I wouldn't be without mine. VK4BOB

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

You will enjoy the Rybakov!

[@mikemiles3068]

Good job👍73. KV5P

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Mike!

[@ehayes5217]

How 'bout that, Amateur Radio's always exciting, especially surprising to Jay, when he heard u using 20w! 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸 dit dit 😀

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Haha yeah I don’t think he and his buddy that were rag chewing expected some American guy in Poland to break into their QSO. 73 my friend!

[@ehayes5217]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES Exactly! They were prbly like, "What the ... !" 😂