POTA: ICOM 7610 & DX Commander VS Delta Loop Shootout!

[@davidniemi4051]

Great video guys, thanks. It would be interesting to see a plot of the contact's locations and the "rejection" of the delta loop. Thanks again de VA3NIE

[@ahoward2kable]

I was coming to ask about geographical distribution

[@hamradiotube]

Yeah we didn't get that involved. Just an impromptu comparison cuz we had all the bits together.

[@davidniemi4051]

@@hamradiotube Aw shucks. LOL No worries and have a great weekend 🙂

[@albertrivera292]

Awesome comparison! Thanks to both of you guys for recording and posting your findings. Very interesting.

[@hamradiotube]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@michaeledmonds3027]

Mike.... You have way too much fun. Always a hoot to watch you play with radios. Loved the QRP comment to the guy nearly blowing everyone else off the air.

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks Michael. Yeah he's a good sport and a big POTA hunter.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Guys.. We ideally need the results "per band" because (say) 40m will probably be better during the day (if you went down to 40m) but if you send me dimensions, I can model the loop vs vertical on a per-band basis and you will see where the gain is.

[@hamradiotube]

So let me get this straight. You're saying go play more radio?

[@ll-bc7ou]

@@hamradiotube that is exactly what all of us are saying lol...

[@JayN4GO]

Hopefully you know the dimension of your own antenna. Haha. The loop is a 40m delta straight up and down fed at the bottom. Mmana away. 🤣

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

​@JayN4GO middle of the bottom leg it will be horizontally polarized cloud warmer.

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Mike, Awesome video. Very interesting results. Obviously the delta loop would perform better, but the DX Commander held it's own. Was pleasantly surprised to hear our contact. Stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@hamradiotube]

It was neck and neck up until the end. Fun little experiment.

[@stevegriffin9552]

Wow!!! What a totally awesome video. Two antennas and a ICOM 7610. Mike did you enjoy running the radio. I’ve only seen one of them at a hamfest and that is a nice looking radio. But another thing I got a kick out of the video is the pile ups and you had that big smile on your face just classic. Glad you had a great time and it’s a great experiment too. Hope you have a fantastic weekend again thanks for the video enjoyed it. WD5ENH Steve

[@hamradiotube]

I love the radio but the speaker is horribly quiet. It sounds great if you can hear it but even at home I have to crank it. Way way way too quiet. I don't know what Icom was thinking. Terrible design. The pileups are insane though. That's pretty typical for a pota activation nowadays I think. I love it!

[@wynandwolmarans6689]

@@hamradiotube what u mean

[@markdoyle8713]

Great content thank you. Nothing says portable opps like a 7610 hooked to a giant delta loop. Do you know what exceeds? Excess! Love it rock on..

[@hamradiotube]

'Merica!

[@markdoyle8713]

@@hamradiotube harsh bro

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

Enjoyed this and some useful information came from it. Thanks guys!

[@carypeaden4147]

I am new to relatively new to ham radio and to your channel. I have learned a lot from your channel so far. For people like me that are new to your channel it would have helped if you had started with a short explanation of the two antennas and maybe shown them a little more than you did. When I search on DX Commander, I think I understand what it is (a vertical 1/4 wavelength fan dipole), but I think there are several different models of DX Commander, so I was not sure which of those models you were using. Additionally, I think I know what a Delta Loop is but I think there is a large number of different configurations/lengths. I also would have liked to have known which band you were testing on. I think the DX Commander is multiband, I am not sure about the Delta Loop.

[@peterdekeles.]

Great as always. "I'm fix'in to" You now a true Texan

[@hamradiotube]

I have been working on incorporating that into my vocabulary since moving here. That and never passing a Buc-ee's. I am a true Texan.

[@timsullivan4235]

Pretty soon he’s gonna start saying INsurance.

[@mark351]

Mike is now a Texan. He's fixin' to do things!

[@Tommy_Boy.]

🤣🤘🤣

[@hamradiotube]

Darn tootin'

[@DonzLockz]

that's a first to see your rig out in the bush on pota. Well done. ;)

[@hamradiotube]

I mean, you kinda have to don't you??

[@W9HJBill]

Great video. Interesting results. How high up was the delta loop? From start to finish, how long did it take to put the loop in place? How long did the DXC take to set up?

[@hamradiotube]

I have no idea. I didn't set up the loop. I was setting up the DXC. Not that high though. Maybe 30'?? Takes me about 15 minutes to set up the DXC.

[@W9HJBill]

@@hamradiotube Yeah, if it was that close of a "which was better", I'd personally go with "which one was faster and easier to set up. That's where I was going with that.

[@chrisnmichelle0218]

Wish i knew how many and how long the radials were on the DX Commander, for a vertical 1/4 wave you can get a good boost with the right amount of radials

[@mikemiles3068]

Love these Antenna experiments 🔬 videos❗️ In my opinion playing with antennas is one of the most fascinating 🧐 aspects of Ham Radio 📻

[@hamradiotube]

Antennas grabbed me early in my ham career. Absolutely love em.

[@mikemiles3068]

@@hamradiotube And you do a vey good job reviewing them Mike, I just got my first Wolf River Coil this month and I like the 1000 so much I am going to order the mini too.

[@ll-bc7ou]

Not enough info guys , how was the loop set up vertical polarized or horizontal where was the balun ?

[@hamradiotube]

There's always one of you in the crowd that has to complain. Can't you just take it at face value and enjoy the video? Good lord.

[@ll-bc7ou]

@@hamradiotube stop complaining you are living our dreams give all the info we want Mr. Pota . 73's watching in NYC..

[@hamradiotube]

@@ll-bc7ou lol damnit now I feel bad for my last response! I’ll try to #hamharder in the future.

[@JayN4GO]

Jason runs his loop horizontal with the balun at the bottom. 2 ends up 1 down to the 4:1. Hope that helps.

[@goobercrow198]

I'm with you, inquiring minds need to know. Hard to tell because all we see is the feed point connection. To me it looked like he fed it at the apex of the loop at the bottom with the "base" at the top in an upside down triangle configuration?

[@wecontrolthevideo]

It’s sunny and 80 deg here with those you left behind in Michigan. -Dave K7DR

[@hamradiotube]

Yeah but it'll prob snow tomorrow lol!

[@alvarogaitan2529]

congratulations Micke terrific radio Kenwood ts 990c fantastic 73 Micke

[@hamradiotube]

haha!

[@woodyccc]

Can you tell me how the Delta Loop was oriented? I know it makes a difference and was impressed with quality of contacts. thanks! K5OOL

[@kevinokeefe7796]

If you had your choice between the 7610 and dx101d which would you choose.

[@JayN4GO]

Jason is a great guy. Lots of contest experience esp on qrq Cw. I think he rolls about 50 wpm practice. I’m jealous! How did you like the 7300 v the 7610 , Mike. Does it wHip it!

[@hamradiotube]

It's pretty impressive watching him hammer away at cw like it's nobody's business. The 7610 is an amazingly beautiful radio. I like it more and more each day, other than the way too quiet speaker. It makes the 7300 seem like a kids toy. One could indeed Hwip it. Good.

[@woodskid4ever]

Good AB. Loop much quieter. Pulls in those QRPs. Ty

[@Frisky0563]

Great stuff Mike enjoyed the video

[@hamradiotube]

Glad to hear it

[@1OFGODSOWN]

I will have a NEW ICOM 7610 this next week.I hope it’s at least half as good as the ICOM 7700 that it’s replacing that I lost to a Lightning Strike?

[@hamradiotube]

That's awesome. Congratulations...I think...

[@CKJEntertainmentServ]

was that a delta loop cut for 20m? home brew or commercial buy??

[@hamradiotube]

Like we show in the video, the loop is an LDG transformer with some length of wire, I don't know how much, but over 100' long.

[@CKJEntertainmentServ]

@@hamradiotube i have a delta loop put up, with a homebrew transformer, and about 135' of wire. Yours seemed to work better than mine, hence my curiosity about wire length.

[@dave-wk4t]

Well - anything worth doing is worth OVERdoing.

[@hamradiotube]

exactly

[@alzeNL]

love what you are doing here - much prefer seeing real life uses over modelling any day !

[@hamradiotube]

It's pretty fun.

[@davidenglund]

Love the conflicting locations and accents. The guy who sounded like a New Yorker, but said he was in Georgia. Then, there was the guy who sounded like a Georgian but was in Pennsylvania. Ha!

[@hamradiotube]

And then you have this Michigander in Texas! It's a crazy place, this world.

[@KM4ALT]

Man. I need that buddipole powermini. Just keep waiting.

[@forgetyourlife]

Mine took 3 months.

[@KM4ALT]

@@forgetyourlife i can't even find a place to order one. Do i just call buddipole? Or wait till website shows available to order?

[@hamradiotube]

It's legit. I really like it.

[@forgetyourlife]

@@KM4ALT interesting. If you can’t add it to cart then I would call and ask. Probably Monday-Friday.

[@NVBL42]

Time to go for a drive for a different repeater

[@Tommy_Boy.]

Great video and really nice experimentation boys! Cracking ‘em up with the QRP comment! 🤣🤘 Nicely done! 👍📻⚡️

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks! 😀. Are you really Buckethead BTW lol?

[@Tommy_Boy.]

@@hamradiotube Oh, man, Mike! I wish! Buckethead is my favorite. THANK YOU!! 🤘

[@hamradiotube]

@@Tommy_Boy. that’s exactly what Buckethead would say.

[@Tommy_Boy.]

@@hamradiotube But, Buckethead doesn't talk. He just riffs! 🤣🤘🎸🐓🎸🐓🎸🐓🎸 Love what you do Mike! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm!

[@apartmentamaturen2dbi176]

Awesome bro

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks 🤗

[@will6051]

Love you hat. My brand.

[@hamradiotube]

There is only ONE brand!

[@PerB_M]

How did you feed the Delta loop, horizontal or vertical?

[@TheAppalachianWay]

It looked vertically oriented but horizontally polarized

[@loyannmunyan1174]

Can you upload wjst8 to a Mac book also can you upload psk32 etc to Mac book? Since it’s so proprietary

[@hamradiotube]

I don't know about the other ones but I have WSJT-X on my Mac.

[@KI5OLVRADIOACTIVE]

What’s up Jason N5NU

[@hamradiotube]

He says hi!

[@mabo4848]

Great

[@Screamingtut]

Hey Mike can you donate IC-7300 to me since you got an IC-7610 now!!!

[@hamradiotube]

Ha! You go jokes! Unfortunately the 7610 isn't mine. T-Ray let me borrow it.

[@Screamingtut]

@@hamradiotube Got to razz you some way, Mike. I have too many HF radios. I got a TS-430S, FT-8157nd, FT-891, G90, and an FT-991A. But, I may get IC-705 next year. BTW, the first two HF radios are up for sale.

[@forgetyourlife]

@@Screamingtut You should put them on the PRA Repeater swap net again. Its been awhile. Tuesday 7pm.

[@RangerUT]

Not using the mac to control is crazy.

[@williampeacock9473]

Enjoyed the video. Keep up the great work. Would love to have a DX Commander .73 AE4OY William Peacock EM-81UF SOUTH EAST GEORGIA

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks for watching!

[@ChrisN8PEM]

#hamharder

[@hamradiotube]

That's all I know how to do.

[@RoelandJansen]

switch off the beeps...

[@hamradiotube]

I'll pretend I have some idea of what you're talking about.

[@RoelandJansen]

@@hamradiotube every button you press produces a beep.

[@JosephVE3GKT]

Wow. That EQ and compression is SHARP! Super easy to copy. 73 de VE3GKT

[@frankENZC]

Great fun! 73 de WA3RSL