02/26/2006 | KP3/N2BA This year my family and I rented a house on the beach on the northern coast of Puerto Rico. I set up a fiberglass pole on the 2nd floor balcony and ran a VE7CA 2 element narrow spaced wire Yagi (see: http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/0111035.pdf) down to the beach. The antenna was about 20 degrees off of vertical and the bottom end was about 2 feet from the sand and 5 feet from the ocean at high water mark.

The rig was a TS-690. Both the rig and the antenna worked well, with over 1,500 QSOs on 15 meter single band and 59 multipliers in about 19 hours of operating. I was happy.

However I did have some issues with the antennas and Id love it if anyone has suggestions.

I set up the antenna on Friday morning and the SWR was quite good, 1.2/1 on 14.1, 21.1 and 28.1. It is made of 17ga. Wireman insulated wire which is very nice to work with. But when the contest started the SWR on 15 had jumped to 4:1 and not so hot on the other bands. I replaced the balun and that didnt do it, and I replaced the coax, and that didnt do it either.

Eventually I took down the entire antenna, cleaned all the exposed wire at the insulator and mid-point ends with fresh water. Then I wrapped all those areas with electrical tape, and when I put it back up it worked. So, it seems that wire exposed to just a few hours of salt water spray has that effect.

I also had a simple 40 meter vertical with 2 radials. This antenna began the week working fine, but within a few days it also had a very high SWR. So this time I also cleaned everything up but it didnt help. Replaced the coax and zip. Still havent gotten it working but I saw nothing different from when I first put it up. Any suggestions?

Please send your suggestions to me at: brooke.t.allen@gmail.com

73,

Brooke N2BA.

P. S. This seems like a very nice location for a pair of single band entries (say 15 and 20, or 20 and 40) or a modest multi-single effort. If anyone else is interested in a contest with me from P. R. just write. -- N2BA