LAFF-0060 Svartskog

 Recently I purchased a KX-2, a really excellent rig for portable operation which I really enjoy using. Included was also the AX-1 antenna. I knew many HAMs use it frequently and have reported surprisingly good results. But how well can a 1.2 meter high antenna actually perform? I have had a MFJ-1899T for several years, which is a similar antenna, but I have never used it for SOTA/LAFF operations. I have been afraid that the efficiently is too low. If I remember correctly, a pedestrian-mobile web-site claimed the MFJ 1899T was 6 dB down from a 1/4 GP on 20 meter. (However, the MFJ do radiate. It performs very well on 10 meter, and I have worked PA on 40 meter from the living-room table with 5 watts.)

A quick test (3 minutes test with AX-1, then a 3 minutes test with 1899T, both 20 meter CW). Around 50% more skimmers (reversedbeacon network) heard my testing with the AX-1 than with the 1899T.  However, it was no significant difference in the signal strength.

From this finding, I thought it could be of interest to test it in order to get some hands-on experience. Thus, I headed out to LAFF-0060 Svartskog, around 10 minutes drive from my QTH. In addition to the AX-1, I also brought with me a 10/20/40 meter EFHW. The end fed was put as a sloper up in a lazy way. The feed point was around 1 meter above ground, and the other end 4-5 meters.

I started to call with the AX-1, and continued to call until all chasers were worked. Then I changed the antenna to the end fed, and called for almost the same time length.

So what was the result? Eight reversed-beacon skimmers heard my calls with the AX-1. All but one did also hear my calls on the end fed. In addition I was also heard on 14 more skimmers with the end fed. The SNR was 2 dB higher with the end fed. I worked 9 stations with the OK reports. After changing antenna and putting out a spot, I worked three more stations. The reports with the end fed was around 2 S-units higher. Since only three more stations were worked with the end fed, almost all chasers were worked with AX-1. That surprised me, and it shows that AX-1 must be a very good compromise antenna. Before going home, I also worked stations on 17 and 15 meter with the AX-1.

So, I'm absolutely satisfied with the AX-1 (and KX-2 of course). If this had been a SOTA or POTA activation, I would have fulfilled the requirements. As a LAFF activation, I would have needed around 4 times as many QSOs. But that could have been possible if the conditions had been a little better.

DXCCs: DL, EA, F, HA, I, LZ, OM, S5.