My final choice was a 100 foot of ribbon wire fed from the end by a Balun Designs 9 to 1 Unun. The center was supported by a 31 foot Jackite pole at the center and a 15 foot pole was at the far end. I used my universal counterpoise dressed out on the sand. I suspect it may have worked without it. I was very satisfied with the antenna which I used the KX3 internal tuner to match.
I started on 20 meters CW looking for QTTF contacts. They came with NM5TW in NM, NE5DL in TX, WA8REI in MI, W5MSQ, WG0AT in CO, VA3KOT/RaDAR in ON, and K4LIX/RaDAR across town.
Then 20 SSB yielded K7TAG OR, N4STC/RaDAR across town, KB3LXI/M in PA, WB4EEH in TX, KD8RUD in OH, WB6JDH/QRP in CA, KF5RHI/RaDAR in TX.
I tested 12 SSB meters and got K7HZ in OR. Then on 15 SSB I got W7FSL in AZ. 17 meters gave W1AW/1 in CT and KD2DXN in NY.
I returned to 20 CW for more QTTF and worked WB0WQS in MO, W4MPS/P in NC, W8JK in OH, N9AW in WI and AC4CA in TX.
So three and a half hours in the sun near the lagoon yielded 22 contacts. I'd say the 100 foot of ribbon cable and the KX3 did well. I was very pleased to work Steve "Old Goat" WG0AT, RaDAR operators John VA3KOT and Richard KF5RHI, as well as local RaDAR Ops Phil N4STC, and Jim K4LIX. Marv KK4DKT and Jim K4LIX were RaDAR portable near the Panama City ARC club house. There were a number of RaDAR ops active and you can see their accounts on the RaDAR Community.
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| Beach Cart with Gear |
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| Beach cart doubles as table |
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| 100 foot of ribbon cable deployed. |
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| Balun Designs 9 to 1 Unun |
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| One of many craft passing in the channel. |
