New DXE Feeder & Choke

I arrived home last night to boxes from DXE, which were ordered last week. I picked up their new HEXX Beam 5-Band Rigid Feeder System and a new feed line current choke. Again, big thanks to Al and Rod at DXE, these two guys epitomize customer service. DXE has won a fan for life!

As typical with DXE products, the construction is the highest class, well built with good instructions. With NAQP a week away I am hoping to lower the hex beam and tear down the entire antenna in order to add the feed line choke and the rigid feeder system on Monday, completing the remaining tear down and build up by Wednesday. Because I can’t play radio three days straight on my days off. I have some other work around the house and especially in the backyard that needs to be completed. Currently a half of my radial system is torn up, as I am removing some of the grass and replacing it with something more drought tolerant.

Rod did mention the possibility of having to shorten the elements with the new feeder system. I am crossing my fingers that everything works out okay and SWR is acceptable after the retrofit. If not, then it will be time to address those issues and after Wednesday I don’t have much time to spend troubleshooting. Regardless, I look forward to NAQP RTTY, the July version. I had looked at the possibility of operating at N6RO here in town, but it was book with either N6ML or N6WM at the controls, so I will do the contest from home and look for an improve score over the February event. I will have a better goal set b y later next week.