I also worked VE3TEF this evening on FO-29 while running 500 mW PEP. My downlink was S8 on the meter. I had more than 50 degrees of elevation, so that helps, of course, but it's amazing what so little power into a small handheld log periodic antenna can do!
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Mon, Feb 10, 2014 at 4:29 PM, Paul Stoetzer n8hm@arrl.net wrote:
On the last pass of AO-7, I was trying out various power levels as it was a nearly overhead pass of a maximum elevation of 81 degrees. With just 20 degrees of elevation, I heard my downlink at S8 while running 500 mW to my Elk. With about 7 dBd of gain at 432 MHz, I estimate my EIRP to have been around 4 watts.
With a feedline of 8 feet of LMR-240, my losses at 432 MHz are very low, but it shows you how little power it takes to get a good signal from the transponders.
Thanks to KC7MG and W4VAS for the QSOs on AO-7 at 500 mW PEP.
73,
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Washington, DC (FM18lv)