Clean Sweep in ARRL CW SS with a 20' DX Flagpole in HOA
Bill, K3WA achieves 1000+ Q's in ARRL & the WPX CW 2020 contests using his 20' DX Flagpole.
Bill, K3WA achieves a Clean Sweep in the ARRL November Sweepstakes CW Contest with his Greyline DX HOA DX Flagpole, Vertical Antenna!
That's all states and provinces with a 20' Greyline DX Antenna! That's amazing, right?
2020 December Update: 160 Meter operation.
We spotted Bill, K3WA on 160M during the ARRL 160M Contest. He worked from VE2 (Quebec) to ZF1 (Cayman Islands) and as far west as Illinois with his 24' Greyline Vertical. [read more here]
Does this mean anyone can do it? YES! Now you (and your friends) can get a clean sweep with Real DX confidence from your DX Vertical or DX Flagpole. You might want to get your contest or net control game in order.
You can plant the antenna in your yard but the contesting part is up to you!
Get this, the ARRL reports only 4-5% of the contesters attain the status of "clean sweep" in the ARRL SS CW contest (7-8% in ARRL SS SSB) -- Way to go, Bill. That's just ace radio operating. Awesome!
Update June 2020: Bill, K3WA is a workhorse with his 20' DX Flagpole in his HOA. He amassed 1000+ Q's in the WPX CW 2020 contest.
The low bands were great this winter and K3WA had fun running Europeans on 80M too. That's 1000+ Qso's in each contest weekend for Bill:
WPX CW May 30
ARRLDX CW Feb 15
Would you like to work Real DX 160-6M from your Home or HOA? Now you can...
Here's what Bill had to say about his "Flagpole Antenna Clean Sweep."
By Bill, K3WA:
When the XYL and I decided to downsize last year, I realized that my days of contesting from a competitive home station had come to an end. We wound up buying a smaller house on much less land in North Carolina. That house was in an HOA controlled community. I knew that no antennas were allowed there. After some research, I bought a 20-foot flagpole antenna - the tallest flagpole allowed in my community. Because any antenna is better than no antenna.
I've been down here for about 11 months so far. The antenna has worked well for me. While it is not what I've become accustomed to. I have been satisfied with how well the flagpole worked. I have been able to work DX and make contest QSOs. But I have been wondering just how well it would work in a serious effort in a major contest.
I am a contester at heart and I have been concerned about how well it would perform in the November Sweepstakes CW contest - my favorite contest of all. I have been active in the November Sweepstakes since the late 1950s and hate to miss one. So I was pretty anxious to see how well I could do with my radio and flagpole. And I was especially anxious to see if I could work a Clean Sweep with some of the tougher sections to work far away and usually with lots of other callers.
Well, I did better than I expected with over 600 QSOs and a Clean Sweep - all 83 sections in the log without difficulty.
In talking with some friends we got to wondering what percentage of participants work a Clean Sweep in the Sweepstakes. A quick call to the great folks at the ARRL provided the answer. Approximately 4 to 5% of hams submitting a log in the CW Sweepstakes report a clean sweep. 7 to 8% in the phone contests. That certainly raised my spirits. A Clean Sweep with my flagpole!
And, of course, that got us to wondering how many others of us with flagpole antennas also did. Please write in and let the flagpole community know if you did.
73... Bill K3WA
Greyline note:
BIll's Flagpole on the lawn! As usual, looking good, Bill! Congrats on the clean sweep!
Tech note: The placement of Bill's 20' DX Flagpole Antenna is at least 3-feet away from tree trunks to avoid RF absorption, placed confidently on the edge of the open space to capture that launching pad. Obviously, the results speak for themselves.
Be like Bill. He's sure having fun with Real DX Adventures from his home QTH!
Do you have a Greyline DX Flagpole Antenna or DX Vertical Antenna? Would you share your DX Adventure stories with us? Email us: flagpoleantennas@gmail.com
Remember, these are Smarter, Stronger and more Elegant antennas. Aesthetically pleasing by design. So pretty the XYL's approve (and so do the neighbors!). One operator mentioned his XYL let him install in the Garden. IN THE GARDEN! Unheard of, right? Not anymore...
Ham Radio is fun again. Reserve yours today. We are currently at the same to next day shipping. (we are listening and improving!)
Ham Radio is fun again! Pass it on.
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Hello John!
Thanks for the kind words. Glad you are finding value in our shared Dx experiences. We’ll work with you to get a Greyline DX antenna on the air from VK6! Ham Radio is fun again! 73
Hi, every one,since receiving Greyline Antennas e-mails on their products I have learnt a lot about Vertical antennas. The Flagpole type masts appear to work extremely well as proved by Bill K3WA in his article in which he won the DX contest in USA. Well done Bill. The closest I come to the Flagpole is a 1/4 wave vertical on the patio roof base fed. on 40 meters. Love to have a Flagpole but the difference in the australian $ and USA plus freight is twice the price to us down under. Keep up the articles.73s John VK6RD.