"Trash Can" DXing with a 10-Meter Radio

Amateur Radio For those of you not familiar with it, amateur radio (also known as ham radio) is kindly defined for us by Wikipedia as: "...both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public services, recreation and self-training." Amateur radio is just that: radio technology developed and operated as a non-professional (say, non-profit) activity. Amateur radio is not professional radio, such as paid music radio broadcasters heard on the AM/FM dial. Curious onlookers frequently associate amateur radio with certain eccentric folks who drive around with weird antennas atop their cars, and who stay up to odd hours in the night assembling and tinkering with gigantic antennae rigs that mysteriously show up in their back yards. Proudly, I am one of those odd people...

"DXing" - Long-Distance Radio Communication

Of the more fun aspects of ham radio operation is being able to send and receive long-distance signals. In ham radio jargon this activity is called DXing.

As I own a radio not commonly associated with long distance communication, the prospect of successfully DXing is usually little to none. However, because our beloved sun in the sky is ramping up for a beefy new solar cycle, we radio operators are already seeing what the recent rash of sunspots is doing to our atmosphere. On the positive side, sunspots energize the atmosphere in ways that allows us to make contacts over much longer distances than we commonly see.

In my case, this is good news, too. My radio, a 10-meter Galaxy DX 95T2, is usually relegated to "line-of-sight" communications. That is to say - it only can communicate with other radios whose antennas are within direct sight of my radio's antenna. In other words, my radio cannot usually communicate with other radios beyond the horizon.

Again, thanks to the recent emergence of sunspots, I am able to talk with folks lately over much longer distances.

"Trash Can" Antenna

While my radio was originally designed for operation in a car, there's nothing to stop me from trying it out in my home or - as in this case - a fun space like the local park. The only thing I had to keep in mind is that my magnet-mounted car antenna requires attachment to a broad, metallic, flat surface similar to the top of my car.

After recently visiting a park near my home and in passing by a picnic area, an idea dawned on me: I saw a metal trash receptacle with a nearly perfect flat top! A "trash can" counterpoise for my antenna!

A few days later I returned and assembled my radio with its "to go" kit comprised of the removable car antenna, antenna cable, a power cord, electrical ground strap, and a portable 12 volt battery with which to run the radio. I returned to the picnic area and assembled my radio kit.

Record Breaking DX!

After placing the antenna on top of the trash can and firing up the radio, I got clear signals coming in. My first contacts were the usual folks ranging in the 700-900 mile range, but after some persistence I was able to break my previous long distance record (1200 miles) by speaking with someone 3300 miles away! Not bad for the 10-meter band!

And all with an antenna on top of a trash can!

Happy DXing!