Category Archives: Antennas

Antennas, Base Station, Friends of Ham Radio, Radios

To Infinity and Beyond!

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(Well maybe not infinity, but 400 miles above the earth is close!)

So yesterday, I went to visit a fellow ham friend of mine (K4RGK) to discuss antennas and such.  I had been over once before and was fascinated by an antenna setup in the back yard.  It was a combination of 2 circularly polarized yagis (2m and 70cm) mounted on to a base with 2 rotors!  One rotor controlled azimuth and the other controlled elevation.  This was indeed designed for satellite work! Continue reading To Infinity and Beyond! →

Antennas, Base Station

The 1 QSO antenna! (Part 1 – Intention and Design)

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As a new ham radio operator starting on my journey to my first 100 DX entities (DXCC), I am looking for any help I can get to get those contacts in the logbook.  Most of the countries I have already logged have been by happenstance.  I see a country come across the cluster so I tune down and make the contact.  Not all countries are that easy.  In fact, many of them are limited to small windows of opportunity! Continue reading The 1 QSO antenna! (Part 1 – Intention and Design) →

Antennas, Base Station, Radios

Announcing the Activation of a new Transceiver feature!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

It is not well known but for many years the major manufacturers of HF transceivers, have quietly fitted them with a special circuit that would cause your transceiver to internally combust should you use it to exhibit poor operating practices.  Like maintaining a nuclear deterrent, they have always lived in hope that they would never be forced to activate this circuit. However manufacturers have been concerned for some time with the poor behavior of many operators when using their equipment and what they have heard during the current Tromelin Island DXpedition has forced them to act.  Therefore on 0000z Saturday 15 November 2014 a coded message will be sent to all transceivers they have sold activating this circuit. Continue reading Announcing the Activation of a new Transceiver feature! →

Antennas, Base Station

Antenna Support Failure (Updated)

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So last night, I am on 20 meters and made 3 DX contacts including European Russia, Norway and Israel.  I’m getting through the pileups well and I’m still very happy with the antenna in the air.

As I am getting ready for work this morning, the YL advises me that a limb came down in the back yard.  This isn’t too abnormal just due to the massive trees that we have on our property.  They tend to self prune their selves.  We did have some rain come through yesterday but it was far from any bad storms or high winds.  So I told her  that I’d look at it when I got home from work.  She said, “No, it’s a BIG limb and I think it is on your antenna!”  This is reason to take a look!  This is what I saw. Continue reading Antenna Support Failure (Updated) →

Antennas, Base Station

Antenna Raising Party

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20140427-092958It’s one of those “first” for every ham radio operator that is interested in HF!  The radio may be plugged in and set up but the antenna has GOT to be right for things to work well.  So, I got my hands on an Alpha-Delta DX-CC.  I researched the internet for options for feed lines.  Since I was dealing with almost a 200′ run, coax loss was a concern that needed to be addressed.  I also wanted to put it in the best spot possible and facing the right direction for my intentions.  Given the barriers on the property, a few extra hands never hurts to have.  In the event of a cookout, an antenna raising part broke out!  Click here to see this event from the viewpoint of K4MTX on his blog!

Here is how it things went. Continue reading Antenna Raising Party →