You can easily check your lightning arrestor with a resistor and HV power supply. Use 500k-1 meg in series with the + lead. This will limit the current to 1 ma if the voltage is 1KV. Put a voltmeter
Yes I have done that on a 3 element SteppIR. It turns a mediocre performer into a beam with a great pattern. I use 4NEC2. Could send the file I used and you could modify it for your purposes. The mai
I got a few requests for the file. Here it is. This is the 3 element SteppIR with an added reflector closer to the driven element. It would be easy to add a director similarly. If you want to see the
Would a current balun (choke?) be a possible solution to a problem of "RF on your audio, OM" in my mobile installation? I'm planning to try one on the coax line either at the antenna end or the trans
Thank you. I will begin employing those techniques tomorrow. Long live the Prog Line !! Oh I loved the sound of that squelch on a Prog. (1977) Rick K2XT _____________________________________________
If the concrete is 7 -8 feet deep, why is the bolt only about 2 feet long? I always wondered about that, and yes, it's true, I had a very hard time with Statics in college. Rick K2xt ________________
Again, remember, I had a hard time with Statics in college so go easy on me, but I always thought it was necessary to have a J to keep the rod from turning. But I guess even a tiny, very tiny, amoun
Those who are commenting on this danger that can happen while working on towers (!!) - Could you please indicate if you have personally done your treatment. I have tried the match thing, and the twee
Wait for a freeze. Don't take chances. Your antennas wouldn't stay up if you worked on them now anyway, the wx is too nice. I had a hornets nest the size of a football once, in a pine tree next to th
What a fascinating, productive discussion this is. Thanks guys. I can't think of much of anything to contribute but I sure do enjoy discussions on new techniques, utilizing modern technology to solve
I skimmed the responses, and don't think this aspect has been mentionedWith more than one monobander you will need MUCH more in the way of mast strength than you will with a tribander. Also you will
Let me clarify my statement, because Joe is right, there is no disagreement. If you get a 3 element SteppIR and are serious about 6 meters, by all means go for the added element. Even though the 3 or
Doug, I'd like to suggest something to try. I haven't actually done this but it might bring results, and won't cost you a dime, or even get your feet or fingers cold, no matter how cold it is at your
So it looks like we have an alternative to coax or open wire line to feed a dipole for example. If I took, say, #14 stranded, and twisted it, it would be a good match for a center fed dipole, low los
K2XT, Rick here. I've recently been having trouble getting my tower to extend easily. It is a US Tower TX472 with the motor drive. Symptom when I first experienced the problem last fall was very slug
I've been working since I posted. I found a pulley that is very sluggish. It cleaned up with WD40 and motor oil and is at least turning, in my hand. Now to locate proper industrial replacements at a
There have been several great responses to my call for advice yesterday. Thanks to each of you. Seems like the consensus is to clean the bearings on the 5 pulleys with something better than WD40, and
it works by All that's inside a polyphaser is a series capacitor and a gas tube to ground. At least for incidental (whatever they're called) strikes, doesn't the gas tube just conduct for a few micro
Pete, Are you saying the Polyphaser is still ok? That the low R was caused by a path within the adapter? Interesting. So we don't actually know if the gas tube fired or not then, do we? Because mayb
Check into JK Antennas. jkantennas.com Ken makes a 2 element coil loaded model. Not cheap but outstanding in every way. The materials, packaging, instructions, and the customer service is becoming le