-----Original Message-----
From: Rick - NJ0IP / DJ0IP <Rick@DJ0IP.de>
To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Mon, Nov 29, 2010 4:05 pm
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OT: Indoor antenna
> Rob, yours was the very best post so far.
I agree.
> I can understand when someone becomes a ham and lives in a house with
> restrictions, but I can't understand why a ham would buy a house with
> restrictions.
In my case, I had been inactive for many years, so I didn't even consider an
antenna when purchasing the house. Then my old Sony ICF-2001 died after 40
years
of faithful service, so I bought a Grundig replacement. I happened to listen
to the
ham bands, heard some PSK-31, downloaded Digipan, and I had the ham bug again.
> I also don't understand why people would buy an expensive stealth antenna,
> like a screwdriver mobile antenna, etc., when, a piece of wire, one
> capacitor and one coil will do a significantly better job.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. Not all of my choices are great ones.
I'll tell you about my first wife some time.
I wanted a multi-band antenna that didn't require me to go into the attic to
retune manually, and the screwdriver filled the bill. I also had a long
wire, which worked about the same as the screwdriver, sometimes better,
sometimes worse. My fan dipole now works significantly better than either of
those did. And the ATAS-120 on my car outperforms all of the attic
antennas I've tried. The FT-857D in the car is certainly no better than the
Ten Tec Omni in the shack.
> Using a screwdriver that you already have is a different story, but then I
> would attach a piece of wire to the top of it and stretch as far and high as
> I could, using as little coil as possible.
It was already near the roof; longer wasn't possible while still inside. When
I use it outside, I substitute a ten-foot whip for the six footer that
came with it. It loads with very little coil on 80, and not too much on 160.
An outdoor dipole or long wire isn't feasible unless I run it along the house.
The only objects at any distance from the house are other houses. We have only
little trees, since this is a brand new development.
I have worked Australia with the attic dipole, multiple times, running 100 watts
from the Omni, so it isn't a lost cause. It's just not the best possible
antenna.
73,
Frank
KF6E
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