Guys,
Be really careful with balloon anythings.
You might end up snagging an airplane.
The problem is a balloon/ant configuration that breaks somewhere else
than right at the balloon. The trailing wire is a menace.
I understand there are some suggestions on how to fashion a break-away
attachment at the balloon to solve this problem. I don't have any
info.
de Brian/K3KO
K7GCO@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 9/2/01 9:51:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time, teamw@quixnet.net
> writes:
>
> <<
> I agree with AA2MF regarding the need for more info on simple, unique or
> creative antennas for hams with small lots. We need to realize that,
> regardless of original intent, this is no longer a USA-only reflector but
> due to the nature of the web is world wide in readership.
> In addition to those in the US, there are countless thousands of hams, or
> potential hams overseas in densely populated environments who cannot get on
> the air due to space limitations, possibly allied with a lack of small
> antenna know-how.
> I have a horse laugh when contributors comment that they "only" have a 100ft
> x 50ft lot and can "only" get up a 50 ft tower etc.
> Try an industrial revolution era terraced house with front and rear yards
> measuring 15 x 15 ft each. Probably heavily developed by the XYL with
> concrete path, flower beds, a tiny pond and a microscopic lawn. I have a
> retiree friend in Europe with such a situation and he is by no means unique.
> I designed a squashed rectangular quad for 15 mtrs to fit into his attic
> space which is 12 x 10 ft and 8 ft high. It works quite well but he would
> sure like to get on 20m to work me occasionally. For some other bands he
> uses a covert 22 awg invisible end fed wire going across the street but
> without an RF ground system. This naturally has mediocre performance.
> Another caveat is that many such residences, especially in Europe, are owned
> by the city and rented to the tenants and therefore can be subject to what
> are essentially deed restrictions.
>
> On this reflector there is a tendency for most of the discussions to be
> associated with high end stations with stacked beams, Big 4-squares,
> multiple towers and beverages hundreds of feet long. Discussion is heavily
> slanted towards systems requiring lots of space and a healthy bank account.
> Perhaps this is reasonable since this is an adjunct of a contest oriented
> web site. However the reflector has developed into a great source of general
> information for that essential system which lives outside the window.
> There are many contributors highly qualified and experienced in antenna
> theory and practice. It would be a great service to large numbers of the
> world wide ham population if some of these antenna gurus would consider
> dreaming up some solutions to this universal problem or airing their
> experiences here. Maybe we could get some more P5's etc on the air as a
> result?
> Thanks to all who have made this reflector one of the more useful and
> enjoyable.
>
> John AB4ET
> teamw@quixnet.net
> >>
> You hvae very good points. No matter how small the lot the idea I suggested
> of using a small deridgible to hold up a 1/2 wave wire fed j-pole fed on
> 160-40M is a simple solution and--it doesn't require all those radials. It's
> great for contests on 160M anywhere. The 1/4 wave J gets it's major field up
> off the ground a 1/2 wave. You could go ever higher.
>
> You can also run a "Green Insulated Wire" along fence lines of the neigbors
> for a Beverage. Match it with an L network. It even works on xmit. The top
> wire of fences can be put into service (at night) with small insulators with
> a little creativity. You can use the ground side of the 110 VAC for recieve
> also on the BC band-40M. Use a series .1 ufd and then a 3 gang BC variable
> for peaking. There are some very strong LF singals "down under." Years past
> the receiver manuals showed a wire from a ground rod connected to the "G"
> terminal and a 75' wire connected to the "A" terminal. I found out in the
> 30's they had it all wrong on the BC band and a bit higher. Connect the
> ground lead to the "A" terminal with the series BC 3 gang variable. You can
> still do it now in 2001. I had a 25' wire going to a buried oil tank for a
> ground. It worked very well on recieve on 160M so I gave it a try on xmit
> with my IC-720. It tuned to a 1.2:1 SWR. It should tune with most tuners in
> the rigs now. At 7 PM in the evening in the fall I worked a W6 in the Bay
> area from Seattle with a S7 report. I told him I was working him "ground
> wave" and I had to explain.
>
> Another trick that works is to run 136 of wire 10' off the ground on the
> property boundries around a corner if necessary on small lots to a very good
> ground (bury an old oil tank or a copper sheet of about 9 sq ft 6' udner the
> ground horizontal). The Lo-Z there on all bands reflects back to the end of
> the wire (1/2 wave multiple on all bands) for an easy match. Make it 160'
> for BC SW listening from 3 MHz. Use the BC variable for peaking. For those
> that don't know what a BC variable is and there are many, it's the 3 gang
> variable used in BC radios years ago with 365 uufd capacity in each gang--tie
> them together. They can still be found in flee markets. There are a few
> left--I haven't purchased them all as yet. They work great in 100W L
> networks and don't arc with Zloads less than about 1000 ohms. If you remove
> plates in a "certain stagered manner" it becomes about 60 uufd per section
> and can be used in transmitter finals up to about 500W and L networks with
> Hi-Z loads.
>
> One ham lived next to a water tower and gamma matched it. I have one 1 mile
> away out in the county (with burried power lines) and have visions of a
> beverage to it and using it as a 600 ohm termination. It would create a new
> kind of "Fire Water" to the farm yards. The cattle would do a new type of
> "SSB Fire Water Dance" after a drink and have a "certain glow" over them.
>
> Would you believe that Iron wood and silver maple trees can be gamma matched
> by bending down a limb fir a "LimbOmatch." That's even shown in some Army
> Manuals. The root radial system is all right there. Pine trees tend to make
> "Log Periodics" for high angle. k7gco
>
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>
> -----
> FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
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> Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
List Sponsored by AN Wireless: AN Wireless handles Rohn tower systems,
Trylon Titan towers, coax, hardline and more. Also check out our self
supporting towers up to 96 feet for under $1500!! http://www.anwireless.com
-----
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
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