> That's not what I said and that's not what I want to hear.
I want to hear more activity on the low bands. Amateur HF
activity is declining. Why? What can we do to stimulate
activity? I don't think concentrating a major part of a book
on Techniques on antennas fewer than 1% of the world's hams
can install is the way to go. I'm sorry but it just seems
very elitist.
Hi Jim,
I just looked through John's Fourth Edition book and I find
all sorts of limited-space antennas. There are dozens of
loops of all types, both receiving and transmitting. There
are pages and pages of smaller transmitting antennas, many
suitable for very small lots. There's at least one good
limited space multiband dipole. There are slopers, there are
top loaded verticals, and shunt fed towers. There are at
least 26 pages devoted to simple basic dipoles, at least 79
pages devoted to basic simple verticals including compact
verticals, and at least 28 pages devoted to transmitting and
receiving loop antennas of all types and sizes...many of
which will fit in a small lot. I counted over 50 pages
dedicated to antennas that could be installed in a typical
suburban lot.
It seems to me the real issue here is the book omits one
antenna that would occupy at the most around one page (or if
really milked out two pages) in the 600 page book.
I agree it would be good idea to add a page or two to
include that antenna in great detail, but I don't think
overlooking one antenna really indicates snobbery or the
"magnetic loop" omission will eliminate scores of potential
160 meter operators.
The reason new people aren't getting into the hobby is
social. People don't like to learn how things work any more,
and radio isn't cutting edge cool like it was 40 years ago.
Activity among existing licensed amateurs is dropping
because everyone is on the Internet arguing about nothing,
watching ebay, or watching eham instead of getting on the
air.
Very little of this is actually John's fault.
73 Tom
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