Topband: Give it a try

[Michael Tope]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Marshall-Read" <rmread at starhub.net.sg>

> Been doing this 160m thing for two decades or more, and don't understand
> the pedantic obsession with 'will it work?' or 'what about  my tree?' or
> 'what about my radials?'.....just try it and see.

Well the tree and the antenna are already there. About the only thing
left in the "try it and see" category is to cut the trees down, but since
they are on my neighbors property, that would almost certainly land
me in jail (or at least in civil court). "Well officer YB5AQB was S9 that 
morning, and just couldn't hear me...so my only option was to fire up 
the chain saw at 4:00 AM"

> My goodness, this is not life or death, many of those who ask these
> questions are new to this band and believe me any wire will work, any
> radial system will work, just don't expect to be W8JI and as the Brits
> say "suck it and see".  Optimum is far from any of our grasps in the
> antenna department (RX or TX).
> 
> See you on THE BAND with my balloon TX from one of the worst 160m
> locations on earth.

Do put your balloon TX antenna up every night, every just once in a blue
moon? I was actually thinking about having a little hanger box on the roof
with a balloon that I could launch when needed (it would get me clear
of the trees -:).

73, Mike W4EF...............