[TowerTalk] Re: more - Practical Tips?

[K4SB]

K7LXC@aol.com wrote:
> You need to do more homework and research. I would start with the
> extensive TowerTalk archives. They go back a year or so. Read and >learn.
> They're at http://www.contesting.com/_towertalk/.
snip
>  Don't let me discourage you from posting a question. While there's 
> no  such thing as a dumb question on TowerTalk, a thoughtful question  > will generate thoughtful answers.

I'd like to add a little to Steve's thoughts. And these are not directed
toward the original message. While Steve is correct in saying there's
no such thing as a dumb question, there have been several posts by
EXTRA class holders on this reflector in the past month which
demonstrate
an appalling lack of knowledge in the very basics. I don't want to pick
on anyone, but a couple of them have been in the category of "What is
Ohm's law?" How do you expect to build an efficient station if your
knowledge is of such a level?. There are dozens of good books available,
and without the existence of a very basic library, you're going to be
helpless. The ARRL Handbook and Antenna books are a minimum.

Devote a little time to reading these and any other publication and 
then ask your questions. And when you think you know it all, read some
more.

I remember my first beam, a 2 element made out of conduit about 15'
high. I made a few contacts with it ( with a rope as a rotator ) but
just had the feeling something wasn't right. ( No great antenna books
or computers  in 1955 ) I finally asked my elmer, W4BVD to
look at it. He just stood there shaking his head..and finally suggested
it might work better if I removed the insulator from the outer arm of
the gamma match.

Looking at my bookshelf of antenna books, there is about 15' of them
stacked tightly together. 1 or 2 are not worth the paper their's
printed on, but others, dating back to over 50 years, are the collective
wisdom of those who preceded us. 

As Steve said, read and learn. It's fascinating. 

73

Ed

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