Bob Wrote ++++++++++++++++++ What did you use for an antenna when you were camping in Northern Mn? This is a Honda eu2000i question mostly. They can make a lot of noise especially into low mounted verticals. Bob KB1FRW ++++++++++++++++++ I have been camping and doing ham radio together for over 40 years and this is my "CAMPING ANTENNA" which I have used for the last 4 or more years.
I bought a 23 ft telescoping painters handle from Menards and a small paint roller that screws on the end of the handle. I removed the roller and bent it into a hook. This makes my center support and is held to the hitch and my front window cover of my camper with elastic cords. I put eye hooks on two 3/4 inch pvc pipes and used a large eye bolt and smaller hook bolt to make a place on the back bumper of the camper to hold one support in position. I drilled a 3/4th inch hole in an 18 inch two by four and an elastic cord to hold the other support to the front bumper of my car. The 44 ft doublet has a center insulator made of a PVC tee with a hook that hooks over the home made hook at the top of the center support. The feed line of the doublet is 22 ft of 450 ohm window line. I use a W2DU 1 to 1 balun between the elecraft built in tuner and the window line. This antenna works well on 40 and 20 thru 10 meters. It loads on 6 meters but I have never heard the band open so do not know if it works. I add a 22 ft length of twin lead tied in a coil to the other 22 ft of feed line to work 30 meters. I add 22 ft extensions to each end of the doublet to make and 88 ft doublet on 75 meters and use the same feed line as I do on 30 meters. I have been told my signal on the ND SSB net is just as strong as it is from home. I find it does not make much difference where I put the extensions so I often just go back to a picnic table or camp chair on my own camp site with the ends. I also use this antenna on 160 meters with the following changes. I leave the 88 ft doublet part up but go back to the 22 ft feed line. I use a 2 inch loading coil and connect the top of the loading coil to both sides of the window line. I go from the loading coil to what I call the hot side of the W2DU balun and I go from a bolt on the frame of my camper to what I consider the cold side of the balun. I have worked 200 miles at 8:30 local time Sunday mornings on 160 for the Goose River SSB net from several different camp sites in ND and MN. I have worked from Valley City ND to my friend Bill in Warroad MN several times. I have only used the Honda eu2000i on 40, 30 and 20 as I usually charge my battery about 2:00 PM while the other campers tend to be busy and making their own noise. The first time I tried it I was bothered by noise but I had a 50 foot extension cord and wrapped it into a coil about 4 inches in diameter. The noise dropped down to at least the level of my home QTH. I found the NB on the K3 could get rid of the noise at a setting of E3-7 IF WID4 or IF NAR5. I never tried the eu2000I on 80 or 160 because I consider week day dinner time and Sunday mornings to be quiet times and don't want to bother anyone. I hope my camping antenna ideas can help other people. I have tried long wires, dipoles and verticals over the years and this is by far the best antenna I have had for not bothering other campers and giving good performance. The dipoles worked just as well but people look at you funny when you string antennas across their camp sites!!!! 73 Ken W0CZ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
