Re: [BVARC] real deal antenna question.
A lot of POTA hams use end fed half wave antennas because the parks that they operate from have built in masts,i.e. trees, and they just toss a line over a branch that is 30+ feet above the ground & use it to pull the end of the antenna up to the tree. I use a 40 foot Spiderbeam mast, and I attach a N9TAX roll up j-pole antenna to the eyelet at the top. Immediately below the j-pole is the balun for my homemade 40, 30, 20 inverted V linked antenna. I used this antenna this past Saturday during the Winter Field Day, and I made contacts in many states from California to North Carolina. My inverted V antenna uses Anderson PowerPoles, and I can attach two links of additional wire to make the antenna usable on 80 meters. As far as the VHF antenna is concerned, the best thing to do is get it as high as you can, and use a good coax. Check your SWR to make sure you getting most of your RF out of the antenna & not damage your transceiver. Don't forget lightning protection. 73 John Denison KD5YOU On 1/30/2023 9:52 AM, M Reiter via BVARC wrote: I am a total noob. (new guy for the older folks). I ordered an icom 7300 and want to do all the things i can with it but mostly ARES, and POTA. so of course I am thinking about antennas, I really like building antennas, however the one I built for 146MHz receives crystal clear but does not transmit as far as I can see. I do not have a bunch of money to spend on professional antennas so i would like to make usable ones on the first try. I have materials like steel tubing, aluminum tubing, pvc, wire rope shackles, pullies, and lots of 18ga wire. a welder, knot skills, I am thinking putting two steel 20' tubes up with guy wires would be easy enough, maybe even could get them as high as 30ft, and this is great for 10m 20m, but when I start to think of 40m and needing a 65ft dipole, 65ft in the air, I feel defeated. are these "rules" really just best possible requirements and putting a 65ft dipole at 30ft will be fine forPOTA, and maybe even some DX on the right days or nights? I am intending to build out my "shack" in an RV because I have some Gypsy blood somewhere way back. otherwise I would just build two 70ft towers in my back yard. I will assume that 80m is not really a mobile band, and I would only attempt it if I was really bored and living in the desert. I did order an antenna from a website that builds ground radial vertical antennas, for 10-80m, I assume this will work in the USA. and maybe an occasional DX on the perfect days, Obviously I have been reading too many internet sites and my information may be very flawed so I am asking yall as I know you know the truth. what is the absolute minimum I need to run some 10,20,40M dipoles in a park. how high? do I need an analyser? good swr meter? some proper 1:1 baluns? dummy load? other? I know I should have gone to the field meet. Marc KI5ZHO heights beachcat...@gmail.com, for PM. Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/ Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/
Re: [BVARC] real deal antenna question.
Marc,I will be presenting a session surrounding this topic at the HAMFest in March. Feel free to come listen to my 50 years of HOA Stealth antenna experiences. Some of the principles are the same for RV antennas. You can expand from there with all the many mentors in this email reflector.73. :-) Terry Terry Leatherland, K5PGF281-455-8090Sugar Land, Tx On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 09:53:53 AM CST, M Reiter via BVARC wrote: I am a total noob. (new guy for the older folks).I ordered an icom 7300 and want to do all the things i can with it but mostly ARES, and POTA. so of course I am thinking about antennas, I really like building antennas, however the one I built for 146MHz receives crystal clear but does not transmit as far as I can see. I do not have a bunch of money to spend on professional antennas so i would like to make usable ones on the first try. I have materials like steel tubing, aluminum tubing, pvc, wire rope shackles, pullies, and lots of 18ga wire. a welder, knot skills, I am thinking putting two steel 20' tubes up with guy wires would be easy enough, maybe even could get them as high as 30ft, and this is great for 10m 20m, but when I start to think of 40m and needing a 65ft dipole, 65ft in the air, I feel defeated. are these "rules" really just best possible requirements and putting a 65ft dipole at 30ft will be fine forPOTA, and maybe even some DX on the right days or nights? I am intending to build out my "shack" in an RV because I have some Gypsy blood somewhere way back. otherwise I would just build two 70ft towers in my back yard. I will assume that 80m is not really a mobile band, and I would only attempt it if I was really bored and living in the desert. I did order an antenna from a website that builds ground radial vertical antennas, for 10-80m, I assume this will work in the USA. and maybe an occasional DX on the perfect days, Obviously I have been reading too many internet sites and my information may be very flawed so I am asking yall as I know you know the truth. what is the absolute minimum I need to run some 10,20,40M dipoles in a park. how high? do I need an analyser? good swr meter? some proper 1:1 baluns? dummy load? other? I know I should have gone to the field meet. Marc KI5ZHO heightsbeachcat...@gmail.com, for PM. Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/ Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/
Re: [BVARC] real deal antenna question.
vna nano great low cost means to tune an antenna you have built. Wire antennas are low cost and easy to build. Use the VNA Nano to tune it End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna Kit This is a great all included kit and the write up gives examples of out to set it up. 10, 15, 20, 40 band, add more wire and you can get 80 as well. End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna Kit The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the... Here is a portable mast to use with wire antenna's. The 32 footer is what I use. The Mast Company - Telescopie Poles The Mast Company - Telescopie Poles Antenna $80.00 Mast $130 shipped VNA Nano $60 small 2(.8) screen $100 (4 inch screen) Hope this helps Rudolph Ackerman KF5QYG On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 09:53:36 AM CST, M Reiter via BVARC wrote: I am a total noob. (new guy for the older folks). I ordered an icom 7300 and want to do all the things i can with it but mostly ARES, and POTA. so of course I am thinking about antennas, I really like building antennas, however the one I built for 146MHz receives crystal clear but does not transmit as far as I can see. I do not have a bunch of money to spend on professional antennas so i would like to make usable ones on the first try. I have materials like steel tubing, aluminum tubing, pvc, wire rope shackles, pullies, and lots of 18ga wire. a welder, knot skills, I am thinking putting two steel 20' tubes up with guy wires would be easy enough, maybe even could get them as high as 30ft, and this is great for 10m 20m, but when I start to think of 40m and needing a 65ft dipole, 65ft in the air, I feel defeated. are these "rules" really just best possible requirements and putting a 65ft dipole at 30ft will be fine forPOTA, and maybe even some DX on the right days or nights? I am intending to build out my "shack" in an RV because I have some Gypsy blood somewhere way back. otherwise I would just build two 70ft towers in my back yard. I will assume that 80m is not really a mobile band, and I would only attempt it if I was really bored and living in the desert. I did order an antenna from a website that builds ground radial vertical antennas, for 10-80m, I assume this will work in the USA. and maybe an occasional DX on the perfect days, Obviously I have been reading too many internet sites and my information may be very flawed so I am asking yall as I know you know the truth. what is the absolute minimum I need to run some 10,20,40M dipoles in a park. how high? do I need an analyser? good swr meter? some proper 1:1 baluns? dummy load? other? I know I should have gone to the field meet. Marc KI5ZHO heights beachcat...@gmail.com, for PM. Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/ Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/
Re: [BVARC] real deal antenna question.
The real challenge in the hobby is learning, and doing what you can with what you have. My home station consists of a inverted V at 30ft and my antenna tuner makes it work on all bands except 160 unfortunately.. as far as a VHF antenna goes, why do you say it doesn't transmit? If it's a good design fed with good feed line and at a decent height, it should work okay. My VHF home antenna is a comet 333 on top of the mast that supports the inverted V.. works great on two, 220 and 440. But I've done simple antennas like a quarter wave ground plane or a dual band mobile mounted to a bracket with ground radials on a chimney at the house in the past.. worked pretty good, even talk to the shuttle with it using an HT! Don't be afraid to experiment! That's the big thing in this hobby. Do whatever you can afford and learn from the experience. I've been in this hobby for 50 years in February and I'm still learning all the time! As far as antennas in a park, use whatever you can and whatever works. You don't need an antenna analyzer if the length is correct but it doesn't hurt lol. A tuner can be extremely useful for multiple band operation, but then multiple dipoles connected to the same feed line work just as well. You'll find some interaction between them but that's normal. Feel free to ask questions because that's the only way you're going to gain knowledge. Those of us in the hobby for a number of years are always glad to pass on our experiences and help. Chris WB5ITT On Mon, Jan 30, 2023, 9:53 AM M Reiter via BVARC wrote: > I am a total noob. (new guy for the older folks). > I ordered an icom 7300 and want to do all the things i can with it but > mostly ARES, and POTA. so of course I am thinking about antennas, I > really like building antennas, however the one I built for 146MHz receives > crystal clear but does not transmit as far as I can see. I do not have a > bunch of money to spend on professional antennas so i would like to make > usable ones on the first try. > I have materials like steel tubing, aluminum tubing, pvc, wire rope > shackles, pullies, and lots of 18ga wire. a welder, knot skills, I am > thinking putting two steel 20' tubes up with guy wires would be easy > enough, maybe even could get them as high as 30ft, and this is great for > 10m 20m, but when I start to think of 40m and needing a 65ft dipole, 65ft > in the air, I feel defeated. are these "rules" really just best possible > requirements and putting a 65ft dipole at 30ft will be fine forPOTA, and > maybe even some DX on the right days or nights? I am intending to build > out my "shack" in an RV because I have some Gypsy blood somewhere way back. > otherwise I would just build two 70ft towers in my back yard. I will > assume that 80m is not really a mobile band, and I would only attempt it if > I was really bored and living in the desert. I did order an antenna from > a website that builds ground radial vertical antennas, for 10-80m, I > assume this will work in the USA. and maybe an occasional DX on the > perfect days, Obviously I have been reading too many internet sites and > my information may be very flawed so I am asking yall as I know you know > the truth. > > what is the absolute minimum I need to run some 10,20,40M dipoles in a > park. how high? do I need an analyser? good swr meter? some proper 1:1 > baluns? dummy load? other? > > I know I should have gone to the field meet. > > Marc KI5ZHO heights > beachcat...@gmail.com, for PM. > > Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club > > BVARC mailing list > BVARC@bvarc.org > http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org > Publicly available archives are available here: > https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/ > Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/
[BVARC] real deal antenna question.
I am a total noob. (new guy for the older folks). I ordered an icom 7300 and want to do all the things i can with it but mostly ARES, and POTA. so of course I am thinking about antennas, I really like building antennas, however the one I built for 146MHz receives crystal clear but does not transmit as far as I can see. I do not have a bunch of money to spend on professional antennas so i would like to make usable ones on the first try. I have materials like steel tubing, aluminum tubing, pvc, wire rope shackles, pullies, and lots of 18ga wire. a welder, knot skills, I am thinking putting two steel 20' tubes up with guy wires would be easy enough, maybe even could get them as high as 30ft, and this is great for 10m 20m, but when I start to think of 40m and needing a 65ft dipole, 65ft in the air, I feel defeated. are these "rules" really just best possible requirements and putting a 65ft dipole at 30ft will be fine forPOTA, and maybe even some DX on the right days or nights? I am intending to build out my "shack" in an RV because I have some Gypsy blood somewhere way back. otherwise I would just build two 70ft towers in my back yard. I will assume that 80m is not really a mobile band, and I would only attempt it if I was really bored and living in the desert. I did order an antenna from a website that builds ground radial vertical antennas, for 10-80m, I assume this will work in the USA. and maybe an occasional DX on the perfect days, Obviously I have been reading too many internet sites and my information may be very flawed so I am asking yall as I know you know the truth. what is the absolute minimum I need to run some 10,20,40M dipoles in a park. how high? do I need an analyser? good swr meter? some proper 1:1 baluns? dummy load? other? I know I should have gone to the field meet. Marc KI5ZHO heights beachcat...@gmail.com, for PM. Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list BVARC@bvarc.org http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/
