Chris, For a one time deal, I would go buy yourself a 4' Mylar ballon, a tank of helium and raise a small diameter copper wire up 127'.
We used one on St. Paul Island in 1997 as CY9AA and were working EU's even before the sun set ! The prefix and the salt water didn't hurt though, hi ! Lay down a dozen radials, or better still, 4 raised radials, and you'll have a killer system. Yes, I know you can't build it in your workshop on a tablesaw ;-) HI Mike VE9AA, EX Cy0AA, CY9aa, ad naseum Mike, Coreen & Corey Smith 699 Rte 616 Keswick Ridge NB Canada E6L 1T1 ----- Original Message ----- From: - To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 2:52 AM Subject: Topband: contesting in a field So I have a new (to me) travel trailer, and a family farm, and I've made maybe two 160M contacts ever. I don't get to play radio much, usually just sweepstakes phone every year, and I missed last year. I find it fun to do kinda off the wall stuff, its fun. So put this all together and I'm thinking I'll park the travel trailer in a field, during a 160M contest, and play radio. The missing piece is the antenna. I've done some reading, kites, balloons etc. I'm fine to build a big lifting kite, I've got a hunk of tyvek somewhere, but that's not the point, the point is what I'd lift. Balloons aren't interesting, I can't make helium in the wood shop or sew a balloon. What I'm after is some thoughts on the antenna. Looks like a kite lifted 1/4 wave vertical should be doable, but what about the radials? Try to elevate them? I'm only 100w, so I'm interested in some reasonable (or a bit more than what one might think reasonable) efforts which will help me be successful. I read about bleeding static but don't have specifics. That being said, if there is no wind, and no antenna being lifted, success is not only in the result but also in the prep. I'll be ready for the next opportunity. A good story is worth something also. So what do you all think? I've got barbed wire fencing, lots of space, copperweld and electric fence wire, some 50-60' or higher trees here and there along the edges of the fields. Hilly pasture even for that matter, but really limited in access for the travel trailer (not that it has to be part of the setup, but I've got it, might as well use it). Thanks, Chris _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.454 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/4015 - Release Date: 11/13/11 19:34:00 _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
