Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you can't view this video, please insert the this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch/v=oOXcSqNd6PY. Here's another antenna idea for radio amateurs planning to participate in the 2017 ARRL Field Day emergency communications exercise as a single operator portable station.  Randy Hall (K7AGE) participated in the 2016 ARRL Field Day as a single station operating from a hilltop near his home in Gold, Oregon. His truck ran his station from the back of his pickup truck, using a 20-foot/6.097meter pole to support a 20 meter dipole antenna.  His Yaesu-857 was powered by deep cycle batteries charged with solar panels.  Randy was able to fill his log without any problems. Perhaps a simple station such as the one demonstrated by Randy will encourage you to operate in the "outdoors" away from urban noise and traffic.  Although many radio amateurs will participate with their radio clubs in this annual event, there are some of us who ca

If you can't access this video, please enter this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOXzSqNd6PY. Another great video from Randy Hall (K7AGE). In this well-made video, Randy takes us on a solo ARRL Field Day adventure on a hilltop outside of Gold Beach, Oregon--Randy's new QTH.  His station is a lesson in simple and effective portability.  His truck serves as the base of his Field Day Station, with a 20-ft/6.09 meter pole holding a 20 meter dipole antenna. Randy's Yaesu FT-857 is powered by a large capacity lead-acid battery which is charged by a 100 watt solar panel.  I have a similar setup using a flexible telescoping fiberglass mast to support an inverted vee antenna. My power source is a deep cycle marine battery with a solar panel to keep the battery charged.  My rig is a near classic--the Yaesu FT-7 QRP rig. Other than these minor differences, our stations are quite similar.  Randy says he had good success with this basic porta