Simple Ham Radio Antennas

Now that Thanksgiving is officially over, it's back to the newsroom routine.  The Sunday news cycle is fairly slow, so I should be able to wrap up the basic maintenance and log chores in short order.  After I secure the news room update the meter readings, I'll pick up a few things at the supermarket and head home for some time at the old Swan 100-MX before calling it a day.  Saturday's inverted vee project  went well.  The 40-meter vee has provisions to add 33' of additional wire should I desire to explore the 80-meter portion of the spectrum.  The 55' of 450-ohm twin lead seems to go well with the 4:1 balun and the Drake MN-4 ATU.  I can get a 1.2 to 1 SWR on all bands between 40 and 10 meters. The antenna was simple to make and erect.  Not a DX buster for sure, but it does the job.  You can get other simple ideas for easy to erect antennas in Doug DeMaw's "Novice Antenna Book" by the ARRL.  This book is probably out of print, but any

Somehow I survived the Thanksgiving holiday.  I didn't eat too much at the neighborhood gathering and managed to squeeze in a few hours of cw to round out Thursday. Presently, I'm holding down the fort at the KKBG-FM/ KHLO-AM news room.  Other than the usual meter readings and daily forms to complete, this appears to be a fairly quiet day.  Following the news shift, I'll head home for some antenna maintenance work.  Although the back- yard 40-meter vertical is working fine, I'm thinking of con- verting the old MFJ fiberglass mast into an inverted vee or a delta loop.  Both antennas have served me well in the past. I have just enough room to squeeze in a 40-10 meter vee (33' on  each side).  With 55' of twin lead, the spare 4:1 balun, and the trusty Drake MN-4 ATU, I'll be ready in no time.  I've also fed this arrangement with coax, which largely restricts the vee to 40 and 15 meters.  Purists will shake their heads at this rough and tumbl

Just when you think everything in the ole radio shack is running smoothly, there comes a surprise that rearranges your weekend radio activity.  Last night was such an event.  A band of intense thunder- showers rolled past Hawaii Island last night, giving us Big Islanders some needed rain along with very strong winds which played games with power lines, yard furniture, and various loose objects.  Although I can't consider my antenna farm a piece of lawn furniture, the effect of the gusty winds will put me into maintenance mode for the weekend.  A small tree limb took out the 450 - ohm feedline, so I have to restring another 33 feet of line to get the vertical back into operating condition.  The antenna appears intact, so it's back to the wire cutters, the soldering gun, and insulators for another round of antenna follies.  At least I can get some exercise before I warm up the ole Swan 100-MX.  All in a day's work.  Before I leave the commercial radio statio

I've just finished reading a truly inspiring article by James Deane, KD7QDG, in the 12 November 2010 edition of http://www.eham.net/ .  James penned a tale of his path from General to Extra entitled "General to Extra Class--learning a lot."  James does a good job explaining why he made the final plunge into the "Extra" pool.  What moti- vated his journey was the desire to learn more about amateur radio from a more technical point of view.  Many of us have made the same trip through the license structure.  My 33 years in this wonderful hobby has visited every license class except for Tech Plus.  Like James, I wanted to learn more and took up the challenge to master the math and regulations necessary to get the Extra. Besides, I wanted  the Extra for my own sense of ac- complishment.  Of course, the additional 25 kHz at the bottom of most bands meant some new DX and a perfect way to polish my meager CW skills.  If you want to attain the Extra Cl

Veterans Day will be observed on Thursday--a time to remember those who served our nation in both peace and war.  In my former life as an Air Force Officer and before I became an amateur radioi operator, I was aware of the vital service provided by MARS operators.  I even used this service a few times to contact family at home.  I am indebted to those ham and military operators who kept our morale up and provided a lifeline to our loved ones.  The tradition continues, as MARS operators and other radio amateurs provide support to our military personnel around the world.  The technology, of course, has improved, but the mission is still there.  I will not forget your service to those who serve our nation. So, on the advent of this Veterans Day, I wish all amateur and military operators a deep thankyou for your dedication and ability to keep our spirits up in difficult times.  Aloha, 73 de KH6JRM.

What a busy series of weeks.  First there was the rush of holiday promotions, high school games, and the busy cycle of the news day.  Then add the hype surrounding the mid-term elections.  The negativity and hypebole surrounding the transfer of legislative power were  more scary than Halloween.  Sandwiched between this sped up news cycle was a few hours of amateur radio--what a relief to just sit down in front of the old Kenwood 520, pound some brass, and rag chew with a few friends.  I'm still  altering some of the antenna farm as Hawaii's salt air and acid rain (from the Kilauea Volcano) does its work of digesting wire and connectors.  All of this keeps me busy and out of the shopping malls.  Besides, the exercise gained from tilling the family garden and lugging around pvc pipe, wire, and twin lead has some benefit for the ole waist0 line.  My XYL and I manage to keep in shape with a simple, nutritious diet and daily walks.  Time before the rig gives the mi

This has been another busy week at the radio station news room.  With the approach of the holiday season, all of us in the "media circus" are busy with the Thanks- giving and Christmas programs, not to mention the remotes, haunted houses, and whatever else is attached to the Halloween festiviites.  No rest for the "wicked" until after the New Year.  Between all of this, I will squeeze in some quality time on the amateur bands.  Most of the simple repairs to my rapidly aging radio collection are done.  A few touchups to the ole "antenna farm" will bring the station into operating con- dition.  I'm still having fun with the Kenwood 520 I acquired a few months ago--nice rig and very for- giving of us who have forgotten the ritual of tune and dip.  If you have a chance to get an older rig from the major manuafacturers, please do so.  What they lack in convenience is compensated by the sheer pleasure of rag-chewing on the hollow-state tecno

This has been a busy month in the newsroom, so my time dedicated to amateur radio has been minimal.  I will get back in the groove this weekend after some yard work around the radio ranch.  Presently, I'm working to equip my Odyssey min-van with a ham radio station.  I'm operating on 2 meters with my trusty HT, a set of solar powered gel cells, and a 1/4 wave whip positioned on the van room with a mag mount.  For now, the setup meets my immediate needs. I elected to not use the van's electrical system.  The set of gel cells in the van coupled with a set of small solar panels mounted on a side window keeps the system active.  The power demands of the HT are very small, so I have no problem of running out of juice.  Adding HF capability will be a challenge, not the least of which is the low clearance of my garage.  Most likely, I'll opt for a mag-mounted "Ham Stick" as a temporary solution.  This is not an efficient system, but it will do until I

This has been a busy month--not much time to operate on the old Swan 100-MX.  Hawaii just experienced its primary election with  all the hoopla and news coverage that surrounds politics in Hawaii....My newsroom was a busy place for at least a week.  In more pleasant news, The Big Island Amateur Radio Club and the Hawaii QRP club hosted Russian QRP (RU QRP) club co-founder Oleg Borodin (RV3GM) and his XYL, Olga (RA3GKB) on September 11th at Hilo's Wailoa State Park.  Oleg, who serves as the Elecraft representative in Russia, was invited by Dean, KH6B, to spend a brief vacation on the Big Island and to  bring local hams up to date on amateur radio activities in Russia.  Oleg had an excellent presentation on a variety of Russian QRP expeditions, including the "Moroz" (Frost or frozen) nose competition held during the winter. Oleg also passed his U.S. Amateur Extra Exam earilier in the week (I was part of the VE team).  Oleg is a great guy and I gained a new

Today is a solemn day for those who call a radio newsroom home.  Nine years ago today I was on the early shift (in Hawaii) when the World Trade Center was hit by aircraft, re- sulting in the loss of approximately 3,000 lives. From that day forward, nothing in this nation remained unchanged.  I'll leave the diatribes and finger pointing to others, but to me, the event reinforced the need to be prepared, both in protecting our communities and in keeping amateur radio communications intact.  Since that awful day almost a decade ago, I've tried to have backup plans in place for the shack-- reserve power, spare rigs, extra wire, tools, and reference material. I've also kept a supply of food, medical supplies, fuel for the car, and money on hand just in case the integrated society we inhabit comes apart.  Preparation, training, and a positive attitude can go a long way in maintaining your sanity in a world that appears to have lost all reason and a sense of re

As Labor Day winds down, yours truly will be securing the radio station news room and preparing for the coastal drive to the qth in Laupahoehoe.  The weekend was busy, with the usual parades, holiday events, and the drag races at the Hilo Drag Strip.  I'm the tower announcer for the races, an enjoyable diversion from the usual gloom and doom of the news cycle.  When I get back to the shack, I'll finish the Novice Antenna Handbook by the late Lew McCoy.  The book is a useful primer for those of us who want to erect simple, yet effective antennas at minimum cost.  On my postage stamp sized rural lot, I've erected several of his proven designs.  Currently, I'm using an under the house 40-meter loop (great for local nets) and a modified vertical, using one vertical element and one elevated counterpoise. The system is fed with 300-ohm twin lead through a 1:4 balun for 40 to 10 meter coverage.  Nothing fancy, but it does work from my Central Pacific location. 

The ole Kenwood 520 is just about ready for a full rollout after some minor cleanup procedures.  I was lucky to acquire the rig from a deceased Hilo ham, who kept his equipment clean and maintained.  All I have to do is replace the 2001 finals with some 6146Bs I in the tube drawer.  The original finals are alright for now, but they are a bit soft.  I've run the 520 at low power and it behaved well.  Even my homebrew ac power cord seemed to work.  I was able to get a new replacement from K4EEA just in case my kludge fails along the way.  Presently, I'm re- reading Lew McCoy's "Novice Antenna Book", something I picked up many years ago.  The book is full of simple, work- able antennas that will get you started on your amateur radio adventure.  McCoy, now SK, writes in a friendly, straight- forward way.  I've tried several of his designs and they work well.  Materials for these antennas can be obtained from the nearest hardware store at modest cos

Keeping with my underlying theme of operatng an amateur radio station with a minimum of cost, I'm continuing to bring an old Kenwood 520 back to life.  I'm indebted to Ken, K4EAA, for his informative website. He has given me plenty of helpful hints in restoring this classic hybrid rig.  The new 12BY7 driver is working well and my self-constructed ac power cord seems to be holding its own.  I ordered a PC-2 cord from Ken just in case my stubby fingers ruining the soldering job on the 12-pin con- nector. The rig runs well after blowing out the dust and spraying the switches with de-oxit contact cleaner.  Al- though the 2001 finals are a bit soft, I can get out a more than adequate 60 watts.  Since I tend to run rigs at qrp levels, the slightly lower output doesn't present an immedi- ate problem.  I have a spare set of 6146Bs in the tube cabinet.  While my minor tune-up was thankfully easy, I enjoyed getting inside the rig and doing a few things for myself.  I

Inventory, restocking, and repairs continue at the Laupahoehoe qth.   With the economy being so fragile these days, I'm monitoring the financial "empire" more closely than I once did.  I have a few long term projects on the burner (new rig, for example), but, for now, I'm making due with what I have.  As mentioned earlier, I acquired a well-cared for Kenwood 520 from the family of a recently deceased Hilo amateur.  With the acquisition of a new power cord (thanks to K4EAA) and a new 12BY7A driver tube, the grand ole rig is just about ready to put on the air.  The rig tunes up well into the dummy load, albeit the original 2001 final tubes are a bit "soft".  I ordered the PC-2 power cord before I found a 12-prong plug in the junk box.  At least I have a spare. A trip to the local hardware store will provide whatever wire, nuts, bolts, clamps, and other items the junk box now lacks. I'll wrap up the weekend with a clean-up of the Swan 100-MX a

Anticipating more economic chaos ahead, I'm well on my way to assembling a backup station, spare parts, and assorted tools to tide me over in case my main rig goes to the big ground plane in the sky.  The ole Swan 100- MX is holding its own, but one never knows when some non-obtainable part gives up the ghost. So, I'm cleaning up a Kenwood 520 the family of a Hawaii ham who went SK a while back.  The rig is is pretty good shape.  I've ordered a spare power cord, alignment tools, and a spare 12BY7A driver turbe.  The original 2001 finals are still serviceable.  I have a few spare 6146Bs in the "tube" bin in the event the old tubes die.  My standby Yaesu FT-7 QRP rig (10 watts) is in excellent shape after I cleaned it up and got the oxide off switches, etc.  My collection of coax feedline, 450-ohm twin lead, and assorted lenghts of #16 antenna wire is adequate to build several antennas. Along with my solar panels, deep cycle batteries, and a trusty

One of the things I've been looking for in this tight economy is a good, reliable back-up rig that could be used while I repair my other two "ancient" rigs (Swan 100-MX and Yaesu FT-7).  One of my fellow broadcasters across town dropped off an old Kenwood 520 that once belonged to his wife's father, a Hilo ham that died a few years ago.  Using a temporary hook-up, I found the old rig is in excellent shape.  The original finals are a bit soft, but can still put out 50-60 watts on 20 meters.  The rig came with the MC-50 mic and a Heathkit power/swr meter.  All told, an excellent acquisition.  I'm looking for the 12- prong ac plug and cord.  If you have one, let me know at kh6jrm@gmail.com or at kh6jrm@arrl.net .  Right now, I'm running the old 520 with a jury rigged set up. I'll let you know how my back-up station is developing.  With the economy being like it is, a new rig is out of the question for now.  While I'm restoring the 520, t

Maintaining your amateur radio hobby during this time of recession can be challenge, especially when un- employment and furloughs loom over many of us. What I'm doing to maintain the hobby is not for everyone, but my approach enables me to enjoy amatuer radio while keeping the family ship afloat. Once I get the bills paid and cover monthly ex- penses, I still have a little left over for heating the atmosphere with rf.  I'm putting off getting a new rig and instead I'm keeping the older equipment repaired and operational.  I'm also working more with home-brew antennas to cut costs.  Just keep an eye out for surplus wire, pvc pipe, and cast off RG-6 from cable installations.   Even old RG-58 and RG-8 can be used for something.  The old braid has several uses as well as the basic copper inner wire which can be used for radials.  Since this recession will be run- ning for awhile, I will defer most purchases in favor of learning to do with less.  Yes, I rea

How will you keep your amateur radio station alive and active during this time of economic distress?  Even a cursory reading of the business media indicates that "experts" believe the nation's economy is battered and won't really be in decent shape for more years.  The reality is the U.S. economy is broken.  So, how do you keep everything afloat, assuming you are still working?  I can only speak for myself, so take everything I say with the proverbial "grain of salt".  I've had to live with a budget for many years and know how difficult it is to have necessities with so many "nice to have" temptations around us every day.  Once I take care of my immediate family needs and the usual run of bills, I can turn my attention to my favority hobby.  I've had to put off purchases, repair the older rigs, and build a lot of my antennas when it would have been a lot easier to plunk down the plastic and worry about the cost later.  This f

The Homebrew vertical "antenna farm" is doing well at the Laupahoehoe QTH.  The most recent project is a nearly out of sight vertical helix that works well on 40 and 15 meters.  I had a 10' piece of schedule 40 PVC pipe under the house which I pressed into service this week for an easy-up antenna.  I wound 66' of number 22-gauge hook- up wire around the mast in a helix configuation and topped it off with an 18" stinger for some top loading.  A 3' to 6' capacity hat would probably be more helpful in raising antenna efficiency, but I opted in favor of the single wire on top.  I strung out eight 10' foot radials and attached the creation to some RG-6 I had on hand.  I fed this into the Drake MN-4 ATU.  The Drake handled the mismatch and the Swan 100 MX seemed happy with the arrangement.  The bandwidth is quite narrow, but retuning is no problem.  This antenna might be of interest to those of you bothered by nosey neighbors or for those ne

Happy 4th of July to everyone. How about a simple, almost free antenna for your back yard?  This antenna is not original, but it does a pretty decent job on 40 m through 10 m with a an ATU or plays well on 40/15 m with ordinary coax.  While I was cleaning up an old MFJ 33'fiberglass mast in the back yard, I attached a 33' piece of #14 gauge wire to the fully extended mast, cut 6, 33' of old #22 gauge wire for radials, and attached the wires to an old Budwig connector.  I ran some RG-8 I had in the shack to my Drake MN-4.  A 3'\ piece of RG-8 ran from the MN-4 to the Swan 100 MX. Nothing fancy.  But I had fun running some contacts on 40- meters.  Fifteen meters was a bit dead early this morning, so I won't try that band until later today.  Even with 10-15 watts out, I had a lot of fun getting some cw done on the lower 25 kHz of 40 meters.  I just did this on a whim and had fun in the process. I hope you have a good and safe holiday. 73 de KH6JRM.