Posts

DELTA Loop. Post #1089.

Image
If you can't view this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD9CU4c_KNY. Here's another simple antenna that can be used at your home station or in portable or emergency operations, such as the upcoming 2017 ARRL Field Day on 24-25 June 2017.  Simon (M0YKS/2E0HTS) uses a simple 20 meter delta loop, vertically polarized , along with an automatic antenna "tuner" to cover the 20 m, 17 m, 15 m, 12 m, and 10 meter amateur radio bands . Simon says he also uses the antenna on 40 meters.  I see his daughter, Martha, is serving as backup operator at Simon's station.  A nice, pleasant, "laid back" video that gets the message across simply and accurately.  I've used delta loops for several years. They are easy to build and fairly quiet. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these sites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bi

Random Wire Antenna Lengths. Post #1088.

Image
Random Wire Antenna Lengths (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=30714). Author:  www.dxzone.com. Please click link or enter title URL into your browser search box to read the full article. Comment: A properly designed random wire antenna used in conjunction with a good ground radial or counterpoise system and a wide-range "tuner" can make an excellent HF multiband antenna for portable or emergency use. In this well-written article, we learn how to choose the optimal lengths for multiband operation.  The author supplies several helpful programs to get you started as well as excellent graphic presentations of the lengths you should avoid. The basic guidelines are simple: Make your random wire antenna at least 1/4 wavelength for each band you plan to use. Be sure to complete the antenna system with a ground radial or counterpoise system. Be prepared to use a wide-range antenna '"tuner" if you want multiband capability.  The anten

HF Ham Radio Random Wire Portable Antenna Back Yard Test. Post #1087.

Image
If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U44aXzD2LB4. HF random wire antennas can work very well as portable or emergency antennas if you pay attention to some of their limitations.  In this video, WD0AKX experiments with a random length antenna in his back yard.  Coupled with the internal antenna "tuner" of his Elecraft KX3 and a simple ground radial system, he found the easily made wire antenna produced several good contacts. WD0AKX supplies a few helpful links, including one which suggests workable antenna lengths for random wires (http://udel.edu/~mm/ham/randomWire/). For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com. http://www.kh6jrm.info (breaking news for radio amateurs). Other sites of interest: http://hawaiisciencedigest.com (scienc

IoTuesday: WiFi Maximizer with DIY Yagi-Uda Antenna. Post #1086.

Image
IoTuesday: WiFi Maximizer with DIY Yagi-Uda Antenna (https://www.sparkfun.com/news/2342). Accessed on 30 March 2017, 20:10 hrs, UTC . Author:  ShawnHymel. Please click link or enter title URL into your browser search box to read the full article. Comment: The www.sparkfun.com website is a fascinating place for electronics experimenters.  In this article, we see how a few simple parts and scrap material can be used to create a 2.4 Ghz antenna for boosting the signal of your IoT (Internet of Things) devices in your home or ham shack .  This simple antenna can also be used for "fox hunting" and other RF direction finding events.  The antenna exhibits a real world gain of about 6 dBi, making it a worthwhile addition to your shack's equipment.  The article is supported with appropriate photos and graphs. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please check out these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https

Compact Multi-band Field Day Antenna. Post #1085.

Image
Compact Multi-band Field Day Antenna (http://www.nc4fb.org/wordpress/compact-multiband-field-day-antenna-80-10-meters/). Accessed on 29 March 2017, 23:25 hrs, UTC . Author:  NC4FB. Please click link or enter title URL into your browser search box to read the full article. Comment: As the ARRL 2017 Field Day approaches (24-25 June 2017), I'll be sharing some of the fascinating portable antennas that could be used during this nation-wide emergency communications exercise.  Thousands of radio amateurs in the United States and Canada will be searching for contacts using portable and emergency ham radio stations.  A key element of this exercise is the antenna, which can take a variety of forms, depending on the location and materials available. In this article from NC4FB, we learn about a simple, easily-constructed multiband HF antenna that will serve you well on several amateur radio bands. NC4FB patterns this antenna after an original design from G7FEK.  According to N