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Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Discussion in 'Sports, Hobbies & Interests' started by The Traveler, Jan 29, 2013.

  1. Mar 11, 2020 at 7:31 AM
    #6941
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    For sure. 100%

    The original topic was just how to have an rf ground coming off a bracket if you didn't trust the bolted connection, and how do you know that there's an rf connection there.

    Simply put, if it antennas better, there must be a sufficient connection. No need to go for the perfect one, I'm with you on that.

    Yup. I keep coming across literature that instead of taking two separate wires and twisting them together, they fold it over and twist. I should have reworded my question as is there any benefit to it.
     
  2. Mar 11, 2020 at 7:41 AM
    #6942
    DaveInDenver

    DaveInDenver Not Actually in Denver

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    Unexceptional
    That sounds like a fairly typical construction technique. Start with one very long piece of magnet wire that you fold hard at what will become point 1 and then twist enough to make wraps 1 and 2, leaving one long and one short tail. The short tail hanging out becomes the center conductor on the SO239. The long tail continues wrapping to make turns 3 through 14 and becomes the long wire feedpoint. You go back, nick, strip and tin where you folded the wires to make the common. You could wrap a string around the cores to measure how much length needs to be twisted. Or wrap the twisted length backward, the underside of winding 2 as your starting point.

    BTW, when I refer to wraps 1 and 2 it's from your graphic since WA7ARK appears to have used 3 primary windings on the core and 21 secondary.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2020
  3. Mar 11, 2020 at 7:48 AM
    #6943
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    Yes.

    Was just wonder if in reality there's a difference between a set up that's folded vs one that's soldered together.

    I assume not. But I figured in passing curiosity I'd ask.
     
  4. Mar 11, 2020 at 7:51 AM
    #6944
    DaveInDenver

    DaveInDenver Not Actually in Denver

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    You could leave a loop instead of folding it. Burn off some enamel and just put the loop under the common screw head, if that's what you're thinking. There's no difference electrically, just mechanically. Soldering on a ring terminal might be slightly more robust is about all that comes to mind. You'll need an exposed section of bare wire for the cap lead, too.
     
  5. Mar 11, 2020 at 7:55 AM
    #6945
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    Yeah that's how I have my other one set up, is with a ring terminal. I've got a smaller one being set up for qrp and the wire broke while winding it right at the fold. That's what sparked the whole "I wonder" spin. Lol
     
  6. Mar 11, 2020 at 7:57 AM
    #6946
    DaveInDenver

    DaveInDenver Not Actually in Denver

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    You're correct, won't matter as long as you keep the construction tidy.
     
  7. Mar 11, 2020 at 7:58 AM
    #6947
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    @DaveInDenver I think the plan is this spring to go out and test a whole bunch of antennas on the mtn top just for kicks and giggles and to see how our handle built antennas really match up. Both at 100w and qrp. Should be fun.
     
    krandolp, ETsemaj and DaveInDenver like this.
  8. Mar 12, 2020 at 5:42 PM
    #6948
    foy1der

    foy1der Well-Known Member

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    I like fun. I make antennas.
     
  9. Mar 13, 2020 at 4:59 AM
    #6949
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    Could set the pole up....

    MVIMG_20200126_085206.jpg
     
  10. Mar 13, 2020 at 5:11 AM
    #6950
    golfindia

    golfindia Well-Known Member

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    Yes.
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    Is that ice?

    F- that.
     
    Kheiron likes this.
  11. Mar 13, 2020 at 5:14 AM
    #6951
    medic2230

    medic2230 @Koditten Pirate Radio member #002

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    I think that’s a frozen lake.
     
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  12. Mar 13, 2020 at 5:18 AM
    #6952
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    Yep. Super easy to set up. Popped a couple ice anchors, guy lined them up, had a pulpy set up for the antennas.

    Maybe 15 minutes to set up Tim once I got everything over there and unpacked? With a second and set of hands of course.

    @foy1der
     
  13. Mar 13, 2020 at 5:49 AM
    #6953
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    Haha not anymore. Been having 60* days up here
     
  14. Mar 13, 2020 at 6:47 AM
    #6954
    k8md

    k8md Well-Known Member

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    This is why I love Ohio NVIS day. We typically setup 4-ish antennas with an antenna switch on one rig. Every contact we will switch through the antennas and ask for a signal report and ask the other station to rank the antennas and let us know which was best. We keep a log of it all. Testing NVIS primarily on 40m and 80m.

    Turnstile dipole is usually the big winner. Although an 80m full wave horizontal loop does just a little better, it's more complex to setup portable.
     
  15. Mar 13, 2020 at 4:04 PM
    #6955
    foy1der

    foy1der Well-Known Member

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    What a damn fun weekend
     
    m603holden and medic2230[QUOTED] like this.
  16. Mar 13, 2020 at 4:22 PM
    #6956
    golfindia

    golfindia Well-Known Member

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    I've never seen a frozen lake in person. And I don't want to.
     
    Hemibee and m603holden like this.
  17. Mar 13, 2020 at 4:46 PM
    #6957
    AStinkyBumb

    AStinkyBumb Well-Known Member

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    Indiana
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    Cheapest route is the mag mount but I, like you, didn't want a mag mount because I enjoy my paint too much.

    Nagoya RB-700N Heavy Duty NMO Lip Mount , NMO antenna I got a nice 1/4 wave because parking garage life, then a SMA male to SO-239 adapter like one of these

    I have the antenna mounted on my hood, driver side. Then I have my Radio mounted to my dash via ram ball mount and custom tray.
    [​IMG]
     
  18. Mar 13, 2020 at 6:03 PM
    #6958
    golfindia

    golfindia Well-Known Member

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    Yes.
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    Hood lipmount here too.

    Diamond SG7900 and diamond K400 mount.

    No RF exposure lessons thanks. I never use more power than necessary to complete communication.

    20200313_205925.jpg
    20200313_205916.jpg
     
    czach, tex.proud and m603holden like this.
  19. Mar 13, 2020 at 6:08 PM
    #6959
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    @foy1der Merrill calls that his ______ curve for 500.....
     
  20. Mar 13, 2020 at 6:09 PM
    #6960
    m603holden

    m603holden @Koditten Pirate Radio member #063

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    It's a blast when there's water, frozen water, and 4 more inches of water on top of that frozen water.


    But hey, they got a satellite pass!
     

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