[CVCC] Improve your wire antennas!

[H. M. Motley Jr.]

As you know, I use only wire antennas here. Recently I was fortunate to acquire some no. 14 insulated wire in various colors. I made up three identical 40 M extended double zepps, one green, one blue and one red. Extensive tests run over the past 12 months have generated a great deal of data which I have compiled today, the first anniversary of the beginning of these tests. Using my original bare copper wire antenna as the standard I have found that, by far, the red covered wire is the best choice in both near and far field measurements. The bare copper wire falls just above the blue wire, the yellow is next, and the red tops the chart. According to my measurements the red antenna has a gain of slightly better than .05 db gain over the bare wire. While this may not sound like much, in these days of low sun spot numbers every little bit helps. I've yet to complete a more in-depth study of why this amazing gain is achieved but the measured performance speaks for itself.

These test results are so encouraging that I will start offering to the general ham population my W4PM "Red Hot Radiators". Don't expect similar results from just any shade of red. Working with the wire supplier I have come across a shade which I call "RF RED". I have applied for a U.S. patent and expect it to be granted shortly. I expect the response will be so great that I have put a small payment down on a currently uninhabited Carribean Island where I will spend the rest of my days living on the profits from this enterprise. I look forward to lying in my hammock under the palm trees sipping on my favorite beverage while operating CW from a QRP rig into an array of these red antennas.

Keep checking on Google for my new "Red Hot Radiator" web page. Of course CVCC members will receive a 25% discount on purchase of these outstanding antennas.

Happy April 1 to all,

Puck, W4PM