[Elecraft] Unusual antennas - Far OT trivia

[Ken Kopp]

When we moved here to the outback of SW Montana 30 years
ago it was very common to see wire rhombics hanging from
lodgepole pine poles in barn yards, pastures, etc. They were 
for reception of distant TV stations.  I still see one now and 
then.  Several manufactures of preamps, antennas, etc. supplied
booklets about antennas and techniques to better receive distant 
TV and FM stations.  I still have several.

Rhombics were sometimes used on hilltops to drive translators 
serving nearby valleys and the translators are often housed in
freezers or refrigerators.  Today they're sometimes solar powered.

Sheep-herder wagons today have solar panels, satelliteTV and 
cell phones .... and rubber tires.

Another somewhat uncommon technique was to place a high gain 
yagi atop a hill/mountain and connect it via coax to another yagi 
pointed downhill to a ranch or town.  I know of one 6 gHz microwave 
hop here that uses two 8' dishes coupled together with waveguide to 
"bend" the signal around a hill. (:-))

The cable distribution sysytem for Estes Park, CO was at one time 
carried entirely on 1" spaced open wire.

Ken Kopp - K0PP
k0pp at acninc.net
or
k0pp at arrl.net