[Elecraft] K3 & S9 43' Vertical

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

The key there being 15m and a 12 foot tank whip, which is nearly resonant
and definitely not short for the frequency.  The cruel reality mostly comes
into play on the lower bands.  Also, it sounds as if your four radials were
elevated -- is that a correct read?  That would make your antenna a resonant
elevated ground plane antenna with resonant elevated radials.  That would be
a very efficient antenna without any of the afore-mentioned lossy
entanglements with ground or ghastly feedline mismatch issues.  I would say
you had very good advice from somewhere.

Physics is no respecter of kids.  On the other hand, kids are VERY capable
of doing really neat things if they have the right advice to start with.
 When I was in my middle teens, smartest ham around (not me for sure) was an
eighth grader.  Wisest ham around was the chief engineer at WCTT.  Two of
them together very formidable.  Last I heard on the rumor circuit, maybe
twenty years ago, the kid had grown up to be an IEEE Fellow or something
like that.

Kids don't need to be fed inefficient over-simplifications because their
brains aren't developed.  Tell a kid the right stuff and the next thing you
know he's beating you out in the pileups.  Been there, had that done to me.
 BIG thrill for the kid to beat out the old man in a pileup. Hear about it
for the next decade.

73, Guy.

On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 12:34 PM, <k6rb at baymoon.com> wrote:

> My first vertical was a 12 foot length of army tank whip (4, 3-foot
> sections) u-bolted to a 12 foot length of 2x2 pine, attached to the side
> of an enclosed patio in my backyard. The radials were four, 1/4-wave for
> 15 m wires at what was supposed to be 90 degrees to apart. It was fed with
> 50 feet of RG-59U and driven by a Viking Adventurer. So, with about 25
> watts out, and the benefit of Cycle 19, K2UMU worked all over EU on 15m
> CW. I agree with Phil - we can't always be "purists," especially when one
> is 11 years old and in 7th grade.
>
> Rob K6RB
>
> > "If you CAN'T do radials right, DON'T do grounded verticals.  As simple
> as
> > that."
> >
> > I disagree.  Licensed in 1964 at 15, I operated with a 4BTV through high
> > school and college with just a ground rod.  I didn't know any better, but
> > had lots of fun - even with a Knightkit T60 transmitter.  Was it
> > efficient?  Nope.  But I sure enjoyed the hobby during that time.  Of
> > course, I later learned that I could have had even MORE fun if I'd had
> > radials.
> >
> > Phil - AD5X
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >
> >
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>