[FARC] Adventurer

[Bob Moroney]

Kirk,
The Adventurer and other systems from that Trans World seem to be based 
on a feed-point coupler, similar to the SGC couplers, but optimized for 
the advertised bands and radiating elements.  That enables them to be 
smaller and more integrated with the radiating elements than an SGC 
coupler would be. 

The SGCs claim to (and do) permit tuning up a fixed length antenna from 
160 to 10 meters, and up to 6 meters for some models.  I'd bet you could 
get yourself an SGC 237, hook it up to some aluminum tubing configured 
in an "H" like the Adventurer, and get on the air on all the advertised 
Adventurer bands, plus 6m, no problem, for less money, and not have to 
"press/decompress the coils" to cover various parts of a band.

I still haven't gotten my 11/08 QST, but I did find a link to the QST 
review on the Trans World web site, and the write-up didn't actually 
seem (to me) to be at all negative.  The Adventurer is a lightweight, 
portable, 5-band HF antenna, a compromise by definition.  In that 
context, it seems like nicely-designed package.  Pricey to be sure, but 
you pay for the portability and integration (and hopefully build 
quality) it provides.  (And hopefully they're working out that "press 
the coils" if you want to work CW business...)

73, Bob K9CMR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kirk Talbott wrote:
> Yeah disconnect maybe, but the Buddipole gets rave reviews also but it 
> doesn't work too well, at least now at the bottom of the sunspot 
> cycle.  I think I can do 10 meters on the Buddipole when somebody from 
> Frederick County is on.   But when the sunspots come back then 
> anything metal, like a paper-clip or the oft-touted slinky attached to 
> the radio will supposedly work making the Buddipole and Adventurer 
> antennas more attractive.    But is this a fair evaluation of antenna 
> performance?
>
> The complete kit for the Adventurer including the carrying case and 
> quadrapod base is $549,  outrageously expensive for what it is, which 
> is more akin to a laundry accessory.  That's about what the Buddipole 
> cost me with shipping.  What's a trap dipole go for these days, $45 or 
> so?  STUPID STUPID STUPID!  Live and learn.
>
> 73
> KB3ONM
> Kirk
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Bob Moroney" <windbrkr at erols.com>
> Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 12:34 PM
> To: "Frederick, Maryland ARC" <farc at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [FARC] Adventurer
>
>> Kirk,
>>
>> My Nov. QST hasn't arrived yet - I guess they're still passing it 
>> around down at the Post Office.  Come to think of it, *every* issue 
>> of QST seems to arrive late, and the centerfold is *always* missing.  
>> (Of course, I just read it for the articles...)
>>
>> Anyway, that antenna gets top marks on Eham (28 reviews with an 
>> average rating of 5.0 out of 5.0), so that's an interesting disconnect.
>>
>> Let us know how you like it when you get it!  :-)
>>
>> 73, Bob K9CMR
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> Kirk Talbott wrote:
>>> Anyone tried the TransWorld "Adventurer" portable HF antenna 
>>> featured on page 79 November QST magazine? According to the article 
>>> it doesn't seem like a good performer and the price is pretty high.
>>>  73
>>> KB3ONM
>>> Kirk