[GreenKeys] OT. Antenna materials

[Jeffrey D Angus]

On 11/30/2013 10:15 PM, WA5CAB at cs.com wrote:
> I was just about to write the same thing WRT the adhesive tape.
> If you wrap it around and around the dowel, you'd have to have a
> bit of overlap and even then you are at the mercy of how good a
> conductor the adhesive is (probably not good at all).  Using thin
> wall brass tubing would be a better idea, as Jeff suggests.
Here's an excellent source of it.
<http://www.ebay.com/itm/331057652528>
5 pieces of 1/8" diameter x 36" long brass tubing for under $17.

This is the classic "cheap and dirty" 1/4-wave antenna.
<http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3380705199_e6f4b71366.jpg>

The magic number is 19". You can get better results by fine tuning the
lengths, but just "chop it at 19 inches" works well enough.

You can make something similar with the brass tubing . As long as
the balloon is airborne, It will transmit quite well hanging upside
down underneath it.

Even stabbed into the ground a bit, after landing, you should be
able to hear a reasonable signal if you're close to it. And if it gets
stuck in a tree, all the better to locate it.

While you're at it, look into "fox hunting." The techniques for
locating "hidden" transmitters for sport or locating jammers.

Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi


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