[Hallicrafters] Getting on-the-air question.

[Roger(K8RI)]

> Hi Hallicraftersites,
>     First the news:  I got my dipole antenna up (70 ft. up)-

Congratulations

>I used  RG-8X for the feed line, I got my HT-37 recapped and operating,
and I
> just passed the General and Code tests.

And again, congratulations.

<snip stuff I've forgotten>

>     And finally,  ARRL and other handbooks say keep the ground wire as
> short as possible - I'm in the second story with a ground wire maybe 25
> ft. long.  The books say this could be a 1/2 wave radiator but don't
> say what to do about it.  Any suggestions - or just connect the ground
> to everything and go?

I'd ground everything and give it a try.  If you have a problem I'd cut
several more ground leads and make them different lengths.  Also some one
(MFJ I believe) sells an artifical ground that might help out.

Good Luck

Roger Halstead (K8RI, EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
N833R, World's Oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)
www.rogerhalstead.com