[Hallicrafters] Antenna issues and such

[Bob Macklin]

Carl comments:
"As close as possible only works in horseshoes and hand grenades."

AND NUKES!

Bob Macklin
K5MYJ
Kent (Seattle), Wa,
"Real Radios Glow in the Dark"



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carl" <km1h at jeremy.mv.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 4:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Antenna issues and such


> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Everette" <radiocompass at yahoo.com>
> To: "rbethman" <rbethman at comcast.net>; <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>; 
> "Carl" <km1h at jeremy.mv.com>
> Cc: "Jim Brannigan" <jbrannig at optonline.net>
> Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 6:15 PM
> Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Antenna issues and such
> 
> 
> > All right...
> >
> > If you have read my posts, you will note that I didn't say it only had 
> > to be done one way.  I said there is a right way to do things.
> 
> 
> And you insulted anyone that did something else.
> 
> 
> >
> > If you do things that fly in the face of the fundamental laws of 
> > electricity and physics, I said, they may have unintended consequences 
> > that are not good; and those who do so proceed at their risk.  With 
> > proper understanding and a sound knowledge base, you can take "the 
> > ideal" and adapt it to your circumstances.  That's what 
> > experimentation is about.  That's how you learn.
> 
> 
> Thank you teacher
> 
> 
> >
> > But holding pseudoscience, urban legend, wishful thinking, etc up as 
> > something that can be counted upon... that's not good.
> 
> Agree
> 
> 
> >
> > Now, I have worked some pretty good DX on 6 meters using about 5 feet 
> > of clip leads stuck in the coax connector of an FM rig, when I 
> > observed a phenomenal band opening one afternoon while the radio was 
> > on the workbench away from a "proper" antenna.  I have worked over 
> > 2000 miles on 2 meters using a ground plane made from an SO-239 and 
> > five pieces of coathanger wire.  But the antenna theory here was 
> > actually sound; a quarter wave, fed at a low impedance point by a 
> > low-impedance source.
> 
> 
> Anything will radiate a signal and if the band is hot you will work 
> somebody.
> 
> 
> >
> > I have built a superheterodyne receiver on a breadboard, using 
> > cardboard tubing for coil forms, and even made my own resistors using 
> > carbon from batteries stuffed into ditchbank reeds' and a similar 
> > transmitter with the VFO tank stuffed into a coffee can (which makes a 
> > pretty darn fine enclosure), and Coke bottles for insulators.  It 
> > worked pretty well, even loading a single-wire-fed Windom that was 
> > more-or-less a half wave long on 40 meters, about 15 feet off the 
> > ground.  It even worked quite a few Europeans.
> 
> 
> Whatever turns you on I guess
> 
> 
> 
> >
> > But when I tried loading a half wave dipole on the even harmonics, 
> > using ANY transmitter, I found out that it does not do so well.  Not 
> > well at all.  I made a contact or two but they were few and far 
> > between; and it was frustrating.  Why?  I did some studying.  I did 
> > some experimenting.  I've built, used and learned from a LOT of HF 
> > antennas, both fixed and mobile.  And I'll tell you a secret.
> >
> > The experts  -- those JERKS (?) -- have it right.  That stuff in all 
> > those books is true.
> 
> 
> I wasnt refering to the experts
> 
> 
> 
> >
> > It does not HAVE to be perfect; but you do need to try to conform to 
> > the science as close as possible if you want decent results.
> 
> 
> As close as possible only works in horseshoes and hand grenades.
> 
> 
> 
> >
> > In an emergency, or if you are being chased by the Gestapo, Kempeitai 
> > or KGB,  you do whatever you can with whatever you have, however you 
> > can do it.  No argument there.  ANY RF out in such circumstances is 
> > better than nothing.
> >
> > Now I really have said all I'm going to say.  Please take your flame 
> > throwers back to eHam.net !
> 
> 
> Never been there, sounds like you have experience with it.
> 
> 
> >
> > In conclusion, I would also encourage you to obtain a copy of "A 
> > Course in Radio Fundamentals" or "Understanding Amateur Radio," both 
> > by George Grammer (yeah, he's one of them EEEE-vill ARRL folks) and do 
> > some reading, and experimenting.  You might enjoy it.
> 
> 
> Those came along 20 years after I was licensed. I preferred reading his 
> actual articles in the 30's and 40's QST's I bought by the year in old 
> book stores in the 50's.
> 
> Starting off homebrewing a 4 tube regen at 13, Novice at 15 and 55 years 
> later Im still building.
> Getting a MSEE has helped me understand how much I can deviate from the 
> gospel without sacrificing too much performance.
> 
> 
> >
> > And yes, I would be hard put to understand how the US Military is 
> > using trees for antennas.  Sounds a lot like pseudoscience.  But I'd 
> > like to know more about it.  Please send me a link or two or three.
> 
> 
> Gee, I thought you understood about search engines. There has even been 
> write ups in your favorite rag, QST.
> 
> Carl
> KM1H
> 
> 
> 
> >
> > 73
> >
> > Mike
> > WA4DLF
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > 
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
>