[HCARC] FIELD DAY

[Gary J - N5BAA]

Lew,

Over time I have become the repository of all things Ham Radio related from Gale Heise.  I have 5 gallon buckets of U-bolts, clamps, insulators, a pile of aluminum tubing, and a couple of beam antennas (Butternut Butterfly Beams – smaller but effective), etc, destined at some point for use either in Field Day, or to help out other Hams, especially newly licensed Techs.  That said, before you march out to purchase these items, a simple phone call may procure them for FREE.  They may not match what you have perfectly, but once installed 30 feet up in a tree or on a mast it surely is hard to tell the shape, color, etc.   One day I should take a large white sheet and spread it out on a table and arrange the parts for a photo to distribute to club members so they can look over the inventory.  We have managed from the pieces parts and tubing to construct 3 vertical antennas including a Hustler 4BTV.  Again – the price is the best in town – FREE with no sales tax or shipping.  And again – don’t thank me – thank our benefactor Gale Heise.  I am just the repository.

BTW, I am looking for someone to take a look at one of the Butternut beams (using the assembly instructions) to verify it’s completeness and suitability for use this coming Field Day.

As for the loop – the website on Full Wave Loop Skywire indicates that 574 feet or 560 feet are the two best lengths for a loop that is at least 25 feet high which should be a piece of cake to achieve.  The website indicates that the resonant points are as follows:

The formula for a calculating the length of a full wave loop antenna is: Length (feet) = 1005/f MHz. 


  a.. 544' is comfortably resonant at 1.847kHz, 3.694kHz, 7.389kHz, 14.779kHz and 29.558kHz. Not an optimal length. 
  b.. 560' is comfortably resonant at 1.794kHz, 3.589kHz, 7.178kHz, 14.357kHz and 28.714kHz. Not an optimal length. 
  c.. 565' is comfortably resonant at 1.778kHz, 3.557kHz, 7.115kHz, 14.230kHz and 28.460kHz. Still a little short. 
  d.. 574' is comfortably resonant at 1.750kHz, 3.5kHz, 7.00kHz, 14.000kHz and 28.000kHz
Here is the website referenced:  http://n1su.com/loop.html.  I do not know if the wire used was insulated or bare.  I assume the velocity factor difference would come into play for antenna lengths.  I think I will email N1SU and ask. 


My RigExpert antenna analyzer can screen for all the resonant points at one time so checking it out should be relatively easy.

Gary J
N5BAA