[HCARC] Yesterdays presentation on Antennas Power Spapabear at deercreekcamp.comystems and Radio Station

[k5hab at arrl.net]

Antennas, Power and Radio Station

Yesterday at the Medina Radio Club meeting I had on display some of what I use for my Field Day and Search and Rescue operations to try to answer various questions I had received regarding  antennas, back up power systems and radio set ups 

ANTENNA  Your Antenna is everything. This is where you start. Without a good antenna you might as well go home.

HF
I had my H50 Rohn 50 foot metal push up poll.  It goes up 43 foot. It can be purchased in Plano for less than $200. http://www.texastowers.com/h50.htm <http://www.texastowers.com/h50.htm>
With it I had ropes and stakes to secure the poll and a base plate. 
A Tee Pee 20 - 40 fan dipole.  Easy to build or buy and very efficient. See attached
G5RVs, off center fead dipoles, end feed dipoles do not get it. Do not waste your time and effort.
It requires a 6 foot ladder to erect the poll.

Lots of coax, 100s of feet 
RX8X is the thin flexible high loss coax - about 3.6 db 100’ on two meters.
213 is thicker and less lossy. This is the coax i use in my station. 
The next step up is LMR-400 for a serious VHF station. I use The Wireman’s (800) 727-WIRE more flexible version of LRM-400 - about 2.4 db 150 ft 2 meters
We learned how to use the MFJ 259B Antenna Analyzer to test the the coax loss. We tested  every coax we had before we used it
We were careful to leave a loop where the coax connects to the antenna so it would not stress the PL 259 connector. 
We were careful to not twist or step on or pull on the coax. I try to treat it like my best dress jacket.

VHF
I brought out two different stands that I use. One, a bar that plugs into my Van and the other a construction stand. I displayed about 15 four foot Aluminum tubing mast sections - military.
These can be purchased on line or hamfests. Do not buy plastic. 

I use a Cushcraft Ringo AR-2 2meter vertical for VHF.

We erected the Ringo about 20 feet up and put the MFJ 259 antenna analyzer on it to check to see if it was resonate, X=0 or as close a you can get. You do not care about SWR.  Remember a dummy load has a 1:1 SWR.  The Ringo was tuned to 155, not our 146.  Sure enough X=0 at 155.  We then looked at R.  R was 55.  Radios like to see close to 50 ohms. Then we happened to glance at SWR and it was 1:1.  We needed to retune or make the antenna longer so it would be tuned on 146 unless we were going to operate on the fire department channel.

I showed an 8 foot ground rod with polyphasers and braided ground strap on it’s top.

Power
I had a Honda 2000ie generator. The current model is a 2200ie   I purchased my Honda from Mayberrys (800) 696-1745.  He is a ham and has advertised in QST for 20 years.  I had a plywood panel to place the generator on to keep it out of the dirt. 
I really like the inverter technology generators because they do not need to run at 1800 or 3600 RPM so they do not wear themselves out, use a lot of fuel or make noise. 
Dollar for dollar you get more from a Honda.
It was propane powered with a Hutch Mountain 435-494-1975 propane conversion.
I had a heavy duty AC power cords to get the generator away from the operating position.
I showed a Power Werx SS30DV  power supply, purchase from HRO or Elecraft
Batteries - deep cycle only - with amp hour AH ratings.  It may say deep cycle on the side but No AH rating no deep cycle.
Over ninety percent of batteries die because they are over charged.  You can blow up a battery with a 2 amp Battery Tender. 
I use a product called Battery Minder 128CEC1 8 amp charger.  
Flooded or AGM batteries do not like to be discharged more that 50%.  It will shorten their lives. The only way to tell when you get to 50% is with a battery monitor.  The best source for battery in formation is Battery University. Isidor Buchmann is the expert.
https://batteryuniversity.com
I brought a 12v deep cycle battery in a plastic case with cable and fuse and Anderson Power Poll.
I also brought two six volt golf cart batteries on a furniture dolly in plastic cases with a battery monitor and fused rig runner installed.
Everything 12volt had Anderson Power Pole connectors. Be careful of Chinese copies.
Noting smaller than 12 gauge wire. 8 gauge works.  Lots of fuses, distribution connectors and cables. 
West Mountain rig runners for fused Anderson power poll power distribution.
I brought three West Mountain PWRgate including the new Epic which has a solar controller built in.  These will switch automatically from your power supply to your batteries.
I use the PWRgate PG40s for my station currently.

I had various solar panels for demo purposes only.  You need at least a 100 watt panel as a place to start. Anything smaller is just for show. I had an amp meters for demo.

STATION

Table and chairs
LED desk lamps
paper pencils pens log books
fans
Elecraft K3S. If you are going to Field Day, where other radios we be present, you need a K3. Good used K3s can be purchase for as little as $1,200
An Icom IC-2300 2 meter transceiver, I brought an IC-2100 which can be purchased for $50.
A logging computer connected to the K3S. 
Numerous headsets, speakers, cables and adapters.
I did not bring a canopy or tent or ac, but you may want them.
I had bags of cables and connectors and test meters and tools and soldering irons. Whatever can break will.
Spare radios, antennas, switches and on and on are a good idea.
Lots of coffee.
Spare parts for your fun meter.

Let me be clear: There are many ways to do this with many options.  I have tried most of them. That is why I do it the way I do. I have already made those mistake.  Can you do it for less money - yes. Will it work (With Out Real Knowledge) probably not. You will end up spending more money because you will learn what I have learned and have to sell what you saved money on to do it correctly.

Three of the things I was trying to get across were:
How easy it is to erect a real resonate antenna.  As part of that how to use an MFJ 259B or C antenna analyzer to check coax and see if the antenna is resonate. X = 0
How to set up a real off grid power system.  The radios you need. 
If you do it correctly you will be amazed by how well it will work and how much fun you will have.
Thanks for your time. Call with questions
Peter
Medina Raio Club
Technical Coordinator, South Texas Section ARRL
505-610-7800