[KL7AA] Getting Started on HF - Looking for Antennas

[Adam Booth]

First of all, I want to apologize to the list users, I did not realize my
webmail client was not preserving paragraphs and proper spacing, so I
apologize for the hard to read emails I sent earlier.  I am hoping that this
one works a bit better.  I have also responded to some of you individually
off-list to avoid cluttering the list.

Jim,

Thank you SO very much for your detailed reply, you have no idea how much I
appreciate your help.  I am pretty sure you were the gentleman who helped me
with my initial questions while I was preparing to earn my ticket.

I have gotten a lot of feedback about antennas and I think the way to go for
now is to learn by building my own.  I am interested in building my own
Buddipole as KL0AR suggested and I also have a W2AU balun with about 62-66
feet of wire on each end making it (I think?) a 40M antenna which was given
to me by another gentleman whose friend is now a silent key.  I also have a
Budwig HQ-1 that I might wind up in the next few days and try making a 20M
dipole, thankfully my rig is portable and battery-operated so I can get
outside and find a multitude of places to set up an antenna.  I don't think
I will look into manufactured antennas until I know much more about antennas
and how they work.

Thank you for also explaining propagation and when bands 'open'.  I had a
general idea of how it worked and what to look for, but now you have pointed
me in the right direction to learn as much as I need.

I would still like to obtain an SWR meter and perhaps a tuner as well if I
am going to be making my own antennas.

As for my rig, AL7FS replied and said I should get away from the QRP rig
starting out (the FT-817 only puts out 5W) so I do not get frustrated and
quit.  I have wanted to get into ham radio for many years but it was always
so cost-prohibitive.  As I am still young and don't have kids yet, I do have
a bit more disposable income but I still struggle with being able to afford
gear.  I am considering selling my FT-817 and upgrading to the FT-897 (100W)
or a similar Kenwood/Icom/etc unit.  I could see myself getting discouraged
by not being able to pull in signals or work stations being limited to QRP.
While QRP is extremely interesting to me,  I think it might be something I
come back to after I have more experience.

I remember in last year's (December,  I think it was) KL7AA newsletter, it
mentioned you (at least I think it was you, your call is very familiar and I
see it a lot of places )starting a program to buy sets of HF
radios/accessories for newer hams.  This is a program I would be GREATLY
interested in, do you know if anything ever came of this or what the status
of the project is?  I would even be interested in a lease or rent to own
situation where the club lends me the radio/gear for a year and I pay it off
incrementally over the next year.  I currently have a measly $450 in my ham
radio fund -- that coupled with what I might make off the FT-817 still puts
me outside of something like an FT-897 so I guess I still have some saving
to do.  I have been exercising much patience but someday I hope to have a
setup to be proud of and maybe even have a shack!

I appreciate everyone's responses so far, you all have really helped point
me in the right direction and I could not be more thankful.  I experienced a
great ham radio moment yesterday.  We were having power outages, so I got
onto VHF and found someone in my area of town that reported they were also
having power problems!  I was not sure if the power going out was isolated
to my apartment or not and I could not contact our apartment's emergency
maintenance line (!) but I thought it was great to be able to make contact
with another ham and discuss our power outage woes!  (I know this doesn't
sound like much but I found it exciting -- I know I will eventually
experience much better moments in ham radio and it is that I am excited and
being most patient for)

Thank you and take care,

Adam Booth
KL3TX

From: Jim Wiley [mailto:jwiley at gci.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 9:40 PM
To: Adam Booth; kl7aa at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [KL7AA] Getting Started on HF - Looking for Antennas


Adam - 

There are many aspects to ham radio, and all sorts of different interests. 
Probably the most interesting HF bands for general amateur usage in the
Anchorage area are the 80(75), 40, and 20 meter bands.  However,  you
indicate that you are an apartment dweller, and that tends to limit your
antenna choices.  The 17, 15, 12 and 10 meter bands are also useful, and
require relatively small antennas, but the higher frequency bands are not
"open" as much as the 20 meter band.  The 17 and 15 meter bands are probably
good options, 10 and 12 meters not so much. 

The first thing to keep in mind is that there is no inherent advantage to a
manufactured antenna.  Antennas that you build yourself can and do work just
as well as "store bought" antennas.   Antennas that you can erect
temporarily, for example at a campground, tend to be inexpensive and simple
in design.  Much of what can be accomplished will depend on the "Gods of
Propagation" - in other words, on some days you can make successful contacts
with very little, and other days even the best and most complicated systems
won't get you very far.   

So, you need to find out how to determine when conditions are good and when
they are not.   A popular web-site for this is found at
http://www.spaceweather.com/

click on the highlighted text above and you will be taken to their website. 
On the left side of the page is a propagation summary.  In general, higher
sunspot numbers indicate better propagation, a less brilliant (more yellow
and fainter) auroral circle is good, a bright red circle is bad.  Smaller
"K" numbers are better, and higher solar flux is better. 

Good results (not necessarily world-beating, but certainly usable) can be
obtained with simple antennas.  Probably the easiest antenna for 20 meters
(and 17 and 15 meters too) is a sloping dipole, hung from a tree or other
available support.  The length of the antenna will depend on the band in
use.  A 20 meter antenna will be about 33 feet from end to end, while a
17-meter antenna is about 26 feet long, and a 15 meter antenna is about 22
feet long (end to end)  

Try to get the center of the antenna reasonably high, at least 20 feet  if
you can, and try to install it so it is "in the clear" - which means away
from buildings and metal structures. 

Such an antenna can be connected to your radio by a length of "coaxial"
cable.  There are various types of coaxial cables available.  A suitable
choice for low to medium power use (up to perhaps 200 watts) is known by the
type number RG-58.  For higher power use, RG-8 is better.  Each of these
cables comes in a number of different sub-types, and some discussion will
help you decide which is best.  

Antennas for other bands can be of similar configuration.  You can also
experiment with various types of directional antennas and multi-band
systems.  Some multi-band antennas can be built that cover all of the HF
bands at one time, but such antennas require some skill to use correctly,
and additional hardware is needed  - in the form of an "antenna coupling
unit" - sometimes called an antenna tuner. 

The entire topic of antennas and HF operating is complex to say the least,
and it would help you to have someone to call on when you have questions. 
It will also help if you have a couple of basic reference books, and some
simple test equipment.  I can advise you in these issues, and would be
willing to assist you via email or on the telephone. 

As far as a rig is concerned, there are several good choices.  There are
some excellent kit radios out there, and carefully shopping among the used
radio market can produce a good set for not much cash.  The Yaesu FFT-817
you mention is a good set,. but you may be able to find something
significantly better with a bit of looking.  All this will depend on your
budget and to some degree your technical skills.  Again, I would be able to
offer some suggestions once I know better where you are headed. 

You can reach me by telephone at 688-0660, and of course by email.  My
direct email addresses are either jwiley at gci.net    or    kl7cc at arrl.net   .


My hours are flexible, so don't worry too much about when you call, except
try to keep it between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM. 

- Jim, KL7CC


On 7/22/2014 8:45 PM, Adam Booth wrote:
Hello! I am just getting started in HF.  I am currently working on my
General so I won't be transmitting but I am more of a listener than a talker
anyhow.  It seems like a good place to start is maybe the 20M band.  Are
there any bands that you would recommend for a beginner?  I don't yet have
the cables to work digital but I would like to try that in the future as
well.  I am also looking for any apartment-friendly 20M or other HF antennas
for sale -- I know that finding an apartment-friendly HF antenna might be a
tough find so I would also be interested in something I could set up outside
temporarily and I could work outside during the summer, I'm thinking of
maybe setting up in Kincaid Park or somewhere higher up. If anyone has any
recommendations or HF antennas for sale, I would be very interested.  I'm
also interested in any and all Yaesu FT-817 (non-ND, although I think ND
accessories would be compatible) accessories up for sale. ThanksAdam B KL3TX