[KL7AA] Getting Started on HF - Looking for Antennas

Fri Jul 25 09:40:56 EDT 2014

Adam -
Don't write off the 817 too fast. I have one and have been very happy
with it. I can pack up the 817, an antenna or two, and all required
accessories in a small tool bag. Even though the 897 is portable it
really isn't as man-portable.
As far as performance, I used my 817 in parks around AK and worked as
far away as Germany on SSB. I also made PSK contacts all over,
including one QSO from Panama to Germany. The antenna has much more
impact on your ability to make a contact than the power out. I usually
use an end-fed halfwave strung up in a tree. It's very compact and
works well.
The one accessory that I would recommend is a portable battery. I use
a jump start battery that I bought at Advanced Auto for around $30
that has a cigarette lighter receptacle. It's more than enough to run
the radio for a weekend.

73,
Mike, KL7MJ

On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 6:13 PM, Adam Booth <kl3tx at ak.net> wrote:
> 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
>
>
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