[Lowfer] WMS beacon photos

[Dexter McIntyre W4DEX]

PAUL DAULTON wrote:
>
> I viewed pictures of my beacon on Dex's site www.w4dex.com/gallery/WMS 
> <http://www.w4dex.com/gallery/WMS>
>
>  
>
> Wow am I proud to be part of that group.
>
>  
>
> Dex of particulaar interest to  me is the bucket variometer.
>
That bucket has gone thru so may changes I don't know it's original 
details.  I just guess
at the amount of inductance needed to load an antenna.  Build the coil 
with a bit more
inductance and then remove windings to get the desired amount is my 
usual procedure.

Oh I do know the wire size is 14 gauge.  Most all my antenna, coil and 
rx loop wire is
obtained from standard 14 gauge Romex house wire.  I buy a 250 foot coil 
and strip out
the individual wires.  This give you 500 feet of insulated wire and 250 
feet of bare wire.
So you get a total of 750 feet of wire for less than the cost of a 500 
foot spool of single
conductor wire.  Removing the individual wires only takes a few minutes 
once you have
developed a procedure.  I tie one end to a support and uncoil the whole 
roll by rolling
which keeps the wire flat instead of spiraling.  Then starting at the 
tied end I hold the
cable with a rag in one hand while placing a knife point along the 
center where the
bare wire is located.  Then walking backwards while allowing the cable 
to slide on
the rag the cable jacket is split open.  Then the individual wires can 
be easily separated.

There is a tool called a cable sheaf remover which I now have that makes 
the job a
bit safer and easier.

That's more than you asked for isn't it Paul?

Dex