[Lowfer] HiFER

[Jim]

> My MedFER beacon is all ready to go on the air too , but I haven't been
> able to decide on an antenna yet . I am open to suggestions .

I have plans for building a gizmo that lets you take semi-accurate field 
readings at a reasonable cost if you're interested. I tinkered with a 
HiFER-type beacon (it was just a signal generator and a one transistor amp) 
when I had access to a spectrum analyzer and characterized antenna a few 
months ago.

My brain is totally fried with all the work and travel lately, but I remember 
that I cranked the output into a dipole up to three or four times 
the "calculated" value before I hit the actual field strength limitation. I'd 
have to dig back through the lab book (if I can find it in this mess) for the 
details.

Also figured out the s-meter reading for my radio with a whip antenna so I can 
make some measurements again if I ever get time to tinker with the beacons 
some more. Because I had to give the SpecA back... :-(

73 de
Jim W4JBM

Receiver - Ten Tec RX320D
Antenna - Butternut Vertical (SW) and mini-whip (LF)
Location - Bowdon Junction, GA  USA (33.6581,-85.1249 EM73)

http://www.hamuniverse.com/w4jbm/

"With a soldering iron in one hand, a schematic in the other, and a puzzled 
look on his face..."