[MRCA] The Intersection of Two Hobbies

Sun Jun 5 21:21:12 EDT 2011

Hi Gene! Yes, I remember your antenna well. I had forgotten that you had
modified it.  Yes, we should plan some fun outing for gilbert this year. Are
the dates set yet?  I would very much like to bring my Landcruiser/mobile HF
set up.  Maybe we could establish an additional location? 

Few other observations about my outing.  First, without any help (totally by
myself) and working at a very relaxed pace, and considering this was my
first outing with this set up (including first time with the ant coupler and
antenna) it took me 1 hour to get everything set up. I suspect with a second
man, this would take 20 minutes or so.  Also took me about 1 hour to knock
it all down and pack it back up - at a very leisurely pace. Again, much
faster with help, I suspect.

One of the biggest pains was rolling out about 100' of antenna RF and
control cable from the reel. I rolled the reel like a wheel from the antenna
back to the truck. This was very time consuming. I think I will fabricate a
reel holder to allow me to just pull out the necessary length of cable and
then wind it back up.  The reel is about 24" in diameter and maybe 12"
wide..I'd have to check those dimensions. Sure would like to find a reel
holder for it if possible (my ability to make things is limited).

I also took a 33' telescoping mast with me to make a vertical. I
experimented a little with it. Very little. I should really get a field
strength meter and learn from K4CHE's techniques! But I played with adding
33' vertical wire paralleled to the NVIS. The coupler matched the antenna
with this extra radiator no problem. I was hoping I might get some lower TO
angle. I also have some radials to play with, but never got a chance. I
suspect that would help lower the TO angle as well.  Maybe someone (smarter
than me) could do some EZNEC modeling? Here are additionals photo with both
antennas (note that the mast was sitting on top of the coupler, no
electrical connection there. A wire ran up the mast and connected to the
coupler in parallel with the wire connecting the NVIS). Again, one radio
check from Long Island didn't indicate any difference (hardly scientific!)

http://www.w2hx.com/x/Camping-060211/IMG_6267.JPG
http://www.w2hx.com/x/Camping-060211/IMG_6270.JPG

Fun to play

73 Eugene W2HX

-----Original Message-----
From: Gene Smar [mailto:ersmar at verizon.net] 
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 8:45 PM
To: Eugene Hertz; mrca at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [MRCA] The Intersection of Two Hobbies

Gene:

     Congrats on the new antenna.  It obviously works well for you to be 
able to check into the M&S net.

     The NVIS antenna I used at Gilbert last year is based on the AS-2259, 
except that the two legs are resonant in Ham bands.  As shown on Breck's web

pages, the stock -2259 has resonances at 6 and 9 MHz so Hams have to use a 
tuner to toperate with it.  The antenna I used has two dips as well, the 
frequencies of which depend on which pair of wires you connect up.  I used 
mine on 3.885 MHz last year w/o a tuner.

     CU (all) in September.

73 de
Gene Smar  AD3F
P.S. to all:  Are we going to do anything cool at Gilbert this year?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "W2HX" <w2hx at w2hx.com>
To: <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 6:33 PM
Subject: [MRCA] The Intersection of Two Hobbies

> This weekend I was able to combine two of my hobbies. Operating my Harris
> falcon system mobile from my 1978 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40.  Took the 
> family
> camping in Plattekill, NY (Newburgh KOA) and operated from a field near 
> by.
>
>
>
> For those interested, here are some photos of my set up (and getting set 
> up)
> with a Harris RF-5020/125W (falcon system), 125 watt (HF) running in the
> back of the Landcruiser with a remote head on the operating table. 
> Antenna
> is an AS-2259/GR (military) NVIS antenna. This was my first time setting 
> up
> this NIB antenna I bought at Dayton a few weeks ago.
>
>
>
> Joined "The Moose and Squirrel Cold-War Clandestine and
> Long-Range-Reconnaissance-Patrol Net." Contacted several folks including
> W1NZR, KA1GON, K2AJR and others.  Net control N3FRQ was down in the noise,
> but everyone else was 5-8 or 5-9
>
>
>
> Lots of fun!
>
>
>
> http://www.w2hx.com/x/Camping-060211/
>
>
>
> Some will notice the MX-9313 I had over-nighted from fair radio thanks to
> Brooke, Chuck, et. Al. for the info on getting the 2259 and my mount 
> working
> together. Worked FB!
>
>
>
> 73 Eugene W2HX
>
>
>
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