Category: Antennas

Experiments with portable, base station and highly unusual antennas

Building a Manpack – Part 1, the Antenna

To start, let me define what I mean by "manpack". My manpack is a manually transportable, rapidly deployable, field expedient complete radio station for operating while pedestrian mobile or pedestrian stationary . The HFpack group of /PM enthusiasts are the experts in operating Pedestrian Mobile. Personally I prefer the Pedestrian Stationary style of operating. The … Continue reading Building a Manpack – Part 1, the Antenna →

A Simpler Field Expedient Rybakov Antenna for Winter

I recently received an email from Frank Barnes W4NPN who maintains an excellent website with an index of downloadable issues of the Hot Iron Newsletter. The latest issue contains a link to a PDF document from the late G3XBM that discusses a commercial Rybakov antenna manufactured in the UK (no longer available) called the X80. … Continue reading A Simpler Field Expedient Rybakov Antenna for Winter →

An Upside Down Antenna?

What do you call an end-fed three quarter wave antenna with a quarter wave counterpoise? Or is it an end-fed full wave antenna with a folded quarter wave section? Or maybe even an end-fed half wave fed with ladder line? Here are some hints. It doesn't need any ferrite toroidal cored transformers; so no hysteresis … Continue reading An Upside Down Antenna? →

An Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Upside Down HF Whip

If the title of this post has you thinking about yellow polka dot bikinis we are probably in the same age range. But today's discussion isn't about ladies' swimwear, its actually about HF antennas. Something has always troubled my mind when I think about very short whip antennas. Take the Elecraft AX1 for example - … Continue reading An Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Upside Down HF Whip →

Using a Municipal Flagpole for an Antenna – Fine Business!

Quite recently our local municipality replaced the weather beaten cedar flagpole at one of our local waterfront parks with a brand new one made of steel. During numerous visits to the park to enjoy the beautiful views of the big islands in Georgian Bay (Griffith Is, White Cloud Is and Hay Is), I have often … Continue reading Using a Municipal Flagpole for an Antenna – Fine Business! →

A Very Versatile Unun for Field Operations

Whenever I venture out into the Big Blue Sky Shack - which is often (even in winter) - my entire station has to fit into a backpack. Radio, Bioenno LFP battery, paddles, headphones, logbook, pencils, lapdesk, antennas, stool and all the other bits and pieces necessary to operate out in the bush. Everything has to … Continue reading A Very Versatile Unun for Field Operations →

Ham Radio – it’s a dirty business

I could have given this post a title such as "How I Became Dependent on Alcohol" but enough of the linguistic deception. Some of my recent experiences with operating in the field have convinced me to spend more time maintaining my equipment. Oh, and yes, alcohol does enter into it. It started back in the … Continue reading Ham Radio – it’s a dirty business →