Let's get real here! If we lay a wire antenna on the ground, surely It can't radiate more power than that cool-looking, expensive quarter-wave whip you just spent a small fortune to buy? Well, yes it can - but with a few caveats. We can use a trick of geometry to support our claim. Our … Continue reading How Can A Lossy Wire on the Ground Work Better Than A Quarter Wave Vertical Antenna?
Tag: Portable
An Off-Center Fed Sleeve Dipole
At Ham Radio Outside the Box the urge to experiment is always front and center. Isn't that what radio amateurs are supposed to do - continuously improve our knowledge and hone our expertise? In the minds of the government departments that give us our spectrum allocations we are a reserve resource of communications expertise to … Continue reading An Off-Center Fed Sleeve Dipole
A Top Loaded End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna for 20m
Imagine this: a short, vertical antenna for 20m that requires no ground, no counterpoise or radials ... And ... no tuner. Now, let's add that it is only 14 feet tall and can be erected in just a couple of minutes. But wait, there's more: it is very lightweight, slips into a shirt pocket and … Continue reading A Top Loaded End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna for 20m
Antenna Height Matters – True or False?
How often have you read that an antenna should be placed as high as possible - the higher the better? Is it true? My inner skeptic says "hmm, maybe". It's certainly an aphorism that is open to scrutiny. Aphorism? The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language defines "aphorism" as: "a tersely phrased statement of … Continue reading Antenna Height Matters – True or False?
Can a Drinking Straw Help Tune an Antenna?
A stainless steel drinking straw DIY QRP L-match. We'll get back to the drinking straw question in a moment, but first let me describe another new project that took shape on the Ham Radio Outside the Box workbench recently - a QRP L-match. You may recall that we recently described a Z-match builder project that … Continue reading Can a Drinking Straw Help Tune an Antenna?
“Old Barebones” – A QRP Z-match Builder Project
I actually don't like Z-matches very much, so why did I build one? I'll get to that in a moment, but first I should explain why I am not a fan of the Z-match. These devices comprise two variable capacitors and one fixed inductor. The fixed inductor limits the tuning range compared to other types … Continue reading “Old Barebones” – A QRP Z-match Builder Project
The “Titanic” 40m Field Expedient Backpack Portable Antenna
The 40 meter band can be a tricky one for backpack portable operators. The problem is that antennas for that band tend to be large and require a tall pole. In the last post we discussed using a backpack as a support for quarter wave whips or short poles. In that role it is gravitationally … Continue reading The “Titanic” 40m Field Expedient Backpack Portable Antenna
QMX Ready to Go Pack – Lightweight and Secure for Outdoor Operating
QMX set at a comfortable angle for viewing screen Talentcell 3000mAh LiIon battery gently secured between two aluminum plates behind QMX I don't like to waste time setting up my equipment out in the Big Blue Sky Shack. It makes sense to configure everything ready to unpack and get on the air as quickly as … Continue reading QMX Ready to Go Pack – Lightweight and Secure for Outdoor Operating
David (QMX) versus Goliath (IC-705) – Let Battle Begin!
A fellow club member is the proud owner of an Icom IC-705 QRP transceiver. I am the proud owner of a QRP Labs QMX QRP transceiver. He spent CDN$2000 to buy his radio. I spent CDN$200 to buy my QMX (including factory assembly charge and shipping from Turkey). That's a 10:1 cost ratio! I challenged … Continue reading David (QMX) versus Goliath (IC-705) – Let Battle Begin!
The Best Reasons to Build a Go-Box
Those of us who like to operate our radios out in the Big Blue Sky Shack will understand two basic rules: 1. Don't leave home without something important 2. Time is of the essence Rule number 1 is obvious I suppose, but I learned it the hard way. On one occasion I drove nearly an … Continue reading The Best Reasons to Build a Go-Box
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