Comments for Ham Radio Blog - IW5EDI http://www.iw5edi.com Amateur Radio Experience Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:16 +0200 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Comment on The 40 meter Stealth Vertical by NF5L http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/48/the-40-meter-stealth-vertical/comment-page-1#comment-42722 NF5L Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:16 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/48/the-40-meter-stealth-vertical#comment-42722 I found the swivel mount at Walmart in their marine dept, but you can also find them at some local hardware stores . It is used to raise and lower trailers, the wheel can be removed and a mast inserted. Handles just about any mast weight, its a great idea! I found the swivel mount at Walmart in their marine dept, but you can also find them at some local hardware stores . It is used to raise and lower trailers, the wheel can be removed and a mast inserted. Handles just about any mast weight, its a great idea!

]]> Comment on Double Extended Zepp Antenna by W9ARS Jim Beavers http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/428/double-extended-zepp-antenna/comment-page-1#comment-42680 W9ARS Jim Beavers Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:45:23 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/?p=428#comment-42680 I put a DEZ up using a tower and 2 trees. The apex is up 40 feet and the ends are 25-30 off the ground, feed with about 90 feet of 450 ohm ladder line. The DEZ is well worth the effort to put it up. I put a DEZ up using a tower and 2 trees. The apex is up 40 feet and the ends are 25-30 off the ground, feed with about 90 feet of 450 ohm ladder line. The DEZ is well worth the effort to put it up.

]]> Comment on Grounding is key to good reception by Patrick http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/5/grounding-is-key-to-good-reception/comment-page-1#comment-42614 Patrick Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:22:29 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/5/grounding-is-key-to-good-reception#comment-42614 Over here in the Netherlands I have gathered sufficient useful infos now from experienced DX hobbyist to put in practice my antenna project in the right order. I live in an appartment block with a nice neighbour downstairs not complaining of two fine 1mm lines finding their way to (1) a high tree about 40ft away and a fence on a wall about 80ft away. One thing that for sure isn't a solution is to attach any (valuable) equipment to the grounding system of your home/appartment block...if you like to play Russian Roulette with lighning strikes it's a good idea. Forcing a copper so-called earth pole in the ground (aardpaal in Dutch) solves the grounding problem. Normally here in my home town near the North Sea ground water level is such that 6 metres is enough to have less than the maximum Ohm-level but on small hill side towns (very small hills, as the Netherlands are as flat as a coin) sometimes you have to drive 30m of coppper in the ground to find the appropiate ground values. Using a balun 1:9 in combination with my set of three different long wires hopefully will give a nice reception. When lightning appears simply disconnect your antennas...neither let them connected when you travel. Greetings from the Netherlands, thanks for your useful comments Patrick Over here in the Netherlands I have gathered sufficient useful infos now from experienced DX hobbyist to put in practice my antenna project in the right order.
I live in an appartment block with a nice neighbour downstairs not complaining of two fine 1mm lines finding their way to (1) a high tree about 40ft away and a fence on a wall about 80ft away.
One thing that for sure isn’t a solution is to attach any (valuable) equipment to the grounding system of your home/appartment block…if you like to play Russian Roulette with lighning strikes it’s a good idea.
Forcing a copper so-called earth pole in the ground (aardpaal in Dutch) solves the grounding problem. Normally here in my home town near the North Sea ground water level is such that 6 metres is enough to have less than the maximum Ohm-level but on small hill side towns (very small hills, as the Netherlands are as flat as a coin) sometimes you have to drive 30m of coppper in the ground to find the appropiate ground values.
Using a balun 1:9 in combination with my set of three different long wires hopefully will give a nice reception.
When lightning appears simply disconnect your antennas…neither let them connected when you travel.
Greetings from the Netherlands, thanks for your useful comments
Patrick

]]> Comment on A magnetic loop antenna for HF by Les http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/11/a-magnetic-loop-antenna-for-hf/comment-page-1#comment-42601 Les Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:19:11 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/11/a-magnetic-loop-antenna-for-hf#comment-42601 Can someone tell me the dimensions and capacitor value I'd need for one of these things just for 40 meters? I am interested only in QRP so I think a high voltage cap could be subbed for something more practically obtainable. I'd like to be able to use 3/4 in. dia copper pipe about 4 feet long on a side; is that an OK size? I've heard that I should be using just under 1/4 wavelength circumference, however. This would require about 8 ft. pipes; kind of spend-ee. I'm really cramped for space but I could do a close to 8 ft. square hoop. 73 Les Can someone tell me the dimensions and capacitor value I’d need for one of these things just for 40 meters? I am interested only in QRP so I think a high voltage cap could be subbed for something more practically obtainable. I’d like to be able to use 3/4 in. dia copper pipe about 4 feet long on a side; is that an OK size? I’ve heard that I should be using just under 1/4 wavelength circumference, however. This would require about 8 ft. pipes; kind of spend-ee. I’m really cramped for space but I could do a close to 8 ft. square hoop.

73

Les

]]> Comment on Gmail goes Morse Code with Gmail Tap by christopher varner http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/683/gmail-goes-morse-code-with-gmail-tap/comment-page-1#comment-42599 christopher varner Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:37:51 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/?p=683#comment-42599 It was an April Fool's joke. Hit the "download" button & you'll get a message saying "try again next year". It was an April Fool’s joke. Hit the “download” button & you’ll get a message saying “try again next year”.

]]> Comment on Ham Radio Repeaters in Italy by Jacques http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/647/ham-radio-repeaters-in-italy/comment-page-1#comment-41555 Jacques Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:07:43 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/?p=647#comment-41555 Thanks Simone - appreciated! 73, ZS6JPS Thanks Simone – appreciated!

73,

ZS6JPS

]]> Comment on Indoor antenna for 7 Mhz by FRED http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/37/indoor-antenna-for-7-mhz/comment-page-1#comment-41551 FRED Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:31:44 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/37/indoor-antenna-for-7-mhz#comment-41551 how far off the walls is the antenna. i have tried similar but i need it as close as possible to the walls and the walls are concrete. thanks how far off the walls is the antenna. i have tried similar but i need it as close as possible to the walls and the walls are concrete. thanks

]]> Comment on The 40 meter Stealth Vertical by fred souza http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/48/the-40-meter-stealth-vertical/comment-page-1#comment-41367 fred souza Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:29:50 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/48/the-40-meter-stealth-vertical#comment-41367 I think you have a very well run site I use it often to help with mike wireing . thank you very mutch k1fcs fred I think you have a very well run site I use it often to help with mike wireing . thank you very mutch k1fcs fred

]]> Comment on Baofeng UV-200 vs Kenwood TH-F7E by Jimmy Bishop, W4CYF http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/608/baofeng-uv-200-vs-kenwood-th-f7e/comment-page-1#comment-40893 Jimmy Bishop, W4CYF Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:16:40 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/?p=608#comment-40893 I personally will not buy any of the Chinese radios. y must be heavily subsidized by the Chinese government. The one tested by QST just barely met the FCC requirement for spectral purity. They have numerous problems as delineated in other articles and above. They are hard to program. I recognize that most radios are now built overseas, but this is obviously junk built for the US market, and if enough people buy them it will impinge on the reputable builders of good equipment. As the saying goes, "If you want oats that have already been through the horse, they come fairly cheaply. If you want nice fresh oats, that costs more. I personally will not buy any of the Chinese radios. y must be heavily subsidized by the Chinese government. The one tested by QST just barely met the FCC requirement for spectral purity. They have numerous problems as delineated in other articles and above. They are hard to program.

I recognize that most radios are now built overseas, but this is obviously junk built for the US market, and if enough people buy them it will impinge on the reputable builders of good equipment.

As the saying goes, “If you want oats that have already been through the horse, they come fairly cheaply. If you want nice fresh oats, that costs more.

]]> Comment on Genesis 3020 SDR vs Yaesu FT-950 by Joseph http://www.iw5edi.com/ham-radio/288/genesis-3020-sdr-vs-yaesu-ft-950/comment-page-1#comment-40885 Joseph Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:15:38 +0000 http://www.iw5edi.com/?p=288#comment-40885 Simone, Has your group received the Genesis kits yet and have you started the build? Great website! Keep up the good work. 73s. Simone, Has your group received the Genesis kits yet and have you started the build?
Great website! Keep up the good work. 73s.

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