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Mobile Anyone else's wife disapprove of your antenna choice
- Thread starter G GOLLY WAlly
- Start date
Embarrassed to say that flew over my head. I should know what it means but I don’t. 
And while we’re speaking of tennis balls, is there anything to this?
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/tennisball.htm
And while we’re speaking of tennis balls, is there anything to this?
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/tennisball.htm
But, now that I had to get that out of my system...
[SERIOUSLY=On]
Tennis Balls or any type of cushion, even a handgrip from say a Lawn mower handlebar can add a level of capacitance - well, I can't say it truly as a capacitor, but the effect is similar. The material is an insulator, which will generate a "bump" in the field as it propagates thru the antenna and also to free air. So they are correct to state that it will show a change in SWR due to this effect.
You can also do this - although expensive waste if you're on a budget - just think this thru first before you decide to prove right or wrong...start to remove the outer insulating cover to the antenna - like a Firestik and note the effects.
But in light of 102" whip and Tennis Balls - Whether you're a Djokovic or Murray - a Federer or just plain Fed-Up with my jokes - Ahemn... I do understand ... But, to keep it simple - Tennis Balls or any sort of insulation covering a small region of the radiative surface of the antenna - regards to the more true the length of whip is to the fraction of the wavelength you wish to tune to - you suffer less Reflective and Reflection issues regarding SWR than you have with isolative objects attached to your loaded coil antennas that are physically shorter than their expected tuned wavelength.
So that means using a Tennis Ball on the 102" whip is less impact on SWR - than to use it without and wind up having several hundred to on up to thousands of dollars in DAMAGES caused by not using it to keep your vehicle from becoming...
[SERIOUSLY=On]
Tennis Balls or any type of cushion, even a handgrip from say a Lawn mower handlebar can add a level of capacitance - well, I can't say it truly as a capacitor, but the effect is similar. The material is an insulator, which will generate a "bump" in the field as it propagates thru the antenna and also to free air. So they are correct to state that it will show a change in SWR due to this effect.
You can also do this - although expensive waste if you're on a budget - just think this thru first before you decide to prove right or wrong...start to remove the outer insulating cover to the antenna - like a Firestik and note the effects.
- Near the bottom and near the top of the whip has the greater affects of SWR changes than the tightly - more spreaded winds in or -in-between the load and base of the whip.
But in light of 102" whip and Tennis Balls - Whether you're a Djokovic or Murray - a Federer or just plain Fed-Up with my jokes - Ahemn... I do understand ... But, to keep it simple - Tennis Balls or any sort of insulation covering a small region of the radiative surface of the antenna - regards to the more true the length of whip is to the fraction of the wavelength you wish to tune to - you suffer less Reflective and Reflection issues regarding SWR than you have with isolative objects attached to your loaded coil antennas that are physically shorter than their expected tuned wavelength.
So that means using a Tennis Ball on the 102" whip is less impact on SWR - than to use it without and wind up having several hundred to on up to thousands of dollars in DAMAGES caused by not using it to keep your vehicle from becoming...
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She has never liked any of them...
Hello, G Golly Wally.
Homer
Hello, G Golly Wally.
Homer
Mine has never complained.
I figure that if the antenna is close enough to metal to require a tennis ball, the tennis ball is the least of your problems.
Embarrassed to say that flew over my head. I should know what it means but I don’t.
And while we’re speaking of tennis balls, is there anything to this?
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/tennisball.htm
I figure that if the antenna is close enough to metal to require a tennis ball, the tennis ball is the least of your problems.
Funny. My XYL is a licenced ham and after she got her ticket I was instructed to get rid of the 4' fiberglass and put a whip on her dually.
I can wait until new dually arrives.
I can wait until new dually arrives.
I've always mounted it next to the cab with no problem, swr's 1.3 to 1.5 across the band with the tennis ball and no grounding cables yet. My biggest problem is my wife is ashamed to be seen in the truck with me. Lol
And hello Homer, its been a while. Even when I'm not messing with radios I always wonder what kind of project you're working on.
And hello Homer, its been a while. Even when I'm not messing with radios I always wonder what kind of project you're working on.
Ya need a headache rack and a truck box (metal one).......then.......mount that 102" whip with a Hustler HD Spring right dead center on the headache rack. When she really starts to complain, reach under the seat, pull out one of those remote controls w/ the little steering wheel on it and hand it to her. Smile, and say....."Let's go shopping!"
O believe me I might be behind the wheel but she's doing all the driving . No remote needed LolYa need a headache rack and a truck box (metal one).......then.......mount that 102" whip with a Hustler HD Spring right dead center on the headache rack. When she really starts to complain, reach under the seat, pull out one of those remote controls w/ the little steering wheel on it and hand it to her. Smile, and say....."Let's go shopping!"
Bin , Dually ? Be still my heart ! My problem is I was w/ my wife when she test drove one through town on narrow streets ! Yup that ain't happening ! I bought her a new Expedition to tow her horse trailer . As far as Antenna's , she'd never let me put one on her " Precious " Lariat . That's mine now , last count it has 3 ! I even have a switch box , so I can use my Stryker SRA 10A & My Al Capone while I'm chasing Dx .
Yup that ain't happening ! I bought her a new Expedition to tow her horse trailer . As far as Antenna's , she'd never let me put one on her " Precious " Lariat . That's mine now , last count it has 3 ! I even have a switch box , so I can use my Stryker SRA 10A & My Al Capone while I'm chasing Dx .
@G GOLLY WAlly
Lately a hf multiband ground mounted top loaded cap hat antenna with radials. Working so far with contacts on 160, 80, 40, & 20. Haven't heard anything elsewhere but it tunes up on every band 160 to 10.
Lately a hf multiband ground mounted top loaded cap hat antenna with radials. Working so far with contacts on 160, 80, 40, & 20. Haven't heard anything elsewhere but it tunes up on every band 160 to 10.
How to sell, “cute”. Alternate name to this thread.
(Do I hear an echo of Stargun in the distance?)
.
(Do I hear an echo of Stargun in the distance?)
.
That's like the musician who puts his $5000 guitar in a $500 vehicle and drives 100 miles to do a $50 gig...But, now that I had to get that out of my system...
[SERIOUSLY=On]
Tennis Balls or any type of cushion, even a handgrip from say a Lawn mower handlebar can add a level of capacitance - well, I can't say it truly as a capacitor, but the effect is similar. The material is an insulator, which will generate a "bump" in the field as it propagates thru the antenna and also to free air. So they are correct to state that it will show a change in SWR due to this effect.
You can also do this - although expensive waste if you're on a budget - just think this thru first before you decide to prove right or wrong...start to remove the outer insulating cover to the antenna - like a Firestik and note the effects.
They have to change the length of wire in the antenna - the number of winds per-se - to offset this effect of insulated surface gap to free air.
- Near the bottom and near the top of the whip has the greater affects of SWR changes than the tightly - more spreaded winds in or -in-between the load and base of the whip.
But in light of 102" whip and Tennis Balls - Whether you're a Djokovic or Murray - a Federer or just plain Fed-Up with my jokes - Ahemn... I do understand ... But, to keep it simple - Tennis Balls or any sort of insulation covering a small region of the radiative surface of the antenna - regards to the more true the length of whip is to the fraction of the wavelength you wish to tune to - you suffer less Reflective and Reflection issues regarding SWR than you have with isolative objects attached to your loaded coil antennas that are physically shorter than their expected tuned wavelength.
So that means using a Tennis Ball on the 102" whip is less impact on SWR - than to use it without and wind up having several hundred to on up to thousands of dollars in DAMAGES caused by not using it to keep your vehicle from becoming...