Beginner ham antenna questions

[bhayles]

here ya go,... your first "spot"

Translation? I see a line from my location to about Memphis, with a call there that has a south Florida address...this means? A Ham with a Florida address was in Memphis and heard me calling CQ but couldn't get back to me?

 

[n8fgb]

Well, at least that confirms that you are making RF. Expect to have my new, used, power supply within a week. Found a good deal on a used Astron rs35a.
Rich

 

[bhayles]

Well, at least that confirms that you are making RF. Expect to have my new, used, power supply within a week. Found a good deal on a used Astron rs35a.
Rich

Yeah, but I'm not sure how much power I'm getting...I put a Vanco SWR-2 on it and hope the meter is wrong...it shows 10 watts.

On the other hand, it shows the SWR on my A99 to be 1.7.

 

[bhayles]

Success!

3 Contacts in the last hour or so. It looks like 10 has opened up a bit.

 

[w9cll]

Success!

3 Contacts in the last hour or so. It looks like 10 has opened up a bit.

Awesome! Where are you at on 10?

 

[binrat]

Success!

3 Contacts in the last hour or so. It looks like 10 has opened up a bit.

Its about time. I was starting to feel your pain.
where are you sitting at, I'll be on in a short time.

 

[bhayles]

Awesome! Where are you at on 10?

Staying mostly on 28.305...going to 400 to call every 15 min or so.

 

[w9cll]

Staying mostly on 28.305...going to 400 to call every 15 min or so.

Just tried calling, 10 is dead here

 

[bhayles]

Just tried calling, 10 is dead here

Crashed here too. Was great a few hours ago but now its like its been the last week.

MUF map looks like it might pick back up in a couple hours.

 

[bhayles]

Multi-tasking while trying for contacts

OK...I've been sitting here trying to make contacts while 10 is open with the mic in one hand and the soldering gun in the other (hoping I don't bring the wrong hand to my lips if I want to talk), and thought I'd show y'all were I am on the 4 band, 80-10 meter fan dipole.

Look through these and see if any of you see any mistakes I need to correct before its WAAAYYY up in the air.

​

4X24 inch sched 4 PVC. 4 bands, 4 holes, 5.5 inches apart, 4.25 inches from each end.​

​

Sheet copper, 2x20 inches, with holes to match the ones in the PVC.​

​

Second sheet of copper, and 4 eyebolts making sure holes in copper match holes in PVC.​

​

Holes don't match perfectly, with waves in copper, but are close enough to work.​

Starting from the outside:
Eyebolt with nut first, then washer, through PVC
Washer
Copper
Washer
Nut
Two washers
Nut

​

14 AWG stranded copper wire comes in through small hole, and is knotted 6 inches from the end. Wire is clamped between the two adjoining washers.​

​

View from the top end of the collector.​

[/ATTACH]​

View from the bottom end of the collector, a 12 inch wire soldered to each sheet of copper.​

8 pictures maximum per post. The last two are in the next post.​

 

[bhayles]

Last two before closing it up:

​

12 inches of wire fed to inside of collector. Its attached to the screw eye with one turn of wire around eye, then two UV resistant zip ties. I hope the tiny coild of wire around the screw eye doesn't cause issues.​

​

Finished except for closing it up, attaching the balun, and hanging the thing!​

 

[bhayles]

I can hear a couple of folks talking way in the back of 28.305...can't tell if its any of y'all or not.

 

[wavrider]

Antenna loks good

 

[bhayles]

1429 UTC...10 is starting to open up...

 

[BJ radionut]

Where you listening Bob?
I am at .305 now...showing stations on the scope at .325 and .480 and couple others off and on...
All the Best
Gary