Congratulations, welcome aboard!

Bill

How about using a regular TV wideband preamp?  They are available at Walmart and other stores selling TV's.

Bill

Nobody is suggesting radios, so I will.  The Icom IC-910.  

After years of using mobile rigs inside, by golly, it's nice to have a full size, full feature radio that doesn't require cue cards to operate.   I bought it for satellite work and it works nicely with the tracking programs.   It's also a genuine pleasure to work the local repeaters and emergency services nets. Great audio, and I get good reports unsolicited.

Now, it comes with 2m, 440. There is an optional module for 1.2G.  The Icom folks are easy on the wallet since they have a variety of add-ons, that you can get as the need occurs and money is available.  I wish it had 6m, but hey, maybe I'll find a transverter to go with it.

Jump in, the water's fine.  73, Bill

Try one of the real hardware stores like Ace.  They still carry the big Weller 80w & 100w irons in my area.

Bill

Do it!

you could also use adhesive aluminum duct tape.   You could put it inside the topper underneath where it can't be seen.   You want it to be at least equal in length to the antenna you are using.

This technique is also used for mounting antennas on fabric covered aircraft.

73, Bill

Looks like he has discontinued manufacturing.  He doesn't list a 160M element for the antenna.

http://www.spiderantenna.com/index.html

73, Bill

http://www.labjack.com

Just thought of these guys.  They make D/A A/D interfaces that are reasonably priced, around $120.  They come with drivers and documentation.  Many people use them to interface with Azimuth/Elevation rotors for satellite work (including me).   Many of the satellite tracking programs on the AMSAT website support the labjack U3 or U12.

cheers,  Bill

http://www.bwired.nl/

There he is.  I don't know how many wives would let their husband put their daily weight measurements on the internet.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-Wire

There is a family of chips based on the 1-wire data/control bus standard, as well as commercial sensors and controllers.   You can buy off the shelf, or build your own.   One fellow in Netherlands has his whole house energy and consumables wired to his computer for tracking and control, even monitoring his toilet flushes. Hah.   A similar standard is the "I2C" data/controller bus, with commercial devices and chips available.  

have fun!

Bill

T would be the transmit tone.  TSQL, would be "tone squelch" the receive tone.  Don't know about the other.

BTW, what brand and model radio are you referring to?

Bill

http://ac6v.com/antprojects.htm

http://www.cebik.com/radio.html


Knock yourself out!  heh.  You should also consider a 2 element quad, and a Moxon antenna.  They would be more compact and give roughly the same gain as a 2 element yagi.

Have fun.  Bill

Widebanding is modifying a radio to operate outside the Ham bands.  (new useage = within the last 10 -15 years). Though, one could apply the term to modifying a scanner to recieve cellular frequencies as well.

A transverter is a device that converters signals from one band to another.  One application is to use transverters to work 2m and 6m SSB with an HF rig.  Satellite ops use them for working 400Mhz and higher freqs, with a 2M rig.   Microwave buffs use them as well.

73, Bill

May I point out that from the article, it appears that Dr. Kharana has done NO ORIGINAL RESEARCH, from which to base his announcements.   He surveyed (i.e. read) 100 studies conducted by other researchers, and made his conclusion.  At best, he performed a statistically valid meta-analysis.  Otherwise, it is just his personal opionion.

Note that he has made this announcement without scientific peer review, an increasingly common breach of scientific protocol.

For gain, I think a better and simpler choice is to buy or build a coaxial vertical dipole.  There are plenty of models for sale, and plenty of plans to build them.

73, Bill