Do you think it would be possible to use the WF5E QSL bureau service for this one??

How do you email a paypal?? I'm missing something.

I received severe damage to my tower/quad antenna back when Hurricane Ike hit the Texas Gulf Coast a few years. I tried to get the insurance company to file a claim but they said the tower and antenna were not considered part of the house. My two yard fences that were blown down were covered by insurance, though. I have since put up some wire antennas on my city lot, and have worked a few good ones like Yemen and Jan Mayen, but really do miss that quad antenna, especially for "hearing" stations. Since I was unable to get coverage by insurance, I have never quite been financially able to rebuild everything. What I would like to know for the future, being in a hurricane prone area, is there a way to get coverage for ham radio towers, antennas and structures that could be damaged in a storm? Thanks. Marty, AG5T

For JX9JKA, it says

Postage EU = 13 NKR, World = 15 NKR. 1 USD = 5,5 NKR. EUROPE AND REST OF THE WORLD: 3 GREEN STAMPS OR 1 IRC.

What is an NKR?

I have been looking on the internet for a diagram on how to install a two meter mobile radio for a 99 Ford Explorer. I have a Yaesu 2-meter mobile that I'd like to install in the vehicle.

Attenuation was the word I was looking for and yes I do hope to replace the radio. Wish I could get one that had am/fm/2 meter/440/shortwave/sirius and all - seriously, do hope to replace.

I remember many years ago that I saw some cars that had am/fm radios and they had a local/distant or local/dx switch. Does anyone know what that really did? How did it work? Why don't today's cars and trucks have a switch like that? I have a 99 expedition and it's terrible on am reception. It whines when I accelerate the car. FM is ok, but the cd player eats cds!

I've been considering a mini-beam, but thought I'd open up my possibilities to a vertical antenna on top of a two-section crank up tower. The top of the tower is aprox. 34 feet above ground. I would prefer a counterpoise over any radials. I would like for the vertical antenna to work at least 20-17-15-12-10 meters. I'm also wondering if it would be better to leave the second section of tower down in the first section and mount the antenna that way or go all out and get the vertical as high as possible. I have to be careful because I have power lines in the back yard. -- I have been having some weird reception on wire antennas - I was able to hear and work Yemen one day but I have barely heard Palestine, yet that is the same part of the world.

Correction (thanks) - I meant to say nut, not bolt, that's attached to the rebar, but I think everyone understood. It's a large nut, maybe 1 to 1/2 inches in diameter. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

I am rebuilding a tower and concrete base for a tower that was severely damaged several years ago in Hurricane Ike. I believe I am going to be able to salvage everything but rebuiding has been a slow process. Unfortunately the gemquad antenna was destroyed by the hurricane. I am hoping to replace it with a mini-beam type antenna. What I am looking for right now is a way to loosen two nuts that were attached to rebar that was added to a large cube of concrete years ago when the tower was originally mounted. I was able to get one of the three nuts off the rebar, but the other two are so tight they won't even budge. A friend suggested a mixed of fingernail polish and something else (sorry I can't remember the other ingredient). The nuts are on the rebar, above the concrete block, but about an inch or so from the top of the rebar. I thought about getting a hacksaw, but then I would have uneven bars. I have tried a heavy pipe wrench, but not much success (except for the first one that came off). Anyone have any ideas on how to tackle this? Thanks.

Thanks everyone. I have a great source of ideas now!

As president of the Houston ECHO Society (for quite a few years) I have seen things that work and things that don't at least for our club www.w5eco.org by the way. Here are a few that have worked for us:

Field Day - great way to have people involved in different aspects, learn new things and just have fun

Show n Tell night - we have everyone bring their favorite HT and each person gets a few minutes to tell why Yaesu is better than Icom and not as good as Kenwood....

A December meal get together - we include all family members and have a little gift exchange. One year was hilarious as nearly everyone gave flashlights as gifts, not that they aren't useful.

See if you have a TV station weatherforecaster who is a ham. We have several in Houston and they give some GREAT presentations.

Make sure you use ELMERS and that everyone knows what they are. Pair up experienced people on public service events with newbies. It is exciting to watch someone make their first contact!

Use people in your own club for presentations. If John is a whiz at propagation, ask him if he will do a presentation. If he's shy, pair him up with another.

Have presentations where you show equipment. We did one on power supplies and we did one on antenna tuners. The visual value is incredible.

Build something at a meeting. We built a dipole one night, but had someone explain step by step what we were doing and why it was important.

Develop a list of potential speakers and work up an email and telephone list.

I try to visit with people at hamfests and see if they might like to do a presentation at a club. Sometimes you just have to ask.

Finally, be friendly to everyone at your club meeting, and if they are new, tell them about things your club does and is proud of.

I hope this maybe sparks a few ideas. Have fun out there and if in Houston, the ECHO Society meets the 2nd Monday of the Month. We have a pre-meeting meeting where we eat dinner and brag about each others equipment, etc. just kidding. - Fellowship is another key that has helped our great keep going!

I have been transmitting either ssb or cw and the needle on my Yaesu 747 meter will swing all the way to right and stick. I have to turn the radio off and retune. This has happened on several bands. Could I have an rf loop somewhere in the shack or some type of spur causing this? What test equipment should I use?

I think the TGM hybrid quad is quite small with a 7.1 foot turning radius. The other mini-beam type antennas I have looked at are the Cushcraft MA5B and the Butternut HF5B. Mosley mini-beams are too big for my city lot and limited space. I'd like to compare others and preferably ones that work 20 through 10 meters.

Thanks. I'm definitely inland about 60 miles from the Gulf. I did put up a 40 meter dipole today to see if it helps. Pileups are still really huge on cw. I haven't heard any of the ssb stations at all, unless its esp. Wish I could hear 24.945 though. The other challenge is high swr on all my antennas. 3-1 or 2-1 down in the cw portions. Closer to 1-1 in mid band. Maybe I can get in a contact by the end of the dxpedition. If not, at least someone was able to activate that dxcc.

I did build a 40 meter dipole and just hooked it up today. Still running tests.