Here is the process for connecting the alum surge protector + a copper plate single point ground.


Just use a green schotch-brite pad to polish the copper and the back of the ICE protector and get all the oxidation off.

Then liberally apply some conductive gunk like noalox (at lowes) http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_installation/accessories/noalox.jsp on both surfaces and then screw them down together.

1) First of all, there is NO such thing as a 'hdtv' antenna.  There are UHF and VHF antennas and that is all there is.  Its the same frequencies that TV has been using since before I was born.

That being said, most all Digital OTA tv signals in most communities have moved to UHF, so what you really need is a very good UHF antenna.  Most of the big TV stations used to be on VHF so most indoor antennas typically really focused on VHF and often just gave you a tiny little loop for UHF and that is it.  This will not work very well for all the UHF signals you want now.  


I built a VERY simple and quick to build UHF antenna using a 2x4 board a few pieces of 14inch long wire, and a couple of cheap metal sheets.

http://www.tvantennaplans.com/

I built this design in less than an hour, and had it up in my attic with incredible reception.


Being a ham, I had plenty of extra wire around.  I used some of the same 3/16" braizing rods I use to build antennas for 2m, 70cm etc.

I had some extra metal sheeting to use as the reflector.  You can get some  for a few dollars at the hardware store if you want to make yours a little more sturdy like I did.

Also, UHF is very directional, so you can't really just 'eye ball' it and get good results a few minutes with a compass, and you will get the signal you want.

Go here to get the compass bearing to the stations you want to view from your location.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Welcome.aspx

I am a new ham, and I studied and studied and studied and felt like I ended up learning a TON of new stuff to get all the way to Extra Class.  


And you know WHY I put the effort into getting my Extra?


Its BECAUSE I want to learn CW and have access to all the HF privileges.

I am fascinated with QRP, and CW is the way to go when operating QRP if you want to really use it to the fullest possible.


I have wanted to be a Ham for more than a decade, but due to marriage, having children, busy life etc I had put it off.

I am now at a slightly less hectic part of my Life(40), and have finally been able to get into it.


The no-code did not really impact

a) IF I became a ham or not,
b) What class I was motived to achive, and
c) IF I learned and USED CW or not



I see that, lots of old timers look at me as a 'paper Extra'....but I bet with enough practice and usage, I could probably end up with better CW speed and accuracy than most of those naysayers.

Get good cable for good prices at http://www.jefatech.com.


They have a good LMR-600 heavy cable for pretty good prices, and it has excellent specs on VHF/UHF.

Their LMR-400 type cable is also very good and for a great price.


You can get them to build pre-made cables with whatever connectors you want on them for well.  And they do a good job.

I would love a tube based homebrew kit for CW that could output around 5w qrp.

A good tube based 40m or 20m homebrew kit would be a huge amount of fun.

Used my 10/20/40 today on 20m to get into Europe easy with my 5watts FT-817.

I would suggest PSK31.


Its a computer/digital mode that is hugely popular and I would imagine that it would be not very difficult for a hearing impaired person to use.

Oh yeah. Forgot to mention.

This is the best $39 I ever spent.

http://www.dxengineering.com/Parts.asp?ID=2368&PLID=240&SecID=127&DeptID=36&PartNo=DXE-UT-8213


It works very well and makes perfect stripped cable ends ready for PL-259 installation in a snap.


I have seen similar cable stripper devices but they are usually $99, so this one from DX Enginnering is a really good deal.

My best luck has been with using low-temp solder.


The type usually marked as use for SMT and is very thin is the best.. It heats up and melts quite quickly.


There is also some solder paste that works well too.


Using a little butane torch works better and faster than any soldering iron I have had as well.


The key is heat and solder fast, and reduce heating of the wire as much as possible.


And lots of good advice here:
http://www.eham.net/articles/5071

If you don't have the room for a full length 80M dipole, consider a LOOP.

For instance on my suburban lot, I don't have the length that would be needed for a full length 80M dipole, but I actually do have the length needed for a 80M horiz loop just between 2 trees and a roof peak on the garage in a delta shape.  I even have room for a full 160M loop if I stretched one end over the top of the house to use the whole lot from side to side, that's my next project.  You would be surprised just how big a loop you can fit in even on a small lot.

 

Its easier to fit the length of one of the many sides for a horizontal loop down a part of the yard then a whole 1/2-1 wavelength.


http://www.donkeith.com/n4kc/Skywire.htm

I ordered a HF Lightning suppressor from ICE recently 2/09, and received the product quickly and was very well built.

You might be interested in this GREAT podcast if your interested in using Linux.  

They have covered this very issue and more.


http://blacksparrowmedia.com/lhs/