for what it is worth I heard a VU4 work a station during CQ WW.  He had a booming signal at s9+20 db.  He had nice audio and sounded better than the 4land station.

I would not add any generators or motors to a bicycle for 2m FM!

I am much more interested in biking unlike some of the hams out there.  I typically travel a bit on my bicycle.  I do not want all sorts of contraptions on the bicycle.  I have carried the handheld in my back pocket at times.  

You will be able to get into repeaters with surprising ease at some points due to the fact you are using your handheld OUTSIDE of a faraday cage such as a car.

The big problem is wind noise is atrocious at 20-30.  You also need a PTT that you can install on your handlebars.  

Otherwise use a handheld and KISS.

bill

You can plug a discone into this radio and only get S1 signals from HELOS flying above on the VHF airband.

What gives?  I think that something is off.

This has been vexing me for awhile.  I am on break right now and I need to know!!

Is there anyone way to improve the RX sensitivity on the FT7800?  I am wondering if the software has some programming to prevent good 1.25 or AM reception.  I only can hear an AM signal when it is really OVERDRIVEN.  

I think that the sensitivity is VERY VERY LOW in the non-ham bands that something is amiss.

n1ey

a 40 meter quad would be really interesting.  I don't think that  I could do it.

I am very vertically inclined..

I was thinking perhaps I should try a half square fed with a 1:1 current balun in the corner for 40 meters.

I anticipate from prior experience that 40 and 20 would be the golden bands for FD points.  80 would also be nice to have.

It is only a couple of people and too many stations and antennae would be too much.

thanks
bill

I also want to be able to work 6land and 5land when they open as they are some big population centers.

Umm, but verticals can have tremendous amounts of high angle radiation.

Good evening,

I threw out the question the other day and I got some points to investigate.  I was reading the ON4UN book and jeepers I really didn't get that enthralled with some of the matching networks and the low liklihood of success.

Has anyone used a 20 meter vertical array for field Day ontop of a 40 foot hill that is almost surrounded by salt water?  What did you use?

thanks
bill

I suppose that I will have to play with EZNEC.  I like to gather real world experience.  I was thinking of using two fiberglass poles to mount up a twenty meter vertical beam immediately near salt water.

I have thought about placing at ground level and elevating radials.  I could go half wavelength.

If I go half wavelength for 20 and feed it with a balun halfway, then I could probably get an ok ground with ok results.

I was thinking about ideas for an easy wide beamwidth array for field day.  Perhaps I should go phasing, but I was thinking parasitic might be easier and steering would not be needed.

thanks
bill

Good morning,

How does one actually tune up a parasitic vertical array?  Say If I built something for twenty meters, what should I do?  I think that I would have the driven element in front.  Should I put the reflector back 1/4 wl in the rear?  If I trim the DE, then do I adjust the reflector?  Which formula should I use for the determining the length of the reflector?

thanks
bill

I think that Steve has a point.  How did you set up the SteppIR?  Did you hook up a MFJ analyzer to the coax in the radio room?  Did you set the presets for each band where the Analyzer gave the best SWR range?  

I think that you could have problems because you are not making the antenna efficient, if you did something of that nature.

You have to make the measurements closest as possible to the feedpoint of the antenna.

N1EY

This tower is interesting.  I think that I have 10 sections of 8 foot lengths.

Bill

The German bureau only send to DARC members.
Check to see if they QSL via bureau!

N1EY

Hello,

I have too much tower sections sitting in the back yard.  This came from a police station via another ham in the club.  It was met for light VHF/UHF antennae and the windloading in 90mph winds is not high.  I would guess at 2 sqft.  

Does anyone have some ideas of what would be the most economical idea for best results on 160/80/40?

Should I put some section up and make a shunt fed vertical?  A Four square off the tower?  Bobtail curtains?  Some interveted V's?

I want mechanically KISS ideas.

What would everyone else do with the tower?

thanks
bill
n1ey

:Many times there is no real difference at all with the
:stack. The upper antenna alone is nearly as good as the
:stack. It's a few dB better than the low antenna alone.
:On a rare occasion the low antenna is as good or better.
: On a rare occasion the stack is 4-5dB better, mostly
:for very long distances like 5K-10K miles or more.

My question is the stack more resistant to fading versus the single beam?

Bill
N1EY