Well Thanks to everyone who has replied.

I have made the switch to Ubuntu, firstly dual booting with windows xp and now I've just completely re-formatted my hard drive and installed Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)

I found the forums a real mind of information, no matter how stupid of question you asked, and I asked a few hi,

I had tried a few distro's in the past, Mandrake and fedora, but I found Ubuntu so user friendly and so quick, I am still using windows but within Ubuntu, with VirtualBox but only to run Dreamweaver and Photoshop as they wont run under wine.

For all my digi modes I use QSSTV and MMSSTV (under wine) and Fldigi and my logging software is Xlog, I find this so much better than winlog32.

I am not going back to Microsoft never again for a full time OS when I can get better for free, especially now after seeing and using this new vista and comparing it to the Beryl add-on in Ubuntu, if thats the best Microsoft can do they should give up in my opinion! hi


Yet again thanks for all your replies,

73's
Ian
M3GXX

Hi Marc,
Yeah The MA5B or any other mini beam maybe better, but I am unable to afford to buy such antenna.

Even thou I am young(ish) 34 yrs old I have a disablity that stops me from working and with a baby due in the next 9 weeks money is even harder to find.

I would Love a ZX-Yagi mini 2000 or a MA5B but maybe in time when I can save enough money!

73's
Ian - M3GXX

Hi AB3EI,

Yeah I get your point, but after doing some measurenents in my garden I would not be able to fit either the Moxon or a 2 ele beam.

If I wanted any beam over 22-23ft wide and wanted to direct it in any direction apart from North or South I would exceeding my boundary of my property, as my garden is only 25ft wide, I am fine in the North/South direction as my garden is 95ft long. Also due to my licence I am only allowed to run 10 watts, although I have had several contacts in the US and Canada and all over europe, its a lot harder on voice than on the data modes and I do prefer voice.

So unless I can either build an beam thats small enough to be able to fit into my garden and be able to be rotated without exceeding my boundary I think I will have to just have to try and save and buy something like a TGM 3 ele,approx £440, but that may take some time due to not being able to work for medical reasons and another child due un June!

I have looked into the Hex beam a bit but the Gain and F/B gain doesn't seem as good as a 2 ele beam or the Moxon, but it may well be the only alterative till I can afford a comerical beam like the TGM 3 ele.

Regards
Ian

Hi
Yeah I have looked at the Moxon and was impressed with what I had read, then I did some measurements of my garden, although it is 95 foot long its only 25 foot wide and if I wanted the antenna in either the east or west direction it would just over hang my neighbours gardens!

I have also looked into a quad or but yet again a 3 element is too long for the north south directions!!

Regards
Ian
M3GXX

Does anyone know of some 20M close spaced mini beam or mini quad design designs on a website(s), as I wish to build a 2 or 3 element beam/quad that is small to keep my neighbours happy but most of all to keep the XYL very happy HI HI

Cheers
Ian
M3GXX

I would love a 2 or 3 element yagi and I have the space for it in my garden, but then I'd have to pay about £150 for an application for planning permission then I could still get refused even thou there is a amateur within spitting distance of me with a 3 ele tri-bander.

We should get planning permission for any antenna that is either greater than 3 meters in length or 3 meters above the ridge of your house, depending on what area of the UK you live in, or if the local authority class it, or not as most amateur antenna's, as "de-minius", they like you to pay out for planning permission for anything that isn't a TV antenna or a satalite dish or even if you want 2 dishes up!!

I will be getting a TGM 3 element beam when I can afford it, and then see if the neighbours complaint to the local authorty, but if I start smallish and work up hopefully they wont say a thing and especially when they can see the 3 element tri-bander 33ft up in the air Hi Hi

Regards
Ian
M3GXX

I am considering building a mini beam for 20 Meters and I was wondering which was the best the Moxon Rectangle or the VK2ABQ antenna?

My garden is 70ft long by 35ft wide but goes from a East at the top to West at the bottom, not great for using a wire antenna as I have.

The main useage is for 20M digi modes and voice.

Any suggestions from fellow amateurs would be great

Ian
M3GXX

I was wondering if I could make a 80M off centre fed dipole(OCFD) and shorten it to about the same size as a 40M Off Center Fed Dipole?

The reason I ask is I already have a home-made 40M off centre fed dipole but would like to make it better and to cover 80M's too, but I have about 70-75feet to do this in.

Plus this would also give me better all round coverage on 20M's so I maybe able to work state side better on my 10 Watts max power limit I have, until I pass the next 2 exams and get my M0 callsign!!

Many Thanks
73's
Ian
M3GXX

Can anyone tell me how to make QSSTV put my Yaesu FT-100D into transmit so I can send some SSTV pictures instead of just recieving them?

it is set up for my com's port dev/ttyS0 and I've tried with VOX ticked and unticked but with no joy, FLDIGI works great with hamlib!!

Any ideas guys, as I am fairly new to linux as I wanted to get rid of the rip off Windoze

Ian
M3GXX

Hi All,
I want to switch operating systems from Microsoft Windows to Linux, but still be able to use PSK31, SSTV, RRTY, some logging software and a radio control software, like Ham Radio Deluxe that I presently use but in Linux.

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience of switching OS's and which one they found the easiest or any software I could use within Linux to use Windows based Software like HRD?

Many thanks in Advance
Ian
M3GXX

Hi WB2WIK
Thank you for your reply.

I purchased the antenna from EBay for a very cheap price, even if I could get the antenna to work well on 40M and 20M that would be great.

I have had some good contacts on 20&40M, I have worked a W1 on 40M and I2,YU,UE,9A, to name a few, all on 20M, all contacts using only 10 Watts but I'd still like to improve the antenna if I can.

I will get a copy of the formentioned book and have a good read.
Apart from the height restrictions I also have a very small garden it is only 25ft long by 15 foot wide which restricts me with respects to dipoles and quads!

Yet again many thanks for the information sir
Regards and best 73's
Ian
M3GXX

Hi All
At present I have a home made helical ground mounted antenna with approx 22.6 Meters of 14 gauge copper wire on a 4 Meter glass fibre rod, with a 2 meter copper earth and two 5 Meters insulated ground radials which are buried about 2 inches below ground.

I would like to make this antenna multi band, mainly for 80M, 40M and 20M I am not too worried about gain but some gain would be nice as I am restricted to only 10 Watts, so could anyone please give me any ideas on how to improve this antenna, there are a few restrictions, mainly local council and neighbours so the antenna can not be raised and it must be able to laid down flat at ground level when not in use, Thats england and our red tape!! HI HI

Regards
Ian Bardell
M3GXX

Hi
Has anyone got a nice large circuit diagram for the FDK Multi 750e??

I have just purchased one and I am getting no repeater shifting when keyed and no output power either, oh and it also doesn't recieve anything even when a hand held is 10 foot away from it!

Any help on this would be much appreciated

Ian
M3GXX