I don't know why I didn't remember this earlier...
How about the building the Buddipole antenna? 
Go to: www.qsl.net/w3ff/
Then, click on 'Building the Buddipole Dipole'

As stated, it should cost around 30 bucks to build and, adjusting the whip antennas, can be brought into resonance on the
following 5 bands: 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20.

I built this a few years ago and have had a lot of fun with it.  I made contact on 20 meters to Honolulu, HI from Conroe, TX with 75 watts and an Icom IC-718.
Plus, building the antenna was a lot of fun.  I stuck it on a piece of conduit and placed it in the umbrella hole in my patio table and had a great afternoon making contacts on it.

Anyway, just another thought. 

Enjoy!

Gerrit, KE5HVM

You can also have a lot of fun with a random wire tuner.  It's easy to use, inexpensive (about $70) and you can use the SWR meter on the '718 to tune to lowest SWR.  I used that exact setup and made all kinds of contacts at 50 watts from Texas all throughout the northeast.
I used a 90' length of wire (as suggested by many posters the eHam reviews of this product), with a banana connector on one end.  I found that length to perform well, but did not experiment much with other lengths.

Here is a link to the the eHam reviews:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2379?page=1

...and a link for the tuner:
http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-16010

Good luck and have fun!

Gerrit, KE5HVM

I like the idea of Radio Shack asking what people are looking for.  It’s great to know that there are still people who build and tinker, and that Radio Shack is asking for their opinion.  They don’t make much money off of it, which makes it that much more impressive.
I am very fortunate that my local RS has a ham working there who knows his stuff.  The sales staff isn’t pushy, and the employees really know their stuff.  If they don’t know what or where something is, I help them out by showing them.  No need to be rude or condescending toward them (unless the obviously do not care a lick and are just waiting for you to buy some batteries and then leave).  Those employees don’t last long, anyway.
As far as other stores with sales staff who aren’t familiar with every single semiconductor they sell, how about providing a little gentle guidance?  People generally want to do a good job at what they do and if approached the right way can benefit from our shared knowledge.  It’s about building relationships.  Soon enough, just like walking into your favorite coffee shop where they know how to make your coffee just the way you like it, the RS guys will remember you and know where you’re heading.
I, too, worked at Radio Shack during the mid-90’s.  While sales were important, people were what really mattered.  Customer service was always above profit.
Additionally, it was my employment at Radio Shack, which led me to get my license.  I got my first start looking through the “Passport to World-Band Radio”, “Antennas”, and Gordon West books we used to sell while at work.  I also enjoyed talking to other hams that would come in to buy odds and ends.  It was through these “Regulars” that I learned a lot about what we sold and about ham radio.
Anyway, just sharing my experiences, which have all been very positive.

All the best,
Gerrit, KE5HVM

Sounds interesting.  I'll have to check it out.
Also, don't forget the movie, "Frequency".  Also a good movie with lots of ham radio face time...and all of it in a positive light.
Cheers.

Gerrit
KE5HVM

Thanks for all of the responses, guys!
Always neat to learn a little ham history.
Ham radio...always learning!

Cheers!

Gerrit
KE5HVM

I have noticed on several older "cheapo" radios, like an old portable CB I had as a kid as well as a few weather radios had RCA/phono jacks for their antennas.
Then, while reading the specs for a NOT cheapo Kenwood TS-2000 that it, too, had a jack for a receive only HF antenna that was an RCA jack.
Is there any particular reason to pick an RCA jack over something like a PL-259, BNC, or even F connector?
Just curious whether there was a reason behind this type of jack, and if there were any drawbacks.

Gerrit
KE5HVM

Bad idea...

Please read the article (below) describing what happened a few years ago before trying to do something like this.  And this was only a .22...

"Officials are trying to determine whether to file charges against a man who fatally shot his wife while trying to install a satellite television system in their home.

Patsy D. Long, 34, of Deep Water, was pronounced dead early Saturday evening after being shot in the chest with a .22-caliber handgun.

Patsy Long was standing outside the residence while her husband was installing a satellite television system.

According to sheriff's department spokesman Maj. Robert Hills, Ronald Long fired a shot from the inside of their home after several unsuccessful efforts to punch a hole through the exterior wall using other means. Investigators said Ronald Long believed his family was inside the house.

He told authorities that he fired a second shot, then called out his wife's name and the names of their two children. When he got no reply, he ran outside and found his wounded wife.

Patsy Long was hit by the second of two shots fired by Ronald Long, the Henry County Sheriff's Department said.

Hills said a person involved in such a case normally would be charged with manslaughter, but that was up to the prosecutor.

"Once we complete a diagram of the incident, we will be submitting everything to the prosecuting attorney and let him decide if he wants to press criminal charges," Hills said.

Hills described the family as being very "distraught."

Henry County Coroner Scott Largent declined to release details about Patsy Long's death until the Sheriff's Department completes its investigation."


http://www.kmbc.com/news/15701029/detail.html

Roland, AH6RR,

THANK YOU!!!

That did the trick!
Apparently, there is a difference between a "membership" and a "subscription".
I checked the boxes you suggested and ta-da!  Mapper, WAS and just about everything else look at the data in logbook.  Now all of them work!
Before, I was only getting name and country.  Now I get all the information I need.

Thank you so much for your help!  Your reply did, in 15 minutes, what I couldn't do in 2 days!

Now, it's time to get on  the air and enjoy radio!

Aloha and '73.  Hope to work your station sometime.

Gerrit
KE5HVM

Good morning,

I have read and re-read the help files and online forums , installed and un-installed Ham Radio Deluxe (versions 4 and 5), including the latest build (2614) the one that is supposed to fix the QRZ lookup issue and I am STILL having the following issues:
-Logbook will not list the QTH when I query QRZ.com
-I can't get any stations to load from the database and plot in Mapper
-I can't get any WAS listings to come up

I am using windows XP, Internet Explorer Version 8.

I was wondering if anyone else has had similar issues and what was done to fix them.
From reading the help forums on HRD, it sounds like some people are having issues and some are not, even though everything is installed and working properly.

Any ideas/suggestions?  It is getting very frustrating!


Thank you all for your help and advice.

Sincerely,

Gerrit
KE5HVM

I installed HRD v. 5 and, while I can log conatacts in the logbook, they do not show up on the mapper screen.  I have read and re-read the help file and can't seem to get it ot work.

I used v. 4 on another computer and did not have this issue.

I'm not calling it a problem, as I'm not sure if it's just a setting or box I need to check or a path I need to specify.

Any ideas?  Suggestions?

Thanks so much for any help.

Gerrit
KE5HVM

I am looking to install 20' of un-guyed, Rohn 25G with about 7' of a 10’ pole extending from the top.
I am planning on using it as a mounting platform for a 6' tall dual-band VHF/UHF whip and discone scanner antenna near the top of the pole (about 27'), a small (5') T.V. antenna at about 20' and a small 18" DTV dish at about 10'.

From what I have read, all of these antennas combined (esp. at different heights will be below the rated wind load).

I am planning on getting a base poured after digging the 3x3x3 hole by hand, myself.

I am also planning on bracketing the tower to the garage wall at about 10' (leaving 10 feet of tower above the bracket, plus about 7' of pole above that).

I wanted something robust, where I could mount everything, allowing room for expansion.  Overkill is fine with me, if it enhances margin of safety.

My question is:  Which would be your personal recommendation for the base mounting?  A short base section with the concrete poured around it or the concrete base plate?

I have read the literature on the manufacturers site and it sounds like either method will work.  I just wanted some second opinions and what most people prefer or recommend for the strongest installation.

Thank you for your suggestions,

Gerrit
KE5HVM

Good morning,

Does anyone remember ever seeing an old military surplus field-deployable HF wire antenna?
I had one years and years ago, but have since lost it along the way.
The container that the antenna came in was about half as tall as a large soup can and was made out of cardboard.
Inside was a length of uninsulated copper wire with nylon cord at the ends.  There were a couple of insulators in there as well.

I was wondering if anyone knew what it was called or had the stock number or anything else that could identify it.  I have tried all Google searches imaginable but have come up with nothing.

When I used to work at a scrap metal recycling facility in high school in the late 80's, there was a BOX of these that came in.  How I wished I had kept more than one!

Sincerely,

Gerrit
KE5HVM

Oops!
The e-mail should be tigerhams@yahoo.com and NOT www.tigerhams.com.  It's been a long day.  Time to go home!

Good luck and '73!

Good afternoon,

How about finding a correlation between radio propagation and the sunspot number?

In order to reduce the number of variables, have him stay on 1 frequency or band and use the same radio, same antenna and monitor that frequency/band at the same time every day.  Then, check Spaceweather.com (www.spaceweather.com) for the daily sunspot number.
Sunspot 1035 is currently moving across the face of the sun.

Below are some IDEAS that might help get him started, or help get him over a tough spot.

His scientific method could go something like this:

State the problem: "Low sunspot numbers reduce the distance that a _______MHz_ (frequency) radio wave can reliably travel at ____:____ (time).

Form Hypothesis: "I think that low sunspot numbers affect radio wave propagation at _____MHz at ___:___ because..."

Design Experiment: "For my experiment, I used a ____(radio) and tuned in to ______ (frequency) at ___:___ UTC.  The antenna I used was built by my dad and me and is... .  I will monitor the same frequency or band every day at the same time and then record the number of sunspots.  I will plot the data on a chart comparing the signal strength vs. the number of sunspots and create a graph."

Test Hypothesis: On the first day, I monitored ___ from ____:____ to ____:____.  I noticed that the signal was very hard to copy..."  Then I checked the number of sunspots and counted ### sunspots.

Evaluate Data: On days with more sunspots, I observed that the signals were stronger and clearer and that I could hear other stations from farther away... ."

Form Conclusion: Based on my observations, I have concluded that the signal strength increases at this frequency when there are more sunspots.  This is because... ."  "Addtionally, I noticed that if I changed frequencies or listened at a different time of day, it affected the signal strength."  However, since this was a comparison between sunspots and signal strength... ."

Variables/sources of error: Weather, dimmer switches, etc.

You could uses something reliable, like WWV for a time signal and measure the S-unit or signal strength from day to day.

This might be a little difficult, seeing as there have been so few sunspots lately.

Good luck and hope this helps.  Drop me a line at the high school radio club if you need anything else (tigerhams@yahoo.com)

Gerrit Rickwalt, KE5HVM
Conroe High School
Astronomy/Physics teacher
Sponsor, Conroe High School Amateur Radio Club, K2CHS
www.tigerhams.com

Good evening,

This is more of an electrical wiring question but, seing as it will be in a hamshack, here goes...
I am installing a GFCI (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter) in my new hamshack.  It is the type that goes into the circuit breaker box, thus providing GFCI proection for the entire circuit.
Anyway, the GFCT circuit breaker has a white wire coming out of it that is coiled (like an inductor).
Does anyone know if straightening out the curled "pigtail" will affect the performance or operation of the GFCI, or is it just to help identify that particular breaker?  Just curious, seeing how RF is AC and I know what inductors do at RF frequencies.
Thanks so much for your responses.

Gerrit
KE5HVM