Date: Fri, 8 Jul 94 04:30:16 PDT From: Ham-Ant Mailing List and Newsgroup Errors-To: Ham-Ant-Errors@UCSD.Edu Reply-To: Ham-Ant@UCSD.Edu Precedence: Bulk Subject: Ham-Ant Digest V94 #214 To: Ham-Ant Ham-Ant Digest Fri, 8 Jul 94 Volume 94 : Issue 214 Today's Topics: Antenna on my boat?? (2 msgs) Free Antenna Software Loop Antenna using SGC 230 MFJ-1798 (2 msgs) need 80 meter dipole help (6 msgs) phased vertical array software? Propagation Analysis Sourcecode Where is KLM - Need parts for KT-34XA Where is the best pla Yagi design software?? Send Replies or notes for publication to: Send subscription requests to: Problems you can't solve otherwise to brian@ucsd.edu. Archives of past issues of the Ham-Ant Digest are available (by FTP only) from UCSD.Edu in directory "mailarchives/ham-ant". We trust that readers are intelligent enough to realize that all text herein consists of personal comments and does not represent the official policies or positions of any party. Your mileage may vary. So there. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 4 Jul 1994 20:29:06 -0700 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!nic-nac.CSU.net!ctp.org!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Antenna on my boat?? To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu Hello all, I posted about this is rec.radio.cb and got no replys so now I'm trying here...I need to put a cb in my 18 foot boat for the summer and I need help with the antenna. The boat is all fiberglass except for a little wood and some chrome railing around the outside. My problem is how do I get a ground plane without any metal on the boat. Do I use the lake? My idea would be to put a copper plate about 5 in by 5 in on the bottom of the boat and run a hefty ground wire to the antenna ground. Would this work...Would the lake be a sufficient ground...HELP...I dunno what to do !! Thanx a bunch, Nathan Hickson nhickson@walrus.mvhs.edu -- "There are no mistakes, only opportunities to learn" "I haven't lost my mind, I know EXACTLY where I left it! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Jul 1994 08:05:37 GMT From: news.Hawaii.Edu!kahuna!jeffrey@ames.arpa Subject: Antenna on my boat?? To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In article <2vak22$psk@eis.calstate.edu> nhickso@eis.calstate.edu (Nathan M. Hickson) writes: >Hello all, > > I posted about this is rec.radio.cb and got no replys so now I'm >trying here...I need to put a cb in my 18 foot boat for the summer and I need >help with the antenna. The boat is all fiberglass except for a little >wood and some chrome railing around the outside. My problem is how do I >get a ground plane without any metal on the boat. Do I use the lake? My >idea would be to put a copper plate about 5 in by 5 in on the bottom of >the boat and run a hefty ground wire to the antenna ground. Would this >work...Would the lake be a sufficient ground...HELP...I dunno what to do >!! Nathan - yes that will work fine. I sailed a boat from Hawaii to San Francisco with using the ballast keel as the `ground'. It effectively used the ocean as a ground plane. I used 20M daily and was given great signal reports. You'll want to epoxy the copper plate to your boat's bottom close to the transom so you can run the wire up the stern - you don't want to drill any holes below the waterline for the wire (although some do). No need for a sacrificial zinc fitting if your boat stays in fresh water. A quarter wave whip is your best antenna on 11M. Jeff NH6IL ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jul 1994 16:46:52 -0700 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!news.ossi.com!news.fai.com!amdahl!netcomsv!dodge!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Free Antenna Software To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu The April issue of QST on page 46 under "New Products" lists some free antenna software. The programs are called "DXPLOT", "PATPLOT", and "ANTPLOT". The bbs to download them from is: 216-349-8698. Would someone in or near the 216 area code please upload these programs to an ftp site on the net? tnx & 73, km6wt. ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 13:38:59 MST From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!pitstop.mcd.mot.com!mcdphx!schbbs!waccvm.corp.mot.com!RGAB10@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Loop Antenna using SGC 230 To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu I am considering the purchase of the SGC 230 antenna coupler using it with a small loop for a transmission/receiving antenna. Since the loop is directional, I would mount it on a rotator to take advantage of the inherent gain. Does anyone have experience with this type of configuration? How well does it work over the 160 to 10 meter bands? I've heard good things about the coupler, but not in this particular application. Thanks for any comments Steve K3NPK ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 15:12:00 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!chsun!elna.ethz.ch!naricom!tobias@network.ucsd.edu Subject: MFJ-1798 To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu Hi, I read in a anouncement about a new vertcal antenna MFJ-1798. It's a 10 band antenna 80/40/30/20/17/15/12/10/6/2m. Unfortunately, datasheets and antenna are not yet available from the dealer. Has one of you experience with this antenna? I'm interested about bandwidth, performance in QSO and mechanical stability. Thank es 73 de Tobias ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 20:38:12 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!ftpbox!mothost!delphinium.cig.mot.com!rtsg.mot.com!reichrt@network.ucsd. Subject: MFJ-1798 To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In article <2vh600$qbs@elna.ethz.ch>, tobias@nari.ikt.ethz.ch (Tobias Meier,ETF E121,22803,,,y) writes: |> |> Hi, |> |> I read in a anouncement about a new vertcal antenna MFJ-1798. |> It's a 10 band antenna 80/40/30/20/17/15/12/10/6/2m. |> Unfortunately, datasheets and antenna are not yet available from the dealer. |> Has one of you experience with this antenna? |> I'm interested about bandwidth, performance in QSO and mechanical stability. |> |> Thank es 73 de Tobias |> |> |> Ditto! Looking for actual performance ratings before I buy! I did get the Installation Manual from MFJ on the 1798. Wow! Think I'll go back to something easy like reducing the National Debt...HI! The picture wasn't very clear plus tune up is quite involved. It has a 8.5' square Capactive top hat. There were no VSWR vs Freq vs Dimensions chart supplied. It does give starting dimensions for tuning. Tune up by band in specified order is required...so a 80 - 2 Meter rig will be needed. It mentioned non-corrosive material but didn't notice if any nuts/bolts/clamps were stainless steel. -- ==================================================== | KD9JQ ex KA7IXS,WA8NBD 708-632-6669 Work | \|/ | Charles H. Reichert 708-358-3827 HOME | ^ ^ | 955 Concord Ln. | ( O O ) | Hoffman Ests., IL. 60195 reichrt@rtsg.mot.com | ___.ooO__U__Ooo.___ ==================================================== Hmmmm...Could Be! ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 16:59:41 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.onramp.net!news.sprintlink.net!malenchi@network.ucsd.edu Subject: need 80 meter dipole help To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu I am looking for information on how to construct a small 80 meter dipole. Due to the size of my lot I can not support anything longer then 60 to 70 feet. I know the radiation pattern and output will not be the same as a full size dipole but that what I get when I didn't think about it when I bought my house 10 years ago...... Any info would be appreciated.. John Malenchik N9IGP EMAIL - malenchi@tiny.sprintlink.net / ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Jul 94 10:52:07 PDT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!ssd.intel.com!chnews!news@network.ucsd.edu Subject: need 80 meter dipole help To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In article <2vhc9t$mrn@news.sprintlink.net>, writes: > > I am looking for information on how to construct a small > 80 meter dipole. Due to the size of my lot I can not support > anything longer then 60 to 70 feet. I know the radiation > pattern and output will not be the same as a full size > dipole but that what I get when I didn't think about > it when I bought my house 10 years ago...... > Any info would be appreciated.. > > John Malenchik N9IGP > EMAIL - malenchi@tiny.sprintlink.net > / Avoid bending the dipole legs if possible, use traps, or put up a vertical. Tom WB7ASR... ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Jul 1994 19:18:18 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!srgenprp!alanb@network.ucsd.edu Subject: need 80 meter dipole help To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu Tom WB7ASR (tom_boza@ccm.hf.intel.com) wrote: : In article <2vhc9t$mrn@news.sprintlink.net>, writes: : > : > I am looking for information on how to construct a small : > 80 meter dipole. Due to the size of my lot I can not support : > anything longer then 60 to 70 feet. ... : Avoid bending the dipole legs if possible, use traps, : or put up a vertical. I disagree. It's perfectly OK to bend the ends of the dipole to get it to fit into the available space. Since the current is greatest near the center of a dipole, you can bend the ends at a 90 degree angle without upsetting the radiation pattern much. A typical arrangement is to have a flat-top portion running horizontal out as far as you can get it, and then have the remaining length hanging straight down at the ends. That will tend to change the resonant length somewhat, so cut the dipole a bit long and be prepared to trim for lowest SWR. AL N1AL ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 11:44:01 -0700 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!asuvax!chnews!ornews.intel.com!ornews.intel.com!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: need 80 meter dipole help To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In article <2vhfho$85l@chnews.intel.com> Tom WB7ASR writes: >In article <2vhc9t$mrn@news.sprintlink.net>, writes: >> I am looking for information on how to construct a small >> 80 meter dipole. Due to the size of my lot I can not support >> anything longer then 60 to 70 feet. I know the radiation >> pattern and output will not be the same as a full size >> dipole but that what I get when I didn't think about >> it when I bought my house 10 years ago...... >> Any info would be appreciated.. >Avoid bending the dipole legs if possible, use traps, >or put up a vertical. >Tom WB7ASR... NO No no. Bend the ends straight down after making the flat top as long and high as possible. Most of the radiation comes off the middle area near the feedpoint. Use the 102 foot length and ladder line if you have a tuner. This will allow all band operation. Otherwise use 120-130' depending on phone or cw band desired. Actually, the vertical is better for DX on 80 meters if you can put down enough radials. Jim WA7LDV... -- zardoz@ornews.intel.com WA7LDV ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Jul 1994 23:57:43 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!sdd.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!icon!greg@network.ucsd.edu Subject: need 80 meter dipole help To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu Alan Bloom (alanb@hpnmarb.sr.hp.com) wrote: : upsetting the radiation pattern much. A typical arrangement is to have : a flat-top portion running horizontal out as far as you can get it, and : then have the remaining length hanging straight down at the ends. Down or sideways? I just recently read an article that suggested it was best to keep the bent parts "in the same plane", or words to that effect, which I interpret as horizontal. Just curious, Greg. ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 20:57:31 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!chnews!scorpion.ch.intel.com!cmoore@network.ucsd.edu Subject: need 80 meter dipole help To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In article <2vhc9t$mrn@news.sprintlink.net>, wrote: >I am looking for information on how to construct a small >80 meter dipole. Due to the size of my lot I can not support >anything longer then 60 to 70 feet. John Malenchik N9IGP Hi John, if at all possible, make your dipole 88 ft. long which is 3/8 wavelength on 75m. Performance tends to drop off below that length. However, a 70 ft. dipole fed with 450 ohm ladder-line from a good antenna tuner will radiate fairly efficiently assuming that your antenna tuner has the impedence matching range to load it. ELNEC says that an 88 ft long, 30 ft high dipole has a feedpoint impedence of 13-j460 on 4 MHz (this is my present antenna). A 70 ft long, 30 ft high dipole has a feedpoint impedance of 7.4-j790 I don't worry about the 80/1 SWR with the 88 ft dipole but a 70 ft dipole would have a considerably higher SWR than the 88 ft one. Not worrying about an 80/1 SWR blows some minds, but on 4 MHz my total losses are around 1 dB even with the 80/1 SWR because I have an efficient antenna tuner and I DON'T USE COAX!!! Ladder-line is virtually lossless on 4 MHz even with an 80/1 SWR. Good luck and 73, KG7BK, OOTC, CecilMoore@delphi.com ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 07:46:02 -0400 From: newstf01.cr1.aol.com!search01.news.aol.com!not-for-mail@uunet.uu.net Subject: phased vertical array software? To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In article , hrick@world.std.com (Rick Harrison) writes: I haven't seen any share ware programs, but I recently purchased the ARRL Antenna book and it has indepth explanations of how they operate, with formulas and several design examples. You could probably take the formulas they give you and write your own program fairly easily. I have been contemplating it. ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 10:27:44 -0400 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!udel!news2.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!rtp.vnet.net!char.vnet.net!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Propagation Analysis Sourcecode To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu Anyone know where I may find MUF calculation source code? Preferably in C? -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bill Jackson | Internet: bjackson@vnet.net 919-850-3044 | ax.25: nt4t@n1gmv.nc.usa.na ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Jul 1994 20:46:33 GMT From: microsoft!hexnut!frede@uunet.uu.net Subject: Where is KLM - Need parts for KT-34XA To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In article <2usdtl$849@hpscit.sc.hp.com> rkarlqu@scd.hp.com wrote: > In article , David Feldman wrote: > >Need spare parts for KT-34XA - can't find KLM - help!!!!!! KLM is now located in Monroe, Washington. Call directory assistance for area code 206 and ask for "KLM Antennas" in Monroe. Hope this helps, FredE ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Jul 94 05:55:00 -0500 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!iat.holonet.net!wwswinc!art.harris@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Where is the best pla To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu In <2uurpg$b06@chnews.intel.com>, Tom asked: >Can someone tell me where the best place is to install my >Drake 1KW low pass filter? > 1) Between my HF transceiver and my 1KW RF amp > 2) Between my 1 KW RF amp and my 1KW antenna tuner > 3) Between my 1KW antenna tuner and my antenna > 4) Sell it at the next ham fest > 5) Anywhere after the transceiver The correct answer is 2. The filter needs to operate in a line with a low SWR, therefore it must be installed on the rig side of the tuner. If it were placed between the xcvr and the amp, any harmonics generated in the amp would go unfiltered. Answer number 4 is my second choice 8-; Art, N2AH ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Jul 1994 20:14:27 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.uoregon.edu!netnews.nwnet.net!ns1.nodak.edu!plains!jilek@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Yagi design software?? To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu If anyone knows of a good package that will do all of the work for you please let me know. Thanks Ryan KA0UPH ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 15:47:30 -0700 From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!chnews!ornews.intel.com!ornews.intel.com!not-for-mail@network.ucsd.edu To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu References <2vhfho$85l@chnews.intel.com>, <2vhie2$8cg@ornews.intel.com>, <2vhqot$khb@chnews.intel.com>ws.in Subject : Re: need 80 meter dipole help In article <2vhqot$khb@chnews.intel.com> CecilMoore@Delphi.com writes: >Hi Jim, this is starting to look like an Intel thread. My 88 ft dipole >works almost as well as my old 102 ft dipole on 4 MHz. The reason I >shortened it was to get two radiation nodes on 20m and a cloverleaf >pattern on 17m which gives me world-wide coverage (except straight over >the North Pole) on those two bands. With a 102 ft dipole you get a clover- >leaf pattern on both 20m and 17m and therefore very little broadside >radiation. >73, KG7BK, OOTC, CecilMoore@Delphi.com That's good, yes lot's of different lengths will work and experiments with cloverleaf patterns have resulted in the antenna I'm now using that I developed with MN. Its a 48' ladder-fed dipole. I picked this length for the nice pattern of 6 broad leafs on 10 meters that hit all the quadrants I want. It also makes nice patterns all the way down to 20 meters and works like a regular dipole on 30 meters. I gave up on 80 meter dipoles as they just seem to warm the clouds and impress the locals. I have since modified my antenna by adding another 48' dipole below and using a phased ladder feed like so: 50' -------------------48'------------------- || || || || || // //| //|| // || // || // || 30' -------------//----48'------------------- // // feed This works nice on 10 meters but presents some interesting matching problems on some of the other bands. I haven't put my Smith chart to work on it yet. I use a Johnson Matchbox Jr. so I can't hit those higher impedances. As an RS-10 satellite antenna it didn't work as good as expected. The only real success, horizon-to-horizon, that I've had with RS-10 is a Mosley TA-32jr that had to be rotated to track the sat. -- zardoz@ornews.intel.com WA7LDV ------------------------------ Date: 7 Jul 1994 21:06:37 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!chnews!scorpion.ch.intel.com!cmoore@network.ucsd.edu To: ham-ant@ucsd.edu References <2vhc9t$mrn@news.sprintlink.net>, <2vhfho$85l@chnews.intel.com>, <2vhie2$8cg@ornews.intel.com>oo Subject : Re: need 80 meter dipole help In article <2vhie2$8cg@ornews.intel.com>, Jim Garver wrote: > >Use the 102 foot length and ladder line if you have >a tuner. This will allow all band operation. >Jim WA7LDV... Hi Jim, this is starting to look like an Intel thread. My 88 ft dipole works almost as well as my old 102 ft dipole on 4 MHz. The reason I shortened it was to get two radiation nodes on 20m and a cloverleaf pattern on 17m which gives me world-wide coverage (except straight over the North Pole) on those two bands. With a 102 ft dipole you get a clover- leaf pattern on both 20m and 17m and therefore very little broadside radiation. 73, KG7BK, OOTC, CecilMoore@Delphi.com ------------------------------ End of Ham-Ant Digest V94 #214 ******************************