I have been off the air for a long time. Ever since moving to this QTH ham radio has not been fun. I moved here in 83. I strugggled for a few years but finally gave up in frustration. Even with a triband beam I could do very little. Lately I got back at it a bit. I got into the old Glowbug stuff. One thing led to another and I decided to blow the dust off my KNWD (TS830 ). I didn't have an antenna so it was off to home depot for some copper plumbing. The old coax still lay by the side of the house. I whipped up a 3/4 inch copper pipe verticle with the last 16 inches made from a 95 Dodge truck radio antenna. At the junction of that and the copper I soldered a Campbells soup can lid. (I dont know why either , it just seemed the thing to do. ) I made a wooden point thing to stand it on and soldered a 3/4 to 1 inch adapter to the bottom. Total length was 16 feet 7 inches. I propped it vertical in the flowering crab apple tree and tied it secure. Going to my shop I found a length of 5/16 steel rod about 20 inches long. I drove it with a hammer into the frozen ground. Luckily it stopped moving when it was about 2 inches left out of the ground. I soldered a couple of clips to my old coax. (Electric fencer clips from TSC) I plugged in the old Kenwood and plugged in the antenna. I then cycled the switches to get them working properly. I dug the book out to make sure I still knew how to tune the transmitter and gave it a quick tune. I checked the SWR ratio at 14.090. Not bad just under 1.2 to 1. I found the key and plugged it in and switched on the vox for semi breakin mode. I havent done Cw now in probably 15 -20 years but I gave it a shot and called CQ. My hand was terrible I know but I called anyway. Immediatley I was answered by a N04-- and that went well until someone near by started tuning up on top of us. When that finished he was gone. I slipped over to 14.2 and making sure I was in the clear, retuned. I checked the SWR . Even better here. I tuned down a few KCs and heard a CO6. I waited my turn and called. Immediate response. Good signal report too.
Why does this antenna work so much better here? I dont really know. It must be the location is more favourable to this homebrew vertical. Whatever the reason I am back enjoying my hobby once again. I have a cheap stealthy antenna stuck up through a tree with a ground rod in the ground . Cost was very low. Performance is very good. Its has been a long time coming but "We're back!
Don VE3LYX
Why does this antenna work so much better here? I dont really know. It must be the location is more favourable to this homebrew vertical. Whatever the reason I am back enjoying my hobby once again. I have a cheap stealthy antenna stuck up through a tree with a ground rod in the ground . Cost was very low. Performance is very good. Its has been a long time coming but "We're back!
Don VE3LYX
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