An Act of Sheer Desperation...

[guitar_199]

I hope this works. The image is on Imgur and I am pasting an image here. I have done this on other forums and, again, hope it works here.

With a "Stay Home - Work Safe" order in place in the greater Houston area.... I wanted something as an antenna that I could actually hear on....and key up without worrying about damage.

Here is what I came up with.....

(If this does not show up, I hope I can delete the posting!!!)

I took a cheap old 2 conductor extension cord. Cut off the receptacle end plus a couple of inches of wire. Soldered the leads to an SO-239.

Measured a total of about 106" of the cord from the ac plug out, strip-split it back to the plug... did a fold back at each end and secured it with zip ties. Added a few zip tie loops to hang it between a hook on our deck cover and one of the fence posts so it was isolated at each end. Coax hooked up and in through the window.

Took about 6 passes of SWR checking and folding back.... but this thing is showing less than 1.1 across all 23 channels (all I have hooked up is my JC Penney Pinto).

"Desperate times call for desperate measures"

 

[dave457]

If there is a will, there is a way

 

[guitar_199]

We ALL know it won't last forever.......
But it is working right now!

 

[Mudfoot]

My attorneys will contact you. I have a Patent on that.

Lol

 

[Blackcat630]

Need to get on 11 meters.. what would Macgyver do?

 

[sunbulls]

Very inventive idea! I was also making note of that PL259 connector. I can’t say I ever seen one with a set screw like yours, only crimp type designs that look similar. I generally use the old style silver PL259’s with adapters that fit various coax sizes. Good or bad, it’s tough for me to keep up with all the different connectors they’re using nowadays.

 

[Mudfoot]

I've never seen that style either. Can u provide further info regarding that PL?

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

When you are done using it as a dipole, you can put a ground rod on each end and plug it into the wall to get earth worms.

 

[2NC995]

Very inventive idea! I was also making note of that PL259 connector. I can’t say I ever seen one with a set screw like yours, only crimp type designs that look similar. I generally use the old style silver PL259’s with adapters that fit various coax sizes. Good or bad, it’s tough for me to keep up with all the different connectors they’re using nowadays.

No crimp, solderless PL259. Radio Shack, when the stores were still around anyway, carried them for years.

https://www.radioshack.com/products/no-crimp-solderless-pl-259-plu

 

[guitar_199]

To tell the truth, I don't even know where I got that cable from. Just been coiled up in a box.... never paid attention beyond that. I'm just glad I had it laying around.

 

[OldTech03]

I hope this works. The image is on Imgur and I am pasting an image here. I have done this on other forums and, again, hope it works here.

With a "Stay Home - Work Safe" order in place in the greater Houston area.... I wanted something as an antenna that I could actually hear on....and key up without worrying about damage.

Here is what I came up with.....

(If this does not show up, I hope I can delete the posting!!!)

I took a cheap old 2 conductor extension cord. Cut off the receptacle end plus a couple of inches of wire. Soldered the leads to an SO-239.

Measured a total of about 106" of the cord from the ac plug out, strip-split it back to the plug... did a fold back at each end and secured it with zip ties. Added a few zip tie loops to hang it between a hook on our deck cover and one of the fence posts so it was isolated at each end. Coax hooked up and in through the window.

Took about 6 passes of SWR checking and folding back.... but this thing is showing less than 1.1 across all 23 channels (all I have hooked up is my JC Penney Pinto).

"Desperate times call for desperate measures"

I hope this works. The image is on Imgur and I am pasting an image here. I have done this on other forums and, again, hope it works here.

With a "Stay Home - Work Safe" order in place in the greater Houston area.... I wanted something as an antenna that I could actually hear on....and key up without worrying about damage.

Here is what I came up with.....

(If this does not show up, I hope I can delete the posting!!!)

I took a cheap old 2 conductor extension cord. Cut off the receptacle end plus a couple of inches of wire. Soldered the leads to an SO-239.

Measured a total of about 106" of the cord from the ac plug out, strip-split it back to the plug... did a fold back at each end and secured it with zip ties. Added a few zip tie loops to hang it between a hook on our deck cover and one of the fence posts so it was isolated at each end. Coax hooked up and in through the window.

Took about 6 passes of SWR checking and folding back.... but this thing is showing less than 1.1 across all 23 channels (all I have hooked up is my JC Penney Pinto).

"Desperate times call for desperate measures"

You can get more bass in your audio if you use "G" strings from a bass guitar the next time. LOL!

 

[guitar_199]

What a day!!!!???
My son Tim came over.... went and got 2 sections of PVC pipe and got my N9TAX 2m/70cm slim jim up about 15 feet......

So now I can run that through the window and get more active there as well.....

Looks like a fun future.....

 

[WECSOG]

I've seen it done with no connectors and no coax; just zip cord. Split and pull apart enough for a dipole (or slightly less), tie an overhand knot where the two wires come together, and connect the other end to the radio. Hose clamp one conductor to the SO-239 shell and plug the other conductor into the center. Incrementally lengthen the dipole wires by untieing the knot, pull out more wire and retie the knot. When swr drops as low as you can get it, cut a little wire off the other end of the feedline and recheck. Works pretty well once you get it tuned right.

 

[ForestRunner98]

You can get more bass in your audio if you use "G" strings from a bass guitar the next time. LOL!

Acutally the “E” produces deeper bass than the “G” From thicker to thin would be EADG.

 

[BJ radionut]