Antenna Testing Event in Southern CA!

[Master Chief]

From the Wolf Radio Antennas thread:

Do I smell a West Coast field day in the San Juaquin Valley? - how 'bout Fernley, Nv? ...Bring it on!!

I have a 40' crank up tower trailer (test at 36'?). I like El Mirage Dry Lake. I've tested a few antennas out there.

Bring your motorcycles and your antennas (mobile and base). I'm sure Jay and Steve would love to come out also. Don't forget the beer (or in my case PEPSI!). We can make a weekend of it!

The dry lake bed is FLAT and LONG. It's a perfect platform for testing antennas! We can set up listening stations in a straight line (use a GPS).

We could all agree on the testing parameters. Example

Listening Stations:
#1: 1/4 wave ground plane (1-mile out)
#2: 1/2 wave dipole (reference antenna?) (2-miles out)
#3: 5/8 wave ground plane (4-miles out)
(does a 5/8 antenna receive a 5/8 transmitted signal better than a 5/8 recieving a 1/2? Let's find out!)

We could use calibrated radios or a piece of test equipment. If people wanted to put in some $$$, we could rent a manlift and take field strength readings with my Bird 4030/43 set up.

We could also build a test fixture for mobile antennas (unless someone has a Suburban with a center mounted antenna mount).

Obvioulsy this wouldn't be scientific, but it would be consistent, especially if we could all agree on the testing parameters.

This location is also 40-miles from Palmdale. I haven't checked TOPO, but my guess is that there is little in the way as far as terrain goes. I'll look into that. Palmdale would provide a good long distance reference.

We could coordinate communications on FRS, MURS, or Ham Radio. MURS would get my nod! Its a great service!

I have original Sigma 5/8 (both models), Sigma IV's, an Avanti 1/2 wave vertical dipole (AV-160 RAMROD brand new in box), Super Scanner (needs new phasing lines), a 1/2 wave ground plane, and a BUNCH of other junk.

Everyone could bring their own antennas and hopefully Dan, Kale, Jay, and Eddie would be willing to send out their antennas for unbiased testing. Who knows, someone may want to buy them! I know I'll take a single coil P-10K on a 27" shaft for my own use after the testing! I will be picking up another I-10K soon so we can use it also.

April or May sounds good for a weekend outing (including telling stories (lies) around the campfire at night with the BBQ going and the beverages flowing! If you have never done it, there is NOTHING like camping in the middle of the desert (except for in the summer)!!! There would be PLENTY of time to get prepared for an event like this!

What do you think?

 

[bandaid kid]

Sounds like a fun event to me.

73

 

[Cheech]

Sounds like one hell of a weekend to me 8)

 

[mrcoily]

Sounds like i might have to take a little road trip and hit Vegas on the way back..Nothing like meeting people and shacking hands,,Reno is only 9 hours from here and that lake is only a bucket of coffee cups away. let me know exact dates and i will load the saburban.."If i bring the LT-1 trans am is there room for some 150+ mile an hours mobile antenna tests??.I am going to "SEMA" in vegas so if it is around that time might be a problem..Meeting people and Playing with antennas,,Whats better than that!! beside a morning hangover and the shakes...Cannot guarentee i can make it but i will try if everything works out"Maybe i will have my 36 foot tall fullwave base done???...73ssss Dan :beer

 

[Moleculo]

Hell, I'm in to help out. I'll even go by Palmdale and drag Jay's lazy ass out of his house.....

 

[351_bear]

antenna test

what frequencies wwere guys thinking of using for the ones who cant make it ,are you gunna post all of the results of the antennas on the forum

 

[Master Chief]

First, we need to pick a date.

April 7-9
April 14-16 (Easter)
April 21-23 (DX Convention)
April 28-30

*May 5-7
*May 12-14 (Armed Forces Crossband Test)
May 19-21 (Dayton Hamvention)
May 26-28 (Memorial Day Weekend)

May 5-7 looks like a winner. May 12-14 would allow the ham radio guys to set up antennas and make contacts with MARS stations all over the USA in the evening. Those two dates get my vote.

Once we pick a date, we can agree on the parameters.

 

[novakor]

Hell yes.............. make it a weekend thing and you can count me in I'll even try to round up all the Nevada boys,keep us posted.
73,Stu

 

[Master Chief]

There seems to be a lot of interest in this! Let's pick a date by February 26th so everyone can make plans! Out of the dates listed above, what works best for all of you?

Again, once we set a date, we can all come up with the testing parameters.

So, PICK A DATE (see above)!

 

[novakor]

May 5-7 gets my vote.Keep us posted.

 

[Marconi]

I might be healed up enough by then to make May 5-7. I have talked on this Marconi enough over the years to know what I can do with a little RF. If that is not enough excitement for ya' then I will bring Ol' Grandpa along just to keep ya'll straight.

Can hardly wait to show up with my little old 1/4 wave and watch you guys start to sweat. But before I really consider all of this, somebody has to put some real rules down as to height and what is fair and what is not. Will this be for the strongest signal layed down or will other things be considered? Come on now, whoever got this started, put them words down for us to see. If it makes you feel better and if the soil out there is not as bad as I think, then I might just bring my old Sigma along and let you boys see a really big signal, if that is all your after.

If you peckerwoods make height to the feed point as the mark for height, then I will just stay home and watch for the results from the peanut gallery like the rest of the guys. Something for you to think about in coming up with them rules.

Ya'll have fun though.

 

[Master Chief]

First WE pick the date (and May 5-7 looks to be a winner) and then - WE - pick the rules. (WE = you and me and anyone else who wants to participate in this thread)

As far as testing parameters go, I believe that we need to test apples to apples with the only difference in tests being the antenna. The support, feedline, transmitter, height above ground, etc, should be the same for all tests.

TEST STRUCTURE and HEIGHT:
40' crank up tower. Test at 18', 36', 40'

FEEDLINE:
LMR 400 cut to an electrical half wave length at test frequency (27.145) or approx 77' (5 electrical half wave lengths)

TRANSMITTER:
MFG? Mode? Output Power?

RECEIVE STATIONS (3)
1 = 1/4 wave antenna at ? feet and distance.
2 = 1/2 wave antenna at ? feet and distance.
3 = 5/8 wave antenna at ? feet and distance.
I think the station with a 1/2 wave vertical dipole should have a piece of test equipment. The other two stations could use similar radios with calibrated receivers. I suggest Uniden Grants. What do you think?

MOBILE TEST PLATFORM:
Does someone have a Suburban or Van with a center mounted 3/8-24 mount? Do we build a platform out of a sheet of 4x8 plywood and wire mesh (expanded metal or aluminum sheet)? This would be 6' off the ground to closely simulate mobile installations (not too many vehicles are 18' off the ground).

These are just suggestions to get the conversation started. Dan, Eddie, Kale, and Jay's input would be appreciated as you guys actually build antennas and have your own ideas how they should be tested. Over the next couple of months we can narrow down the test parameters that we can all agree to agree with (even if we disagree a bit).

Bob, pack up the Sigma Metamorphasis and the BigMac in the I-10K box and ship it to me!

Also, if you come, what antennas are you going to bring?

 

[Logan]

In the mobile antenna test, puleeeeezzz test the best of the
5/8 's mobile whips, which are the 5" or 7" Skipshooter antenna, #2, would be the Everhardt Tiger (Sott-5) antenna, and finally #3, which should be the Wilson 5 and 6' Silverload series antennas (IMHO).

I know that the Big coils will out talk, and out receive the above antennas, as well as the SS 102" whip, but this post is
about Fiberglass antennas - 5/8'ths wave.

So in eliminating the bottom loaded Wilson coil series, then the Big coils,...... this category has to be included. If anyone has a favorite whip, "Speak up", let me know why you think (Insert name brand) your fiberglass whip is the best talking, smoking, skipshooting, whip you have ever used, or would recommend.......mmmm'kay.

 

[Master Chief]

We'll test any antennas you want to bring. If you can't show up, we'll do the best we can if you ship us the antenna with enough $$$ for the return postage.

 

[Master Chief]

Not yet, but the clock is ticking!

I'm looking for input on how YOU (everyone else) thinks we should test the antennas. If you were testing them, how would YOU do it? I'll throw my input into the mix and we'll all agree on a set of tests that are fair and objective.