Beginner ham antenna questions

[bhayles]

I'm new, so this is a guess...but what I THINK I'll be usually doing is using the fan dipole 95% of the time, but when I hear a specific station that I know the location of and I can't QUITE get back to them on the dipole, I can point a beam at them and switch to it.

Does that make sense?

BTW...sunspots are well up today from where they have been...I'll be listening and calling on 28.305 a good bit again today. I'm gonna get one of y'all as a contact yet!

 

[binrat]

I'm new, so this is a guess...but what I THINK I'll be usually doing is using the fan dipole 95% of the time, but when I hear a specific station that I know the location of and I can't QUITE get back to them on the dipole, I can point a beam at them and switch to it.

Does that make sense?

BTW...sunspots are well up today from where they have been...I'll be listening and calling on 28.305 a good bit again today. I'm gonna get one of y'all as a contact yet!

A lot of people do the same, hear with dipole then switch to the beam. I had a 3 element tribander and didn't use it that much as I thought. I noted very little difference compared to my dipole. If I were to do it again, then it would be at least a 5 element tribander, possibly 7 element.

 

[Road Squawker]

there's more to it than just turning a beam antenna towards the signal..... is the TOA the same on both antennas?

... when I hear a specific station that I know the location of and I can't QUITE get back to them on the dipole, I can point a beam at them and switch to it.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

there's more to it than just turning a beam antenna towards the signal..... is the TOA the same on both antennas?

It depends on the height but generally due to higher gain the yagi will have a lower TOA. One MAJOR advantage of a rotatable yagi is not the gain but the rejection.

 

[Road Squawker]

exactly, there many other antenna considerations other than GAIN.

It depends on the height but generally due to higher gain the yagi will have a lower TOA. One MAJOR advantage of a rotatable yagi is not the gain but the rejection.

I was kinda throwin out some ideas for him to think about

 

[bhayles]

This new forum software has glitches...I try to quote one message and get a different one. Oh well...

"I was kinda throwin out some ideas for him to think about"

Exactly what I'm looking for, and what I like about this forum. Ideas. If the folks here who have been Hams for a while just said, "Do this" I might wind up with a good setup, but I wouldn't LEARN anything, but with lots of ideas and discussion of them I get to actually learn about radio, not just do as told without knowing why.

 

[binrat]

It depends on the height but generally due to higher gain the yagi will have a lower TOA. One MAJOR advantage of a rotatable yagi is not the gain but the rejection.

Rejection is a big thing to consider a plus.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Not if it is from a cute little hottie at the bar.

 

[binrat]

Not if it is from a cute little hottie at the bar.

 

[n8fgb]

If you can get over the CB noise, I am calling cq on 305.
rich

 

[bhayles]

I'm calling on 305 but hearing nothing but static.

Is it normal for a solid state radio like the TS130S to drift while warming up?

 

[Road Squawker]

...is normal for a solid state radio like the TS130S to drift while warming up?

the TS 130 series are KNOWN to drift 300-500 Hz til they warm up,.... just let it warm up b4 you transmitt

 

[n8fgb]

I heard a KK4ZAM, but at 5 watts right now he did not pull me out. Wensday I get a 35 amp supply. Will be back 100 watts.
Rich

 

[BJ radionut]

the TS 130 series are KNOWN to drift 300-500 Hz til they warm up,.... just let it warm up b4 you transmitt

Bob: Remember this is one of the first Solid State rigs KW built...Yes give the old girl about 15 to 30 minutes and most will settle right in. The External VFO 120 or VFO 130 were much more stable(still took about 5-10 minutes), maybe an accessory to keep your eyes open for but make sure you get the hook-up cable with it.
Also are you using an external speaker with her? Makes a big difference using like a old Radio Shack "bookself" type speaker (8 Ohms), just about any old(cheap) stereo type speaker will improve the receiver sound...KW made a matching SP-130 or SP-120 for them, but old bookself type will sound much better
All the Best
Gary

 

[BJ radionut]

Makes a good looking combo....See my album pics from couple years back on center self
All the Best
Gary