Irv Finkleman wrote:
In almost fifty years of hamming I never had an antenna
that was anywhere near ideal.

If my first 40m dipole wasn't ideal, I didn't know it. :-)
That was the best antenna, ever.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Irv Finkleman wrote:
In almost fifty years of hamming I never had an antenna
that was anywhere near ideal. For many years I couldn't measure let alone
spell SWR! I tied the wire onto the output of the pi-network and
never considered antenna tuners. I thought the cold water pipe was great and all
I needed. My antennas were too high, too low, or tilted the
wrong way. Most were bent around corners, and resembled
the fractal. Propagation let me think that if I got the signal into
the air it would bounce around till I made a contact. If I heard
someone I could usually work them. The RF burns were thrilling, and
told me that I had output! I fired my arrows into
the air and never ceased having fun. Ignorance was bliss. If
I'd known much about antenna theory I'd still be working on the plans
instead of on the air!

Irv VE6BP

I guess the intended lesson here is that only by staying ignorant of
antenna theory will you ever be able to actually build an antenna and
communicate with someone.

Sorry to hear it.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

No Roy -- The intended lesson is that you don't have to
wait until you can learn enough theory to understand the antenna
before you stick a wire into the air. Get on the air first -- then
start learning. Why sit there with a ticket to play, but be
afraid because you don't know all the rules of the game yet.

Irv VE6BP

Roy Lewallen wrote:

Irv Finkleman wrote:
In almost fifty years of hamming I never had an antenna
that was anywhere near ideal. For many years I couldn't measure let alone
spell SWR! I tied the wire onto the output of the pi-network and
never considered antenna tuners. I thought the cold water pipe was great and all
I needed. My antennas were too high, too low, or tilted the
wrong way. Most were bent around corners, and resembled
the fractal. Propagation let me think that if I got the signal into
the air it would bounce around till I made a contact. If I heard
someone I could usually work them. The RF burns were thrilling, and
told me that I had output! I fired my arrows into
the air and never ceased having fun. Ignorance was bliss. If
I'd known much about antenna theory I'd still be working on the plans
instead of on the air!

Irv VE6BP

I guess the intended lesson here is that only by staying ignorant of
antenna theory will you ever be able to actually build an antenna and
communicate with someone.

Sorry to hear it.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

--
--------------------------------------
Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/index.html
Visit my Baby Sofia website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/index.htm
Visit my OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/index.htm
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Irv Finkleman wrote:
No Roy -- The intended lesson is that you don't have to
wait until you can learn enough theory to understand the antenna
before you stick a wire into the air. Get on the air first -- then
start learning. Why sit there with a ticket to play, but be
afraid because you don't know all the rules of the game yet.

Irv VE6BP


With that I agree completely and emphatically!

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

For what it's worth - I can fully quiet a repeater roughly 18 miles from
my home, having radiant heat barrier, with my 2 M HT at 5 watts but not
2 W - a local repeater around 7 miles away with 1.5 W but not 1/2 watt.
Kenwood TH-K2AT with Diamond SRH77CA antenna (18") in place of the
rubber ducky. Oh yes, those are with the aluminum storm panels in place
on the windows too.

I guess it won't hurt us to try it with HF will it?

Thanks for asking the question, I've been meaning to.

Irv Finkleman wrote:
In almost fifty years of hamming I never had an antenna
that was anywhere near ideal. For many years I couldn't measure let alone
spell SWR! I tied the wire onto the output of the pi-network and
never considered antenna tuners. I thought the cold water pipe was great and all
I needed. My antennas were too high, too low, or tilted the
wrong way. Most were bent around corners, and resembled
the fractal. Propagation let me think that if I got the signal into
the air it would bounce around till I made a contact. If I heard
someone I could usually work them. The RF burns were thrilling, and
told me that I had output! I fired my arrows into
the air and never ceased having fun. Ignorance was bliss. If
I'd known much about antenna theory I'd still be working on the plans
instead of on the air!

Irv VE6BP

LeeNY6P

--
god bless

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