Updates include: The ham radio antenna made for the TV show Last Man Standing, a new ham neighbor's home-brew hinged base plate, Field Day 2016, and the 40/80 meter inverted V antenna.
I have built the 40/80m antenna, but have yet to put it up in the air. The weather is getting nice, so now is the time. Can't wait to see the video on tuning it.
Very cool, Dave! Something to be proud of! I also see the MFJ and Disney World cards on the board. WDW is 10 miles west of my QTH. 73 and God Bless! Tom - WN2FMM
Congratulations to Chuck. I wholeheartedly suggest he guy his mast. All the wind load will be on the part attached to the roofline. You dont want to wait to see how it handles the wind, it might be to late. Tnx Dave
I wish I had gone to field days when I got licensed in 2016! I even studied for and passed the General test (failed the General test as I was sick but went back the next day!). Now I have been dying to get on HF! Been a radio junky since I was a kid. I've got a fan dipole in my room for 10m's and 15m's but I'm throwing up a 20m dipole in the trees and building another dipole for 40 meters. My first HF contacts (besides FM 10m repeater that I've used from the start) were my buddy and by chance one of the locals I talk to on the 6 meter repeater! When I got licensed I was one of 8 brand new HAM's who passed the tech and General! I live near Lockheed Martin so a ton of knowledge! Working on my Extra class. I always say get as many people licensed, some areas just don't have the community quite yet!
I have a question. Just starting up again after 30+ years of off the air I am thinking of a dipole. Question:: looking at a clock and the center being a feed point, I have 2 options , I can either run straight out from center 70 feet towards 11 o'clock and 70 feet towards 5 o'clock at about 25 feet high or I can run hundred and 60 feet towards 930 and hundred feet towards 130. Which one would you think would be best for 10 through 80 including 17 m? Things have really changed over the past 30+ years of me being off the air, last month I purchased a FT - 1200 Yaesu and the FT 400 km 440 mobile. I stuck up a four band vertical by Hustler and ran 32 ground planes just to get started I may put up a small beam but I first want to get some type of a dipole or long wire up and running. Any suggestions?
Hello Dave. I too am a huge fan of Last Man Standing. This is the third time I watched this video and I heard you say something I hadn't caught before. You mentioned painting the antenna. What type of paint did you use for to do that. I bought a "Horse Fence Antenna" by KF4BWG and spray painted it to get it to blend in with tree line behind it. However, that de-tuned and made it totally unusable.
