Ham Radio Reveals ‘Senior Slip’ in Innovation Research

Got it. It's like the prototype fractal antenna I made before. I'll try that on HF when I can devote some time to it next week.

I like the idea of writing it up with you. I'll drop an email to the editor of RadCom tomorrow to see what the response would be.

One thing I'd like to try soon is using a FracVert as a beach antenna. I suspect that it would make a great DX antenna for portable ops or DXpeditions close to sea water.

Regards,

Chris, G4HYG

 

Wow....

I couldnt make this stuff up... Real is weirder than fiction.

In 1997-1999 I tried, offering to provide the FV to 5 teamed dxpeditions; one politely said no, 4 said that it was crack pot stuff. Ridiculous. 'Bent verticals happen only in windstorms". Checked my notes here...

I confirm that it is ideal for that : DX peditions, portable,IOTA, and even SOTA.

Yes, ask Radcom editor first-- they didnt want a Yank author 18 years ago, but were very nice and supportive. Probsbly different if a collsboration.

They did a fractal piece with the antenna editor...1999? Dont believe it was a 'builder' article.

Feels like exhuming the dead;-)

 

I think the FractVert will be a fun project for the (hopefully soon) up coming warmer weather. Thanks, guys, for posting the dimensions and such.

Would there be a pic of the feed point available? I have never done a vertical. A pic of a working or workable feed point would be greatly appreciated.

 

Mark, center conductor to driven element, shield to radial counterpoise.

Just to clarify, this vertical is not omnidirectional, but the pattern is broadside to the horizontal segment, is that correct Chip?

 

Yes: thanks for reminding everyone== figure 8 pattern, not Omni.

See post #68, from Bill, KB4QAA, for the 73 magazine reference. It has the NEC4 pattern.

From my ancient notes, the FRACVERT HALFWAVE has about 2.5 dB gain over a 1/4 wave vertical, with both modeled in NEC4 with good ground. (Please don't ask me to dig out or model; that was 19 years ago and I have not used NEC in quite a while. I may get a new copy for Windows 10 if Chris and I pull an article together) .

It has slight gain to a 1/2 wave vertical but has no high angle lobes;, a 50 ohm feedpoint; requires no matching; and is bi directional. The matching/loading add additional, but minor losses for the 1/2 wave vertical. It is much quieter than a 1/4 wave or 1/2 wave monopole.

Like Chris, I found it a worthwhile replacement to a (horizontal) dipole of the same height (mostly because of its low launch angle, for DX) : more stealthy, easier to erect and keep up, quieter, and higher gain. With one short tree I got up==20 years ago!== two at right angles and could switch , with a two position coax switch, to getting the 4 cardinal directions. It was pretty slick!

One FRACVERT HALFWAVE took me 1/2 hour to build the radial assembly (I used 8) and 1/2 hour more to put up.

73
Chip W1YW

 

One potential quibble---

Kindly do not reference 'N1IR' in any of these discussions=== I haven't had that call in 10 years, and there is a nice guy named Chris who has had that call for 8 years. N1IR is not me.

I like my W1YW call and just renewed it.

73
Chip W1YW

 

I've received a very positive reply from the Technical Editor of RadCom. A PM is on the way.

Regards,

Chris, G4HYG

 

"Just to clarify, this vertical is not omnidirectional, but the pattern is broadside to the horizontal segment, is that correct Chip?"

"Yes: thanks for reminding everyone== figure 8 pattern, not Omni.

See post #68, from Bill, KB4QAA, for the 73 magazine reference. It has the NEC4 pattern."

No, not yes... I went and looked at the article again and the pattern is NOT broadside to the horizontal segment. It is ENDFIRE to the horizontal segment, and slightly asymmetric.

 

I answered the wrong question(answered the 'not omnidirectional' comment): the direction is defined by the bottom section--look at it as an 'arrow' and that is the direction of max gain. Over real ground it also has the back lobe reduced a bit, but essentially a figure 8. Bidirectional with modest F/B over real ground.

OK with that description?

 

Yup, dat duz it!

 

Thanks Chris,

Email received.

Chris and I will be submitting to Radcom, probably in late summer/ early fall... I suspect there is some field work that Chris wants to do

The editor was very reasonable, friendly, and, of course, made no promises. Exactly what an editor should do.

There is eagerness to have a fractal antenna piece.

Contrast this to QST and CQ....

What's wrong with our American publishers? Sheesh. Too much intrigue, and passion plays. And the fish got away....under the fatuous premise that the pond doesn't exist.

Addressing the myth of:

"if it was any good, we'd see it in QST or CQ or one of the handbooks and people would be using it..."--- obviously this is not true.

I respectfully make the decision to not submit any new articles to the ARRL as of April 28, 2016.

Don't go to bed hoping that Santa Claus comes on Christmas Eve....



73
Chip W1YW

 

Oh, great.

Another stupid endless thread about fractal antennas.

 

Thanks Janet for capturing the quintessence of the antithesis of this thread.

We are all so summarily grateful for your pithy contrarian summary.

Janet usually hangs on the 'Island of Misfit Hams' website, and is just on the cusp of reaching the demographic so described in the OP.

But, of course, she is entitled to her opinion.

 

What does forum participation have to do with anything? I hang out on the same forum, and all I did was ask for a diagram, and thanked you when you supplied one.

 

Ask her:

I have no idea what it means to be a misfit, or identify myself as one. Sorry. And I am certsinly not isolated--the significance of 'island'.


Do you debate that I presented a fact, or are you making an inference I did not present?

Perhaps you can tell us what a misfit ham is, in context, if any, to the OP.