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100 Watts and a Wire: Episode 85

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by K0STH, Feb 14, 2017.

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  1. K0STH

    K0STH Ham Member QRZ Page

    On this episode, Christian is called to the White House. Well, sort of. Find out what changes K0STH would make if appointed to the FCC. We also talk antennas. The warmer weather has us thinking about our antenna systems. If you had to have just one, what would it be? Listener answers are revealed. Plus, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Have you worked this entity? All of this and more on this edition of 100 Watts and a Wire.

    http://100wattsandawire.com/100-watts-and-a-wire/episode85

    100 Watts and a Wire ® is a weekly podcast celebrating amateur radio. Join Christian Cudnik, K0STH for topical conversation, interviews, news and an entertaining look at the adventures of a ham trying to figure it all out.

    100 Watts and a Wire is perfect for those who are new to ham radio, those looking to serve as Elmer’s, and the technically curious crowd.

    Whether you run 5 watts or 1500 watts, everyone is welcome. In our community, it's OK not to know everything, ask for help, give advice and get on the air.

    Visit 100wattsandawire.com for more information. You can subscribe to the show by clicking the RSS feed. Or, by using podcast apps like, iTunes or Stitcher.

    iTunes: goo.gl/G4ODJc
    Stitcher: goo.gl/X3hrsa

    HF Calling Frequencies: 14287 and 7180
    DSTAR REF026B
    EchoLink: Node 517090

    Gathers happen on Thursdays at 8p Central. Bands may vary.
     
    IX1FIT likes this.
  2. K6RQR

    K6RQR Ham Member QRZ Page

    100 watts and a wire? Well, I can think of two antennas. The first is one that I have used with success. It was a 110 foot long doublet fed with 450 ohm twinlead and hooked up to a Dentron SuperTuner. Good for all bands from 80-10 meters (including 60) and I also got it to decently operate on 160 one time by adding about 25 feet of wire to each end. If I had the space I would put up a 540 foot (its not at all critical) loop antenna as high as possible and feed it with the same tuner and twinlead. I have rarely heard a loop antenna that delivered anything but a good signal. They are claimed to have a lower noise floor on receive (although others have said that isn't true) and they also seem to exhibit a lower "take off" angle for your RF as the frequency increases which is a great feature. If I was on a patch of ground big enough I would seriously consider a full wave loop. Simple, inexpensive and effective.

    73,
    Bruce K6RQR
     
    W8JMB and K0STH like this.
  3. N3WVB

    N3WVB Ham Member QRZ Page

    I feel very fortunate to have many beams, dipoles, verticles. inverted L's , and inverted V's
    BUT
    Without hesitation if I had to choose only one antenna from my mini antenna farm
    It Would Be .........
    My 530' Loop @ 75' feet in the air
    This antenna with a 4 to 1 Balun... tunes flat from 160m - 6 m
    The loop is full wave on 160 for me 1850khz
    The noise is significantly less and despite popular opinion
    It is Great Great Great on All Bands 160-6m
    Keep in mind I have multiple Beams for everything from 20m - 6m and above
    But the Loop is my choice if I could only have one antenna :)
    Loop number 10 stranded wire , UV Protected Insulation fed with Ladder Line to External Tuner

     
    K7SKE and K0STH like this.
  4. WA9RHU

    WA9RHU Ham Member QRZ Page

     
  5. WA9RHU

    WA9RHU Ham Member QRZ Page

    i would still like a 5/8 wave vertical for 160 meters ,beverages for receiving and my 20-15-10 would be a cubical quad that's built a lot better today than it was in 1966 from GOTHAM.
    i would like my dx-100 back when i used to work the world.
     
    K0STH likes this.
  6. K2JX

    K2JX Ham Member QRZ Page

    I would install the commercial 13-30mhz Log Periodic antenna on a 50' heavy duty tower with rotator just like the one the FAA had here at Mac Arthur airport on Long Island.
    They removed it several years ago and one can only wonder what they did with it. It was huge and easily seen as one passed by the field. I used to think how cool it would be to hook up my transceiver to that antenna and really work the world ! I'm limited to an End Fed Wire 150' long about 20' above ground and a 43' Vertical over a few radials here on an island of 3 million inhabitants close to NYC. de K2JX
     
    K0STH likes this.
  7. N0RRS

    N0RRS Ham Member QRZ Page

    I agree a full size loop is the best all around "one antenna" solution, BUT I prefer a 160-6m OCF antenna myself. Mount it at least 30 feet in the air and it will work all 9 major HF bands without a tuner, or add a tuner and it will cover 60 meters also.
     
    W7LDG and K0STH like this.
  8. KF5RHI

    KF5RHI Ham Member QRZ Page

    Since I have housing-Nazis to deal with, I operate in perpetual mobile mode. I use a 6-40m end-fed from KX3Helper.com raised up on a 28' telescoping windsock pole. I've used it multiple ARRL and Winter Field Days and Texas QSO Parties. I've even been able to use it with my LDG Z-11 Pro II tuner to work Australia and New Zealand on 80m. It's the only antenna I use for HF.
     
    K0STH likes this.
  9. K4KKQ

    K4KKQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    I would continue to use my End-Fed Very-Long-Wire antenna, aprox 225 ft, with my tuner.
    I have it trimmed so that it can load to 1:1 on 80, 40, 20.
    from KK4LPG
     
    K0STH likes this.
  10. K9IK

    K9IK Ham Member QRZ Page

    The CHAMELEON V2L HF/VHF/UHF Multiband Antenna (Chameleon V2L Vertical 80m-70cm).
     
    K0STH likes this.
  11. KA1BSZ

    KA1BSZ Ham Member QRZ Page

    160 meter loop and tower and a triband beam and tower.but settle for 2 verticals home and the mobile ( hf,vhf and uhf )
     
    K0STH likes this.
  12. NN6EE

    NN6EE Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I'd have a "Random-wire" & a "Tuna-can QRP transceiver" @ the summit of MT. EVEREST!!! NEPAL=9N1 :) Because @ even say 1watt the "DX Boyz" would strain to hear and work us!!!
    NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!! Look @ what the guys on the 1947 "Kon-Tiki" expedition accomplished with a NC-173 rcvr and a (5 watt) XMTR, ALL BATTERY OPERATED then !!! :) My uncle (Warren Davis-exW6IBD) had actually worked THEM back then as well !!!
     
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2017
    KM1H and K0STH like this.
  13. KQ6XA

    KQ6XA Ham Member QRZ Page

    K0STH likes this.
  14. KU4GW/SK2023

    KU4GW/SK2023 Ham Member QRZ Page

    I'm stuck on the 260 feet (79.26 meters) long doublet fed with 450 ohm ladder line running through a ugly balun and about 20 feet of RG8 coax to my Palstar AT1500CV roller inductor antenna tuner that I've been using since I bought my new home in 2002. It's only 30 feet K9.14 meters) high, but it got VK0EK Heard Island so I'm happy!

    [​IMG]VK0EK HEARD ISLAND QSL INSIDE by Cliff Fox KU4GW, on Flickr
     
    K0STH likes this.
  15. KM1H

    KM1H Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ive used a sloping from 90' T2FD for decades using the original CQ and QST data. Used mostly for listening but Ive run up to a 100W on it on 40-10M.

    Do you have an EZNEC plot on yours?
     

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