Experimental 30 Meter Mobile Beacon

Trailing wire on the freeway?

Major T. J. "King" Kong: Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones. You sure you got today's codes?

 

HI

....... what concerns me is the utter stupidity of motorists traveling 20 feet behind a vehicle running 70 miles an hour....???? I suppose the concept is hard to understand,,,for some. I would think, the antenna would be some type of trailing wire like on a p3 Orion ( sub chaser ) ... take into consideration the aircraft never landed with the antenna out the back..... nor never had any in mid air collisionS great experiment guys take it to the limit..you happen to be one of the do'ers not sayer...

 

Here in Lakeland, FL in the central peninsula region the 30 meter band is always crowded with a myriad of CW and digital modes.

 

You ever watch someone going down the highway with something tied or strapped down and the end comes loose? Flipping and flapping every which way? Never really staying straight, just going all over the place? Okay, that's usually just a couple feet long. Now make it about 25' and make it wire instead of rope or strap and tell me how safe you'd feel if it was in the next lane over from you while you ride your bike or drive your convertible, or even just scratching your paint and hitting your windows. It's an accident just waiting to happen.

 

How about pulling a trailer that is insulated from the vehicle ground and use it as the antenna ? or a gamma match on the hitch.

 

Well all I have to say is I changed my plans of riding the harley to dayton this year because of a couple other guys that are going and really cant ride. If I did ride and I pulled up on a vehicle with a trailing wire antenna I wouldnt be to happy at all . A 1/4 wave length antenna should not be pulled behind a car . Remember its a car not an airplane. I dont think the State Police even realize what your doing even if you did tell them. Safety first . A 23/24 foot wire dancing around behind a moving vehicle cant be good even if it does drop to the ground when you stop. I see too many what ifs here and hope your auto insurance is payed up .
Dave N8DC

 

Guys..... I'm sure it will be a very small gauge wire - or else it wouldn't "float". And, by the time it's up and behind the vehicle it will only be 10-12 feet long. So, any other vehicle traveling behind you certainly will NOT be anywhere near that close, period. That definitely means that the wire will NOT be a hazard to anyone. Sure, lots of people like to be naysayers to someone that wants to do something new and different and others that are just smart-asses. Ignore all these folks and their negativity and do your thing and enjoy it!! It looks like you've put a lot of thought and energy into the project and did it before, so go ahead and do it again and HAVE FUN!!! What you're doing is exactly what HAM Radio is all about!! Have fun and safe travels, 73, Bob K8BL

 

Hey David, I had a lot of fun reading these posts, TNX. Be safe and have a good time...FQZ

 

Right, because you could never get cut on a thin gauge wire... like with a garrote or something.

/sarcasm

 

If someone gets hurt by a ham antenna then we might eventually have regulation like FAA does re antenna instalations .
I sure would not want to have my antenna installed ONLY by pros certified by the govt and the fees for each one. Nor the laws possibly created out of an injury case.
All I will say is a Weed Whacker works quite well, a piece of hay wire would do much worse to bystanders I think.
LOL, Sorry to use the word whacker, just must have been one of them there Freudian sloops or something eh?
Experiment, but hey, the cops might aprove of it IF it cuts down roadside weeds as they drive to dayton,LOL 73, Its all fun until someone gets hurt eh?
Michelle

 

I've used an 8 ft. whip with an 8 ft. stinger (trailing wire) on my mobile for over 25 years. I've traveled all over the Eastern US and Southeastern Canada from the Mississippi to the Atlantic and from the northern side of all Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. NEVER has there been a problem with my arrangement or with the trailing wire whatsoever. It has NEVER been an issue for any Police Officer or at any Border/Customs/Immigration Checkpoint. The setup works GREAT and I've got over 150 Countries confirmed to prove it. The negativity and wisecracks from fellow Hams when someone tries something unique never ceases to amaze and disappoint me. You can see a YouTube video of the arrangement with Bob Heil here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7ND81t_KHk
FYI, you can see the trail wire barely touches the ground when it isn't "floating". How anyone can think this is a "hazard" is beyond me.
73 & Enjoy Ham Radio, Bob K8BL

 

That was Bob Heil? Wow. The audio in the video doesn't really live up to the Heil standard.

 

I still haven't got past the "why?" part. Why not just put up a hamstick or other and
yak with hams along the way? I'm not getting the part about "monitor my 30m beacon
and talk to me on 17m about how you hear my beacon"....

I don't get it

Dave
W7UUU
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Dave!!! It's HAM RADIO! It's doing something new and different and fun. Lighten-up! Anybody can put a mobile antenna on their vehicle and yackety-yak. That's OK and fun for tons of people. But, nobody is doing a mobile "beacon" while chatting with the listeners on another Band!! That's COOL!!! That's FUN!!!! That's HAM RADIO!!!! So, hopefully, you can "get it, now".
73 & Enjoy HAM RADIO, Bob K8BL