Young ham wins youth achievement award from radio club of america

The point is that copper tape, a utility knife, and a dremel are still used to fine tune antennas at vHf on up

If you have an antenna you'd like us to test for you let me know. You can either come and do it, or we'll do it, video tape it, and send it all back for you. Free of course.

You should also consider making a useful 2M and 70cm antenna--something easy to build and better than whats out there either in performance and or form factor. QST would like that; I've been too busy to write something up. Not a novelty antenna--people have been misled too much by the frac-hacks (most of which are competitors) already into saying 'fractals are no better, blah blah blah..' Usually those people already have log periodics in their labs or on their roofs...don;'t bother pointing out the irony.

You should be thinking about the INTEL STS for senior year...I've been approached by a couple of students far less talented this year and had to turn them down. I think you have options. Talk to Carole about it.

Freespace makes good smart grid stuff BTW..

73
Chip W1YW

 

Austin, congratulations. Well done. Keep up the good work.

I can't explain how great it is to see Chip post this. I hope to see both of you at Dayton next year.

73 -

Bruce, K1BG

 

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12769676/fractals-get-real

...and, also, we can all blame Herman Munster, W6XRL4 ;-)

73,
Chip

 

Way to go Austin! You rock!

 

Atta boy Austin!

 

Chip, this has really got me excited now! I'm hoping that I can render some unique fractal antennas with the program I'm writing in the future, and if that is the case, I will construct them and take you up on your offer. My antennas have never been subjected to thorough testing besides measuring the return loss, so it would be very interesting to see how they perform under real life conditions (this could help with INTEL STS).

The Koch Curve fractal antenna I designed is very close to being resonant at 2m and 70cm (the latter tuned point is around 415 MHz), but I'm convinced that a better design would be possible, as it is relatively large and would require more BW for the 70cm band. Although I have only been subscribed to QST for a year, I haven't seen any fractal antenna designs published, which I think many amateur radio operators would find interesting to read about.

To be honest, I wasn't aware of INTEL STS, but that is something I would love to work towards. Fractal antennas may not have been addressed as a topic before, so that would provide a nice spin. I'll keep in touch with Carole and see if we can figure something out for my senior year. You have given me some good advice and tips that will be useful in the future.



K1BG, I remember you from Dayton! It is nice to see you on QRZ, I appreciate your support.

Thanks all!

73,

Austin, KD0FAA