I got my cap! Where's the AR SIG?

Electronics
#55

It’s not that most of us can’t do UHF VHF at home. It’s that we have a radio that even the tech folks could use at the space if they were just getting started, but we’ve never bothered to put up the antenna.

It’s very common, but very useful too. Good to be able to hear the local emergency nets in severe WX, among other things.

I see us have more than one HF antenna to choose from as well. I’m going to push for at least one that does not have an on-roof tuner this time. Or at least a way to bypsss same. The tuner maybe a good one, but something about our installation led to it being the weak link in the previous antenna setup. And if it’s out of action, you can’t use the antenna attached to it. Another thing we’ll need to adress - how to install that tuner so it doesn’t get broken every time the wind blows hard…

I’m thinking dipole or long wire in the trees as the backup.

A mag loop would do well as far as interference

Full wave 80m or 160m loop on short stands around the roof maybe ?

Somethng for NVIS.

Lots of possibilities.

#57

If you guys want to put up a temporary dipole ( or whatever ) in the trees and sneak a feedline in past the pipes in the wall, I don’t think it would hurt anything. We’ll need to pay some attention to making sure the line is disconnected when not in use. And stow the connector somewhere that would keep a nearby lightning strike from turning into a major problem at the bench. I figure the lightning arrestor on top of the power lines is the first lightning target in most cases anyway.

Lack of a ground is not a deal breaker. A multitude of Field Day operations over the years has proven that. Does help with the noise floor though…

@artg_dms @richmeyer – see any problems with this ?

#58

There are 2 coaxial lightning arrestors in the AR Cabinet, about eye level when you open the door. Now, these have N connectors on them so you will have to use some adapters. I’ll try to remember to bring in some adapters tomorrow. These are extra lightning arrestors and are not part of the final roof top antenna installation. Feel free to use them as you wish.

Arrestor
Arrestor.jpg2573×1645 891 KB

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#59

Packet is still pretty popular. There is a new UHF mode called VARA-FM that works standalone or with Winlink, and is repeater-compatible (for a data repeater).

There is a “Winlink Wednesday” checkin that is growing. Send a winlink message through whatever RF gateway and mode you choose, or telnet if you don’t have anything else working, to KF5VO using the Template / Standard Templates / GENERAL Forms / Winlink Check In.txt - put KF5VO in the “Send To” and your city/town and gateway, and any comments you want to make.

You get back a list of all participants. Doing this weekly keeps your Winlink and forms package up to date, which is a good thing.

The message can be sent any time convenient from midnight to midnight Wednesday.

Kevin