Which member's are amateur radio operators?

[JimB]

I did say 'aerials are often (not always) 1/4 wave'

True.

But the point that I was trying to make, (and failing), was that many fixed station antennas are "hidden" in a fibreglass tube.
We do not know any of the physical details of LGs antenna:
What is it made of, is the thing obviously aluminium, or does it have a fibreglass outer surface.
Does it have any groundplane radials?

At two metres long, it could be:
A UHF colinear
A VHF Sleeved Dipole
A VHF "J Pole" or "Slim Jim"
None of which would need a groundplane.

If it were a simple quarterwave, it would have to have a groundplane or it would not work correctly.

Too many possiblilties, not enough information.

JimB

 

[ghostman11]

he will be back soon gents and thanks alot for the information, for now he is not allowed to post here but he will be back soon

 

[4pyros]

he will be back soon gents and thanks alot for the information, for now he is not allowed to post here but he will be back soon

Uh Oh now what did he do? Now I know why I haven't seen him on here lately.

 

[4pyros]

Not necessarily.
If the antenna body is made of fibreglass, all kinds of oddities can be hidden inside the fibreglass tube.

JimB

Yes, Like CB antennas the hole mast can be a coil inside making it longer then it really is.

 

[cowboybob]

LG's in the poo again, I see. I can't help but laugh...

I'll type "antenna" just to keep in the theme.

 

[ghostman11]

LG's in the poo again, I see. I can't help but laugh...

I'll type "antenna" just to keep in the theme.

nah dont worry, he isnt in the poo, i didnt want him caught up in anything thats going on here at the moment. i thought he might find it hard to resist having his say in the other thread, so for his own good he isnt allowed here untill its all over

 

[4pyros]

nah dont worry, he isnt in the poo, i didnt want him caught up in anything thats going on here at the moment. i thought he might find it hard to resist having his say in the other thread, so for his own good he isnt allowed here untill its all over

Good Idea. I hope its over soon. On stand by.

 

[SuperSpit]

Hi LG, amateur radio is really truely a great hobby.

Initially, you won't be able to transmit with anything you have built yourself, as the foundation licence only lets you transmit with 10W and on commercial equipment (we wouldn't want some harmonics to stop your neighbours watching XFactor now, would we ). However, by all means, experiment with receivers.

What I think might interest you is an area called QRP, which is basically using as little power as possible to reach as far as possible (0.25W to Australia sound good? ). This can involve some really precise construction, for example trimming your aerial mm by mm to get it perfectly resonant. Do you dare to trim another mm, or will you 'ruin' it is terrible exciting and fun. At least, it is for the cool kids.

I hear you're moving soon, don't despair, this is your chance to make sure the back garden is on a hill and is nice and big (perfect for big aerials ).

Hope you pass, let us know how you do!

 

[large_ghostman]

I ill have a pic of the aerial soon and some information, we may not be moving after all, at the moment i live in the perfect place for QRP! our house sits on a hill! not much around us , If you google map our postcode DG8 0(zero)LG , the map centers on our house (only around 4 people have our postcode anyway . it may not look it but we are fairly high up!. I do like the whole QRP thing, but even if i wasnt doing that, I would insist my antenna (sorry forgot before to call it that) was trimmed to perfection anyway . As I have access to a spectrum analyzer, i would also make sure everything was spot on frequency wise!
Stray harmonics!!! I am not sure i like what your inferring!!

 

[SuperSpit]

Just to be clear, regardless of access to a spectrum analyser you will be breaking the law if you transmit using any piece of equipment you have not bought assembled commercially.

Ofcom are also not the sort of people to let things go either.

Anyhow, have fun.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Just to be clear, regardless of access to a spectrum analyser you will be breaking the law if you transmit using any piece of equipment you have not bought assembled commercially.

You're rather assuming he's not going for a full licence?

 

[SuperSpit]

I believe that you have to do them in order, you can't jump straight in to intermediate or advanced.

 

[large_ghostman]

I will go for advanced as and when I can. I might start with CB building! it will give me a start while I get my license(s). I have seen some chips for transceivers, it might be a way to start!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I believe that you have to do them in order, you can't jump straight in to intermediate or advanced.

I've no idea, in my day the only option was a full licence - I went to classes at a local school with a friend of mine (I passed, he failed! - and it was his idea).

 

[large_ghostman]

I am pretty sure it has to be in order, but thats ok, I spoke to a man at the local club and he say's if I am really good, then there is a chance I will have time to sit 2 in one go. So head in the books time!
I still havnt found many old question papers, I was hoping to get an idea on what the question's are likely to be, that way I can make sure I learn the right stuff. Ive had a good look round and there is still stuff you can make , I would hate to have to buy everything, that would take alot of the fun out of it! My shed was reduced to flat pack .
So I will have to rebuild it, just have to wait for the wind to drop a bit. Sounds a bit silly but I am really excited about doing the shed out into a 'shack!'.

 

[cowboybob]

...Sounds a bit silly but I am really excited about doing the shed out into a 'shack!'.

Not silly at all.

Looks like you've got a serious case of the "Ham" bug, LG.

And that's a good thing...!

73,

K4NFF

 

[large_ghostman]

Funny thing is I have wanted to get into it for a long time!, in fact ever since when I was around 8 or 9, dad used to tell me about the fun he had in the 80's with CB, The clubs, and runs and girls , apparently according to him, alot of people had CB radio's back then

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

If you plan to be a Radio Ham, CB isn't the place to be starting!

Radio Hams seriously look down on CB.

 

[large_ghostman]

If you plan to be a Radio Ham, CB isn't the place to be starting!

Radio Hams seriously look down on CB.

I thought about that! which is why the one I have got can do 10 meter band with some tweaks , also its a chance to learn about radio in general and mess with stuff that isnt too expensive, I can practice antenna tuning and stuff while I save for a "real" radio.
I see it as a quick start and a stepping stone , And you are the only guys I am going to tell I have a CB.
Dont go peeing on my cornflakes Nigel!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It will need more than 'tweaks', UK CB is FM (not used on 10m) and uses switched frequencies, no use for 10m amateur radio.

There go the cornflakes again!