Messages

31

Equipment / Re: UDXF discussion on baluns

« on: July 05, 2010, 1447 UTC »

And let's not forget about the difference between voltage baluns and current baluns.

A current baluns is used for a true balanced antenna, like a dipole.  A voltage balun is ideal for end fed antennas, like an inverted L or a bev.

32

General Radio Discussion / Re: One more reason to become a Ham - Internet/Telecom 'Kill' Switch

« on: June 28, 2010, 0536 UTC »

All the spooks have to do is disable the GPS system by shooting down a majority of the birds, and EVERYTHING digital stops.

I work in the radio industry.  GPS antennas are found at every radio installation for syncronizing the system.  If it loses the 10 MHz. sync info, it stops.  No cellular, no internet, no broadband, no power from the substation, nothing.  Except, HF radio!

If you don't already have a working HF radio installation, I highly recommend you get one going ASAP and keep it in ready mode.

33

General Radio Discussion / Re: Will HF become totally useless for DX?

« on: June 21, 2010, 0336 UTC »

Let's be clear..

"The Church" did not destroy anything.  In fact, religion has done a lot to preserve history that was destined to be destroyed by everyone from the Romans to Khan, to Hitler.  Crazy people destroy historical artifacts, not any church.

If you want to blame a church for the destruction of historical matters, blame the catholics in particular.  Leave the rest of us out of it.

34

General Radio Discussion / Re: .Your Dog Could Be a Tax Write-Off

« on: June 16, 2010, 1518 UTC »

Seeing eye dog or personal assistance dog I assume?

Peace!

Nope.  Just a 'normal' dog that barks his head off if a stranger is coming.  I work alone at sites most of the time, so having some early warning is good for safety.

Usually his barking alone is enough to make someone go the other way.  He sounds pretty big and ferocious.  But, he's a big softy.  Plays 'dress-up' with the kids across the street.

35

General Radio Discussion / Re: .Your Dog Could Be a Tax Write-Off

« on: June 15, 2010, 0514 UTC »

We do.

My dog goes to work with me.  He provides a warning when someone is coming.  I am allowed to write off all of his expenses from vet care, food, etc.

Ask your accountant or tax preparer about it.  It's really very simple.

36

General Radio Discussion / Re: Glitch Shows How Much US Military Relies on GPS

« on: June 02, 2010, 1527 UTC »

Bring back LORAN!!!

37

Equipment / Re: T2FD Antenna

« on: May 31, 2010, 0629 UTC »

Good!

38

Equipment / Re: PAR Electronics EF- SWL

« on: May 29, 2010, 2239 UTC »

Grounding makes a BIG difference on this kind of 9:1 fed antenna.  Signals come up, noise goes down.

39

Equipment / Re: T2FD Antenna

« on: May 29, 2010, 1642 UTC »

Excellent, OM.

Now, go to the ham board and tell all the 'experts'- "Told you so!".

Then, they will fill 5 more pages with how much of your transmitter power is turning into heat, how foolish you are for choosing that antenna, how much better your signal 'would have been' if you had used blah, blah, blah...

40

Equipment / Re: PAR Electronics EF- SWL

« on: May 29, 2010, 1639 UTC »

This antennas is a longwire with a 9:1 balun feed.

My most sensitive SWL antenna is a 160 foot inverted L fed with a 9:1 balun.  Based on the performance of mine, I would say this will probably become your favorite antenna.  Add more wire for better performance on the low bands.   Leave as-is is you spend most of your time above 10 MHz.

41

Equipment / Re: T2FD Antenna

« on: May 22, 2010, 2333 UTC »

Well, it will be very nice to hear how it works for you.

You just have to love hams that think they are SO much smarter than us actual RF engineers.  It's kinda cute.

42

Equipment / Re: T2FD Antenna

« on: May 22, 2010, 1531 UTC »

Well, thank you for sharing.  However, I am not about to engage in an argument across boards with someone.

Just FYI (for you, not him)- You cannot compare real field and design experience with a guy who just repeats what other people write and calls it 'fact'.    Perhaps his non-resonant antenna was being influenced by outside objects or too low to the ground.  Or, perhaps his lab conditions were less than ideal for a non-prejudiced outcome.

43

Equipment / Re: T2FD Antenna

« on: May 20, 2010, 1544 UTC »

First of all, Seamus- You literally had me laughing out loud!  I actually spit on my screen when I read the part about the electric scooters!    Man, that was funny.

W7LPN- Yes, you are correct.  It is pretty easy to spot the 'real' experts sometimes. 

44

Equipment / Re: T2FD Antenna

« on: May 19, 2010, 1659 UTC »

By the way...  I just read your thread on QRZ.  The two 'experts' that replied are showing their lack of knowledge, and a sharp prejudice for something they have not tried themselves.

If they had a shred of knowledge in this department, they would know that a balancing resistor on the OPPOSITE side of a folded dipole does not absorb "half the transmitter power" at all.  If that were true, that resistor would blow up every time I run 1500 watts on CW.  In fact, at most, the resistor will absorb 1/4 of the transmitter power if the antenna is that far out of resonance on my chosen operating frequency.  The other 3/4 is radiated with a very small amount coming back (<10%).   Most of the time, the balancing resistor isn't doing very much.

And, none of those jerkoffs even considered the receiving characteristics of the antenna (which is what it was actually designed for).  The balancing resistor keeps the elements in perfect balance all the time in relation to the feedpoint, and THAT does a very effective job of canceling out local noise.  In addition, at MOST, the balancing resistor might cause a 3 dB drop in signal (1/2 an S-unit).  Most of the time, it absorbs little, if any signal.  Almost all signal is fed to the feedpoint through the folded dipoles because of the slightly lower resistance at the feedpoint that at the balance point.  That is why for a 500 ohm feedpoint, you use a 540 to 600 ohm resistor in a terminated folded dipole.

I could go on and on, but I have a job, and a life.  Those 'expert' pinheads need one of each too. 

See?  Hams really jerk my chain! 

73, TS

45

Equipment / Re: T2FD Antenna

« on: May 19, 2010, 1636 UTC »

That's exactly why I stay off of QRZ forums and other similar forums.  You stand a better chance talking reason into a CB forum than you do the ham ones.  Hams hear someone say something like "RG-8 is the best coax on the planet" and then they parrot that from that day forward.  They don't know, they have never done their own experiments, and 99.9% of them don't have the right test gear to do it right anyway.  Heck, 99.9% of them say "I put 1000 watts in, I get 999 watts out" and call it good.  What about receive?  What about induced noise?  What about efficient transfer of those precious few microvolts from the antenna to the receiver?  A 2-way conversation requires both stations to be able to copy each other!

The hams are all 'experts' because they have a license.  Big whoop.  If I have a driver's license, does that automatically make me an expert driver?  No, of course not.  Same thing.

I happen to be a 'real' RF engineer, and have been a radio and TV Chief Engineer for 30 years.  I find it amusing that a ham with no engineering education or background will argue a basic point with me.  I have actually had hams with Extra licenses tell me they know more than me simply because I have not upgraded from General.  Seriously!  In an effort to keep my blood pressure low, I avoid those ridiculous forums.  All hambones can disappear forever as far as I'm concerned sometimes.  90% of hams really repulse me.  I suggest you adopt the same policy, life is so much more peaceful when you avoid the hambones.