Posted: 7/31/2011 5:50:09 PM EDT
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Is it really 'random'?
So I'm getting the EMCOMM Box finished (finally) and powered up the HF unit tonight-it's been too hot to toss up my 500' loop (and is forecasted to stay hot till December). So I was thinking, actually begging to getting on the air (HF) and the thought of a random wire came to mind. I Found This Link and if I'm not crazy, it seems to me a 74' +/- wire would at the very least get me talking. Feed it from my Tuner into the Bal-un I've got on hand.....and I can call CQ? QRV |
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Is it really 'random'? I remembered reading this similar article on Ham Universe, The "Best" Random Wire Antenna Lengths. |
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The other side of my random wire is a 6' piece of 14# that goes to a copper rod buried in the ground. Please, this will not be a efficient 'other side of the antenna' . All antennas have two sides, with loops being the exception, as the electromagnetic and electrostatic fields flow between both poles e.g.(Dipole). If you have a random wire, it needs a counter poise or something more well defined as a radial system in order to be efficient. Even an end fed wire that is voltage fed at some thing near 1/2 wave in length needs some counterpoise. A 1/4 wavelength random wire needs much more of a counterpoise/ radial system because 1/2 of the antenna is missing with out it. HTH 73, Rob |
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Quoted:
Please, this will not be a efficient 'other side of the antenna' . All antennas have two sides, with loops being the exception, as the electromagnetic and electrostatic fields flow between both poles e.g.(Dipole). If you have a random wire, it needs a counter poise or something more well defined as a radial system in order to be efficient. Even an end fed wire that is voltage fed at some thing near 1/2 wave in length needs some counterpoise. A 1/4 wavelength random wire needs much more of a counterpoise/ radial system because 1/2 of the antenna is missing with out it. HTH 73, Rob Oh, really? As an Extra class operator and instructor I'm aware of what the books say you need. However, I think I do just fine, thanks. Azerbaijan Azores Fed. Rep. of Germany Spain Canary Is. Ireland Estonia Belarus France Scotland Hungary Dominican Republic Colombia Italy Svalbard Puerto Rico Norway Martinique Czech Republic Slovak Republic Belgium Denmark Netherlands Bonaire, Curacao Brazil Slovenia Poland Guatemala Costa Rica European Russia Kaliningrad Ukraine Canada Mexico Latvia Romania Venezuela This list is just from last year. My point about posting in this thread to begin with was to demonstrate (from personal experience) that you don't have to break out the tape measure or go to extreme measures to create a simple wire antenna. Could I hit others with a measured counterpoise? Maybe. Maybe not. You don't have to invest a lot of time or energy to have fun on the air. |