Tuesday, May 31, 2016 — Just about to head out to the barn and mow the front field a while, but decided to write a bit in this space before I leave.
LATEST PROJECT! I have an end-fed longwire that runs from our library on the south side of the house about 125 feet to a 20 foot pole at the end of our barn. Sounds pretty sweet, eh? Well, it would if the antenna wasn’t laying on top of the roof for most of the run over the barn. Sure makes a quiet band regardless of the atmospheric conditions, hi hi!
Some years ago I bought a small crossbow (pistol grip type) on eBay with a fishing reel attached to it for shooting a line over trees for antenna purposes. It works OK, but the problem is the limbs I’m shooting for are beyond its range.
My goal is to get the antenna to pass through the top of the tree enroute to the far end of the barn. This should give it more altitude and keep it elevated better.
Keyword here is “should.”
I’ve not had much luck getting the line shot as high as I want. When I do get it high enough, the arrow (light plastic with an aluminum tip) won’t pull the line on over to the tree to the ground. The arrow just doesn’t have sufficient mass to pull the line to the ground with its weight. So several times I have had the line placed well, but the damn arrow (the fishing line is tied to it) is hanging overhead 30 feet, and no amount of coaxing is going to get it to fall the rest of the way.
Dang.
Not to be denied better antenna placement, I’ve decided to shoot the line over a tree to the rear of the house. If successful, the antenna would leave its mounting spot high on the house and then travel about 50 feet southeast and then turn south for the elevated run to the end of the barn. This route means there will be NO antenna running over the barn or any metal structure at all — why didn’t I think of this sooner??
So far I’ve lost two arrows. I fired the crossbow, and boy howdy, they took off like a shot, flying straight and true, right over the tree and … and … gone! The clip holding them caught the fishing line and broke it, so those arrows flew without the drag of fishing line. At least I know they dang arrows fly now. Sigh.
HAM-ITIS STRIKES AGAIN. I can’t explain why Doc, but I have been “Jonesing” for a new transceiver … no, not actually “new” new, but new to me, you see. Yeah, that’s it.
I’ve been looking at those little Chinese 10-20 watt rigs, they’re neat. I read mixed reviews, particularly comparisons between them and just about any Yaesu/Icom/Kenwood transceiver. Most usually end with “its a lot of fun for the money, but don’t expect it to be as good as (your favorite portable/mobile/qrp rig).
I’ve been wanting an Icom 756 PRO — not the PROII or PROIII, and not the plan 756 (though I have seen some stellar deals on the non-PRO the past couple of weeks). The problem has been cost. The good ones — understandably — sell for a premium.
There are some great deals on IC-706MkIIGs too, but I’ve got several of those — I’m wanting something with a larger display. I’ve even considered a Kenwood TS-520/520SE/530/440 as well.
Again, price is the issue. I’m not paying $400 for a TS-520, I don’t care how mint it is. I want more features beyond an RIT and noise blanker, hi hi.
I started watching some IC-746s — PRO and non-PRO, and ended up snagging a non-PRO with a low-ball offer. This one is guaranteed to work and has a CW filter too. Just what I was looking for!
Oh the PRO would have been nice, but I saved at least $250 as it was. This rig is going to be my cart-around rig for Field Day, etc. Yeah, I like the 706s I have, but for Field Day, larger knobs and displays are useful for OTs like me whose eyesight isn’t what it once was, and for newbies who have to learn what the knobs do.
I don’t plan to mount this rig in the shack, but it will be my portable go-to rig.
TIME TO SELL SOMETHING. Yeah, I’m looking at putting some gear on eBay … the TS-50 and AT-50 I never use; the FT-817 I never use, and probably the Hallicrafters SX-130 receiver to start with. And that’s one motivation for the antenna — I would like to shoot some video of the rig(s) in action.
The one rig in my library corner I’m probably not going to sell is my Wells-Gardner built WWII-era BC-348. Just love that rig, even though it isn’t the best receiver for SSB. Who knows, I may part with it too.
Well, time to get outside … more updates coming, stay tuned.
73 es CUL … de KY4Z SK … dit dit