good information! thanks. I have a tile roof and ain't no one gonna walk
around on it putting up a tripod. The roof will last forever if the tiles
aren't broken and there is no reason for them ever being broken.
How about the Kenwood 2,000? I thought that it took a separate 12 volt
power supply. Yes, I heard that it is 100 watts but since that seems to be
the top of the line, I just assumed that there were 50 watt rigs about the
same. 100 watts is just fine. Since you must have at least 50 watts to
drive an amplifier I thought that 50 would be about right. Is it true that
100 wa transmitters blow out most of the antenna tuners or is that just
another myth that I picked up. When ever possible, all of our power lines
are under ground around here and so they never present a problem. As you
can imagine codes around here are pretty strict because of the danger of
severe earth quakes. It's not a question of if, it's a question of when
will the big one hit. We had 3 small ones just this week. Other than being
strong enough to withstand the wind load of a chimney mounted antenna, soot
from the fireplace will damage any antenna. However, I don't and never
intend to use the fireplace. As I said though, I'm going to take about a
year to decide what I want to do about HF and I'm getting lots of helpful
information from all of you. By the time I decide to do something I know
that I will do the exact right thing.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2005 5:01 AM
Subject: Re: accessible VHF equipment
> Well, you can't really get an HF radio that puts out less then 100 watts
> unless you go QRP, which is 5 watts or less, but anyway, most HF radios
> put
> out 100. Also, there are some AC powered HF radios on the market, how
> ever
> they're just a bit unreasonably priced right now to say the least. You
> could
> have a tripod put up on the roof or something for antennas, a lot of
> people
> do that, I've heard chimney mounting isn't the best way to go for some
> people though others say it works out alright, I don't know anyone around
> here I talk to though who has an antenna chimney mounted and since mine is
> right next to the power lines coming in to the house I'd never even think
> of
> it. I have my antennas on stand off brackets on the side of the house, 10
> to
> 17 meter vertical anyway, is next to my bedroom window so if I have to do
> a
> quick repair on it I can just lower it to that window, take the window out
> of the frame, and change coax, or a connector or something if I have to.
> My
> duel bander is on the house too but we couldn't do the same with that one
> since it's on the gack of the house and the gutters are there, the
> brackets
> are so long reaching it not going to happen, but anyway, that's an option
> too.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Humbert" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 11:26 PM
> Subject: Re: accessible VHF equipment
>
>
>> If, no, when I pass the general exam January 15 I'm going to buy the
>> THF6a.
>> I'm not going to get it sooner because I probably would spend too much
>> time
>> learning it and not enough time studying for the exam. I'm consistently
>> scoring around %90 on the QRZ practice test and so I think I'm going to
>> do
>> ok.
>>
>> HF is going to wait for about a year. Meanwhile I'm trying to learn all
>> that I can about the best way to go. Here is what I think so far:
>>
>> Fifty watts should be plenty. Just enough to drive a linear amplifier
>> legally if it is ever needed. More power, from what I read here, is ruff
>> on
>> antenna tuners etc
>>
>> All HM transceivers operate on 12 volts and therefore any of them can be
>> a
>> portable in a disaster so the only things to consider are
>> accessibility,
>> reliability, and durability. Yes, cost too but from what I hear here,
>> there
>> hasn't bin any real reason to upgrade for many years. If I have any
>> additional nickels I'm going to put them into an antenna and I sure hope
>> I
>> hear more discussions about antennas from you guys here. I have ruled
>> out
>> a
>> Yoggi, quad, and delta loop because I just don't have the space. Many
>> people have a back yard pool. I have a pool back yard and there just
>> isn't
>> room for anything else. Vent pipes here and I suppose everywhere are now
>> PVC and so the chimney seems to be my only option. Even they are just
>> stucco and sticks with a double metal pipe in the center where cool air
>> is
>> drawn down through the outer chamber of the pipe cooling the hot air pipe
>> in
>> the center. A very ingenious idea but not so very strong. So, I guess I
>> am
>> looking for the best nondirectional multi band antenna. Right now, my
>> thinking is that I will forget about 40, 80, and 160 meters to keep the
>> weight down. Any efforts to straighten out my thinking will be greatly
>> appreciated.
>>
>
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