Mike:
I once got a small cookie sheet at a local dollar store that I used for
soldering practice, and that is the first thing I'm going to try for a
ground plane. The window sill in the new office should be almost wide
enough to accommodate it. The sheet may hang over the sill edge a bit, but
that shouldn't be a problem.
I'll also try the counterpoise idea that has been discussed, and see if that
improves things further.
Still may have to figure out a way to put the magmount up through the
ceiling panel, but that should be solvable.
If this first plan of attack does not work, then it's to either constructing
or buying a j-pole of some sort, and if that fails, the remote acdcess and
cross-banding options will be tried.
At least I have some time to work things out.
73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Barnard" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2013 8:24 PM
Subject: Re: 2-meter Antenna Challenge
>I used a cookie sheet, you need about 19 inches, but even a can might help.
> KD2CDUAt 12:21 AM 8/18/2013, you wrote:
>>And Tom could have a sign in his old office: "Tom's radio room -
>>stay the hell out"!!
>>Pat, K9JAUAt 11:14 PM 8/17/2013, you wrote:
>> >Well, Tom, obviously it's time to drill a hole in the ceiling above the
>> >filing cabinet to give your antenna some breathing space. You should
>> >also
>> >think about adding an extension to make the antenna come out of the roof
>> >into the outdoors where it can do some good.
>> >
>> >For another possibility, consider running some coax back to your old
>> >office
>> >so you could keep the antenna where it was working well. Come to think
>> >of
>> >it, leave the radio and the antenna in the old office and set up a
>> >microwave
>> >link to your new office. This has the added advantage of making it look
>> >like the new occupant of your old office is the ham radio operator. Of
>> >course, that house of cards falls apart pretty quickly if anyone figures
>> >out
>> >who set up the microwave link.
>> >
>> >Steve
>> >
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> >Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 11:05
>> >Subject: 2-meter Antenna Challenge
>> >
>> >
>> > > Hi, all.
>> > >
>> > > I hope I am not wearing out my welcome back to the list, but I have a
>> > > challenging antenna situation I'm currently facing in the new faculty
>> > > office
>> > > I will be occupying starting this Spring semester.
>> > >
>> > > I currently have an old Kenwood TMV7A in the office, with which I
>> > > have
>> > > always had at least some luck, in terms of getting into our local
>> > > 2-meter
>> > > repeater. The repeater is about 15 miles from the University.
>> > >
>> > > However, in my new office, I am finding that the small
>> mag-mount antenna I
>> > > have always used simply does not allow me to reach the repeater
>> > > consistently. Currently, I have the magmount sitting on a small
>> > > metal
>> > > bracket on the window sill in the office. It is right next to
>> the window,
>> > > so I would think that should help. However, I do not have much of a
>> > > ground
>> > > plain for the magmount. I also think there is some de-sensing going
>> > > on
>> > > with
>> > > the steel of the office building, and with other surrounding computer
>> > > equipment in the office complex.
>> > >
>> > > I do have a filing cabinet on the other side of the office that I
>> > > could
>> > > use
>> > > as a ground plane, but the top of the filing cabinet is too high, and
>> > > there
>> > > is not enough space between it and the office ceiling to accommodate
>> > > the
>> > > magmount antenna.
>> > >
>> > > This obviously is a very challenging situation, and I also have to be
>> > > at
>> > > least somewhat concerned with appearance, in terms of not having an
>> > > ugly-looking antenna that might draw more attention to what I
>> am trying to
>> > > do than I might want.
>> > >
>> > > Do any of you have any suggestions as to how to help the
>> mag-mount perform
>> > > better in this situation?
>> > >
>> > > Or, might I be better off considering another type of antenna, such
>> > > as a
>> > > J-pole of some sort.
>> > >
>> > > I would appreciate any thoughts.
>> > >
>> > > Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>> > >
>
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