I think I'm gonna throw an antenna up

[N2CHX]

Crazy I know... I have my desk all set up nice in my new office room (which was the dining room -- you'd have to see this house; it's huge and we have several rooms that can serve multiple purposes). Anyway, it's in a decent spot and I can easily set up the Atlas on the one corner of the six foot desk. So maybe I'll be on HF soon. I think I'll probably just use the dipole I built for 30 meter QRP and tune it with my little manual MFJ tuner. I don't have a 12 volt power supply but I do have a car battery charger and some 120,000 uF 50 volt electrolytic capacitors... That'll have to do, as I'm on a very limited budget.

[KG4CGC]

Won't that be a bit painful? I threw some wine up once. I think it turned into vinegar as soon as it hit my stomach. It tasted fine so I didn't realize it was about to go bad. That didn't hurt too much but I'm thinking about the wires and junctions coming back up.

Well, best of luck. I'm sure you have some good aerial landscape to work with.

[N2CHX]

On thinking about it... If anyone wants to trade some 120,000 uF 50 volt electrolytics for a decent power supply... :chin: :lol:

[N2CHX]

Won't that be a bit painful? I threw some wine up once. I think it turned into vinegar as soon as it hit my stomach. It tasted fine so I didn't realize it was about to go bad. That didn't hurt too much but I'm thinking about the wires and junctions coming back up.

Well, best of luck. I'm sure you have some good aerial landscape to work with.

LOL Charles... I walked right into that I guess. As for the aerial landscape, I wish it was better. I have a huge house but the yard has power lines on one side which kinda limits things. Some decent trees in the backyard, not huge, but 30-40 feet anyway.

[KC2UGV]

I've got some precut THHN wire for a fan dipole already. I had to take it down, since it was waaaay too many wires to string across the back yard. Center insulator already drilled with stainless hardware and PVC...

And, not sure how good these are for HF, but: http://buffalo.craigslist.org/for/1900302544.html The tattoo kit comes with a power supply. And, if it's decent enough, $60 for a power supply, and resell the remainder.

And what is the power requirements for the Atlas? Under 20A, and I can toss you a PC power supply modified to get up and running until you get a real power supply.

[KG4CGC]

The whipping stick throws the little rope and the little rope pulls the big rope and the big rope pulls the wire, or some such order of doing things.
Saw the local club use a giant slingshot, 6 feet long, they found it in a tree trimmer's catalog or was it Surveyor's Monthly?

[N2CHX]

Here's my plan, not very well drawn. I'm going to put up a rope from the chimney to a tree in the backyard. A pulley at the tree will allow me to raise and lower it. A metal ring will connect the center insulator to the rope, allowing it to slide back and forth as I need it to. The rope will be running NNE-SSW. One end of the dipole I'll attach to the fence on the west side of the yard and the other end to a post on the east side. Basically it will be a N-S facing inverted vee. http://www.kellimcmillan.com/pics/DSC00628.JPG

[N2CHX]

I've got some precut THHN wire for a fan dipole already. I had to take it down, since it was waaaay too many wires to string across the back yard. Center insulator already drilled with stainless hardware and PVC...

And, not sure how good these are for HF, but: http://buffalo.craigslist.org/for/1900302544.html The tattoo kit comes with a power supply. And, if it's decent enough, $60 for a power supply, and resell the remainder.

And what is the power requirements for the Atlas? Under 20A, and I can toss you a PC power supply modified to get up and running until you get a real power supply.

The Atlas draws about 15-17 amps, so yeah that would work. It needs 13.8 volts though, not 12. At 12 volts it will barely put out 25 watts. 13.8 gets you a full 75-100 watts.

[KG4CGC]

Graphite carbon prints? Wow, talk about old school antiques!

[KC2UGV]

The Atlas draws about 15-17 amps, so yeah that would work. It needs 13.8 volts though, not 12. At 12 volts it will barely put out 25 watts. 13.8 gets you a full 75-100 watts.

Hm... I've not modded one of them to pump up to 13.8... I've read it's doable. Let me start chopping one up to flip over to you (Unless you wanna do it yourself). Do you want any of the THHN lengths? I've cut one for every non-WARC band.

[N2CHX]

Graphite carbon prints? Wow, talk about old school antiques!

Ironically, much faster than drawing it in GIMP or Photoshop...

[N2CHX]

Hm... I've not modded one of them to pump up to 13.8... I've read it's doable. Let me start chopping one up to flip over to you (Unless you wanna do it yourself). Do you want any of the THHN lengths? I've cut one for every non-WARC band.

Sure, if you're not gonna use them. BTW, this is a PC power supply? 20 amps? Wow, OK... I should just get a car battery and a solar panel. Dani would like that, nice and green. No budget for it right now though until the kids go back to school in a couple of weeks.

[KC2UGV]

Sure, if you're not gonna use them. BTW, this is a PC power supply? 20 amps? Wow, OK... I should just get a car battery and a solar panel. Dani would like that, nice and green. No budget for it right now though until the kids go back to school in a couple of weeks.

Next time I'm over I'll bring them with. And most PC power supplies I've seen are 20A rated on the 12V rails. I'm considering a solar panel/wind mill combo + car SLA battery for the rigs too. Going green and off the grid, and all that jazz.

Hell, next thing I'll be thinking about moving to S. America, and going off the grid. No more botox, no more sexual harrassment suits :) "Courtesy of Lewis Black"

[N2CHX]

LOL, apparently no one caught the "Easter Egg" I put in that old fashioned drawing...

[KG4CGC]

LOL, apparently no one caught the "Easter Egg" I put in that old fashioned drawing...
Upon further inspection ...... LOL!

[N2CHX]

Upon further inspection ...... LOL!

:angel::mrgreen:

[W4RLR]

LOL, apparently no one caught the "Easter Egg" I put in that old fashioned drawing...That furry does get around, doesn't he?

[WA4TM]

LOL, apparently no one caught the "Easter Egg" I put in that old fashioned drawing...

That was the first thing I saw!! Waskely wabbit!!!!!!!!

[KJ3N]

Here's my plan, not very well drawn. I'm going to put up a rope from the chimney to a tree in the backyard. A pulley at the tree will allow me to raise and lower it. A metal ring will connect the center insulator to the rope, allowing it to slide back and forth as I need it to. The rope will be running NNE-SSW. One end of the dipole I'll attach to the fence on the west side of the yard and the other end to a post on the east side. Basically it will be a N-S facing inverted vee. http://www.kellimcmillan.com/pics/DSC00628.JPG

Is there any particular reason you don't just hang the dipole between the house and the tree, instead of the rope?

[N2NH]

I think I'm gonna throw an antenna up (http://forums.hamisland.net/showthread.php?12959-I-think-I-m-gonna-throw-an-antenna-up)

Um, what did you eat that makes you do that?:lol:

[W4RLR]

Won't that be a bit painful? I threw some wine up once. I think it turned into vinegar as soon as it hit my stomach. It tasted fine so I didn't realize it was about to go bad. That didn't hurt too much but I'm thinking about the wires and junctions coming back up.

Well, best of luck. I'm sure you have some good aerial landscape to work with.Is it as painful as $hitting a brick?

[N2CHX]

Is there any particular reason you don't just hang the dipole between the house and the tree, instead of the rope?

I want N-S coverage, not E-W.

[KJ3N]

I want N-S coverage, not E-W.

Depending on the height and band in question, it's probably not going to matter. The pattern will probably be omni-directional anyway.

What band(s) is this antenna for and how high is it going to be?

[W3WN]

I want N-S coverage, not E-W.

Unless you're at least a half wavelength high... and IIRC it might be a minimum height of 1 wavelength... it won't be directional enough to matter.

That being said, can you hang two dipoles? (1st rule of government spending)