Haven't Been On 2m In Quite A While

Hello all!

I don't know is you recall Tom, WV6Z. He was an avid member here back in the day. Anyway, he gifted with an Icom IC-207 dual band transceiver. Not an H, just 207. Strange, I couldn't find any info on the 207 only, everything out there said H. A couple of years ago I gave him some vape gear and he's been wanting to gift me in return.

I've had it for 3 weeks and I've been taking my time building and planning for having a 2m antenna at la maison. I built a ground plane with a couple of elements for 70cm. I used an old rf cage from from an old Heathkit something as a base or frame if you will. It was a perforated metal box with one side completely open and a SO-239 size mounting hole. The box was screwed together in two wit 4 screws. I took it apart and screwed it back together longer and flatter and mounted a pole mount assembly to it with more screws, nuts and washers.

I used a 3/8th antenna mount with SO-239 and screwed into it an old Antron element that I cut down to size. I added a 70cm element, just a simple 12 ga solid copper wire coated in hardener but, I also added more wire around the 2m element. I only cut it 1/8th" shorter than the first element but it's a piece of RG6-Q with the center and the shield shorted together. I really wanted a heavy amount of wire since the frame for the rest of the mounting is already so heavy duty. I added those in with pressure clamps against the face of the 3/8th mount and the wires. Coated it all with 5 min epoxy and weather sealed it.

The ground radials are threaded 1/8th" steel rods. I mounted them through the lower part of the frame to add strength to it and subtracted the sides of the frame from the length of the radials. I also added a single vertical radial for 70cm near the main 70cm element although the old rf cage now antenna platform was already acting as one. Painted it all back right after I gooped all the threads to the screws keeping everything together.

It's 21' in the air. Seems to work pretty good. I don't have a veeSWR meter for VHF. I'd be curious to know what it is.

We'll see what 2m is like these days. It has been quite a number of years since I've listened to 2m much less operated there. I need to look up directions on how to program it. There are already a few of the local repeaters programmed as well as some simplex frequencies. Apparently it receives air band but I don't know if it's capable of demodulating AM, I mean, I seriously doubt it but apparently it also receives 320 Mhz all the way up to the top of the receive range.

That sounds cool Charles. Too bad you probably don't have any photos to show and tell. Sounds like potential fun to me if you don't have a bunch of whackers running/ruining things out there. Keep us up to date how it goes, hopefully not crickets.

I remember Tom, Grand Exhalted Poobah if I remember right. What did happen to his Islandic proclivities anyway?

As of this time he is 100% retired from social media.

Probably not a bad idea. Give him our best.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KG4CGC

Hello all!

I don't know is you recall Tom, WV6Z. He was an avid member here back in the day. Anyway, he gifted with an Icom IC-207 dual band transceiver. Not an H, just 207. Strange, I couldn't find any info on the 207 only, everything out there said H. A couple of years ago I gave him some vape gear and he's been wanting to gift me in return.

I've had it for 3 weeks and I've been taking my time building and planning for having a 2m antenna at la maison. I built a ground plane with a couple of elements for 70cm. I used an old rf cage from from an old Heathkit something as a base or frame if you will. It was a perforated metal box with one side completely open and a SO-239 size mounting hole. The box was screwed together in two wit 4 screws. I took it apart and screwed it back together longer and flatter and mounted a pole mount assembly to it with more screws, nuts and washers.

I used a 3/8th antenna mount with SO-239 and screwed into it an old Antron element that I cut down to size. I added a 70cm element, just a simple 12 ga solid copper wire coated in hardener but, I also added more wire around the 2m element. I only cut it 1/8th" shorter than the first element but it's a piece of RG6-Q with the center and the shield shorted together. I really wanted a heavy amount of wire since the frame for the rest of the mounting is already so heavy duty. I added those in with pressure clamps against the face of the 3/8th mount and the wires. Coated it all with 5 min epoxy and weather sealed it.

The ground radials are threaded 1/8th" steel rods. I mounted them through the lower part of the frame to add strength to it and subtracted the sides of the frame from the length of the radials. I also added a single vertical radial for 70cm near the main 70cm element although the old rf cage now antenna platform was already acting as one. Painted it all back right after I gooped all the threads to the screws keeping everything together.

It's 21' in the air. Seems to work pretty good. I don't have a veeSWR meter for VHF. I'd be curious to know what it is.

We'll see what 2m is like these days. It has been quite a number of years since I've listened to 2m much less operated there. I need to look up directions on how to program it. There are already a few of the local repeaters programmed as well as some simplex frequencies. Apparently it receives air band but I don't know if it's capable of demodulating AM, I mean, I seriously doubt it but apparently it also receives 320 Mhz all the way up to the top of the receive range.

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Okay, now aim that vertical towards New River and lets chat.

By the way, in a pinch, you can use a low band VSWR meter at 144 MHz. In as much as it won't be 100% accurate, it will present the antenna and radio the same characteristics both forward and reverse. It will give you a relative idea of reflected power, and some idea of forward power. In other words, if the reflected power is barely perceptible, no sweat, if it shows the same reading forward and reflected, I'd be inclined to look a little deeper.

How about a crappy phone pic?

Attachment 15631

The ham antenna motto. If it works I don't care what it looks like.

I can't remember the call, but if you can find it, look at Pat's antenna farm on his roof. I believe he lives somewhere north of San Diego.

Attachment 15632

Cool! So, had that qso with la Rata yet? Or did he stiff ya?

If you want to do 80 or 10 before I get something up for 20 ...