Mobile antenna breakthrough?

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Mobile antenna breakthrough?

wayne burdick
Administrator
Some of us (admittedly, very few) see invisible mobile antennas as the holy Grail. We engage in a decades-long search for an antenna that our significant other won't scorn. Or sabotage.

My own search just got an unexpected boost when I realized that a 4 foot loaded whip would fit fully inside the plastic cartop carrier on our Honda CRV. As we speak the whip is resting on a pile of nonconductive pillows and towels. I have yet to measure their dielectric effects. Six feet of coax snakes through the sunroof and is then retained by the passenger-side visor.

The KX2 fits snugly in a dashboard compartment that until this morning held my YL's Bonnie Rait CDs. More on that later if necessary.  

I've been listening to the NA QSO party on 20 meters as we drive. Not the best Mobile antenna available, but one step closer to nirvana.

Wayne
N6KR

----
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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

Phil Hystad-3
I can’t believe you still use non-conductive pillows.  It is hard to think of you in the same way anymore.

PEH

> On Aug 19, 2017, at 4:15 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Some of us (admittedly, very few) see invisible mobile antennas as the holy Grail. We engage in a decades-long search for an antenna that our significant other won't scorn. Or sabotage.
>
> My own search just got an unexpected boost when I realized that a 4 foot loaded whip would fit fully inside the plastic cartop carrier on our Honda CRV. As we speak the whip is resting on a pile of nonconductive pillows and towels. I have yet to measure their dielectric effects. Six feet of coax snakes through the sunroof and is then retained by the passenger-side visor.
>
> The KX2 fits snugly in a dashboard compartment that until this morning held my YL's Bonnie Rait CDs. More on that later if necessary.  
>
> I've been listening to the NA QSO party on 20 meters as we drive. Not the best Mobile antenna available, but one step closer to nirvana.
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
> ----
> http://www.elecraft.com
> ______________________________________________________________
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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

Mike Furrey
 A friend bought a HiQ to put on his own car. His wife took one look at it and said, "OH HELL NO!" It now resides on my pickup.

Stealth and mobile are two words that don't go together.
73, Mike WA5POK
 

    On Saturday, August 19, 2017 7:49 PM, Phil Hystad <[hidden email]> wrote:
 

 I can’t believe you still use non-conductive pillows.  It is hard to think of you in the same way anymore.

PEH

> On Aug 19, 2017, at 4:15 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Some of us (admittedly, very few) see invisible mobile antennas as the holy Grail. We engage in a decades-long search for an antenna that our significant other won't scorn. Or sabotage.
>
> My own search just got an unexpected boost when I realized that a 4 foot loaded whip would fit fully inside the plastic cartop carrier on our Honda CRV. As we speak the whip is resting on a pile of nonconductive pillows and towels. I have yet to measure their dielectric effects. Six feet of coax snakes through the sunroof and is then retained by the passenger-side visor.
>
> The KX2 fits snugly in a dashboard compartment that until this morning held my YL's Bonnie Rait CDs. More on that later if necessary. 
>
> I've been listening to the NA QSO party on 20 meters as we drive. Not the best Mobile antenna available, but one step closer to nirvana.
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
> ----
> http://www.elecraft.com
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

Vic Rosenthal
In reply to this post by wayne burdick
I wonder if a wire taped around the circumference of the carrier to form
either a loop or a Moxon-shaped thing and fed in its center might not
work, if the carrier is non-conductive and contains non-conductive things.

73,
Victor, 4X6GP
Rehovot, Israel
Formerly K2VCO
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

On 20 Aug 2017 02:15, Wayne Burdick wrote:

> Some of us (admittedly, very few) see invisible mobile antennas as
> the holy Grail. We engage in a decades-long search for an antenna
> that our significant other won't scorn. Or sabotage.
>
> My own search just got an unexpected boost when I realized that a 4
> foot loaded whip would fit fully inside the plastic cartop carrier on
> our Honda CRV. As we speak the whip is resting on a pile of
> nonconductive pillows and towels. I have yet to measure their
> dielectric effects. Six feet of coax snakes through the sunroof and
> is then retained by the passenger-side visor.
>
> The KX2 fits snugly in a dashboard compartment that until this
> morning held my YL's Bonnie Rait CDs. More on that later if
> necessary.
>
> I've been listening to the NA QSO party on 20 meters as we drive. Not
> the best Mobile antenna available, but one step closer to nirvana.
>
> Wayne N6KR
>
> ---- http://www.elecraft.com 
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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

k6dgw
My end-fed wire on the wooden fence 1.8 meters AGL works pretty good.  6
over 6 over 6 monobanders would do better [by actual test, they do [:-)
], but RF current in a non-buried conductor will radiate.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 8/19/2017 8:52 PM, Victor Rosenthal 4X6GP wrote:

> I wonder if a wire taped around the circumference of the carrier to
> form either a loop or a Moxon-shaped thing and fed in its center might
> not work, if the carrier is non-conductive and contains non-conductive
> things.
>
> 73,
> Victor, 4X6GP
> Rehovot, Israel
> Formerly K2VCO
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
>
> On 20 Aug 2017 02:15, Wayne Burdick wrote:
>> Some of us (admittedly, very few) see invisible mobile antennas as
>> the holy Grail. We engage in a decades-long search for an antenna
>> that our significant other won't scorn. Or sabotage.
>>
>> My own search just got an unexpected boost when I realized that a 4
>> foot loaded whip would fit fully inside the plastic cartop carrier on
>> our Honda CRV. As we speak the whip is resting on a pile of
>> nonconductive pillows and towels. I have yet to measure their
>> dielectric effects. Six feet of coax snakes through the sunroof and
>> is then retained by the passenger-side visor.
>>
>> The KX2 fits snugly in a dashboard compartment that until this
>> morning held my YL's Bonnie Rait CDs. More on that later if
>> necessary.
>>
>> I've been listening to the NA QSO party on 20 meters as we drive. Not
>> the best Mobile antenna available, but one step closer to nirvana.
>>
>> Wayne N6KR
>>
>> ---- http://www.elecraft.com 
> ______________________________________________________________
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> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

Doug Smith [W7KF]
In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal
Yes, I was thinking along the same lines — that copper ‘conductive tape’ stuff.

It could be mounted to the outside of the carrier and would look like stylish racing stripes!

http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Conductive-Copper-Foil-Tape-3313?N=5002385+3293242553&rt=rud <http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Conductive-Copper-Foil-Tape-3313?N=5002385+3293242553&rt=rud>

https://www.kaptontape.com/Copper_Conductive_Tapes.php <https://www.kaptontape.com/Copper_Conductive_Tapes.php>

73,
Doug, W7KF


> On Aug 19, 2017, at 9:52 PM, Victor Rosenthal 4X6GP <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I wonder if a wire taped around the circumference of the carrier to form either a loop or a Moxon-shaped thing and fed in its center might not work, if the carrier is non-conductive and contains non-conductive things.
>
> 73,
> Victor, 4X6GP
> Rehovot, Israel
> Formerly K2VCO
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

Phil Kane-2
On 8/19/2017 9:26 PM, Doug Smith wrote:

> Yes, I was thinking along the same lines — that copper ‘conductive tape’ stuff.
>
> It could be mounted to the outside of the carrier and would look like stylish racing stripes!

I've used that for "rear window defroster" DF antennas.  How well would
that material work for reasonable transmitter powers?

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

Bill K9YEQ
Phil, the copper tape works on VHF/UHF with HT power levels, so at HF should work well.  Could even do multiple loops!  Dimensions, will be the trick.  We need a designer to build and install and market for HF car top carriers!  I am not up to it.


73,
Bill
K9YEQ



-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Phil Kane
Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2017 7:15 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Mobile antenna breakthrough?

On 8/19/2017 9:26 PM, Doug Smith wrote:

> Yes, I was thinking along the same lines — that copper ‘conductive tape’ stuff.
>
> It could be mounted to the outside of the carrier and would look like stylish racing stripes!

I've used that for "rear window defroster" DF antennas.  How well would that material work for reasonable transmitter powers?

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

Phil Kane-2
In reply to this post by k6dgw
On 8/19/2017 9:21 PM, Fred Jensen wrote:

> My end-fed wire on the wooden fence 1.8 meters AGL works pretty good.  6
> over 6 over 6 monobanders would do better [by actual test, they do [:-)
> ], but RF current in a non-buried conductor will radiate.

Please tell that to mine (10m long, 1.5m AGL fed by a 9:1 un-un fed with
10m of coax from the KAT100.  Or maybe no one is on when I can operator
- or they hear me coming and take a meal break :)

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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Re: Mobile antenna breakthrough?

k6dgw
Mine is about 41.5 meters long, strung along the wood fence.  When
conditions are reasonable I can make a lot of Q's, even on SSB, did so
in NAQP once Kp declined a lot.  20 m equals about continental range. 
On 40, I'm good to well beyond Scotts Bluff.  80 is NVIS, but I have
lots of friends in N. Cal, and it works great for that.  When condx are
bad for everyone else, they've abysmal for me.  Most of the time, I can
remote to W7RN ... much higher Coeff. of Aerial Aluminum.

Apparently, length counts.  [:-)

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 8/20/2017 5:30 PM, Phil Kane wrote:
> Please tell that to mine (10m long, 1.5m AGL fed by a 9:1 un-un fed with
> 10m of coax from the KAT100. Or maybe no one is on when I can operator
> - or they hear me coming and take a meal break :) 73 de K2ASP - Phil
> Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402

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