Reaching Across the Chronological Divide
Locked
 
|
I have only two data points supporting this hypothesis -- me, and my
grandson. So this is just FWIW: The (or at least much of the) allure of amateur radio lies in doing something yourself and seeing it actually work. From DIY circuit design and construction to pruning the SWR out of a Vee in a tree to a strategy that nets a clean sweep in the SS, that satisfaction is universal, though possibly the more challenging the better. As a communications medium per se, radio is passe'. Let's not waste the energy fighting that. As a source of "Holy S, it works!", amateur radio has the potential to be as challenging and satisfying as any other. Maybe that's an attractant to sell. Ted, KN1CBR ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] |
Re: Reaching across the chronological divide
|
|
As for me...
I am an oddball tinkerer. I brew beer, make guitars, string beads, raise goats and make leather bound books, as well as fire up my radio from time to time. I was prepared to get my novice license in the early 1970’s. My parents said no. It was always in the back of my mind. I licensed a couple of years ago, got a KX2 and then started experimenting with anything that could be called an antenna, that is to say anything that conducts a current (from a lawn chair, to an umbrella, to hundreds of feet of abandon in-place power lines). Damn the theory, full speed ahead; all I needed was a match from the magical auto tuner. As a hobby, this one allows for tremendous diversity in what your interest in radio is with the same goal: tossing out a CQ and seeing who you get. Whether you build from scratch, buy off the shelf, rag chew, CQ or go digital, the goal is the same. Make a contact, meet someone you never have before, and enjoy it while you can. Who cares if one operator is an electronics dolt while another is a PhD EE? It is about contact, and Human contact in any form is precious. I simply like the challenge of making contacts with antennas, in the opinion of the more learned, “that won’t work.” I have been told to “Read the antenna book” because my experiments are “illogical.” I guess I have to delete the contact I made using a chicken wire antenna? Let’s all remember that Maxwell, Marconi, Hertz, Popov, Bose, Hughes and Fr. Roberto Landell de Moura did not have the internet or the Antenna Book. They had each other. Just my foul smelling overly verbose opinion on the matter. Keeping Watch- shu Joe Shuman, NZ8P ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] |
Re: Reaching across the chronological divide
|
|
There is absolutely nothing wrong in experimenting with antennas just for the fun of it. I've done it and enjoyed it, but I didn't learn much from it. The fault comes in pretending that experimenting without understanding is better than, or at least equivalent to, actually spending the effort to understand what you're doing. Trying something ... anything ... is fun, but too many hams seem to want to use it to justify ignorance. All of those people you mention may not have had the Antenna Book, but they did have the writings of each other and I guarantee that they used them ... which is exactly what the Antenna Book is since it was written by other hams who took the trouble to understand what they were doing so that you at least had the opportunity to do so as well. Nobody says that you have to take advantage of that, but it does mean that you're just choosing the fun of playing with stuff you don't understand very well ... like somebody who just mixes different chemicals to see what happens. And yes, I've done that as well. Dave AB7E On 1/3/2021 3:39 PM, Joseph Shuman via Elecraft wrote: > > I simply like the challenge of making contacts with antennas, in the opinion of the more learned, “that won’t work.” I have been told to “Read the antenna book” because my experiments are “illogical.” I guess I have to delete the contact I made using a chicken wire antenna? Let’s all remember that Maxwell, Marconi, Hertz, Popov, Bose, Hughes and Fr. Roberto Landell de Moura did not have the internet or the Antenna Book. They had each other. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] |
|
|
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
Maxwell assured us that, if you get RF current to flow in a conductor
that isn't buried deeply, it will radiate. The the direction(s) of that radiation may not be where you wish, but it will radiate. This weakend, I made 127 QSO's in the ARRL RTTY Round-Up on 15, 20, 40, and 80 with 100W [K3] to a HOA-stealthy WOOF antenna [Wire On Organic Fence: 41 m, end-fed, 1.8 m AGL]. I have noticed since the days when you built your TX from parts scarfed from old TV sets: 1. Newer hams seem to believe that there is one "perfect" way to build an antenna or use your radios and anything else will fail; 2. Newer hams, and some of the older ones, like to connect every possible accessory and every possible computer/software product to their radios; 3. And when that doesn't work, the first question to the email list members is, "My Loudenboomer III won't key. Any ideas what's wrong?" Somehow, the art of isolating the pieces, such as, "disconnect the keyer/computer/software and plug in a hand key -- or short the key line -- does it key now?" has been lost in a sea of technology no one understands. If the best of forecasts for Cycle 25 materialize, you will be able to repeat the late 50's/early 60's and work the world on 10 m 24/7 with 15 W to the window screen. Happy New Year to all, activate safely. 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County On 1/3/2021 2:39 PM, Joseph Shuman via Elecraft wrote: > I simply like the challenge of making contacts with antennas, in the opinion of the more learned, “that won’t work.” I have been told to “Read the antenna book” because my experiments are “illogical.” I guess I have to delete the contact I made using a chicken wire antenna? Let’s all remember that Maxwell, Marconi, Hertz, Popov, Bose, Hughes and Fr. Roberto Landell de Moura did not have the internet or the Antenna Book. They had each other. > > Joe Shuman, NZ8P > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] |
Re: Reaching across the chronological divide
|
|
Is there a Loudenboomer III??? I must go buy it - I only have a Loundenboomer II!
> On Jan 3, 2021, at 7:07 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote: > > Maxwell assured us that, if you get RF current to flow in a conductor that isn't buried deeply, it will radiate. The the direction(s) of that radiation may not be where you wish, but it will radiate. This weakend, I made 127 QSO's in the ARRL RTTY Round-Up on 15, 20, 40, and 80 with 100W [K3] to a HOA-stealthy WOOF antenna [Wire On Organic Fence: 41 m, end-fed, 1.8 m AGL]. > > I have noticed since the days when you built your TX from parts scarfed from old TV sets: > > 1. Newer hams seem to believe that there is one "perfect" way to build an antenna or use your radios and anything else will fail; > > 2. Newer hams, and some of the older ones, like to connect every possible accessory and every possible computer/software product to their radios; > > 3. And when that doesn't work, the first question to the email list members is, "My Loudenboomer III won't key. Any ideas what's wrong?" Somehow, the art of isolating the pieces, such as, "disconnect the keyer/computer/software and plug in a hand key -- or short the key line -- does it key now?" has been lost in a sea of technology no one understands. > > If the best of forecasts for Cycle 25 materialize, you will be able to repeat the late 50's/early 60's and work the world on 10 m 24/7 with 15 W to the window screen. Happy New Year to all, activate safely. > > 73, > > Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW > Sparks NV DM09dn > Washoe County > >> On 1/3/2021 2:39 PM, Joseph Shuman via Elecraft wrote: >> I simply like the challenge of making contacts with antennas, in the opinion of the more learned, “that won’t work.” I have been told to “Read the antenna book” because my experiments are “illogical.” I guess I have to delete the contact I made using a chicken wire antenna? Let’s all remember that Maxwell, Marconi, Hertz, Popov, Bose, Hughes and Fr. Roberto Landell de Moura did not have the internet or the Antenna Book. They had each other. >> >> Joe Shuman, NZ8P >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > 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] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] |
Re: Reaching across the chronological divide
|
|
"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." ?
On Sunday, January 3, 2021, 8:13:49 PM MST, Hank via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote: Is there a Loudenboomer III??? I must go buy it - I only have a Loundenboomer II! > On Jan 3, 2021, at 7:07 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote: > > Maxwell assured us that, if you get RF current to flow in a conductor that isn't buried deeply, it will radiate. The the direction(s) of that radiation may not be where you wish, but it will radiate. This weakend, I made 127 QSO's in the ARRL RTTY Round-Up on 15, 20, 40, and 80 with 100W [K3] to a HOA-stealthy WOOF antenna [Wire On Organic Fence: 41 m, end-fed, 1.8 m AGL]. > > I have noticed since the days when you built your TX from parts scarfed from old TV sets: > > 1. Newer hams seem to believe that there is one "perfect" way to build an antenna or use your radios and anything else will fail; > > 2. Newer hams, and some of the older ones, like to connect every possible accessory and every possible computer/software product to their radios; > > 3. And when that doesn't work, the first question to the email list members is, "My Loudenboomer III won't key. Any ideas what's wrong?" Somehow, the art of isolating the pieces, such as, "disconnect the keyer/computer/software and plug in a hand key -- or short the key line -- does it key now?" has been lost in a sea of technology no one understands. > > If the best of forecasts for Cycle 25 materialize, you will be able to repeat the late 50's/early 60's and work the world on 10 m 24/7 with 15 W to the window screen. Happy New Year to all, activate safely. > > 73, > > Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW > Sparks NV DM09dn > Washoe County > >> On 1/3/2021 2:39 PM, Joseph Shuman via Elecraft wrote: >> I simply like the challenge of making contacts with antennas, in the opinion of the more learned, “that won’t work.” I have been told to “Read the antenna book” because my experiments are “illogical.” I guess I have to delete the contact I made using a chicken wire antenna? Let’s all remember that Maxwell, Marconi, Hertz, Popov, Bose, Hughes and Fr. Roberto Landell de Moura did not have the internet or the Antenna Book. They had each other. >> >> Joe Shuman, NZ8P >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > 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] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] |
Re: Reaching across the chronological divide
|
|
There was indeed a Loudenboomer made by a Brit back in the 60s / 70s and I think it was G3TPW Steve Webb who moved on to make the Cobwebb antenna.
David G3UNA > On 04 January 2021 at 13:14 Louandzip via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote: > > > "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." ? > On Sunday, January 3, 2021, 8:13:49 PM MST, Hank via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote: > > Is there a Loudenboomer III??? I must go buy it - I only have a Loundenboomer II! > > > On Jan 3, 2021, at 7:07 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote: > > > > Maxwell assured us that, if you get RF current to flow in a conductor that isn't buried deeply, it will radiate. The the direction(s) of that radiation may not be where you wish, but it will radiate. This weakend, I made 127 QSO's in the ARRL RTTY Round-Up on 15, 20, 40, and 80 with 100W [K3] to a HOA-stealthy WOOF antenna [Wire On Organic Fence: 41 m, end-fed, 1.8 m AGL]. > > > > I have noticed since the days when you built your TX from parts scarfed from old TV sets: > > > > 1. Newer hams seem to believe that there is one "perfect" way to build an antenna or use your radios and anything else will fail; > > > > 2. Newer hams, and some of the older ones, like to connect every possible accessory and every possible computer/software product to their radios; > > > > 3. And when that doesn't work, the first question to the email list members is, "My Loudenboomer III won't key. Any ideas what's wrong?" Somehow, the art of isolating the pieces, such as, "disconnect the keyer/computer/software and plug in a hand key -- or short the key line -- does it key now?" has been lost in a sea of technology no one understands. > > > > If the best of forecasts for Cycle 25 materialize, you will be able to repeat the late 50's/early 60's and work the world on 10 m 24/7 with 15 W to the window screen. Happy New Year to all, activate safely. > > > > 73, > > > > Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW > > Sparks NV DM09dn > > Washoe County > > > >> On 1/3/2021 2:39 PM, Joseph Shuman via Elecraft wrote: > >> I simply like the challenge of making contacts with antennas, in the opinion of the more learned, “that won’t work.” I have been told to “Read the antenna book” because my experiments are “illogical.” I guess I have to delete the contact I made using a chicken wire antenna? Let’s all remember that Maxwell, Marconi, Hertz, Popov, Bose, Hughes and Fr. Roberto Landell de Moura did not have the internet or the Antenna Book. They had each other. > >> > >> Joe Shuman, NZ8P > >> > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > 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] > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > 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] > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > 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] Elecraft mailing list 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] |
|
|
Loudenboomer: 1962 1 KW linear amplifier also known as a Hallicrafters
HT-45, not to be confused with the Eargesplitten Loudenboomer .22 cal cartridge. In the mid 60's, the MARS station at Bien Hoa AB Vietnam [AI8AB] put up a 5el 3 frequency quad at 27 m for non-amateur MARS frequencies. It resembled a dummy load in the transmit efficiency department. A small tornado came through one afternoon, removed the roof of a nearby RVN chow hall, and scrambled the quad which, post tornado, was a vertical CobWebb with some extra spreaders hanging loosely. And, it began working very well. 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County On 1/4/2021 5:30 AM, CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft wrote: > There was indeed a Loudenboomer made by a Brit back in the 60s / 70s and I think it was G3TPW Steve Webb who moved on to make the Cobwebb antenna. > > David G3UNA > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list 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] |
«
Return to Elecraft
|
1 view|%1 views
| Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |