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WA3WSJ

(no subject)

Hey Guys!

I really like the story about this antenna being developed in the " EPA
Skunk Works - Area WSJ" !

Maybe this thing should be called the Ninja Antenna or the Skunk Works
Special? Yeah - "Skunk Works Special" has a nice sound doesn't it?

How about I let you guys name this antenna? It's a vertical antenna
designed to hang from a tree etc. It's made out of #26 teflon-coated
stranded red wire. You change bands by simply changing a loading coil
wound on red film canisters with female BNC connectors on each end. The
vertical plays very nicely on 40m, 30m and 20m and uses four ground
radials also red.

At present, on 15m and 10m you change the red vertical radiator wire and
clip on four 15/10m radials. The 10/15 arrangement may change. I might
build a matching network in a film canister for 15 and 10m? At present
the entire antenna weighs-in around 9oz excluding the 25' of coax to fed
it. It can be put into a small plastic baggie.

So what will be the name of this vertical? I'm open to all names -
let's hear YOUR suggestions!

Also send me any comments about what YOU would like to see designed into
this antenna.

I was asked to write an article about this little beauty, but I really
don't know who would want it?

72,

Ed, WA3WSJ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]]
On Behalf Of Ron Polityka
Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 4:35 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [PolarBearQRP] Re: WA3WSJ Red Hot Vertical - Backpacker's
Special!

Hey Chuck,

There are no photos, this thing was developed in EPA's "Skunk Works"
know
as "Area WSJ".

This is a stealth antenna, just like the plane it can't be seen!!

I have seen it and it is worth the wait.

72 and Thanks,
Ron Polityka
WB3AAL
Polar Bear #1
www.wb3aal.com
www.n3epa.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Gehring" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 9:57 PM
Subject: [PolarBearQRP] Re: WA3WSJ Red Hot Vertical - Backpacker's
Special!

> Ed,
> You are such a tease man, how about some photos? Hopefully (work
> permitting) I will be out with my NEW DK9SQ for a little 2xWA3WSJ
> Antenna to WA3WSJ Antenna Designed Action. Even my wife is impressed
> with your DK9SQ Antenna and she is really a harsh critic.
>
> 72 KI4DGH
> Chuck Gehring

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w6jd

Re: (no subject)

Despite all the disparaging comments re MFJ, I've never had any problems
with the numerous items I've purchased from them.

Disclaimers ON.

Doug
W6JD

-------------- Original message --------------
From: John <[hidden email]>

> On Wed, 05 Apr 2006 10:06:53 -0700 (PDT), Phil,K2ASP wrote:
>
> "But but but.... the MFJ gadget costs in the $150 range. Got to keep
> the economy of Mississippi going after the hurricanes....!!
>
> --
> 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane".....
>
> Thank you Phil!
>
> John, KD5EJA, Long Beach, MS (that's on the once beautiful MS Gulf Coast!)
> K2-4799, KX-1 479, K1 - 679
>
>
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Dave Sublette

Re: (no subject)

I'm not trying to jump on the "down with MFJ" bandwagon, but I had an
amusing incident with the fine folks at MFJ. I stopped by to see them
at their booth at a large hamfest to discuss a problem I was having with
their 300 watt amp for two meters. In spite of careful tweaking and
adequate drive and power supply, I could only get 240 watts output, as
measured on my Bird wattmeter, I asked the MFJ "engineer" on duty if
that was within normal tolerances for manufacturing for this amp. His
reply was, "You can't trust those Bird wattmeters." I Quickly thanked
him for his time and left. I could see no reason to waste any more of
my time.

Dave, K4TO

[hidden email] wrote:

> Despite all the disparaging comments re MFJ, I've never had any problems
> with the numerous items I've purchased from them.
>
> Disclaimers ON.
>
> Doug
> W6JD
>
> -------------- Original message --------------
> From: John <[hidden email]>
>
>
>> On Wed, 05 Apr 2006 10:06:53 -0700 (PDT), Phil,K2ASP wrote:
>>
>> "But but but.... the MFJ gadget costs in the $150 range. Got to keep
>> the economy of Mississippi going after the hurricanes....!!
>>
>> --
>> 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane".....
>>
>> Thank you Phil!
>>
>> John, KD5EJA, Long Beach, MS (that's on the once beautiful MS Gulf Coast!)
>> K2-4799, KX-1 479, K1 - 679
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
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>>
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>

Vic K2VCO

Re: (no subject)

Dave Sublette wrote:

> I stopped by to see them at their booth at a large hamfest to discuss
> a problem I was having with their 300 watt amp for two meters. In
> spite of careful tweaking and adequate drive and power supply, I
> could only get 240 watts output, as measured on my Bird wattmeter, I
> asked the MFJ "engineer" on duty if that was within normal tolerances
> for manufacturing for this amp. His reply was, "You can't trust
> those Bird wattmeters." I Quickly thanked him for his time and left.
> I could see no reason to waste any more of my time.

Actually, I think the Bird's accuracy is specified as 5% of full scale.
So if you were using a 1KW slug in the bird, it could have been off by
as much as 50 watts, brand new.
--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
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Dave Sublette

Re: (no subject)

It was a 500w slug, which leaves us with a 25 watt error, max.....

Vic K2VCO wrote:

> Dave Sublette wrote:
>
>> I stopped by to see them at their booth at a large hamfest to discuss
>> a problem I was having with their 300 watt amp for two meters. In
>> spite of careful tweaking and adequate drive and power supply, I
>> could only get 240 watts output, as measured on my Bird wattmeter, I
>> asked the MFJ "engineer" on duty if that was within normal tolerances
>> for manufacturing for this amp. His reply was, "You can't trust
>> those Bird wattmeters." I Quickly thanked him for his time and left.
>> I could see no reason to waste any more of my time.
>
> Actually, I think the Bird's accuracy is specified as 5% of full scale.
> So if you were using a 1KW slug in the bird, it could have been off
> by as much as 50 watts, brand new.

N2TK

RE: (no subject)

In reply to this post by Dave Sublette

In a former job we used Bird slug/wattmeters on all of our RF generators -
500w-25KW. We had a box of over 100 new slugs that were off by 20-50%. We
never assumed because it said Bird that is was accurate. They were checked
against a calorimeter at a set frequency of 13.56MHZ at fixed power levels.
I brought in my W-4 wattmeter to check the accuracy. It was surprising how
accurate it was on 20M.
N2TK, Tony

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Dave Sublette
Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 3:33 PM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: [hidden email]; John
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] (no subject)

I'm not trying to jump on the "down with MFJ" bandwagon, but I had an
amusing incident with the fine folks at MFJ. I stopped by to see them
at their booth at a large hamfest to discuss a problem I was having with
their 300 watt amp for two meters. In spite of careful tweaking and
adequate drive and power supply, I could only get 240 watts output, as
measured on my Bird wattmeter, I asked the MFJ "engineer" on duty if
that was within normal tolerances for manufacturing for this amp. His
reply was, "You can't trust those Bird wattmeters." I Quickly thanked
him for his time and left. I could see no reason to waste any more of
my time.

Dave, K4TO

[hidden email] wrote:

Coast!)

>> K2-4799, KX-1 479, K1 - 679
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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Ron D'Eau Claire-2

Wattmeters (WAS: no subject)

In reply to this post by Vic K2VCO

In addition to Vic's "spot on" comments, Bird elements, like any precision
device, need to be checked and calibrated regularly if they are to be
depended upon.

In commercial shops we at least compared several from time to time to be
sure they all agreed with each other and, if not whether it was the element
(usually the case) or the meter that was at fault. They went to a
calibration lab for adjustment every year or two.

The elements can be thrown out of calibration by being bumped around in the
tool box, where too many of them hang out when not in use. After dropping an
element, most users stick it back in and, if it registers power, heave a
sigh of relief thinking "it wasn't hurt". Hmmmmm....

The most accurate method most Hams have of measuring RF power is to use a
rectifier/voltmeter combination. That's because the accuracy of the peak
voltage measurement is dependent upon a DMM that the Ham uses regularly and
which can be easily checked with decent accuracy in a number of ways. For
power levels beyond the limit of the metering circuit a simple voltage
divider such as the Elecraft DL1 uses can be pressed into service. If you
aren't sure about the accuracy of the divider, run a test at a power level
that you can measure both directly and through the voltage divider to
confirm its accuracy and, if there is an error, determine the needed
correction.

As for the MFJ guy who dismissed the Bird meter, he may have gone to the
same sales seminars I attended in the 1970's. The one where they teach you
this:

Your prospect says, I have a Whiz-Bang unit!"

The salesman looks genuinely interested and say, "Oh, really? Which model?"

You say, "It's the mega-plex Mark Five!"

He shakes his head slowly, saying, "Oh...that model...is it still working?"

Nothing like the "inferred condemnation".

Ron AC7AC

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Ron D'Eau Claire-2

Calibrating Bird Wattmeters (WAS: Wattmeters)

Got a couple of off-reflector questions and comments about the famous BIRD
meters that ought to be of general interest:

One was asking how the slugs or "elements" are calibrated. The ones I've
seen have a pot under the cover that shows the frequency and power range.
I've known the calibration lab to say my wonky slug was due to a noisy pot.
They have also been known to move when the slug is bumped or vibrated.

Bob, W7AVK, observed: "...the calibration on some of them is just a wire
probe that is moved around to get the correct reading. A good drop will do
wonders to the calibration. :-)"

To which I can only rely, "Egad!"

Ron AC7AC

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