I was a ham in the late '60s, before I started working in avionics and wondered one night, "Who is paying me to do this?'" Anyway, I was mostly 40M CW but my brother was mostly 40M SSB. My 2nd Phone license was dated April 10, 1969 (I was in high school) and the First Phone was a year later. Anyway, I agree with your view of the antenna situation. HF might affect whales out of water but nothing much smaller, and 50-100W is not a big deal in terms of radiation. I would warn about voltages at the ends of the driven element or dipole, though. It is not hard to burn through the wire's insulation if it is just looped over a hook in a rafter at power levels above 100W. Two years ago I retired from a Fortune 100 electric company as a senior IT/communications networks field tech... 500KV substations and mountaintops! Now I can't believe radio is out of my life. Vacuum tubes, where I could see all the parts the books described, hooked me and now it is all synthetic. SMT is great but it has no soul.
Another great question! Thanks for taking the time to answer. It is so common these day to live in HOA controlled townhomes or communities and attic antennas are often the only option. And many are pet owners. 73!
I've run across some funny nets on 80 meters, just sitting back and listening. One of them, the users didn't appear to use their callsigns, had few troubles with using curse words, apparently had gastric issues which lead to frequent belching, and seemed to have a penchant for questioning each other's sexuality.
First hand observation on my part at testing sessions has found far too many instances of VEs essentially giving away amateur radio licenses to people that actually fail tests but are coached through the exam to make the grade and thus slide through the cracks because of a good buddy in the club. This only adds to the number of simpletons that have no business on our bands. Our new testing fees would be best served in FCC field offices legitimately awarding call signs.
You spoke about verticals I have one Eurocom Sigma SF360. I bought mine through the UK. Less than $300 no radials 10 feet to feed point. Very little space required, 6 through 80 meters. have worked South America and Japan on 100 watts. Not perfect but great for new HF Ham or limited space. Shipping cost is very low.
Probably not so much near the ends, though! We saw that in the electric power industry - hawks would perch on 12KV lines but not 69KV lines. The capacitive induction was just too great.
Slightly related question. I plan to work HF mobile at special events where there could be a large number of people. Any thoughts about protecting them from accidental/curiosity driven contact burns from the antenna? Screwdriver or ham stick antennas will probably be used mounted on the side of my van. I have a good friend, who knew better, but tried to scrape a dead bug off his 2m quarter wave whip while I was talking on his mobile rig! Contact blisters in an instant, and I would hate to see what would’ve happened at 100 watts.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh boy!!!!!!!! thanks Dave for all you do and for taking one for the team every now and then!!! I couldnt do it!!!! 73!!!! N8SOT
I was a ham in the late '60s, before I started working in avionics and wondered one night, "Who is paying me to do this?'" Anyway, I was mostly 40M CW but my brother was mostly 40M SSB. My 2nd Phone license was dated April 10, 1969 (I was in high school) and the First Phone was a year later.
Anyway, I agree with your view of the antenna situation. HF might affect whales out of water but nothing much smaller, and 50-100W is not a big deal in terms of radiation. I would warn about voltages at the ends of the driven element or dipole, though. It is not hard to burn through the wire's insulation if it is just looped over a hook in a rafter at power levels above 100W.
Two years ago I retired from a Fortune 100 electric company as a senior IT/communications networks field tech... 500KV substations and mountaintops! Now I can't believe radio is out of my life. Vacuum tubes, where I could see all the parts the books described, hooked me and now it is all synthetic. SMT is great but it has no soul.
Another great question! Thanks for taking the time to answer. It is so common these day to live in HOA controlled townhomes or communities and attic antennas are often the only option. And many are pet owners. 73!
Another factor is duty cycle. Unlike broadcast stations, hams do more receiving than transmitting and only a few hours a day.
I find they are best served as a kabob with mushrooms and onions after 15 minutes near the tip of the radiating element but not too close.
I've run across some funny nets on 80 meters, just sitting back and listening. One of them, the users didn't appear to use their callsigns, had few troubles with using curse words, apparently had gastric issues which lead to frequent belching, and seemed to have a penchant for questioning each other's sexuality.
First hand observation on my part at testing sessions has found far too many instances of VEs essentially giving away amateur radio licenses to people that actually fail tests but are coached through the exam to make the grade and thus slide through the cracks because of a good buddy in the club. This only adds to the number of simpletons that have no business on our bands. Our new testing fees would be best served in FCC field offices legitimately awarding call signs.
You spoke about verticals I have one Eurocom Sigma SF360. I bought mine through the UK. Less than $300 no radials 10 feet to feed point. Very little space required, 6 through 80 meters. have worked South America and Japan on 100 watts. Not perfect but great for new HF Ham or limited space. Shipping cost is very low.
Dave- your videos are excellent and objective - great info for both "novice" and experienced hams. Thank you!!
That was actually a concern of mine for a ground mounted vertical and my dogs.
I really appreciate this fella, full of knowledge.
First time i heard that 80m (or any band) is not a "cq band" !
Every time I try calling CQ on 80, someone jumps in to say I'm interfering with a net.
What about 2x Slim-Jim antennas one for HF and one for VHF
I had a hummingbird sitting on my antenna during 100W transmit!
We named it the hammingbird!
Probably not so much near the ends, though! We saw that in the electric power industry - hawks would perch on 12KV lines but not 69KV lines. The capacitive induction was just too great.
I'd be concerned if my parrot started sqwaking call signs, or I smelled chicken.
lol lol
I have three parrots and they haven't complained. But they don't sit on the antenna outside.
Slightly related question. I plan to work HF mobile at special events where there could be a large number of people. Any thoughts about protecting them from accidental/curiosity driven contact burns from the antenna? Screwdriver or ham stick antennas will probably be used mounted on the side of my van.
I have a good friend, who knew better, but tried to scrape a dead bug off his 2m quarter wave whip while I was talking on his mobile rig! Contact blisters in an instant, and I would hate to see what would’ve happened at 100 watts.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh boy!!!!!!!! thanks Dave for all you do and for taking one for the team every now and then!!! I couldnt do it!!!!
73!!!! N8SOT
Being Australian I thought you were going to refer to your friend as a gallah LOL
.......I know it was just a slip of the tongue, Dave, but 3 meters for a 6 meter half wave dipole is 10 feet, not 15ft.. Cheers, G4ZWI
I have a friend who is a ham and has a metal roof on his house.
Can he use his metal roof as an antenna?
Thank you.
KE8PMM
put the parots in a faraday cage.....
😂😂🤣😂
Exactly what I was thinking 😏
😲😂
Well I had baked Parakeet last night!! lol
I couldn't help but laugh as I saw the title, but I guess it is a reasonable question. There are no stupid questions after all.
"Be kind to your web footed friends,
For that duck may be somebody's mother..."
73 de N2NLQ
Thank you. N0QFT
80 Meters is where Oregon Races and ArESdo daily nets, so it is an important band for me. Thank the lord I am not willing to live with an HOA.
Faraday Cage... Parrot cage...
Bats are not pets
2M = 78"
Lose the laurel & Hardy clarinet music , intro should be first bar of Led Zeppelin's black dog
Wow! You must be really bored dude.