> A telescoping whip isn't necessairly going to provide a > noticible improvement over a rubber duckie. You'd have to > set the length using an SWR meter and then it will only be > marginally better then a 1/4 wave RD and probably no where > as good as a 5/8 duckie. > > BTW, I have talked to Europe using 0.5 watts... but the > antenna was 66 feet wide and 88 feet long... I have access to NiTi super elastic wire (the metal used in the fancy eye glass frames). I could make an antenna that would stand up 3 to 4' in length but fold up to a little ball. You could even wrap it around the VHF unit. The question I have is what length would you make the antenna? I could potentially make two or three of these to try out if anyone is interested. I would need to make the O.D. more conductive but I have several way of doing that. Marc. "If the Women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy!" Red Green *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Good morning Marc, Oh? By soaking duct tape in an electrolyte solution like say.... sea water? ;-) heh! Coffee... need coffee... Tom... snip------> >I would need to make the O.D. >more conductive but I have several way of doing that. >"If the Women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you >handy!" Tom Weese Kirkland, Wa. Three left turns often make a right... <http://www.isomedia.com/homes/gadfly/> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
MarcJensen wrote: > ...I have access to NiTi super elastic wire (the metal used in the fancy > eye glass frames). I could make an antenna that would stand up 3 to > 4' in length but fold up to a little ball. That's Nitinol alloy, right? I think it has too high an electrical resistance to make an antenna out of, but I'll double check that. Neat idea. I still like the idea of a deck-mount mast with a 1/2 wave antenna, or just a whip mounted high up. You could combine this with a mast for a spinnaker, or perhaps an antenna you could hoist with a paddle? BTW, off-list communication has identified the linguistic roots of the ducky/whip controversy, and the result is...unimportant ;-) -- Michael Edelman http://www.mich.com/~mje Telescope guide: http://www.mich.com/~mje/scope.html Folding Kayaks: http://www.mich.com/~mje/kayak.html Airguns: http://www.mich.com/~mje/airguns.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
> I still like the idea of a deck-mount mast with a 1/2 wave antenna, or just a > whip mounted high up. You could combine this with a mast for a spinnaker, or > perhaps an antenna you could hoist with a paddle? Ok, lets say a generic radio moron such as myself wanted to get a VHF radio for offshore kayaking use. It seems you have two choices, 1st, one of those handheld 5W portable jobs, or the more normal type that you see on most power boats, with the long antennas mounted all over the place. I know how to buy a handheld. Thats easy. So lets say, I've decided I'd rather have the ability to yell in an emergency at 25W along the big antenna. To my uneducated brain, that tells me I need a 12V battery, a waterproof radio, antenna mount, antenna, and some kind of cable to go between the radio and the antenna. Is this right? I've seen nylon mounts, are they OK? Can this be done under $300? How would you radio-buffs mount a radio such as the Hummingbird DuraCom 25 in/on a seakayak? Another stupid question... What does the ratchet lever on the "ratchet mount" do? Could a twisted person use such a mount as a rod holder when on inland waters where an antenna is not useful? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
The advantage of a marine 1/2 wave antenna alone would make the additional problems and potential failure of a 12V system designed to be operated in a cabin, unwise. > I know how to buy a handheld. Thats easy. So lets say, > I've decided I'd rather have the ability to yell in an > emergency at 25W along the big antenna. To my uneducated > brain, that tells me I need a 12V battery, a waterproof > radio, antenna mount, antenna, and some kind of cable to > go between the radio and the antenna. Is this right? > I've seen nylon mounts, are they OK? Can this be done > under $300? How would you radio-buffs mount a radio > such as the Hummingbird DuraCom 25 in/on a seakayak? > > Another stupid question... What does the ratchet lever > on the "ratchet mount" do? Could a twisted person use > such a mount as a rod holder when on inland waters where > an antenna is not useful? > > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > *************************************************************************** > > Bob Denton Vice President Undersea Breathing Systems bob_at_dnax.com http://www.dnax.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
MarcJensen wrote: > > > I have access to NiTi super elastic wire (the metal used in the fancy > eye glass frames). I could make an antenna that would stand up 3 to > 4' in length but fold up to a little ball. You could even wrap it > around the VHF unit. The question I have is what length would you > make the antenna? I could potentially make two or three of these > to try out if anyone is interested. I would need to make the O.D. > more conductive but I have several way of doing that. > > Marc. >If you want to play with it, try cutting it 17.5 inches long. You might even try making you a "pigtail" out of small guage wire, 17 inches long and putting an aligater clamp on the end. Try running some test with/without it clamped on the shield part of the BNC connector, with the "tail" end just hanging there. In some cases this can help a rubber duck out as it allows it to "see" a 1/4 wave ground.?? You be the judge! You can also help your HT out quite a bit by holding the antenna/HT straight up and down, ie, not tilted over. Making the antenna you are talking about, longer would intell(sp?) some matching network and I feel that we don't need to get into that here. :>) Good luck, have fun and report back. James *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
James Lofton wrote: > MarcJensen wrote: > > > > > > I have access to NiTi super elastic wire ... > >If you want to play with it, try cutting it 17.5 inches long. ... You want it resonant around 160 MHz, so a quarter wave is 18.5 inches. Velocity factor is about .80 for small diameter wire, so .80 x 18.5 = about 15". If you connect one piece to the center condutor of your cable, and two pieces to the shield, pointed down at about a 45 degree angle, you'll have a very effective ground plane antenna as described in the original Motorola patent. Like so: | | | o o / \ / \ / \ -- Michael Edelman http://www.mich.com/~mje Telescope guide: http://www.mich.com/~mje/scope.html Folding Kayaks: http://www.mich.com/~mje/kayak.html Airguns: http://www.mich.com/~mje/airguns.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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