The Ionosphere

[Radio]

This was in my email...no doubt someones idea of a joke.

But it's a cute joke so I thought I'd stick it up here...

Is the little ball on top of my antenna the ionsphere?

I put the ball to a metal grinder and I could easily see an outer F layer and then the E layer. I couldn't find a D layer, but it was dark outside and there's not supposed to be a D layer at night. Neat how antenna's can be manufactured to do that.

Just passed my tech and General on Sunday so I'll be on the bands as soon as I find out my callsign and get an ionsphere for my antenna. I destroyed the old one on the grinder and I hear you need a good ionsphere to shoot good skip and hear far away stations. Reception has been really ****ty lately without the ionsphere. I looked through the last 4 issues of QST and I couldn't find anyone selling ionsphere's. Where can I get one, or do I have to buy a whole new antenna?

:radio:

[N3LYT]

I never thought about that! Some of my whips are missing their ionospheres do they have to be round some I have seen are kind of pointy is that for a different band?

[NN5I]

I think the gentleman is mistaken. An Ionic antenna would not have a sphere on top. Neither would a Doric or Corinthian one. So it must be some other kind of sphere.

[N3LYT]

Nice antennas! I wish mine looked as nice.

[wa8yxm]

I thought it was September, Not April.

True story about columns.

An architect designed a church, domed, no columns, the building inspectors walked in ran out and said "It's going to cave in without columns. There was a long argument snd finally he put in support columns.. Hundreds of years later the Church building owners figured they had better inspect the tops of the columns to see if they had deteriorated, After all we don't want the roof to cave in do we?

So they put up scaffolding, climbed to the top and found... Birds nesting, the columns ended 2 feet shy of the roof and had never held more than birds nests.

[NN5I]

I thought it was September, Not April.

True story about columns.

An architect designed a church, domed, no columns, the building inspectors walked in ran out and said "It's going to cave in without columns. There was a long argument snd finally he put in support columns.. Hundreds of years later the Church building owners figured they had better inspect the tops of the columns to see if they had deteriorated, After all we don't want the roof to cave in do we?

So they put up scaffolding, climbed to the top and found... Birds nesting, the columns ended 2 feet shy of the roof and had never held more than birds nests.

Forgive me for doubting. Where in the world were there building inspectors, hundreds of years ago?

[wa8yxm]

Where were there building inspectors hundreds of years ago, Anywhere there was a government of course, one begets the others.. I mean they were around before Christ I'm sure.

No building in a government controlled land is "Safe" till the government puts it's stamp of approval on it.

Of course some (3rd world) governments do not control well.

But Rome did, and I think this one was in Rome, near Rome or in Greece.

[NN5I]

If you say so. :whistle:

[Radio]

The story appears to be "true" but "inaccurate"

http://inel.wordpress.com/2007/02/09/sir-christopher-wrens-joke-in-windsor-guildhall/

The columns in this church in fact do not touch the ceiling, and were added at the insistence of the local government. There is no dome, and most folks of the time having seen at least one domed structure would know a dome is self supporting, like an arch.

There were no inspectors, just a few elected busy bodies who thought the ceiling would fall in. Since 1690, the ceiling is right where is was, un-budged.

[KF5BET]

Love this post especially Carls picture of Columns...That particular picture is forever in my mind since it was drilled into it during Architectural History 101.

Don't get me started on "officials"....

From a AIA member.
(American Institute of Architects)

[wa8yxm]

Thanks for the corrections.... Wade or Kathy. Been a long time since I read that story. and it appears I forgot a detail or 3.

I also liked your description of the government officials.

The best description of Government officials I have ever read was by the author of a Science Fiction story serries "Billy the JOAT" (JOAT = Jack Of All Trades) William Jarravore if I've spelled the character's name right.

In one of his books he gives his opinion of a government official and how 'Nothing is important till they slap their seal of approval on it" (He described a cermony where they gave him a medal for saving the planet) He thought much the same of TV reporters and talk show hosts... To which the Talk Show Host said he was glad they were on a snow ball (Planet covered in snow) instead of a mud planet. At that point, JUST that point, He found out it really made no difference..

Funny story and no I did not spoil it.

[NN5I]

The story appears to be "true" but "inaccurate"

http://inel.wordpress.com/2007/02/09/sir-christopher-wrens-joke-in-windsor-guildhall/

The columns in this church in fact do not touch the ceiling

Interesting. Christopher Wren was certainly among the greatest architects of his time, or perhaps any time. I'm sure that if I dealt with those Councillors I would be reminded of a certain FAA inspector who thought he knew more about my airplane than my mechanic and I knew. He was wrong. I still have the letter I wrote to the manager of the Jacksonville FSDO. It got his inspector off my case.

In the late 1690s, were London Councillors elected, or were they appointed by the Crown? Anyone know?

[Dizzy-Dick]

I know some hams that live in "no antenna" neighborhoods who would really like to have antennae that looked like columns. BTW, since I went to a diesel pusher I don't have the places to mount mobile antennae on it like I did the class-c. The HF radio is sitting in a compartment and a rolled up antenna in a storage compartment. So far, I haven't hot it hooked up.

As far as telescopes go, I haven't tried to get my big 16" DOB in the new RV. The tube will fit but I doubt if the base will. I do have some smaller ones I can take if needed.

Sorry I have been lax on posting on this forum. I write a blog every day and that keeps me pretty busy. But it is good to be back and maybe I can learn some new things, too.

[N3LYT]

The columns would look nice as awning supports.