View Single Post
Old 07-12-2014, 10:01 PM   #1
KF5BET
Senior Member
 
KF5BET's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lafayette, LA
Posts: 507
Default Possible antenna solution while camping

My good friend Glen, KF5FNP, has an article in the August edition of QST magazine describing his portable antenna for his Go Kit. It is a Tape Measure Vertical (TMV). I can see this antenna as being a very good option while camping as long as there are trees near your setup (or a portable mast).

I constructed one of these TMV's and hung it up in a tree in the back yard. All together I think it cost me about $10.00 I had a lot of stuff in my junk box and you probably do too!

The premise of the antenna is to use a 25' tape measure and a heavy duty tent stake. Install a stud through the end of the tape measure and connect the center of a SO 239 attached to the tent stake to the stud. Haul up the tape measure to the required height for the desired band. Use 4 1/4wave radials per band attached to the ground lug of the SO 239 and stretch out the radials at 90 degree points on the ground. Fine tune the antenna by raising and lowering the tape measure until the lowest SWR is found (I used trusty old MFJ 259B). Use a rope tied to the tape measure that is marked for the appropriate band, just raise the tape measure until the mark for the band is touching the ground, then fine tune using an analyzer or SWR meter on the radio.

I built radials for 10m, 15m, 17m and 20m. I still have to make the tuning rope, but have the dimensions (got Kendra to help me raise to lowest SWR on each band and she used binoculars to read the tape measure since I have "old" eyes).

The antenna tuned to 1.0 on all but 20m and 1.2 on that band.

Made a couple of contacts and confirmed it was working.

Take a look and maybe it would be a beneficial addition to your storage compartment.
__________________
Galen - KF5BET
Crysti - "the CHIEF"
Abbi - KF5BEW dd
Kendra - KF5FYS dd
Maggie - Cat chaser
2005 F250, 1996 Nomad
KF5BET is offline   Reply With Quote