Simple Ham Radio Antennas

Hawaii Island is still recovering from the effects of the 11 March 2011 tsunami.  As of today, the Big Island sustained around $14.2 million in damage, with most of the loss to commercial business $11.1 million).  The state is now compiling a full damage assess- ment with the hope of getting some federal disaster relief funds. Local amateur radio operators were active at Hawaii County Civil Defense and provided communication backup where necessary.  Despite some intermod problems on VHF (2 meters), most of the traffic passed got through on time.  Pacific Section Manager Bob Sneider has a complete assessment in his recent section manager report.  I was a bit surprised that our 2-meter interisland links had problems.  Murphy's Law is alive and well. Meanwhile, Japanese amateur radio operators are still helping with recovery efforts north of Tokyo.  The 24 March 2011 "ARRL Letter" has a good run down of those activities.  Like amateur...

Hawaii Island survived the 11 March 2011 tsunami with considerable damage incurred to businesses along Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona.  According to Governor Neil Abercrombie, who did a damage assessment tour on 15 March 2011, the damage could run into the tens of millions of dollars.  Thankfully, no one in the state was killed.  According to state Civil Defense, 20 homes were damaged (2 being draged into Kealakekua Bay) and 31 businessess suffered some degree of damage.  The county's Public Works Department and volunteers have cleaned up most of Alii Drive--the main thoroughfare seriving Kailua-Kona.  Our hearts go out to Japan which has been hit pretty hard--both in the loss of human life and the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.  One of former announcers, who now runs a morning show in Yokohama, gave the news department a gritty picture of what went down--not a pretty picture. As relief efforts continue, the Japan Amateur Radio ...

This has been a sad weekend for journalists and news announcers such as I.  The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that devasted eastern Honshu Island, Japan affected the entire Pacific Rim, including Hawaii.  On the Big Island, 2 home were washed into the sea at Napoopoo Village (on the west side) and more than 50 businesses in the Kailu-Kona area suffered damage.  The popular Kailua-Kona pier, which serves as the drop off point for cruise ship visitors was damaged and will be closed pending a full inspection by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Thankfully, no one was killed or injured seriously.  Damage on Hawaii Island will run into the millions. Most of the station staff spent Thursday night and all day Friday covering the event, since our location was out of the tsunami inundation zone.  All evacuations were carried out smoothly by 0200 Friday time.  During our 12 hours of continuous coverage, we became the focal point for inf...

Another exciting week is almost in the can--and none too soon.  What a mess--The federal government is nearly broke, our state is hoping a bond sale will under- write an ambitious capital improvements program, and the cauldron known as the Middle East is driving fuel prices higher.  Who could ask for more?  For news people, all this confusion, mass ignorance, and sheer incompetence displayed by world-wide governments is a virtual gold mine of stories, op-ed pieces, and blog entries.  Too bad, the end result of this will further cripple our already weakened economy.  So, once this news shift is done at KKBG-FM/KHLO-AM, I'll be glad to leave this madness and return to the relative calm of the amateur radio bands.  Today's activity may be a bit restricted since the weather service is calling for thunderstorms later today.  Everything is disconnected-- so that worry is reduced.  All I have to do is swivel the 40-meter vertical to grou...

Friday at last.  This has been an exciting seven days in the KKBG-FM/KHLO-AM news room.  With the turmoil in the middle east, the nasty mainland U.S. weather, and the continuous rise in the daily cost of living, there are sufficient stories to keep several news people busy.  Never a dull moment this month. I'll paraphrase an old Chinese saying--"may you be blessed (or is it cursed) by living in exciting times." The news from the amateur radio front is just as confusing and strange as the happenings in the so- called "real world." During a recent break from the daily schedule of newscasts, I purused the 24 February 2012 edition of "The ARRL letter".  Usually, I just glance through the e-mail edition and file the few stories I consider worthy of later inspection.  But today, there were several stories that show both the highs and lows of our hobby, and by tenuous extension,  the current state of our nation and people.  In the good ne...

Nothing like a seven-day work week to make one appreciate a day off.  In the radio business, there are really very few vacations, especially for the one man news departments in small markets like Hilo, Hawaii.  So, following the season opening drag races over the weekend, I find myself doing the regular Monday news shift.  To me, President's Day is just another work day, and the day is filled with all kinds of things to keep the mind busy.  Count your blessings that you do not live in Libya, Bahrain, or Yemen.  Young folks living in those countries have a grim future--no jobs, repressive regimes, and little social mobility.  It's sort of getting dressed for the prom and having no date.  Once the news day is over, I'll complete the required transmitter and computer checks and head for the little piece of paradise I call the "shack".  The oper- ating position is really a small extra bedroom my xyl and I use for storage.  The ...

This has been an exciting week in the radio station news room.  With all the events unfolding in the Middle East and even here in Hawaii, there hasn't been much time to get on the air with the trusty Swan 100-MXA.  I did manage to restring the 40-meter ver- tical and an improved radial system over the past few days.  The old MFJ fiberglass mast has been removed from service.  The combination of salt air, wind, and rain have weakened the pole considerably, so I re- cycled the structure for whatever usable parts I could and repositioned the Jackite mast I bought a few months ago.  I attached 32' of #14 gauge wire for the radiating element and attached 10 radials, varying from 16-32 feet to fit the contour of my postage stamp lot.  I'll add a few more radials in the days ahead.  Presently, the arrangement seems to work well.  My Drake MN-4 ATU (with 1:4 balun) seems to handle the system fairly well. I'm running approxi- mately 2...