A Cheap Indoor Dipole for 80m-15m

I finally got my hands on an HF transceiver last week.  It’s a gently used IC-735, with CW, SSB, AM, and FM on all bands 160-10 meters with the exception of 60 meters.  It has had the MARS modification done on it, so it will transmit on any frequency between 100 kHz to 30 MHz.  It has a max power output of 100 watts in CW, SSB, and FM modes, and 40 watts in AM.  A handy rig to have for a ham who’s just starting out.  It’s certainly not as spiffy as the brand new DSP rigs with huge LCD displays and power computers under the hood, but there are more than enough features to satisfy the beginning to intermediate operator.  Since I got the rig on the air on March 10th, I’ve had six contacts with my straight key, each in a different state, so I only need 44 more states to get WAS!

But I’m getting ahead of myself.  The fanciest, most expensive rig on the planet isn’t worth a hill of beans without an antenna to send and receive signals.  I’ve avoided HF for a long time because I assumed the antenna requirements would be too costly in terms of space and money.  I live in a townhouse with no attic, no basement, and a postage stamp yard, and putting up antennas outside is entirely out of the question.  There simply isn’t enough space to string up a full sized dipole indoors for most of the HF bands.  I had the inspiration, however, to try setting up an antenna for 20 meters, which is a popular HF band and should also resonate on 10 meters if designed carefully.

No silence is more deafening than that which follows an uncomfortable truth being shouted into the crowd.

Quick status update, there is a pristine IC-735 HF radio on its way to my house from Maryland as we speak. Should get here in the next week or so. I’m very excited to get on the HF bands and finally make some real contacts. I’m also watching a Packet modem on eBay to try and snag that as well. I got the Amateur Extra class study guide and have worked about halfway through it. Lots of math but almost all of it is identical to the math I’m learning in my AC Analysis class at school, so this jibes well with that. More later when the Icom arrives.

“For if you [the rulers] suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves [and outlaws] and then punish them.”

Sir Thomas More

I’m watching several Kenwood TS-140S auctions online. With my tax refund coming soon my plan is to snag one if I can and finally get on HF with some decent power and start making some real contacts.

“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; – but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest – I will not equivocate – I will not excuse – I will not retreat a single inch – AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.”

William Lloyd Garrison

http://www.modulatedlight.org/optical_comms/optical_qso_173mile.html

I’d like to endeavor to come up with a list of small industries necessary for a sufficient level of commerce to provide for basic consumer needs as well as basic skilled employment, using commonly (and sustainably) found natural resources. I have in mind things like grain mills, skilled wood-crafters and carpenters, glass blowers and glazers, blacksmiths and machinists, brick makers and layers, stone masons, etc. Establishing local cooperatives to learn, perfect, and practice these arts would, I believe, make our economy a lot more durable in times of stress or calamity, and in our particular case would add to our tourist charm. What do you think? Can you think of any other small scale industries that would be useful and beneficial to have in our town or any other?

http://writing2.richmond.edu/jessid/eng423/restricted/mencken.pdf

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/keps/kepmodel.html