n /I

Drake Accessories designed for convenience and accuracy

Drake Directional RF Wattmeters

Drake RCS-4
Remote Coax Switch
• Remotely Selects One
of Five Antennas
• Grounds All Unused
Antennas
•Grounds All Antennas
in Gnd Position for
Lightning Protection
W-4 1.8-54 MHz WV-4 20-200 MHz •Front Panel Indicator
Monitors Antenna
Drake di rectional , throug h l ine wattmeters, using Selection Interval
printed circuits, toroids. and state of the art techniques, • Protected Against
permit versatile performance and unsu r passed ac- Adverse Weather
curacy, yet at a lower cost. Conditions
In con trast to VSWR measuring devices of the past , • S0-239 Connectors
Drake wattmeters are frequency insensit ive throughout Provided for Main
their specified range, requiring no adjustments for Coax Feed-Line and
powe r or VSWR measurements. Individual Antenna
Negligible insertion loss allows continuous moni- Feed- Lines
toring of either forward or reflected power for fast ac- • Handles 2000 Watts
curate tune up and checki ng of transmitter-antenna PEP
performance. •Available in 120 V-ac
Indi rect ly measure radiated power (forward power or 240 V-ac
minus reflected power) and VSWR by means of a plastic 50/60Hz Versions
n omogram included .
Each wattmeter makes possible q uick, accu rate ad -
justments of antenna resonan ce and impedance
match, when placed between transmitter and matching
network.
· - !
High accu racy; ideal as laboratory in struments.
Removable coupler allows remote metering.

Specifications W-4 $72.00 WV-4 $84.00 • Contro l unit works on 11 Dl220 V-ac, 5CJl60 Hz. and supplies
Frequency necessary vo ltage to motor.• Excellent for s ingle coax feed to
Coverage multi band quads or arrays of monobanders. The five positions
1.8 ·54 MHz 2(}-200 MHz
allow a single coax feed to three beams and two dipoles . or
line Impedance 50 ohm resistive 50 ohm resisti ve other simi lar combinations.• Control cable (not supplied) same
as for HAM-M rotator. • Selects antennas remotely, grounds al l
Power Capability 2000 W continuous 1000 W contin uous unused antennas. Gnd positi on grounds all antennas when
Jacka, Remov- Two S0239 i nput and Type N input and leaving station. " Rain-Hat" constru cti on shields motor and
able Coupler outpu t connectors output connectors. switches.• Up to 30 MHz, insertion o f switch changes VSWR no
more than 1.05:1 . • From 30MHz to 150 MHz, inserti on changes
Semiconductors Two 1N295 power Two 1N695 power
VSWR no more than 1.5:1. •Motor: 24 V-ac, 2 amp. Lubri cation
meter re cti fiers meter rectifiers
good to - 40"F. • Switch Rf Capability: Maximum legal limit.
Accuracy :': (5% of reading + 1% of full scale)

• 80-10 Meters
Drake MN-4 & MN-2000 Matching Networks • Antenna Selector and
By-Pass Switches included
A Drake match ing network is a wort hwhi le addition t o any
amateur station where peak performance is desired . Basically
identical, except for power handling capabi lities, the MN-4 and
MN-2000 enable feedline SWR's of 5:1 to be matched to the
transmitter . If input i mpedance is purely resistive, even hi gher
SWR 's can be handled . • Besides presenting a 50 ohm l oad to
the transmitter, the Matching Network's built in rf wattmeter
allows accurate and continuous power measurement and
MN-4 (300 Watts) MN-2000 (2000 Watts) VSWR i ndication. The advanced wattmeter circu itry yields
$110.00 $220.00 frequency-insensitive readings from 2 to 30 MHz, and acc uracy
until now obtainable onl y in expensive wattmeters.
To recei ve a FREE Drake Full Line Catalog, All price s (suggested amateur net) and spec1ficat1ons sub1ect to change wllhoul notice

•+ aI
please send name and date of this publicarion to:

A. L. DRAKE COMPANY I~
~
i1]·ti 540 Richard St., Miamisburg, Ohio 45342
® Phone , (513) 866-2421 • Telex , 288-017
West ern Sa les and Service Center, 2020 Western Street, Las Vega s, Nevada 89102 • 7021382-9470
YAESU FT-221 A 2m tranecelver YAESU FT-101E tranecelver
The FT-221 R is a compact, versatile, transceiver designed for the Yaesu's number one transceiver now available from Long's has
active 2 meter operator. It features: • Complete 144 to 148 MHz these features: • Solid-state • 1Om thru 160m coverage• Bullt-ln
coverage In 8 band segments • Dual rate, concentric VFO dial AC & DC power supplies • Built-in RF- speech processor • 260
drive • Built-In AC & DC power supplies • SSB/CW/FM/AM watts PEP SSB, 180 Watts CW & 80 Watts AM• Solid-state VFO
modes • Selectable t 600 kHz repeater offset• Built-In VOX and • Built-in VOX • Auto. break-in CW with side tone • Built-in
break-In CW • External tone input connector • Built-in noise WWV/JJY reception• Heaterswitch •Built-In speaker• High-Q,
blanker• 11 crystal channels per band seg. (total 88 channel) permeability tuned , RF stages• All mode operation: SSB, CW
• SSB output 12 watts PEP• Built-in speaker. and AM.

LIST PRICE . . ... . ...... .. ...... . . . . . .. ... ... . .. . 595.95 LIST PRICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 729.00

KENWOOD TS-520
SSS transceiver
• Covers 10 thru 180 meters
• Solid-state thru-out except for
final & drive stages • FET VFO
• WWV • Amplified-type AGC cir-
cuit• VOX/PTT/ MOXclrcuit• Dual
gate type 3SK35 MOS FET

LIST PRICE . .. .... . .. 829.00

DRAKE TR-4CW SSS tranecelver
The new TR-4CW features:• 10 thru 80 meters• 500 Hz CW filter Remember, you can call TOLL- FREE:
• 260 Watt CW input • 1 kHz dual concentric dial • Great PTO
stability• Transceive or sep. PTO• Wide range receiving AGC 1-800-833-3410 nationwide or call
• Constant calibration mode to mode • 300 Watts PEP input on 1-800-292-8888 in Alabama for Long's
SSB •Shifted-carrier CW• Upper & lower SSB • VOX or PTT.
Electronics low price on a.ny HAM item.
LIST PRICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 849.00

LongS Electronics
BAN KAM ERi CARD
II¥if'Nlll /it II

More details? Ad Check page 78.

3521 10TH AVENUE NORTH, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 35234
•
June 1977 ~ 1
 The G5RV in Amateur Radio stations, and
lHISMONrHS All-Purpose Antenna
If you have room to put up an 80-
can be bu ilt quickly and inex-
pensively. Th is one combines
the functions of a wavemeter
meter antenna, then you may ~nd field-strength meter, making
want to try the G5RV - a sky 1t even more versatile.
wire that can be installed as a
flat top or an inverted vee - one
that works quite well on the 80-
to 10-meter bands with a si ngle The Far Horizon
feedline and no tuner, and DXing is as much an art as a
i s popular with Amateurs science . You r transmitter and
throughout the world . receiver are your fly ing carpet

HORIZONS Field Day

that puts the world at your
doorstep; but you have to know
how and when to travel. Th is arti-
Each June many aluminum- c le tells you why, as well. Join
High-Frequency Antennas loaded vehicles can be seen us now on electronic pathways
heading for the best mountain to adventure.
One of the mos t important top around . A few days later
things you have to think about many of the occupants of those
when you' re putting your
vehicles return with bloodshot
amateur station together is what eyes and numerous mosquito
kind of antenna you 're going to Before Spark
bites. An explanation of this You probably won't find Grakk's
use. In this article W1HR June madness is given by
discusses some of the many name in any of the history
WA1ABV and K1XX. Because books, but way back in 35,000
types of antenna whi ch are used both of them have coord inated
by amateurs on the high- B.C. he was a big man in inter-
record-setting Field Day efforts, cave communication . Later, we
frequency bands , and some they are well qualified to tell you
things to think about when you find Lethargic us - a Greek, and
the what and why of this un- Lasagne - an Italian , making
make that al l -important forgettable event.
decision. their contributions to the grow-
ing art of radio communication .
TV DXing In fact, it was the latter effort
Radio Towers that gave us spaghetti tubing to
One very effective way of in- Your own TV set, a good
rotatable antenna, the right protect the " insides" of our
creasing your communications modern radios . The spread of
power is to use a larger antenna. cond itions, and a lot of pa-
tience are the only seven- radio in the middle ages (later
Going from the typical dipole known as middle-age spread) is
to a beam usually requires league boots you 'll need to go
signal-hopping around the also treated in this treatise: a
some type of supporting tower. whimsical glimpse of the past.
K1XX talks about some country in search of a cham -
general, but important, things pionship boxing match, a
to consider when selecting a hockey game, or even the local
tower and installing it. news in East Bias, Ohio. TV DX-
i ng is a lot more fun than
watching game shows or late
Vhf Antennas late re-runs, and it's best don~
Sooner or later you'll start look- when you wouldn' t want to be HAM RADIO HORIZONS June
doing something else anyway. 1977, Volume 1, No. 4. Published
ing at the vhf bands as a place to mo nthly by Commu n ic ations
go for more adventures in com- Try it and see.
Tec hn o logy , Inc ., Greenv ille
munication. Antennas for these New Hampshire 03048. One-yea~
higher bands are not greatly dif- subscription rate, $10.00; three-
ferent from their high-frequency Use A Wavemeter
year subscripti on rat e, $24.00.
counterparts, but there are a If you must make waves, be sure Application to mail at second-
few pointers to keep in mind. they are the kind you want and class postage rates is pending at
Read up on the subject now where you want them. The Greenville, New Hampshire
and be ready for your station wavemeter is one of the sim- 03048 and additional offices.
expansion. plest and earliest-used devices

2 m June1977
 The Small Computer
Twenty-five years ago a computer as powerful as the Sol-20 offers all these features as standard:
new Processor Technology Sol-20 priced out at a cool million. 8080 microprocessor-1024 character video display
Now for only $995 in kit form or $1495 fully circuitry - control PROM memory - 1024 words of static low-
assembled and tested you can have your own small computer power RAM - 1024 words of preprogrammed PROM-built-in
with perhaps even more power. It comes in a package about the cassette interface capable of controlling two recorders at 1200
size of a typewriter. And there's nothing like it on the market bits per second - both parallel and serial standardized interface
today. Not from IBM, Burroughs, DEC, HP or anybody else! connectors-a complete power supply including ultra quiet
It fills a new role fan - a beautiful case with solid walnut sides - software which
If you're an engineer, scientist or businessman, the includes a preprogrammed PROM personality module and a data
Sol-20 can help you solve many or all of your design problems, cassette with BAS!C-5 language plus two sophisticated computer
help you quantify research, and handle the books too. For not video games - the ability to work with all S-100 bus products.
much more than the price of a good calculator, you can have high Full expansion capability
level computer power. Tailor the Sol-20 system to your applications with our
Use it in the office, lab, plant or home complete line of peripheral products. These include the video
Sol-20 is a smart terminal for distributed processing. monitor, audi o cassette and digital tape systems, dual floppy
Sol-20 is a stand alone computer for data collection, hand ling disc system, expansion memories, and interfaces.
and analysis . Sol-20 is a text editor. ln fact, Sol-20 is the key Write for our new 22 page catalog.
element of a full fledged computer system including hardware, Get all the details.
software and peripheral gear. It's a computer system with a Processor Technology, Box E, 6200 Hollis St.,
keyboard, extra memory, 1/ 0 interfaces, factory backup, service
Emeryville, CA 94608. (415) 652-8080.
notes, users group.
It's a computer you can take home after hours to play
or create sophisticated games, do your personal books and taxes,
and a whole host of other tasks .
Those of you who are fa miliar with small computers
will recognize what an advance the Sol-20 is .
 June, 1977
Volume 1, Number 4

T.H. Tenney, Jr., W1 NLB

Publisher
James R. Fisk, W1HR
Editor-in-Chief
CONrENrS
Editorial Staff
Thomas F . McMullen, Jr., W1SL
Antennas for the High-Frequency Amateur Bands 12
Managing Editor James R. Fisk, W1 HR
Patric ia A. Hawes, WA1WPM
Executive Editor Towers - Up and Down 22
Charles J. Carroll , K1XX
Charles J. Carroll, K1XX
James H. Gray, W2EUQ
Assistant Editors
VHF Antennas 28
Publishing Stall
Thomas F. McMullen, W1SL
Fred D. Moller, Jr., WA1USO
Advertising Manager
The GSRV Antenna 36
Cynthia M. Schlosser
Assistant Advertising Manager James H. Gray, W2EUQ
Therese R. Bourgault
Circulation Manager CQ Field Day 38
Ham Radio Horizons is published
Marks. Pride, WA1ABV/K1RX
month ly by Charles J. Carroll, K1XX
Communications Technology, Inc
Greenville, New Hampshire 03048 DXing the TV Broadcast Band 46
Telephone 603-878-1441
Thomas R. Sundstrom, WB2AYA
Subscription rates are
$10.00 per year, worldwide The Wavemeter - Versatile Test Instrument 52
Copyright 1977 by Communications Doug las A. Blakeslee , W1 KLK
Technology, Inc. Title registered
at U.S. Patent Office Working DX - Long Path, Short Path 60
Robert C. Locher, W9KNI
The Cover
Many amateurs dream Before Spark 66
of an antenna Lauralee Sargent, WA?YUA
installation like this,
but for WflRX it's a
reality. The rotary
100-foot (30m) pole Activities Calendar 72 Newsline 11
supports full-size Ad Check 78 Postbox 73
beams for 40, 20, 15,
and 10 meters. For
Ad Scan 77 Product Showcase 74
more antenna ideas, Advertisers' Index 78 Propagation Chart 71
see pages 12, 22, 28,
and 36. Photograph
DX Forecaster 70 The View From Here 6
by Wiiiiam Le Baron, Focus and Comment 8 This Month's Horizons 2
WflMTK.

June 1977 m 5
 lF-IE FROM HERE

Spring and early summer seems to be the traditional time to install a new antenna (for
most sensible people - I always seem to wait until winter' s first real blizzard).
Magazines often feature antenna articles in the summer, just as we're doing this month,
and it's great to get outside and try out new ideas. In the fall, the new antenna is given
a final inspection and maintenance is performed to make sure it will withstand the
rigors of coming winter storms.
Regardless of when you work on an antenna installation, a very real physical risk is
involved. When you climb a tower or a steeply pitched roof, one incautious moment can
end in tragedy. The antenna season is upon us, and many amateurs will be thinking
about working on their antennas, or installing new ones. If you're going to work on your
antenna this summer, I'd like to offer a word of advice: observe safety rules and use the
buddy system , even though you may have to climb only fifteen feet.
Here's a true story about a ham in California who was making antenna adjustments
alone . The guiding forces that protect drunks and other foolish creatures must have
been operating in this instance, because this fellow lucked out. Others may not be as
fortunate.
Late one afternoon Bill G. (not his real name, of course) decided to work on his
antenna. Coaxial cable needed replacing and some soldering was necessary. Bill
started up a ladder laden with 70-feet of coax and a 50-foot extension cord looped
around one shoulder. Over this was looped a leather holster full of tools. A bag of
hardware was tied to the bottom of the tool holster. Bill climbed over the end of the
ladder and started up the steep roof. No problem here; he'd done this many times
before. But he didn't account for one important factor. A typical Southern California
breeze, about 15 knots, was blowing in from the ocean.
When Bill reached the base of the antenna mast, he was standing on the peak of the
roof , which offered very little footing. You can probably guess what happened next. The
weight of gear and tools on one side of his body, plus the wind forces, caused him to
lose his balance . Friend Bill , tools, cable, and hardware started down the roof toward
the ground 30 feet below . Somehow the coax cable wrapped itself around one of the
standpipes on the roof, and Bill ended up dangling over the edge of the eves. Thanks to
the strength of the cable and short overhang of the eves , Bill managed to reach the
ground by going down the side of the house rappel fashion. (Antenna work was
suspended for the rest of the day.)
It is easy to overlook safety precautions when you're preoccupied with the problem at
hand, when you're in a hurry, or if you're tired. Climbing a tower or roof should never be
attempted without another person standing by to give aid or summon help. Professional
antenna installers, for example, never work alone. Insurance companies and common
sense forbid it.
Overconfidence when working on high structures is probably the greatest cause of
accidents. Our California friend had been on his roof many times during the week
before the accident. He felt almost as much at home working on his roof as in his
workshop. The first time up, he took every possible precaution. But as he became
familiar with the situation, he became careless. Result: near disaster.
The consequences of a 30-foot fall can be just as permanent as a jolt from a 3000-volt
power supply. When you work on your antenna this summer, remember the tale about
our colleague who almost ended up a statistic. Be careful, and use the buddy system.
Jim Fisk, W1 HR
editor-in-chief

6 m June 1977
 Clockwl•• from lower left: IC2114MHz, 2 meter. All Mode Transcelver. IC245 Mobile 2 meter Tran5celver; IC-22S Mobile VHF
FM Transceiver; IC-502 Ponable 50 MHz SSB Transceiver; ly215 Portable 2 meter FM Tranceiver; IC30A Mobile UHF FM Transceiver.

Ask your dealedodGOM's complete product line catalog, or

mail your.request fo::a,n aj:ldress below. ·
VH F/UH F AMATE UR AN D MARINE COMMUNIC ATION EQUIPMENT Distributed by;
~ ' ; ~, .

ICOM WEST, INC. ICOM EAST, INC. !COM .CANADA

[• •llICOMI Suite 3
13256 Northrup Way
Bellevue, Wash. 98005
(206) 747·9020
Suite 307
3331 Towerwood Drive
Dallas, Texas 75234
. (214) 620· 2780
7oS7 )lictotia Drive
Vancouver R C. V5P 3Y9
Canada
(604) 321-1833

More details? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 m 7

 FOCUS & COMMENr
Type acceptance - two words that are guaranteed to raise the hackles of almost any
amateur or manufacturer of amateur equipment . It is seen by many as an abridgement
of the freedom that has been a part of the fun of Amateur Radio for al l of its h istory;
the freedom to experiment, change, and innovate. As currently envisioned , the type-
accep tance program would apply only to manufactured units and to equipment that is
marketed in kit form .
There are worriers among us that foresee, perhaps with good reason , an extension of
this program to include home-made equipment for high-frequency bands. Type
acceptance would place an intolerable burden on the experimente r, and ultimately
suppress that facet of amateur radio to extinction - the testing procedure is lengthy
and expensive .
There is no need to let this happen. Amateurs have always been perceptive to the
problems that inferior equipment can cause. A recent and shining example is the
change that has come about in some of the vhf fm transceivers that are available for
the repeater crowd. Early units that were imported (and some that were made in the
United States) produced enough spurious signals to key up every repeater in the area,
and get into other nearby receivers, no matter what channel they were supposed to be
operating on. Many of them did, in fact , do just that. Wise heads could see the
commotion and damage that would result if this continued, and made pointed
suggestions to the manufacturers about the future of Amateur Radio and their
equipment market if changes were not forthcom ing. This was not a group of gullible
appliance operators, but a service with a good record, operated by people who wanted
to keep a clean house. The results are evident in the improved gear that has been
marketed more recently.
Unfortunately, Amateurs could do nothing about the abuses of other services, and
now type acceptance for all manufactured equipment is very close to reality. We may
not be able to turn the tide at this point , but we should start building a breakwater to
protect our individual workbenches , soldering irons, and experimente r's curiosity.
It could be that part of the solution lies in making more and better test equipment
available. How does the Amateur who is not part of a school , business , or club, where
good test facilities are available, know how good (or bad) his rig is? If he waits until he
causes a problem on the air, it may be too late, and besides, he is still in the dark as to
how effective any cures may be .
What is needed is a sincere effort to develop some simple, reliable, test equipment
that can be easily duplicated, or purchased at low cost, which wil l give meaningful
indications of proper or improper operation . To wit: Spectrum analyzers are expensive,
but TV sets are not; is there a way to build a " magic box" to hook between your rig and
a TV set to display what your transmitter is putting forth? Again: Wavemeters are easy
to build , as are field-strength meters. Is there a " gold-plated-c inch" way to build a
calibrator so the numbers you obtain in your backyard , reading the strength of
harmonics, have some true meaning?
I would like to think so. As long as I have been a member of the Amateur fraternity
this type of challenge has been accepted and met by the scient ists among us. Where
would we be if someone had not wondered, "Is there a way to send pictures within the
same bandwidth as voice?" or, "Is it possible to get a satellite on board a rocket as a
piggy-back passenger?"
And to think that just the other day I heard someone comp laining that " there is
nothing left to explore nowadays." Don't you believe it!
Tom McMullen, W1SL
Managing Editor

8 m June 1977
 NEW FROM HY-GAIN
2-MRER BEAMS THAT
LAST LONGER. WORK HARDER.
AND COST LESS.
Introducing a whole new vertically or horizontally po-
generation of Hy-Gain 2-Meter larized. And all are constructed
beams. of the finest aluminum and
ZMI hardware.
Completely redesigned for
greater strength and corro- Hy-Gain 214 14-element
sion resistance. So they last close spaced beam with ex-
longer. tremely high forward gain and
narrow beam width. $26.95
Newly engineered for Also available with 8-
greater performance and max- element optimum spacing ,
imum efficiency. So they Hy-Gain 208. $19.95
work harder, your transceiver Hy-Gain 205 5-element
works better. optimum spaced end mount
And built better. So you beam with high forward gain
pay less for the performance and broad frequency
you want. response. $16.95
Also available with 3 ele-
Our new 2-Meter beams
ments, Hy-Gain 203. $12.95
give you the kind of perfor- See the new generation of
mance you expect from the Hy-Gain 2-Meter beams at
world's largest manufacturer
your amateur radio dealer.
of quality antennas. Yet, thanks
Or write Hy-Gain; 8601 North-
to Hy-Gain technology, they east Highway Six; Lincoln,
weigh less, have lower wind
loading and are UPS shippable.
They use an exclusive new '
:~~~
TTf!J•~u·De
element to boom mounting
system that's mechanically WE 19 PEOPll TALIOllG.
Hy-Gain reserves the r ight to change
stronger and electrically prices, designs and/or specifications
more efficient. All can be at any time without notice.

SPECIFICATIONS 214 208 205 203

Mechanical
Boom length 186" 148 %" 75" 43W'
Longest element 39Y2" 40Y4" 39 5/e" 40Y4"
Turning radius 95 " 75 Ye" 73" 43W '
Wind survival 80 mph 80 mph 80 mph 80 mph
Mast diameter 1Y4-15/e" O.D. 1Y4-1 5/e" O.D. 1Y4-1 5/e" O.D. 1¥4-15/e" 0 .D.
Boom diameter 1Y4'' 0 .D. 1Y4'' 0 .D. 1W ' 0 .D. 1W ' O.D.
Wind load area 1.65 ft2 max. 1.26 ft2 max. .740 ft2 max. .496 ft 2 max.
Net weight 5.5 lbs 4.1 lbs 2.9 lbs 2.2 lbs
Electrical
Forward gain 13.0 d Bd* 11 .8 dBd* 9.1 dBd* 6.1 dBd*
Front-to-back ratio 20 dB 20 dB 20 dB 20 dB
Maximum SWR 2: 1 2:1 2:1 2:1
Band width 2 MHz 2 MHz 4 MHz 4 MHz
Maximum powe r 250/500 PEP 250/500 PEP 250/500 PEP 250/500 PEP
Impedance w/ balun 52 ohms 52 ohms 52 ohms 52 ohms
Y2 power beam width 35° vertical 43° vertical 60° vertical 95° vertical
35° horizontal 36° horizontal 45° horizontal 60° horizontal
Stacking distance 82" min. 82" min. 82" min. 82" min.
~ •Hy..Gain antenna s are gain rated against a standard dipole antenna (dBd) instead of a theoretical isotropic source {dBi). This is a more honest and
Q realistic means of comparing forward gain.

M o re de ta ils? A d C hec k page 78. June 1977 ~ 9

 $29.95 each ~Qmmunicatlon1 1peciali1t1 'K-1 FIELD REPLACEABLE,

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PLUG-IN, FREQUENCY
Wired and tested, complete with P. 0 . BOX 153'
DETERMINING ·ELEMENTS
K-1 element BREA! CALIFORNIA 92621
(7,14) .998-~21
$3,00 each

10 ~ June 1977 More detail s? Ad Ch eck page 78.

NEWSLINE..__ _ _ __
A VERY STRONG PRO-AMATEUR RADIO STATEMENT from FCC Chairman Dick Wiley accompanied
t h e release o f the Commission's proposals for banning 10- meter linears and type accep-
tance of Amateur gear (May Newsline). Highpoints of Wiley's comments:
"While I Concur in the Commission's proposals to ban use of linear amplifiers in
th e II - meter citizens radio band and to require type acceptance of Amateur equipment,
I must admit to doing so with some reservations ... My concern is that, in attempting to
deal with the rapidly proliferating and sometimes troublesome CB service, we may appear
to be penalizing the Amateur community which, in my judgment, is one of the most pro-
fessional and self-regulat ed services within the Commission's jurisdiction .. .
''I Look Forward to a healthy and vi gorous discussion on the proceedings the Com-
mission has opened today. Whatever their ultimate outcome, however, I wish to take
this opportunity to express my resp ect a nd admiration for the Amateur community. I
hope and trust that my colleagues will g ive these Dockets, and the comments f iled by
the Amateur community (as well as others), careful attention prior to reaching any
final conclusion."
A Powerful Endorsement from the FCC's number one man!

ELIMINATION OF AMATE UR SECONDARY STATION licenses proposed by the FCC in March would
apply across the board - only indiv idual primary station licenses would be retained.
Existing secondary station licen ses would remain in force until their expiration date,
but could not be renewed. Comments on the propos al, Docket 21135, are due June 2;
Reply Comments June 30.
The " Closed Season" on issuance of new secondary station l icenses applies only to
applications received after March 3 . A1T applications for renewal of existing secon-
dary station licenses wrrr--still continue to be processed as before.

"BULK MAILED" NOVICE EXAMS may be discontinued because Gettysburg is having so many
prob l ems with vague requests and non-return of unused exams. The net result is proving
as heavy a burd en on Amateur licensing people as handling Novice exams on a one-to-one
basis used to be. There has even been some talk that perhaps the Novice program it -
se lf is no longer needed, sinc e Technic i an s now h ave all Novice privileges, the mate-
rial covered in the Novice e xam is also in the Technician exam, and CB is doing the
basic job o f promoting two-way radio as a hobby!
Processin~ Novice Exams consumes a major portion of the manpower Gettysburg devotes
to Amateur licensin g , and with Technician ranks growing along with the higher grade
lic e n ses it i s possible that cutting back or even dropping the Novice program will be
proposed . Novice exam requests and scoring at present have number one priority at
Gettysburg, however, and current t urnaround time for a prop7r exam request is still
2 - 3 weeks . Processing time for other routine applications is running 5 - 6 weeks .

AMATEURS MOVING to a new permanent locat i on now no longer are required to advi se
the FCC of the change within four months as has been required by Part 97.95(a)(2) of
the Rules. In an action adopted March 8 , the Commissioners simply deleted tha t para-
graph from the Rules . One caution must be observed, however - be sure mail sent you
at the address the FCC does have gets to you, as "failure to reply to official com-
munications" - for example a "pink ticket" - can g et you in deep trouble!

ID CARDS FOR CB TRANSMITTERS are no longer required by the Commission in its

release announcing the change the FCC said the cards were little used in enforcement
so were being dropped as a deregulatory move .

HARMONIC AND SPURIOUS EMISSIONS from all Amateur transmitters will be specifically
limited by a first· Report and Order on Docket 20777, the ban dwidth Docket. The new
limits are 40 - dB below carrier level under 30 MHz and 60-dB down between 30 and 235
MHz, and apply to a l l Amateur equipment - homebrew and modified as well as commercial .

FM SIGNALS THROUGH THE OSCARS are bec oming more of a problem as crowding above
146 MHz drives simplex activity into the lower band half. FMers are urged to avoid
the satellite 145.85-146.0 input band so they won't bother Amateur space communication
or when OSCAR 7 is on Mode B (2 meters out) - and vice versa .
OSCAR 7's 435.1 - MHz Beacon will be turned on during the first Mode A day of each
week as a receiver/antenna checking aid to those preparing to use the AO - D satellite's
2M to 435-MHz transponder when it's launched in November. OSCAR 7 ' s Mode A telemetry
on 29502 kHz will indicate the beacon ' s status (channel 6B). Reports of 435.1 beacon
reception are sought by AMSAT.

FOUR SCHOLARSHIPS for the academic year 1977 - 78 are being offered to licensed Ama-
teurs - General class or higher - by the Foundation for Amateur Radio . Requirements
for the scho l arships, two for $750 each and the others for $250 each, differ; full
details and application forms should be requested from FAR Scho l arships, 8101 Hampden
Lane, Bethesda, Mary l and 20014.

June 1977 m 11
 When you're putting together your amateur
station, one of the most important decisions
you'll have to make is what kind of antenna
you're going to use. Here are some things
to think about when you make that
all-important decision

BY JAMES R. FISK, W1 HR

Antennas come in all shapes and sizes, and

choosing the one that is best for your own
station usually boils down to a compromise
among how much space you have, the size of
your budget, what Amateur bands you're
interested in, and whether you want to work DX,
run phone patches to the Antarctic , or ragchew
with your ham friends across town . This is not
to say that an antenna that works well for local
contacts can't be used fo r DX - it can.
However, the requirements for a good DX
antenna are somewhat different than those used
.... .. primarily for local contacts. In this respect
choosing an antenna is a bit like buying a car.
If you regularly drive long distances, speed
and comfort are important; if you commute, fuel
economy may be the prime factor; if you have a
large family you'll probab ly want a stat ion
wagon, and if handling and agi lity are what you
want, you probably have a sportscar in you r
garage. Any car will get you from point A to
point B, but the model you choose depends
... :
upon the kind of driving you do. So it is with
I antennas - the one you choose should be
\
\ tailored to your own operating habits.
Obviously you want the best antenna you can

12 m June 1977
put up, but before you make Copper is perhaps the microns) at 28 MHz.
that all-important choice, you closest to an ideal material Because of skin effect, a
have to know something about from the standpoints of length of copper tubing has
the many types of antennas availabil ity, cost, strength , exactly the same rf resistance
which are available and why weight, and ease of fabrication as a solid copper conductor
some are more popular and including soldering. Aluminum with the same diameter. It also
work better than others. In this is next best and , for some means you don 't have to use
article we'll describe some of types of antennas where weight solid-copper conductors at high
the many types of antennas is a major co nsideration, may frequencies. Copperweld*
used by amateurs, give you be the better selection. antenna wire, which consists of
some hints for putting them up, At radio frequencies the a steel core w ith a th in copper
and tell you how to get the current flow tends to be coating, is often used for
most for your money. concentrated near the surface antennas because it is much
Fortunately , an acceptable of the conductor; this is called stronge r and stretches less
antenna is often easier to put "skin effect" and is due to than solid copper wire; above 1
up than it is to describe, but internal effects. Since rt MHz its rf resistanc e is the
we have to start somewhere, current flow is confined to an same as solid copper wire of
and a good starting point is the area near the surface, the rf the same size.
word antenna itself. The origin resi stance is many times the
de resistance and increases at Receiving antennas
of the term is obscure but
stems from the Latin word for higher frequencies. On 160 If you're only interested in
"sail yard." If that calls to mind meters, for example, most of l istening, your antenna can be
pictures of tall ships and lofty the rf current flow in a copper a random length of wire,
sails, you're getting the right wire is within two-thousandths perhaps 20 to 25 feet (6-8
impression because your of an inch of the surface (2 meters) long, attached to a
antenna should be as high and mils or 50 microns). This tree , run under the eaves of
as large as possible, within decreases to 0.5 mi I (12 your house, or even hung out
reason. Usually it's not
possible to install an ideal
antenna, SQ you have to put up
the best possible compromis e
- and if you look around,
you'll find that most hams have
compromise antenna
installations for one very
practical reason : Cost.
The first requirement for a
high-freq uency antenna is that
it must be made from material
which is a good conductor of
electricity. Wet string, even if
it's soaked in salt water, just
won't do. There are a number
of good electrical conductors
with silver about the best,
followed by copper, gold,
chromium, aluminum,
magnesium , beryllium , sodium ,
molybdenum , rhodium ,
tungsten, and zinc , in order of
increasing resistance. Ruling
out the precious metals
because they're too expensive,
and some of the others
because they're difficult to
work with (too soft or too
brittle), leaves copper,
aluminum, and zinc. Phosphor-
bronze , a copper-based alloy, is
also a good choice.
*Copperweld is the regi stered trademark The antenna farm at W71R near Phoenix, Arizo na, in clud es rotating Yagi beams for 20
of th e Coppe rweld Corporation of and 15 meters, right ; beams for 40 and 10 meters, center; and a 91-foot (28m) verti cal
Glassport, Pennsylvania. for 80 and 160 meters, left.

June 1977 m 13
 limited situations. For the
apartment dwelle r a vert ical
may provide the only antenna
solu tion; they have been
attached to porch railings,
window sills, flag poles, and
even eaves troughs.
Antenna resonance
Although it may not look like
it, every antenna is really a
complex electronic circuit with
resistance , capacitance, and
inductance. This is further
complicated by the fact that
the nature of these
components varies with
frequency, height above
ground, and how close the
antenna is to other objects. In
fact, there are some antennas
This cubical quad built by W1 HXU provides high-gain performance on the amateur 10,
which defy analysis, even with
15, and 20 meter bands. modern, high-speed, d igital
computers. Th is is one of the
reasons why few amateurs
design their own antennas -
the window if you live on the physical size of the antenna there are any number of proven
upper floor of an apartment almost always dictates that it designs available which are
house. Modern receivers are be made of wire and easy to duplicate and give good
very sensitive, so you can get suspended horizontally above results.
quite good results with a very the ground. Vertical antennas There are ce rtain frequencies
simple antenna. If you live in a made from aluminum tubing where the effects of inductance
wooden building, you can even can also be used to good and capacitance cancel out , so
install an antenna in the attic advantage on these bands, but at this point the antenna is said
or other convenient place - for maximum performance they to be resonant Below
steel-reinforced concrete is a require a good ground system resonanc e th e antenna looks
very effective rf shield , so an (not a ground rod) that is like a capacitance, and above
outdoor antenna is a must if expensive and time consuming resonance it looks like an
you live in a modern high-rise. to install_ inductance. This is important
However, there are simp le For the higher frequency to remember because it can be
solution s to this problem, as amateur bands, 20, 15, and 10 used to advantage if your
you shall see. meters, the antenna may be a space is limited and you have
Fortunate indeed is the horizontal length of wire, a to use an antenna that is "too
apartment dweller whose vertical made from tubing, or short"
landlord will say, "Sure, go two or more sections of The shortest antenna that is
ahead and put your antenna on aluminum tubing arranged in an naturally resonant at a given
the roof if you want to." These array of elements or beam _ frequency is one jus t long
enl ightened souls are few and Without going into a lot of enough to permit the rf current
far between , so if your landlord detail at this point, verticals for to travel from one end to the
is one of these , take good care 10, 15, and 20 meters have one othe r and back again du ring the
of him. outstanding advantage over time of one rf cyc le. Radio
other types - they can be put waves travel through space at
Wire or tubing? up in very limited space and the speed of light,
The choice of wire or tubing don't require trees, masts, or approximately 300,000,000
for your antenna depends chimneys to support the ends. meters per second, so the
largely upon whether your The ground-system distance a wave travels is one
antenna w i 11 be vertical or requirements at these cycle is equal to this speed
horizontal , and that, in turn , frequencies are somewhat divided by the frequency in Hz.
depends upon the available easier to meet than at the Th is is called the wavelength.
space and what kind of lower frequencies, so a vertical At 4 MHz (4-million Hz), for
operating you intend to do. On is an excellent choice and exam ple, the wavelength is 75
the lower frequency amateur often represents the best meters. Sin ce the wave travels
bands, 80 and 40 meters, the compromise in many space- the length of the antenna twice

14 m June 1977
- from one end to the other
and back again - an antenna
Table 1. bengtl)·~oth'a1f:w~~et~ngth wire ~ntennas torv.arious' tre~u~hdies ' lri
the high-frequency bands.
one-half wavelength long will
allow the rf current to travel Frequency Half Wavelength
one complete wavelength Band (MHz) Use (feet) (meters)
during one rf cycle. Therefore,
the shortest resonant antenna 160 1.825 General 256.4 77.81
is one that is one-half 160 1.875 General 249.6 75.73
wavelength long. 80 3.725 Novice 125.6 38.12
80 3.750 General 124.8 37.87
If you were to use the speed 80 3.600 cw 130:0 39.44
of light as the basis for figuring 75 3,.80(), . Phone 123.2· 37.37
out the length of your wire 40 7.175 Novice 65.2 19.79
antenna, and then installed 40 7.150 General 65.5 19.86
insulators at each end and 40 7.100 cw 65.9 20.00
suspended it between two 40 7.250 Phone 64.6 19.59
masts, you'd find that it would 20 14.150 General 33 ~ 1 10.04
resonate at a slightly lower 20
, --i,
14.050 ' ... cw 33:3 10:11
frequency than you wanted. 20 14.275 ' Phone 32.8 9.95'
15 21 .175 Novice 22.1 6.71 -
This is because of the so-called
15 21 .225 General 22.0 6.69
end effect which is caused by 15 21 .100 cw 22:2 6.73
the small amount of
capacitance introduced by the
15
10 ..
~~:~~g -~ Phone ..•
Novice
21.9·
J6Ji
6.65
5.04
supporting insulators. End 10 28.050 cw 16;7 5.06
effect varies with frequency 10 28.550 Phone 16.4 4.97
and with different installations , 10 29.475 Oscar 15.9 4.82
but up to about 30 MHz
experience has shown that the
length of a wire antenna is because the matching network edges when the antenna is cu t
about 5 percent less than the in your transmitter for 3.75 MHz. The best bet here
length of a half-wavelength in compensates for non- is to use an antenna t uner.
space. As an average, the resonance, within limits. In Some other alternatives wil l be
following formula can be used fact, if you cut your antenna fo r discussed later.
to find the physical length of the center frequency of an
Radio propagation
horizontal wire antenna amateur band , in most cases it
will operate with good It may not be im mediate ly
I.= 468 feet efficiency from one end of the apparent, but radio propagation
fMJh .
band to the other. The 80-meter has a good deal to do with
L= 142 met ers band is an exception; this is antenna se lection and des ign.
fMHz because the output loading You don't have to comp letel y
where L is the length and f is circuits built into most understand all t he i ns and o uts
the frequency in MHz. For transmitters don't have enough of propagat ion to select an
example, if you want to operate tuning range to compensate fo r ante nna, but a basic
at 3.725 MHz in the 80-meter the high reactance at the band understanding will help
Novice band , the length of a
half-wavelength antenna is
L= 468 =I25. 64feet
3. 725 .
or 125 fe et , 7-518 ,-nches
L = 3.17422 5 = 38. l meters

Table 1 gives the dimensions

for half-wavelength wire
antennas for various
frequencies in each of the six
high-frequency amateur bands
from 160 through 1O meters.
Although an antenna is Fig. 1. Radio propagation by sky wave, rf radiat ion which is reflected by the
naturally resonant at only one ionosphere. The skip distance is determi ned by bo th the angle at which the rf leaves
frequency within an amateur your antenna, and the height of the ionos phere, which depends upon t ime of day,
season , and latitude among other things . Du ri ng periods o f low sunspot activity, as
band, it can be used quite now, the ionosphere is most effective on 40 and 20 meters. Duri ng the next s unspot
successfully both above and high in 1981, daily round-the-world propagation on 10 and 15 meters wi ll be common,
below resonance. This is and there may even be occasional "open ings" on 50 MHz!

June 1977 m 15
 daytime, but range falls off has an effect on the way the
quickly with increasing antenna behaves. These things
frequency - on 160 and 80 also affect the feedpoint
meters it provides reliable inpedance of the antenna_ Out
communications only to 50 in free space the theoretical
miles (80km) or so. On the input impedance of a half-wave
higher frequency bands the dipole is 72 ohms, but when
Fig. 2. Dipole or doublet antenna pro-
energy in the ground wave is installed over ground the
vides a good match to 50- or 75-ohm quickly dissipated in ground impedance varies from zero (at
coaxia l transm iss ion l ines. Proper length losses so it's useful only for ground level) to nearly 100
depends o n the desired operat ing fre- close-in radio communications. ohms (about 318 wavelength
quency as shown in Table 1. above ground) as shown in
Almost all high-frequency
radio propagation is by way of Fig_ 3. Note that this assumes
the sky wave, rf energy which a perfect ground, not a lossy,
you choose an antenna that is reflected off the ionosphere real-life ground.
will do the job you want it to. back to earth as shown in Fig. The ground under your
Basically, radio waves 1. The height of the ionosphere antenna may be very good (if
propagate in three different varies with the time of day , you live in a salt marsh) or very
ways: line of sight, ground season, and latitude among poor (if you Iive in the desert)
wave, and sky wave. For line-of- other things, and may be but it w i II never be perfect.
sight propagation your antenna anywhere from 125 to 250 miles Nevertheless, this graph should
has to "see" the antenna of the (200-400km) above the earth. As give you an idea of the range of
station you want to work. Since can be seen from Fig. 1, impedance values provided by
high-frequency radio waves are maximum skip distance occurs a half-wavelength dipole_ Many
slightly bent by the when the rf from your antenna antenna books suggest that the
atmosphere, radio line-of-sight is concentrated within a few dipole be installed 112 wave-
is about 20 per cent greater degrees of the horizon. At length above ground - this
than the distance you can see higher radiation angles the skip isn't always practical, but if you
on a clear day. If you live in the distance is much .shorter. This can manage it the feedpoint
midwest where the land is flat is the reason why most serious impedance should be
for miles around , and your DX operators choose antennas somewhere around 72 ohms.
antenna is 100 feet (30m) high, which have very low angles of
maximum radio line-of-sight is Radiation resistance
radiation such as multi-element
about 15 miles (24km). Yagi beams or cubical quads. The rt energy supplied to
The ground wave is simply your antenna through the
that portion of the radiated Dipole antennas transmission line is dissipated
energy which moves along the One of the simplest, most in the form of radio waves and
surface of the ground; a certain effective antennas for amateur in heat losses in the antenna
amount of rf from all antennas use is the dipole or doublet conductor and the insulators.
is radiated in this fashion. On antenna shown in Fig. 2. This Since the antenna is made
the a-m broadcast band the is the same type of antenna from a good conductor of
ground wave accounts for used by Heinrich Hertz in his electricity, heat losses due to
propagation up to 100 miles first experiments with radio
(160km) or more during the waves back in 1887, so it is
sometimes referred to as a
,
100
Hertz antenna. Amateurs 90
(\
usually use dipole antennas v;- eo A
which are one-half wavelength ::i;
9 'v I ' II.. /"\.. V'
-
-'
70
long because they're easy to
~so \
put up and provide a good 2'.
~ ~a
match to 50- and 75-ohm ~
transmiss ion lines. Longer (or ~ 40

shorter) dipoles can also be ~ 30

;::
used, but if the length is Q
-g: 20
<(
considerably different than one- "' 10

half wavelength, the antenna 0

0.2~ 0.5 0 .75 1.0 I 25 l 5 I 75 2 .0 2 25 2.5
will not provide a good match HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND ( WAVEL ENGTH$}

to a coaxial transmission line Fig. 3. Radiation resi stance of a horizon-

Dentron 80-10AT an tenna tuner is so an external antenna tal half·wavelength dipole varies wi th
designed to load a random length of wire matching unit will be required. height above a perfectly conducting
on 80 through 10 meters. It's ideal for ground. The earth under your antenna is
portab le o perat i on or for apartment As I mentioned earlier, the not a perfect conductor, but this graph
dwellers who have lim ited space. Max- height above ground and the w ill give you an idea of the range of feed-
imum power rating is 500 watts PEP. nearness of other objects point impedance values to expect.

16 ~ June 1977
 forced to use a "short " antenna
ANTENNA
AXIS

0
0 --_-_·_·.
:-
1 :.

·~.

SOLID PATTERN A
W'

Fig. 4. Rad ia tion pattern of a half.

80
HORIZ ONTAL
PA TTERN
a_ Y£RTICAL
'l:llJ' PATTERN
because of space limi tations,
you'll find that the feedpoint
impedance may be 10 ohms or
less; t he ohmic resistance will
still be on the order of 1 ohm
so it represents about 10 per
0
wavelength dipole in free space looks a cent loss. In some mobile
bit like a doughnut as in A. Since the antennas for 80 and 160 meters
radi ati on patterns of most antennas the loss re sistance may even
aren 't as s impl e as th is, it's difficult to T he Universa l Rad io Tripole mult iband
be greater than the radiation
presen t a th ree-dimen sional view, and a nt enna is d es ign ed for use on 80
both horizontal and vertical patterns are resistan ce. Thi s dramatically
through 10 meters, and provid es a good
used. The horizon tal radiation pattern of reduce s the efficiency of the matc h to 50-oh m coaxia l transm ission
the free-space dipole, as seen from the antenna. Nevertheles s, small lines . An opt iona l matching network is
top, looks like a figure eight, B; the ver- antennas can provide available whi ch perm its operation on 160
tical pattern as seen from the end of the meters as well.
ant enna looks like a circle, C .
surprisingly good results .
Radiation patterns
All antennas have a not), the radi o waves
the ohmic resistance of the d istinctive radiation pattern near the antenna and
wire are very low. The radiated which shows how well the underneath it are reflected by
energy is the useful part and antenna radiates energy in any t he earth and bounce back into
since it, too, is dissipated, - given direc ti on. Most simple space, sometimes reinforcing
so far as the antenna is antennas radiate energy in each other and sometimes
concerned the radiated energy most all directions, but multi- cancell ing one another, or a
looks like it was dissipated in a element arrays concentrate the I ittle of both. The various
resistance . This fictional resis- energy in one direction like a combinations of reflection ,
tance is called radiation beam of light. The radiation interferen ce, and absorption
resistance. pattern is three dimensional so c hange th e radiation pattern of
In an ordinary half- it's diffic ult to illustrate it the dipole. The overall effect
wavelength dipole made from properly on the printed page. depends u pon the height above
number 14 (1 .6mm) copper wire , Therefore , antenna radiation ground as shown in Fig. 5.
the loss resistance is less than pattern s are usually presented Exper imenters have tried all
1 ohm and radiation resi stance in two views: H orizontal (as differen t heights for their half-
makes up the rest. The 72-ohm seen from a point directl y wave length dipoles, and
feedpoint impedance of a half- above the antenna) and vertical discovered long ago that the
wavelength dipole, for example , (a side view from ground level).
consists of about 71 ohms of A half-wavelength dipole in
radiation resistance and 1 ohm
of loss resistance. Any energy
which is dissipated in the loss
free space, for example, has a
radiation pattern that looks
something like a doughnut as )./8r
1-i l
\ _ _ ./
resistance is not radiated, so shown in Fig. 4A . As seen from 118 WAVHC NGHi ABOVf GJiOt.JN O
it's important to keep the loss the top , the horizontal radiation
resistance as low as possible. pattern takes the form of a
For full-size antennas this is figure 8 (Fig. 48). The vertical
radiation pattern, as seen from
the side, is a c ircle as in Fig.
4C. Note that this is the l / 'f WAVFl.ENG TH ABOVE GROUND
radiation pattern of a half-wave
l "IOUC TANCE CAPACITANC E dipole out in free space where
it's not affected by reflections
from the ground.
1_ - tlh
I 'I

The antennas that you and I I '

(1 2 WAV£LEH•i1 H A80V£ GROUND

MFJ ANT ENNA TUNER

use are not out in f ree space,
Fig. 5. Horizontal and vertical radiation
'AOOel M.FJ.16010 so they are subject to the
patterns of a half-wavelength dipole 1/8,
influences of the earth which 1/4, and 1/2 wavelength above ground.
intercepts the radio waves No te that maximum power is concen-
travelling to and from the trated at low vertical angles when the
MFJ antenna tuner can oe usea to tune antenna, and distorts or antenna is 1/2 wavelength high - at
you r transmitter into a random length of o ther heights most of the energy is con-
wi re on any amateur band between 160 absorbs them . If the earth centrated in a verti cal lobe; this is f ine
and 10 meters . It's rated at 200 watt s. under your antenna is a good for medium-rang e communi cat ions but
max imum. conduc tor (which it usually is not best for long-range DX work.

June 1977 ~ 17
 ; single antenna.
11
One of the easiest ways to
solve the bandwidth problem
on 80 meters is to increase the
diameter of the dipole. This is
because the off-resonance

0
effects are less drastic if you
use a "thick" dipole, so the
CAGf
INSULATOR
CONSTIWCTION
operating bandwidth is
increased. Thick dipoles made
from aluminum tubing are often
Fig. 6. Operating bandwidth of an 80-meter dipol e is limited because the output cir- used on the vhf bands, but
cu i ts of modern transmitters aren't designed to cope with the off-resonance effects;
the antenna is just as effective at a band edge as i t is in the center, but your transmitter stringing up a 125-foot (38-
is incapable of load ing maxi mum rf power input into it. This can be solved by using a meter) length of aluminum pipe
" th ick" dipole whic h is simulated by a cage of wires as shown here. for 80 meters obviously isn't
too practical. However, you can
simulate the same thing by
best height above ground was of the band at 3.75 MHz, if you using the arrangement shown
1/2 wavelength. As can be seen use a coaxial transmission line in Fig. 6 which is called a cage
in Fig. 5, when the dipole is 1/2 you'll probably find that your dipole. This type of
wavelength above ground, the transmitter won't load properly construction provides a pretty
energy in the vertical pattern is as you get near the band good match to coaxial cable
concentrated at an angle of edges. The antenna itself is over the entire 80-meter band .
about 30 degrees above the just as effective at the band Another way to simulate a
horizon. At 1/8 and 1/4 edges as it is at resonance if thick dipole is to use the fan
wavelength above ground most you can get rf power into it, but arrangement in Fig. 7. This type
of the rt energy from the dipole the output matching network in of construction was originally
is radiated straight upward your transmitter isn't able to conceived back in the 1930s for
toward the sky. This is fine for cope with the off-resonance wideband TV reception and you
short- and medium-range effects caused by operation can still see it today in many
communications, but not very more than about 2 or 3 per cent uhf-television "bow-tie"
good for DX work. At greater away from resonance. antennas. This antenna will
heights above ground the This is not a problem on 40, also provide a good match to a
radiation is again concentrated 20, and 15 meters because the coaxial feedline over the entire
in a vertical lobe, so a height of width of these bands is a small 80-meter band.
1/2 wavelength is about percentage of the center Still another approach to
optimum for good DX frequency. If you use a coaxial- satisfactory operation from one
operation. fed dipole on 80 meters, end of the 80-meter band to the
It 's not usually possible to however, the maximum other is shown in Fig. 8 - use
place your dipole a half bandwidth you can expect to open-wire feeders and an
wavelength above ground on 80 cover before running into antenna matching unit or
and 160 meters, so do the best transmitter load ing problems is antenna tuner. You can also
you can_ With antennas, as in about 200 kHz. Remember that use coaxial feedline and an
life, everything turns out to be this is not a problem with the antenna tuner to provide a
a compromise of one kind or antenna - it's a limitation of good match to your transmitter,
another, so put your 80- and your transmitter. Fortunately , but losses are considerably
160-meter antenna as far above there are some simple lower if you use open-wire
ground as you can and don ' t solutions to this problem that feedline. Although this type of
worry about it On the higher will allow you to operate antenna requires the use of an
frequency bands a half anywhere on 80 meters with a additional piece of equipment
wavelength becomes smaller
and smaller, so at 40 meters it
is only 65 feet (20 meters) or
so; not easy, but not
impossible, either. On 20
meters it's about 34 feet (10
meters), and so on down
the scale.

Broadband dipoles
If you want to operate on the Fig. 7. The fan dipole is another way to increase your operating bandwidth on 80
80-meter band and cut your meters. This arrangement is somewhat easier to build than the cage dipol e shown in
dipole to resonate in the center Fig. 6.

18 ~ June 1977
 meters, particularly at heights
above ground of 75 feet (23
meters) or less.
Sloping the halves of the
dipole down toward ground
tends to lower the resonant
OPEN- WIRE
F £E01-INE
frequency of the antenna; it
also decreases the feedpoint
impedance and bandwidth.
Therefore, the length of the
inverted-V must be shortened
somewhat to resonate at the
same frequency as a horizontal
dipole. Since both resonance
LOWPAS S
FIL.Tf'R and feedpoint impedance are a
funct ion of the apex angle
Fig. 8. Th is antenna system can be used on any of the high-frequency amateu r bands (which should not be less than
wi th good res ults. It does require the use of an an ten na tuner, bu t if you have space for 90 degrees), there's no fi xed
only o ne anten na, this is an excel lent choice . The dipole should be 1/2-wave length long formula for figuring out the
on the lowest amateu r band you intend to use (about 125 feet o r 38 meters o n t he 3.5·
MHz band). correct length. The best bet is
t o. cut the antenna to the length

- the antenna tuner - it has dipol e or cage dipole are a

the added advantage that it better choice if you want to
can be used on any of the operate from one of the 80-
amateur bands. meter bands to the other.
If your space is limited so
you can only put up one Other dipoles
antenna, this is an excellent One of the big disadvantages
choice. You do have to readjust of the horizontal dipole is that
the antenna tuner for each it requires a high mast or tree
band , but that doesn't present at each end . If you're fortunate
much of a problem after you enough to have some high The Millen Transmatc h is designed to
have tuned it correctly the first trees in your backyard which match antennas on the 80, 40, 20, 15, and
time; just write down each of are the right distance apart , 10 meter bands. The unit has a built-in
the control settings and keep you 're all set, but most swr meter and is rated at 2000 watts .
the list nearby - in the future amateurs aren' t so lucky. One
all you have to do is return the very popular solution to this
antenna tuner to those dial problem is to elevate the center shown in Table 1 and equally
settings, which only takes a of the dipole and allow the two shorten the length of each half
few seconds. halves to slope down toward until the antenna provides a
The half-wavelength folded the ground as shown in Fig. 10. good match to your 50-ohm
dipole shown in Fig. 9 is yet This is called an inverted-V. In coax at the desired operating
another way to increase your addition to needing only one frequency. As with horizontal
usable operating bandwidth on high supporting mast, it dipole antennas, bandwidth can
80 meters over that of a single- requires much less horizontal be increased by using a cage of
wire dipole. The feedpoint space. Some amateurs have wires similar to that in Fig. 6.
impedance of the folded dipole even reported that the inverted- Still another variation on the
is about 300 ohms , so if you V is more effective than the dipole theme is the "sloper"
want to use a 50-ohm horizontal dipole on 40 and 80 shown in Fig. 11 . This antenna
transmission line, you"ll have
to install a 4:1 matching
transformer which will 4 I MATCH ING
transform the 300-ohm TRANSFORMER

feedpoint impedance to the 50-

ohm impedance of your cable.
Years ago, when amateurs
regularly used balanced open-
wire feedlines or TV twinlead,
Fig. 9. The folded dipo le has somewhat g reater bandw idth than a singl e-wire dipo le,
the folded dipole was very but the feedpoint impedance is 300 ohms so you have to in stall a 4:1 matching
popular, but today it is seldom transformer if you use 50-o hm coaxial feedline. In general, th e cage dipole (Fig. 6) or
seen . In most cases, the fan the fan d ipole (Fig. 7) are a better ch oi ce for com p lete band coverage on BO-meters.

June 1977 m 19
 14 MHz, and 6 wavelengths
long on 21 MHz. If you use
open-wire feeders and an
antenna matching unit (see Fig.
8), however, the 80-meter
H IGH
SuPPOR T antenna is a very effective
MAST
radiator on all high-frequency
,0 ·OHM
bands, even on 160 where it is
COA X TA PED
TO MAST
only 1/4-wave long! Dipoles
which are longer than 1/2
wavelength have a slight
amount of gain over a half-wave
dipol e at the same height
''-- GROUND
above ground, but gain is less
' STAKE than 3 dB for dipoles shorter
5£
than four wavelengths .
Fig. 10. The popular inverted-Vis simply a half-wavelength dipole with the ends sloping
down toward the grou nd. This antenna requires so mewhat less space than a horizontal
dipole, and need s only one high mast. Resonant f req uency depends upo n the apex
ang le and height above ground, so the length of the ante nna must be "pruned" to the
correc t length as discu ssed in the text.

require s only one high support from one sloper to another.

mast and is very popular for DX Thi s can be done manually, or
work because maximum with an electrically-driven
radiat ion is at low vertical coaxial switch which is
angles. Some DXers have even mounted on the support mast
S UPP ORT
in stalled four sloping dipoles and controlled from the shack. MAS T

on the same mast , 90 degrees The length of a dipol e does

apart, so they can direct their not have to be limited to one-
transmi ssions to different areas half wavelength - lengths
o f the globe sim ply by mu ch longer (or shorter) can be
switching the coaxial feedline used , but they don't present
good matc hes to 50- or 75-ohm
t ransmission lines. An
exception here is a dipole Fig. 11 . The "s loper" anten na is very
w hi ch is an odd multiple of 1/2- popular fo r DX work on the lower fre-
wave length long, such as 3/2 quencies because the rt is concentrated
(1-1 /2) or 512 (2-1 /2) wave lengths; at low vertical radiation ang les. Length
of t he antenna is o ne-half wavelength
the behavior of these dipoles is (use dimensions given in Table 1).
very simi lar to that of half-wave
antennas and they provide a
good matc h to coaxial
transmissio n lines. Th is is Bibliography
important because a 1/2-wave- 1. The ARRL Antenna Book, ARAL,
length dipole for 40 m eters Newingt on, Connecticut, 1974
i s 3/2-wavelengths long on 15 ($4.00 from ham radio's
- thi s means that the same Com munication s Bookstore,

l anten na can be used on both

bands. None of the other high-
freq uency amateur bands have
thi s relationship.
Greenville, New Hampshire 03048,
Order AR-AM).
2. W illiam Orr, W6SAI , Simple,
Low-Cost Wire Antennas, Radio
Publications, Wilt on, Connec ticut,

...
Dipoles which are an even
.
. - --- !
-.-
'!.'!~·! -
..
multiple of 1/2-wavelength s
long (s uc h as 1, 2, 3, or 4 wave-
1972 ($4.95 from ham radio 's
Communications Bookstore,
Greenville, New Hampshire 03048,
lengths) prese nt a very high Order RP-WA).
feedpoint impedance, so it 's 3. Edward Noll , W3FQJ , 73 Dipole
The R. L. Drake RCS-4 remote coax ial not a good idea to use them and Long-Wire Antennas , Editors &
sw itc h is ideal for switching the various with coax ial trans mi ssion lines. Engineers, Indianapolis, 1976
legs of a sloper antenna system. It can A practical example is a
a l so be used f o r switc hing yo ur ($4.95 from ham radio's
trans mission line between other ante n· 1/2-wavelength 3.5-MH z dipole Communications Bookstore,
nas whi c h are located on th e sam e which is 1 wavelength long on Order 24006).
tower. 7 MHz, 2 wavelength s long o n (To Be Continued)

20 m June 1977
More details? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 m 21
 \
..

~-~~~ERS UP
~~ ~~s~~~
·~ AND DOWN
·~~ BY CHARLES J. CARROLL, K1XX

~n overview of the selection and

~~
tnstallation of a radio tower

Somewhere in that natural

progression from Novice to
Gen~ral, many Amateurs look
longingly to the skies
visualizing a oeam and the
~ssociated tower. With the
1~creas_ed feeling that the old
d!pole. 1s radiating poorly in all
d1rect1ons, some people seek
ways to turn those visions into
real steel and aluminum
Us~ally many hours are ~pent
ponng over catalogs and
brochures describing the many
rotary systems that can be built
or purchased. Unfortunately
though , an equally important
part of the installation is
largely overlooked _ the tower
All?wable wind loading, ·
maintenance problems and
expandability are a few' of the

22 m June 1977
questions that should be
considered before any tower
installation is undertaken. So
spend a little extra time during
the selection phase, and
consider what your tower will
be up against in the coming
years . Quite a few days have
started off on a sour note when
an amateur found his beautiful
tower lying in a neighbor's
flowerbed.
General considerations I
Before laying out a large sum __ _J
of money, you should look
closely at the capabilities of
your intended tower. How large
c=J ZON E A
an antenna, and with what wind m:::J Z ONE B
loading , is generally one of the - ZONf C
prime considerations. Height,
expandability, accessibility, and Fig. 1. Expected wind loading areas of the United St ates from EIA Standard RS-222-8 .
cost are other factors which Zone A includes wind velocities to 86.6 mph (139.5 km/h) or 30 pounds per square foot
(1.44 kilopascals [kPa)) of impact pressure. Zone Bi s up to 100 mph (161 km/h) or 40
should be considered. pounds per square foot (1.92 kPa). Zone C is rat ed at 111 .8 mph (180 km/h) or 50 pounds
Typical specifications might per square foot (2.39 kPa). This information is for towers which are les s t han 300 feet
rate the tower at 9 square feet (91m) high.
(7.5m2) of wind load at 40 mph
(64km/h). This is a reasonable
amount of windloading, unless conditions. Check that surfaces w hen you use a cran k-
a blizzard or wind storm comes specification carefully. up tower. Safety is a prime
through your area. A study has consideration when w orking
Crank-ups
shown that the majority of the near an y tow er, but the hazards
United States has never For those people who prefer increase when using a crank-
experienced winds greater than to do their antenna work with up. Many stories have bee n
approximately 85 miles per one foot on the ground, the told of people being injured
hour (137 km/hr). Only isolated crank-up tower is very popular. whi le moving or working on the
portions of the country will Many models are available, tower. Unless loc ks are
have the pleasure of ranging from those with small installed when the tower is
experiencing the high winds of tubular sections to some with extended , the weight of the
a hurricane or other storms. It's large triangular or square sections is supported by the
best to be sure that your tower sections, each portion winch and cable. A defective
is rated for the extreme rather telescoping into the next lower cable, poorly maintained winc h,
than the normal loading one. Though presenting a or even plain careless ness, can
definite convenience, the result in a sudden and
crank-up has some limitations. unexpected lowering of the
The maximum height cannot be tower. For anyone stand ing on
increased, for example. Once a a section , the re su lts will be
tower of a specific size has immed iately obvious. Crank-u p
been purchased, that is as far towers have their place, but
as it will go. However, it may exercise caution and good
be used at less than maximum j udgement when you work on
height if needed. Furthermore, them.
the crank-up models are usually Even though a cran k-up
not capable of supporting the tower is usually self·
large arrays that are more supporting, it can be gu yed for
commonly found installed on a additi onal st ren gt h. Th is is an
sectional type tower. Some added measure of safety that
companies do have versions may save the tower during an
that will support large rotary unexpected storm. The
antennas although the price is relati vely small amount of
certainly commensurate with m oney spent on guying will
"I 'll go ove r in a couple of days their size. result in more peaceful sleep
and see how the beam held up ... " One very important item at night.

June 1977 [fill 23

 that it can be done. With a little "strong back and weak mind"
patience even the largest array is not enough. Thinking is
can be threaded through the required of everyone. Any
guy wires and installed at the object dropped from a tower
top. If this approach is not can instantly become a lethal
satisfactory, the antenna can weapon. So stay away from the
be taken up in pieces and then base of a tower and, if
assembled at the top. Some possible, wear a hard hat at all
ingen ious people have even times. It may seem like a
made use of the guy wires as a belabored point, but the
trolley system for raising an consequences are very real,
array. especially if you've seen them
first hand. Though crank-ups
Safety
were previously mentioned, the
An instal led guy anchor p rior to at- The most important item to subject is very important;
taching t he turnbuckles . Each tower will consider, for any tower, is exercise extreme caution when
have d ifferent anc hor requirements. Th is safety. Use a lot of good, when working with a crank-up
part icular guy anc hor is buried approx-
imately four feet (1 .2m) into conc rete.
common sense and judgment, tower.
backed up by sound As with most items today,
Sectional towers engineering. More and more the final selection of a tower
Probably the most versatile reports are showing up in the largely depends on the size of
is the sectional tower. This newspapers which talk about your pocketbook. A few tips are
type of tower uses identical people who were electrocuted in order to help defray some of
sections, generally 10 feet (3m) while installing an antenna the expenses. Sometimes
long, that are joined together and/or tower. Make sure that towers can be obtained by the
as the tower is erected . One any erected tower can not fall " take it down and it's yours"
immediate disadvantage should across nearby power lines. routine. Companies or
be apparent: You can't do all Ground safety is another individuals may want a tower
your antenna work on the consideration. Those people removed and very often will let
ground! Generally though, once who are providing ground you have the tower simply for
the tower is properly support for others on a tower removing it. This frequently
completed, it will survive even must be conscious of what is occurs in areas where a CATV
the worst of storms . One of the occ urring. Just being the system is being built. Check
nice advantages of the
sectional tower is that it can be Shown are t orque bars installed on the tower sections. With guy w ires attached to the
increased in height. Raising the torque bars, the tower is preven ted from twi stin g either in the wind o r as the rotator
t urns a beam.
height of an antenna from 60 to
120 feet (18 to 36m) only
requires the acquisition of 6
more sections , not a complete
new tower. Another feature of
this tower is that the sections
are sometimes light enough
that a single person can
assemble a complete tower.
This may entail tremendous
amounts of work and energy for
a lone person , but it can be
done. The Rohn 25G series (40
pounds or 18kg per sect ion)
tower lends itself nicely to this
type of installation for those
isolated areas like New
Hampshire. It's when
assembling the larger Rohn 45
(70 pounds or 32kg per section)
that the task becomes difficult.
In case you might be
wondering about the
difficulties of placing an
antenna at the top of a non-
crank-up tower, rest assured

24 m June 1977
with a local tower or antenna replaced due to rusting of that
company; occasionally they portion of the bolt which is
have removed a tower and may inside the tower leg. For the
be trying to sell it. Surplus or crank-up tower, the winch and
scrap-metal companies may hoisting cable must be
have towers that are available flawlessly maintained. Also , the
at a reasonable pri ce. With tower may require lubri cation
modern galvanizing techniques, on the travel surfaces.
it is possibl e t o find older
towers in very good condition. Installation
Quite by accident, I With a tower selected, the
discovered that the company next major problem will be the
doing a local CATV installation installation. Many local
was using 1/4-inch (6.Smm) EHS ordinances have been enacted
(extra high strength) galvanized that will limit the height or CONCRf T£ SAS E

guy wire for their stringer restrict the final site, so if the
cable. Any time they didn't tower falls, it must fall on your Fig. 2. A typical installatio n for a sec·
have enough cable to reach the own property. With a quarter- tional tower. The d istance fro m the base
next pole, the short portion of acre lot and such a stipulation o f t he tower to the guy point should be
you're very restricted as to 80 per cent o f the final tower height. The
cable was discarded as scrap. top guy wire may be used to form a
The thought of the many height and location. Therefore, trolley system that will allow a large
thousands of feet being adequate preparation must be beam to be brought up in a single piece.
discarded still makes me sick. done beforehand to prevent an The amount of concrete i n the base
unhappy visit from the building is given in the manufacturers s pec i-
Check with any local CATV ficat ions.
companies, their "scrap" is inspector. If the tower is going
your gold. A typical tower to be used to support any type
installation would use 3/16 inch of non-rotating, directive array the actual labor can be started.
(Smm) EHS, so the 1/4 -inch for the lower frequencies, Most towers are supplied with
(6.Smm) size is a little added consideration should be given instructions that dictate the
safety factor. to the direction of the tower type and size of base support.
In the rural areas of the faces, prior to installation. Generally speak ing, concrete is
country your local power After making the final poured around a separate base
company may be willing to sell decisions about installation, section. It's imperative that the
you insulators or guy anchors. From the bottom looking up. This tower base section be vertical and
As you get nearer the cities, is 120 feet (37m) of Rohn 45 that is in- some method must be used to
this attitude seems to stalled at the author's QTH in New ensure that it has been set up
disappear. At times, some very Hampshire. You can see on e of the guy correctly when the concrete is
wires being pulled up for installation.
high-quality materials can be poured into the hole. With the
obtained for very reasonable sectional tower, the first
prices. sect ion can be attached and
Regardless of the type of then trued up. For crank-ups, it
tower you choose, some form may be a long process of
of maintenance must be done. pouring the concrete and
The aluminum tower has continually checking vertical
become quite popular because alignment.
it is relatively maintenance W ith a properly installed
free . This, though , does not base section, most of the major
relieve you of all worries. Water work is completed for the
can collect inside the legs, cran k-up tower. If not already
later freezing and splitting a done, the hoisting cable must
leg. Generally, galvanized be strung in the tower and the
towers are rust free. A yearly winch attached. At th is point
check will show any areas that the tower can be attached to
have broken down and begun the base and raised to the
to rust. If bolts are used to join vertical. Now a convenient
the sections together, they support will enable the
should also be a non-rusting attachment of rotor, antenna,
type (stainless steel or and any other hardware. Before
cadmium-plated steel). If not, installing the antenna, it's a
some type of preservative good idea to run the tower up
should be applied before and and down several times to
after installation. Every few make sure everything is
years the bolts may have to be working the way it should.

June 1977 m 25
 After the concrete at the installed. The turnbuckle is
base section has had time to
properly cure, the installation
of a sectional tower can begin .
The general procedure calls for
\ then used to take up the slack
before releasing the cable grip.
As the tower is being erected
the guy wires are used to make
the people on the tower to sure the tower remain;.,
guide the joining of the perfectly vertical. After the
sections while those on the installation has been
ground provide the heavy work. completed and the guys have
As each section is installed, been properly tensioned, the
the tower workers move upward turnbuckles should be locked
and make preparations for the in some manner to prevent
next section . When installing a them from turning and
sectional tower, the use of an loosening up.
erection fixture (gin pole) will
Conclusion
speed up the process . After
each section is installed, the Throughout this article I've
gin pole is moved and used to tried to speak only in
bring up the next section. It' s generalities. The final
advisable to check the i nstal lat ion of any tower is
alignment and even join the dictated by your own
sections on the ground. requirements. Commercial
Occasionally drops of the zinc towers might require the
compound used for galvanizing tensioning of each guy wire to
will form on the inside of the 1100 pounds (500kg) and the
legs; their removal will ease the use of three cable clamps per
installation. Another tip is to wire , plus serving the wire
apply a little anti-seize ends. However, tower cost may
compound on the legs prior to become prohibitive if all the
installation. It will not only commercial standards are
make the legs go together followed; you must judge to
easier but if extensive what degree your tower will be
assembly or disassembly is installed. Excellent results have
anticipated, they will also come been obtained in amateur
apart with little effort. installations using only a
After a certain amount of portion of the commercial
tower is erected , a set of guy standards. One source of good
wires is attached . The spacing information is the Rohn
between the guys will depend Communications Catalog. In
upon the type of tower and addition to giving all the
installation. Generally it varies specifications for their towers ,
from 30 to 40 feet (9-12m) the book contains some very
separation . Though not good engineering information
mentioned specifically, the for tower installation.
installation of guy anchors is A very good tower can be
another important point. The obtained and installed for a
anchors will have to bear the reasonable price. Don' t try to
stress imposed by the guy shorten the installation for the
wires without pulling from the sake of a few dollars; use a
ground. A typ ical tower will smaller tower instead. For
have the guy points located those unlucky few who do lose
approximately 80 per cent of a tower in a storm, they'll find
the tower's height from the that in most cases it is covered
base. Turnbuckles can be used in their homeowner's insurance
to take up the slack in the guy policy . If not, and also for the
wire , buy only after the proper people who have kind
tensioning has been done. It is landlords, the additional
generally thought that the coverage can be obtained at a
turnbuckles perform the The typical crank-up tower, such as this very modest price. Locally, the
tensioning , but this is not the one by Tri-Ex Tower Corporation, may quoted rate is about 50 cents
consist of three or four telescoping sec·
case. A cable grip is used to tions . Your installation can be for each 100 dollars of value;
hold the guy wire in tension strengthened by the use of a house guy· certainly a worthwhile
while the cable clamps are ing bracket for the bottom section. investment. HRH

26 m June 1977
 NOW. Now you can afford the best!
Free-standing or guyed,

Top-of the-Line Tri-Ex Towers stress quality.

All towers are hot dipped
galvanized after fabrication
for longer life. Each
Tri-Ex Towers series is specifically engi-
neered to HAM operator
requirements.
far HAM operators
W Series
at basic prices I An aerodynamic tower
designed to hold 9 square
feet in a 50 mph wind. Six
models at different heights .
rn
.~.l . MW Series
m
tlJ
Self-supporting when
mi.I
attached at first section -
will hold normal Tri-Band
ft1
11 beam. Six models.
14:.;
II I
I ''
14-l

HJ LM Series
w A 'W' brace motorized tower.
Holds large antenna loads
up to 70 feet high.

I~
Super buy.

TM Series
Features tubular construc-
tion for really big antenna
loads. Up to 100 feet.
LJ,; Free-standing, with motors
m to raise and lower.
Hi
w
II i; !j THD Series
Very popular. Low Cost.
Holds Tri-Band antennas.
Eight models-all support 7
square feet of antenna
at full height in 70 mph
winds. Guyed.

Start with Top-of-the-Line

Tri-Ex Towers. At basic
prices. Write today, for your
best buy.

rl·EX
TOWER
CORPORATION
7182 Rasmussen Ave.
Visalia, Calif. 93277

More details? Ad Check page 78. June1977 ~ 27

BY THOMAS McMULLEN, W1SL

A look at some antennas you can use for most common modes of vhf operation

What kind of antenna do I need the best cable you can afford. pattern, so results would be
to talk through the Oscar Antenna elements should be poor. Yeah ... the beam
satellite? What antenna works made of low-loss metal, but antenna would take care of
best for mobile fm? Umm ... unfortunately gold is just that, but it has other problems
why do you ask - what do you slightly more expensive than which I'll get to in a minute. As
have in mind? Oh , yes, now I steak, so we will have to settle the satellite gets closer, it
get the picture - you are ready for aluminum, and try to keep it starts to enter the pattern from
to go for your General or free of corrosion by protecting your antenna and it becomes
Techni cian exam , and you're it with a spray-on coating. Yes, easier to "access" the bird, as
planning ahead for a type of copper would be better, but it the saying goes. That is why
operat ing t hat you 've never is heavier and still needs to be the dipole with a spacing of 3/8
done before . Great! Good protected. wavelength is recommended -
thinking . it has a useful response area
Well , I could duck out of that Talking through Oscar that starts approximately 20
question by saying that you Enough of this discussion of degrees above the horizon.
can probably get by with what materials; let 's look at some Don't let that little dip between
you have been using, but then other important requirements , the SO-degree points bother
you would try it and find that like the radiation pattern for you; by then the satellite is
your 80-meter inverted-V just instance. Sure, you need to closer to you (at position B)
wasn't very good at 145 MHz. know about that! Otherwise and not as much gain (or power)
Oh, yes, it would work to a you could waste a lot of time is needed. The pattern for the
degree - sometimes. trying to talk through the dipole with 1/4-wavelength
Vhf antennas are a Iittle bit satellite when your signal was spacing is useful for overhead
different, but not enough so to not even getting there. Take a work, but is so poor toward the
upset any theory you have look at Fig. 1. Some radiation horizon that I wouldn't consider
already learned. The biggest patterns are shown there, one it. I put it in there just to show
thing to keep in mind is that for a dipole that is one-quarter what the " incorrect" spacing
the losses in the who le system wavelength above a conducting can do for you. No . . . making
are greater than they were at 80 screen , another for a spacing the spacing greater than
or 40 meters. And that means of three-eighths wavelength . I 3/8 wavelength is no good
the whole system; feedline, have also shown the pattern for either because the pattern
antenna elements, and the path a medium-sized beam ant enna. keeps getting a bigger dip in
through the atmosphere. You When the satellite comes the middle, and finally breaks
can take care of the feedline over your horizon, at pos ition A, up into several pieces with
problem by either keeping it as you can see that it is not yet in even bigger holes in it.
short as possible, or by using the main part of your antenna So there you have a pattern

28 m June 1977
that is generally useful, and
you can stick the antenna up
on a TV mast or chimney, or
even just perch it on a porch
rail if you like. Of course the
pattern shown was for a single
dipole, and the discussion
assumes a directly overhead
pass of the sate I Iite. However,
you can spread the pattern out
a bit and do a good job when
the satellite is off to one side
of you just by putting up
another dipole that is at right
angles to the first. This is
called a turnstile antenna, Fig.
2. The turnstile can be mounted
above a ground screen very
easily (Fig. 3). Why do you need RG-/1/U OR RG - 59/V

the screen? Well ... it's like TO

this: The screen establishes a TRANSCf/V£R

definite "reflective" surface Fig. 2. A turnstile antenna can be made from pieces of brass or copper-clad welding
under the dipole so that the rod for the elements, and coaxial cable for the feedline and phasing loop. When you
cut the 1/4-wave sections of cable be sure to allow for the propagation (velocity) factor
pattern can be formed by the
of the coax you are using. For most common cable, RG-8/U, RG-11/U, RG-58/U, or
process of reinforcement. You RG-59/U, it is approximately 0.66. For example, from Table 1, 1/4-wave at 146 MHz is
know - that's like when you 20.2 inches (51.3cm). Multiply this by 0.66 to obtain 13.3 inches (33.9cm), which is the
put a mirror beside a light bulb. length you should have between the ends of the braid for the pieces of RG-58
The light rays that would have and RG-59.
gone off to the side are now
reflected toward you, the light
then seems brighter. If there Beam antennas great, right? As always, there's
were no conductive surface Okay - let's take a look at a catch. With the antenna
under the antenna, the pattern what a beam antenna will do pattern only 30 degrees wide,
would be unpredictable. for you. As you can see from and the satellite moving at a
Another function of the screen the radiation pattern, it is a rate of approximately 2.3
is to "shield" the coaxial cable mighty handy thing if you want degrees per minute, how long
from the antenna and, at the to catch the sate I I ite at the is it going to stay in front of
same time, shield the antenna horizon, and the gain will allow your antenna? Right! Thirteen
from noisy electrical things you to use lower power and minutes. That means that you'll
below it. still talk through Oscar. Sounds have to move the beam to keep
up with the bird, and you'll
Fig. 1. Radiation patt ern s (or signal pick-up area) for horizontal antenn as above a have to plot the path pretty
ground plane or cond ucting sc reen. Two very useful patterns are those of an antenna well so you know whi ch
at 1/4-wavelength and at 318-wavelength spacing. Inc reasin g the spacing causes the direction to point the thing.* It
pattern to break into segments with notches that would cause th e signal to disappear. could be east of you, west of
A pattern that might be expected from a modest-s ized beam antenna is al so shown for
comparison . The Greek letter Lambda(>..) is a symbol for wavelength. you, overhead, north, all sorts
of combinations are possible,
both in height above the
horizon (elevation) and
direction around the compass
(azimuth).
A 8 c There's nothing wrong with
having to move the antenna to
chase the satellite - in fact
you'll eventually probably want
to do just that. However, I
would recommend starting with
a simple arrangement so you
•An Oscar-locating aid, called the
Satellabe, can be obtained from ham
radio's Communications Bookstore for
$7.95. See page 23 of the March, 1977,
issue of Ham Radio Horizons for a
photograph.

June 1977 m 29
 the same time it is physically
easy to handle and install. Figs.
4 and 5 show an example of

· ~~~~~~~&1~~~ ~*~~~
·- 1 31 8>..
what might be typical con-
struction for this type of Yagi
antenna. It can be made from
parts of an old TV antenna, or
from aluminum tubing or wire

~l
that can be obtained at your
local hardware store.
There are many ways to
METAL
mount an antenna of this type,
SCREEN
SURFACE and I could not begin to talk
about all of them here. A
garden-variety TV rotator wi ll
handle it with ease, and if you
fasten it to the vertical support
so that it faces upward at
approximately 30 degrees, it
wi II cover the majority of
ElEM£NT2 satellite passes for you (Fig. 6).
If you really want to go all the
£l£M(H T 3 l way, you can use two rotators,
one to rotate the antenna
ELEMENT f~
horizontally, the other to tip it
from the horizon to straight up.
Of course, this more flexible
system will require two rotator
controls, and at least two
hands to keep it going in the
shack, so better count the
number of hands you have
before installing such a
system.
No, I haven't forgotten your
0
nice new mobile fm rig. I was
just about to get to them . Right
now it is a toss-up as to just
Fig. 3. The performance of a tu rnstile can be improved by mounting it above a ground where the most activity is -
sc reen . The screen can be coarse mesh, such as chicken wire, or fine mesh such as satellites or repeaters. They are
that used for windows. It must be of metal - plastic will not work. An enlarged view of both wonderful areas to
the connections and method of mounting the elements is shown at B. After all the con-
nections have been made at the end of the coax and the elements, they should be pro·
explore, so let me tell you
t ect ed with vinyl electrical tape and clear s pray coating, or by sealing with GE RTV about a few antennas you can
Sili co ne sealant. The coaxial cable can be taped to the vertical support to prevent plac· think over for fm use.
ing stress on the connections. A small hole in the screen to allow the support and the
coaxial cab le to pass through will do no harm. FM antennas
Very simple antennas can be
used with your mobile or
can devote plenty of time to to work at it. The penalty that portable fm transceiver, and a
operating and get the hang of you pay for higher gain is that very common type usually
it. After you have your timing the radiation pattern is turns out to be a 1/4-wave whip.
and procedure all smoothed narrower, and it does not take It can be mounted on a car-top
out, then you can start thinking too long to reach the point or trunk lid, and is often seen
about a beam to reach really where it is so narrow that you sticking out of the top of the
out to the horizon and work the cannot keep the antenna various portable units, both
more distant stations. pointed at the satellite. A good hand-held and shoulder-st rap
Beam antennas come in compromise is an antenna with types. As a quick and easy
varied sizes and shapes and a gain of approximately 10 dB. antenna to make, it is hard to
with gain figures that range It is large enough to make up beat. It will work with common
from just a couple of dB up to for some transmission-line loss 50-ohm transmission line
18 or 20 or more, depending and allow the use of without a need for a matching
upon how hard you are willing comparatively low power, but at transformer; it can be made

30 ~ June 1977
from almost any chunk of wire
that is of the right length; and
the radiation pattern is not all
that bad (see Fig. 7A).
Ideally, this type of radiator
should have a ground-plane to
help it, for the same reasons
that one was so helpful to the ()RIVEN
.,.__ELEM!NT

dipoles and the turnstile I just

told you about . In fact, a E POXY CEMENT
quarter-wave vertical radiator,
with either radial rods or a
BOOM
screen located at its base, is
called a ground plane antenna.
There is one minor hitch,
however: In amateur work most
antennas have gain figures that
are referenced to a half-wave
dipole. Since the 1/4-wave
antenna is smaller than a 1/2-
wave one, then it follows that
the gain will be less for the Fig. 5. One method of feeding the driven element of a Yagi antenna is called a "delta"
match. A 1/2-wave phasing section made of coaxial cable performs the function of
smaller antenna. This is an chang ing the unbalanced transmission-line feed into a balanced feed for the antenna
important point to remember element. The dimensions given are approximate, and should not be critical. If you feel
when you look at all the gain- that you need to adjust the feed points for minimum reflected energy, always slide
claim figures in the both c lamps an equal amount, toward or away from the boom, in small steps -
advertisements - no one has 118-inch or so. Do not stand near the antenna or place hands near it when taking a
reading on an swr meter. The best position for the antenna when making adjustments
yet found a way to put 5 is pointing straight up, perhaps on top of a wooden stepladder or a s imi lar non-metallic
pounds of gain in a 1-pound support. The coaxial cable can be taped to the boom, to hold it in place, and the
bag! Always try to find out exposed connections should be covered with elec trical tape or with GE ATV Sil icone
what the reference is when sealant. A c lear plastic spray to protect the clamps and t hat portion o f the driven ele·
ment is a good idea.
comparing performance claims.
Yes, half-wave antennas can
be used above a ground plane just connected it directly to the network at the end of the
too, with the application of a end of a piece of 50· or 75-ohm antenna, between it and the
little trickery to keep the coax, most of your signal coax. The term "matching
coaxial cable happy. Y'see, the would spend its life bouncing network" is just engineer-type
impedance at the end of a half· back and forth along the cable, talk for a circuit that acts as a
wave radiator is very high, looking for a way out. So you transformer - it he lps two
thousands of ohms,• and if you have to place a matching widely different impedances
get along together. In the case
of our half -wave antenna and
DlR£CTION
OF RADIATION
coax, it can be just an ordinary
coil made up of the appropriate
number of turns of wire, or it
can be a tuned circuit with
~ 112I"" SO!JARE
PVC PIPE. O R
WOOO both the coax and the antenna
9 00M, 7· F££ T
(2 13 CM ) LONG attached at the proper points
(Fig. 8).

•impedance, in simple terms, is that

quality of a c ircuit or components that
2 4 5 6
ELEMENT
1
7g~fS
' 3
40 373/4 J6 J/4 36112 361/ 4 36 impedes the flow of alternating current.
L(N GTH CIOl.l;J {959/ 193.3/ (927) (92 ,, (91 4) Res istance is its counterpart for de
SPACING FROM
ELEMEN T t voltage and current. Because ac current
INCHE S
ICM/
16
(4 11
21
168/
43
1•09)
63
(160/
83
( 2 11}
and voltage have a phase (time)
relationship with each other, simple
Fig. 4. A simple Yagi antenna that will provide improved signals either through the resistance theory is not accurate
Oscar satellites or for medium-distance contacts at ground level. The construction can enough for engineering purposes.
be very simple - drill holes that are a snug fit for the elements and epoxy cement Impedance theory takes all of the ac
them in place. The elements can be stiff aluminum rod or small-diameter tubing. The factors into account; for the very basic
driven element can be 3/8-inch (95mm) diameter tubing. Elements should be 1/8- to 1/4· antenna theory that we are discussing
inch (30 to 60mm) diameter. Element 1 is called a reflector, element 2 is the driven ele· here, you can think of impedance as
ment; 3, 4, 5, and 6 are directors. similar to resistance.

June1977 ~ 31
 ~
have more gain than what I just
discussed, but as a beginner
on fm you can get excellent
results with the more simple 10•
units.
1/4 >.. RADIATOR
Fixed station antennas
6" SQUARE Many times you wil l hear the 0
ALUMINUM
OR PLYW'OOO term "base station" when

~
PLATE
people are talking about fm and
repeaters. This is just a left·
30"
SUPPORT
over term from the days of
MAST commercial two-way radio,
when there were two types of ~~
units sold on the surplus 518).. RAOIATOR

Fig. 6. A simple method of using a Yagi market: mobile stations and 0

antenna for satellite work is to mount it base stations. With a few
tilted upward at approximately 30 Fig. 7. Radiatio n patterns for vertical
degrees. Thi s will be effective except
exceptions, when an Amateur antennas mounted above a ground plane
when the satellite is directly overhead, or CBer speaks of a base such as a metal screen o r a flat port ion
but that " zone of silence" will not last station , he really is referring to of a car body. The 1/4-wave whip radiates
long. a home-station as compared to a large part of its energy upward at
angles that do little good. The 5/8-wave
the one in his car. antenna brings so me of that energy
Now all of this is fine - your Antennas for fixed-station down to add to that at low angles, mak-
half-wave will have a bit more use can be almost exactly the ing it more useful at vhf work.
gain than a quarter-wave, and same as those used for duty. A good Yagi beam will
you can match it to the coax in working through satellites, and enable you to reach out over
good shape. But, let's take it in fact, many Amateurs do use the horizon to talk to another
just a bit further: Make the the same installation for double f m station, or even to work ssb
antenna approximately 5/8- or CW, if you are lucky enough
5.116• (8 mm} DIAMETER
wavelength long. Now, the MASS ROO DRIU..ED OH
BOTTOM ENO TO FIT
to own one of the new all-mode
impedance at the bottom end COIL WIRE SIZE. transceivers that are now
of it starts to decrease again, available. (Your antenna doesn't
and the matching network has EPOXY BEAO know the difference between
less of a chore to perform . It a-m , fm, ssb, or CW; it just
can still be of the same type, 1/ 2 • (13 mmJ
PLASTIC PVC passes the signal along.) The :
PIPE CAP.
either a coil or a tuned circuit, (BOTH ENDS} only caution I'll give you is to
but it has to act as a be aware of the polarization
peacemaker between 50 and differences between the
300 ohms, instead of between various types of stations, and
50 and 2000. That is not the plan accordingly. Most fm
only benefit either - since it is stations, mobile or repeaters,
slightly larger, the 5/8-wave use vertical polarization of their
whip has just a teeny bit more antennas. This is mainly
gain than a half-wave, and it is because the vertical whip is
quite a noticeable improvement much easier to handle in a
over quarter-wave. A look at mobile environment, is
Fig. 78 will show another essentially non-directional, and
characteristic that is most is not too bad looking (some of
helpful: The angle of radiation the old horizontal attempts at
is low, which places your an all-direction mobile antenna
signal down where you want it Fig. 8. The matching coil for the bottom were sure attention getters)!
(unless you like to talk to birds of a 5/8·wave radiator can be made of Many amateurs solve the
or an occasional aircraft). wire, mounted inside a few plastic pipe polarization problem by using a
So, for mobile use, those are fitting s. In the original description of pair of Yag is - well , it is
making this type of device, K6KLO used
the most common, and easy to a telescoping whip as the rad iating ele· actually one supporting boom
make, types of antennas . Yes, ment. Best results were obtained with with two sets of elements
there are several antennas the whip extended approximately 48 attached, one vertically and
marketed that have more inches. A variety of fittings can be used another horizontally . Thus they
at the bottom to make connection to the
elements to them, with neat coil, depending upon the need of the
can select the polarization that
little plastic sections between, builder. From ham radio , July, 1974, they need at the moment by
and al I that. These antennas pages 40·43. means of a relay, or by doing

32 m June 1977
some fancy stuff with the coax Fig. 9. The use of Yagi
cable they can feed both at antennas to help in
working distant fm
once. stat ions requires that El.£M£NTS
V ERTICAL
For those of you who would t he elements be in a
like to stack two Yagis side-by- vertical plane. A ver-
side, with the elements vertical t ical support , if of
metal, would distort
- yes, that is done too. You do the antenna pattern
it the same way you would if and decrease the ef·
the elements were horizontal, fectiveness of the ar·
but just remember to keep the ray. You can make the
supporting mast near the top 1/4 wavelength of
HORIZONTAL
the support of hard· BOOM, WOOO
elements non-metallic. Any wood (treated for OR METAL

nearby metal in the same plane weather-proofing) or

as the elements will distort the of tough plastic, and IWIC'*OOO
OR PLASTIC

pattern and decrease the gain. avoid the distortion

problem. If two Yagls
Fig. 9 shows one way of like that shown in Fig. METAL
CLAMP
ROTA TING
making such an array. 4 are used, they MAST

While I am talking about should be spaced 42

stacking antennas let me point inches (106cm) apart.
out that there is an easy way to
estimate the gain improvement right, too . A good rule of thumb list of some important
when you stack identical is that the spacing should be dimensions you can use. There
antennas: Each time you 1/2 wavelength, or half the are many excellent antenna
double the size of the array you boom length, whichever is books and manuals available
increase the gain by 3 dB, greater. (see Bibliography), and there is
theoretically. I add that I have been talking mostly a certain amount of
modifier because there is a about antennas for the 144-MHz satisfaction in being able to
small amount of power lost band, but everything I've said turn a few pieces of wire and
through the feedline harness pertains to all the vhf bands as tubing into something that will
that you need to combine the well. For those of you who help your signal get way,
two antennas, and the spacing would like to experiment with way, out.
between them must be just antennas, Table 1 provides a For those of you who are not

Table 1. Some useful dimensions for vhf antennas and transmission lines.
SO MHz 146 MHz 222 MHz 432 MHz
Frequency Inches (cm) Inches (cm) Inches (cm) Inches (cm)
1 wavelength 1 236.2 (600) 80.8 (205.2) 53.2 (135.1) 27.3 (69.4)
5/8 wave length 147.6 (375) 50.5 (128.4) 33.2 ( 84.4) 17.1 (43.4)
1/2 wavelength 118.1 (300) 40.4 (102.7) 26.6 ( 67.5) 13.7 (34.7)
3/8 wavelength 88.6 (225) 30.3 ( 77.0) 19.9 ( 50.6) 10.2 (26.0)
1/4 wavelength 59.0 (150) 20.2 ( 51 .3) 13.3 ( 33.7) 6.8 (17.3)
1/2 wavelength
coax 2 77.9 (198) 26.6 ( 67.7) 17.5 ( 44.6) 9.0 (22.9)
1/4 wavelength
coax 2 38.9 ( 99) 13.3 ( 33.8) 8.7 ( 22.1) 4.5 (11.4)
1/2 wavelength
twinlead 3 96.8 (246) 33.1 ( 84.1) 21.8 ( 55.4) 11 .2 (28.4)
1/4 wavelength
twinlead 3 48.3 (123) 16.5 ( 40.0) 10.9 ( 27.7) 5.6 (14.2)
Percent change
each MHz 4 2 0.6 0.45 0.25

Notes: (1) Dimensions are based on the wavelength-in-air formula 11810/F(MHz).

(2) Coaxi al-cable lengths are based on the veloc ity factor of RG-8/U or RG-58/U, which is ap-
proximately 0.66.
(3) Twin lead lengths are based on the velocity factor of 0.82 for common TV lead-in of parallel w ires
with flat, solid-dielectric insulation.
(4) The dimensions given are for frequencies in the most-often used part of the bands. The dimen-
sions increase as you go lower, and decrease as you go higher in frequency. Example: If you want
to work at 51 MHz, decrease the dimensions given by 2 per cent; for 145 MHz, increase the dimen-
sions by 0.6 per cent.

June 1977 m 33
 Five types of fitting for the bottom of the
assembly are shown here. At the left is
one with a threaded s tud, for mou nting
on an insulating base. Next is a UHF
female fitting , a UHF male, then two
types of BNC connector. In the threaded-
stud type, the bottom of the coil con-
nects to the stud, and the center con-
ducto r of the coaxial feedline should
faste n to this same stud after it has been
passed th rough the insulating mount. In
al l of the coaxial-fitting type of mounts,
the coil connects to th e ce nter co n-
duc tor inside the assembly , and the
coaxial feedl ine connects in the normal
man ne r through its fitting. See Fig. 8.
Larsen inc li ned, or don't have the time,

Kiilrocf antennas
Repeater or simplex, home station mount. For those using a 3/4" hole in
to expe ri ment and bu ild your
own , I hope th e d isc uss ion and
drawings wi ll give you some
ideas of what to shop for to get
or mobile, 1 watt or 50 . . . what their vehicle we suggest the LM
really counts is the intelligence that mount for fastest, easiest and most the performance you want at
gets radiated. Jim Larsen, W7DZL efficient attachment. you r station for Oscar,
found that out years ago when he repeaters, mobile, or DX work.
was both hamming and running a For the 3/8" hole advocates t here's Now, go get that General or
two-way commercial shop. That's the JM mount ... fully patented Techni can class license and
and the first real improvement in
when he started working with mobile join the fun!
antennas ... gain antennas that antenna attaching in 25 years.
didn't waste power in useless heat. And for the "no holes" gang there's
Today, thousands and thousands of the unbeatable MM-LM ... the Bibliography
Larsen Antennas are being used. We magnetic mount that defies all road 1. D. Evans, and G. Jessop, RSGB
call it the Larsen Kiilrod® Antenna. speeds. VHF-UHF Manua l, 3rd ed ition ,
Amateurs using them on 2 meters, 1976, Radio Societ y of Great
on 450 and six call them t he antenna Send today for data sheets that give Britain, 35 Do ug hty Street , London.
that lets you hear t he difference. the full story on Larsen Kiilrod Avai lable from ham radio's
Antennas that let you hear the Comm un icati ons Bookst ore, order
Larsen Kii.lrod Antennas are difference and give you carefree RS-V H, $12.95.
available for every popular type of communications.
2. W. Orr, Beam Antenna
Illustrated . . . Larsen JM-150-K Kiilrod Antenna and mount for 2 meter band. Handbook , 5th edition , 1976, Radio
Comes complete with coax, plug and all mounting hardware. Easy to follow Publications, Wilt on, Connec t icut .
instructions. Handles full 200 watts. Available from ham radio 's
Communications Bookstore, orde r
[)c a ler I nq uin cs I n vitcd
RP-BA, $4.95.
3. The ARAL Antenna Book , 13th
ed ition, 1974, Am erican Radio
Antennas Relay Leagu e, Newington ,
Conn ec ti cu t 06111 . Avai lable from
116 11N.E.50thAve. • P.O. Box 1686 • Vancouver, WA 98663 • Phone: 2061573-2722 ham radio 's Comm unications
In Canada write to: Canadian Larsen Electronics, Ltd. Bookst ore, order AR -AM, $4.00.
13 40 Clark Drive • Vancouver, B.C. V5L 3K9 • Phone: 604/254-4936 HRH
I!> Kiilrod . .. a registered trademark of Larsen Electronics.

34 ~ June1977
 The Transceiver
you'd expect
•
1980

is ready-now!
From the company that revolutionized hf ham radio by giving you the first all-solid-state low and medium
power equipment, comes the entirely new TRITON IV, a transceiver that is truly ahead of its time. The fore-
runner Triton II gave you such ope ra ting and technical features as instant transmitter tune, full break-in, excel-
lent SSB quality, superb receiver performance, pulsed crystal calibrator, bui lt-in SWR indicator, a highly selec-
tive CW filter and efficient home, po rtabl e and mobile operation from non-aging 12 VDC transistors.
Now - the TRITON IV gives you all of these - and more. A new push-pu ll final amplifi er with the latest
gold metalized, zener protected transistors, operating at 200 input watts on all hf bands 3.5 through 29.7 MHz.
Plus a new crystal heterodyne VFO for improved short and long term frequency stability and uniform 1 kHz read-
out re solution, even on ten meters.
Unsurpassed select ivity is yours with the new eight pole i.f. crystal fi lte r, and improved spu rious rejection
results from the new IC double balanced mixer.
Th e benefits of ALC now extend to output powers less than full rating with a front panel threshold control.
When driving linears that require less than maximum avail able power from the TRITON, or when propagation con-
ditions permit reliable contacts at reduced power levels, ALC will hold your output to the des ired level.
Many small circuit improvements throughout, taken collectively, add more perfo rmance and quality pluses
- such things as individual temperature compensated integrated circuit voltage regu lators fo r final bias control
and VFO supply. And toroid inductances in the ten and fifteen meter low pass filte rs, LED indicators for offset
tuning and ALC thre shold, accessory socket for added fl exibility, and sequen-
tially keyed mute, AGC and transmitter circuits for even better shaped and For more inf ormation ab out th e new
clickless CW. TR ITON , as wel l as the f ull li ne of
accessories th at will be avai lable
so on , se e y our d ea le r or wr i te .
And to top it all off, the highly desirable case geometry has been main-
tained, but it has a handsome new look. Bold letteri ng on an etched aluminum
front panel and textured black sides and top make the TRITON IV look as
sharp as it performs.
There is nothing like a TRITON IV for reliability, features, value and just
pure fun. And - best of all - you do not have to wait until 1980 to own one.

TRITON IV $699.00 TEN-TEC

SEVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE 37862
EXPORT: 57 15 LINCOLN AVE .
CH I CAGO, ILLINO JS . 60646

More detail s? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 m 35

 top, place an insulator or cen-
ter connector that isolates the
two legs of the antenna from
each other. Connect an open-
wire feedline 35 feet (10.7m) in
length at that point, with one
an all-purpose antenna wire attached to one leg of the
antenna, and the other wire
attached to the other leg. If you
do not happen to have an open-
wi re feedline, although it is
BY JIM GRAY, W2EUQ easy enough to make, just use
a lengt h of TV-type, solid
dielectric, 300-ohm "twin lead."
No antenna is really a/I-purpose or a/I-band, If you choose the twin lead,
but this one comes close use a length of 29.5 feet (9m), a
difference in length that takes
G5RV is the Amateur Radio connected at the center of the into consideration the
callsign of R. L. Varney, of flat top. The G5RV, however, difference between the ve locity
Sussex, England. He is credited lends itself nicely to of propagation of a radio signal
with having developed and installation in the popular along a two-wire "open" line
used the antenna that bears his inverted-vee configuration or, if spaced with air dielectric or
call, although an earlier you have the necessary along a two-wire line spaced
antenna shown in Collins Radio supports, in the standard with plastic dielectric material.
manuals of the 1930s appears dipole or doublet configuration. At the transmitter end of the
at least similar. It is probably In any case, the antenna is very two-wire feeder, attach a length
true that the specific antenna simple and unobtrusive - as of 50-ohm coaxial cable, such
known as the G5RV did, antennas go. as RG-58A/U, for example. The
however, originate with Mr. center conductor connects to
Varney - to the delight of Dimensions one wire and the shield to the
Amateur Radio operators The flat top can be made other. If you plan to use a
everywhere. from copper antenna wire of transmitter output power in
The G5RV antenna looks very no. 14 (1.6 mm) or larger size. excess of about two hundred
much like a center-fed Zepp The overall length is 102 feet watts, then use the heavier
antenna with a flat-top portion (31.1 m) with each leg being half RG-8/U cable. The length of the
and an open-wire feeder portion of that. At the center of the flat cable should be at least

PULLfY l
TV MAST / INSULATOR
SECTIONS ,/

:51FT(l!L5 M)
N0.16~J.3m m) WIRE
29'6~(9m)
"""300 OHM
TV-TYPE
TWIN LEAD
ISEE TEXTI

SOLDER AND
WRAPJOINT TO

d
STAND-OFF
- WEATHERPROOF
INSULATOR

"-NYLON HALYARD ~
/
'>COAX
......-_....
//

I AT LEAST 68F'T.t207mJ
SUPPORT RG · 5BAIU COA X(SEE TfXT)
STAKE
TO SHACK-
TO TIE
PONIT

In this instance, the G5RV antenna is shown in an inverted vee configuration. A nylon halyard raises the center of the antenna to the
top of a mast made from TV mast sections. Stand-off insulators keep the feedline from flapping in the wind. The antenna "legs"
serve as guy wires, while the halyard acts as additional support.

36 ~ June1977
 M
E
T
E
68 feet (20.7m), but may be 80-meter inverted vee. In fact, I
longer if necessary. Attach a couldn't tell any difference
R
PL-259 coaxial connector at the
transmitter end of the coax.
when I switched back and
forth. On 40 meters, results
and HF too • • •
Solder all connections carefully were somewhat better than
and weatherproof them by with the trap vertical I had been 'Chicago
wrapping them with vinyl tape using, even at long distances,
and coating the wrapped probably due to the lack of a Area
portion with silicone caulking really good ground plane for
material. the vertical. In any case I was Hams!
pleased. The G5RV really
Installation performed well on the 10- 15- Come in or call for the
In my own installation, I used
several joined sections of TV-
and 20-meter bands , and was
markedly superior to the ~ERICKSON
type mast tubing as a single vertical at medium distances, • COMMUNICATIONS
support , and hoisted the center although noticeably directional.
of the antenna to the top of the The apparent pattern at these Cash or trade deal on:
mast with a nylon halyard led higher frequencies is a large X • Ameco • ASP • Atlas
through a pulley placed at the whose "legs" form an angle
• Belden • Bi rd • COE
top of the mast. I supported the with the wire.
ends of the antenna at a much In no instance did I use a • CES • Collins • Cushcraft
lower height by tying the end tuner or any other matching • Data Signal • Dentron
insulators to short lengths of device until , one day, I became • Drake• ETO • HAL
small-diameter nylon line which curious about vswr. I put my
were attached to the trunks of • Hy-Gain • lcom • KLM
swr bridge in the line and was
nearby trees. If I had been horrified to find the vswr over • Kenwood• Larsen• MFJ
blessed with two tall supports, 3:1 on certain frequencies. Up • Midland • Mosley• NPC
suitably far apart, then the until then the transmitter - • Newtronics • Nye
antenna would have been put and even the stations I worked
up as a flat top instead of an - didn't seem to know or care • Regency • Shure • Swan
inverted vee. In your case, what the swr was. Thereafter, I • Standard • TPL •Tempo
choose the one that is most used my line matcher to make •Ten-Tee • Yaesu ...
convenient, or the one you like the transmitter "see" the
best. If the inverted-vee magic, non-reactive 50-ohm Touhy
configuration is used, the termination , but y9u know
antenna itself acts as two of what? The matcher didn't make
the guy wires for supporting a bit of difference! As long as 294
the mast. the transmitter tunes and loads
You will find, as I did, that it to its rated plate current
is desirable to keep the without difficulty, then it is E
feedline at least several inches happy. With the G5RV antenna, "'
;:::
"'
l:
( == 10 cm) away from a metal your transmitter will tune and
mast or pole. TV-type standoff load well, even if you don't use
insulators are good for this. On a tuner or matcher.
the other hand, in a flat-top
configuration, there is usually Comments
no center support, so you don't No antenna is supposed to
have to worry; just let the do everything well , and this
feedline fall vertically away one is no exception . It does,
from the antenna at a right however, represent a nice com-
angle. As with any antenna, the promise between cost, space,
feedline is preferably led away and performance as attested to Hours: 9:30-9 Mon. & Thurs,
from the antenna at 90° , and by numerous stations around 9:30-5:30 Tues, Wed. & Fri.
should not lie underneath the world who say: ANT HR OM 9-3 Sat.
either of the antenna's legs. G5RV. The real advantage of
this simple, low-cost antenna
Operation lies in the fact that you can use ERICKSON
The first band I tried was 80 it on all bands, CW and phone, COMMUNICATIONS
5935 N. Milwaukee Ave.
meters, and results were fully from 3.5 MHz to 29. 7 MHz, Chicago, IL 60646
as good as with my standard without a tuner! HRH (31 2) 631·5181

June 1977 m 37
ca FIELD DAV
ca FIELD DAY
~O FIELD DAY
~o FIELD DAY
CQ FIELD DAY

BY MARK PRIDE, WA1ABV/K1RX

AND CHARLES CARROLL, K1XX

A brief look at Field Day; preparation, not only for the Kids can run through the fields
what you can do to equipment but for the and wives can sit and talk, or
operators, too. Bugs, floods, knit, or sunbathe, while the
participate in the many
and even hayfever are but a few operators struggle for the right
different facets of this of the many interesting band and a good score. From
summertime fun obstacles encountered during the large 15-transmitter set-ups
that fateful weekend in June. to the 5-watt battery-operated
Many people moan "never rigs, there's a place for
ca ca
Field Day, Field Day. again," but, like the seven-year everyone on Field Day.
With these words begins one of itch, they'll be back.
the most memorable operating Why Field day?
Officially it's called Field
events for many an Amateur. Day. Others call it a training The word service plays a key
Whether young or old , beginner exercise, contest, or even a role in the existence of
or experienced operator, the picnic. But , essentially it's Amateur Radio. Our short
"June madness " strikes almost plain fun . Where else can you history is filled with service-
everyone , sooner or later. With find the elder statesman of oriented events that have
all the plans and equipment your ham club climbing a t ree served to strengthen the
prepared months, or maybe just or cooking hamburgers? Field Amateurs' importance to the
days, ago , hundreds of groups Day is one type of club activity community. What better way to
Ii teral ly "head for the hi Ils." that brings everyone together, fulfill this aspect of the hobby
The main watchword is and no one has to be left out. than by participating in the

38 ~ June1977
ARRL Field Day? It's a terrific
opportunity to meet old or new
friends and work together for a
common cause.
The basic intent of Field Day
is to give groups a chance to
participate in a test of their
emergency preparedness. How
fast can your radio c lub
organize communicat ions in
the field? Certainly, in an
actual emergency, the
problems would be difficult to
overcome. The experience
gained through these
"simulated" conditions could
prove invaluable whenever
community hardships arise.
This is an excellent time to
demonstrate to the publ ic how
important the Radio Amateur
is, and the ARRL encourages The 40-meter CW position has most of the comforts o f ho me in a camper. An elec-
public relations work by tronic keyer with a programmable memory aids WB2DRW while he c hec k s for
rewarding the clubs with bonus duplicate contacts.
points for making the public
aware of what's happening.
Newspaper, or even television ,
coverage is very desirable in
that the publicity will enhance
the Amateurs' image and at the
same time attract new
members to your club. Some
Field Day operation s are large,
with many participating
members, and others are small ,
but the educati onal value is the
same. Each person comes
-1
away with a bit more insight
into the idea of improving one's
communicat ions capabi lity. The
trick is to have the most "on-
the-air" effectivene ss, without
your equipment being overly
complicated.
Rules and regulations
As with all operating events
or contests, there are several
different categories for the
participants. Even people who
must remain at home are
in cluded; they can participate
in c lass D competition. Field
Day starts the fourth Saturday
in June, and continues for a
period of 27 hours. Normal
operation is for any
consecutive 24-hour period
during the 27 total hours.
Those groups that do not start
setting up their equipment until
the beginning of the event are
eli gible to operate for the entire

June1977 ~ 39
Operating and logging duties on 40-meter ssb are shared by WA1JZC and WA1ABV. Headphones are important to have during the
event, especially if other stations are nearby.

27-hour period. This provides a rules: Normal scoring now straightforward: One point for
little more emphasis on the includes 2 points for each CW the ssb contacts and two
fast action that would be contact made . You'll have to points for CW contacts. A
typical of an emergency decide when to stop the 150 power multiplier is included,
situation. word-per-minute ssb QSOs and allowing you to take advantage
Some skill and experience is start the 2-point CW contacts. of unique power sources {see
required to select the right Otherwise, scoring is Table 1).
transmitter class. With choices
ranging from one to fifteen or
Table 1. Field Day scoring and basic transmit ter classes.
more transmitters, you're
limited only by the resources Class
that you have at hand . Some of
the most interesting A. Three or more using power Power Multiplier
competition takes place in the independent from the Less than 200 watts per
one, two, and three transmitter commercial sources. transmitter. x2
classes. Although the B. No more than two people 200 t o 1000 watts per
behemoth 15-transmitter in a group. Otherwise t ransmitter. x1
operations may seem I ike over- operated as Class A.
C. Stations normally installed Power Source Multiplier
doing things, just the logistics Less than 10 watts and all
in motor vehicles,
of handling that many stations including antennas. power provided by other than
make it difficult. Set your own 0. A normal home station commercial or motor-
goals and then pick the right operating from commercial ge nerator sources. x5
transmitter class for your type mains. All ssb contac t s coun t for 1
of competition. E. A home station operated point and each CW contact
A new factor has been from emergency power. coun ts tor 2 points.
entered into the Field Day

40 [::::;::) June1977
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N ow,
meet
Henry '<
R adio ... Walt Henry T ed H enry Bob H enry
W6Z N W6UOU WRlARA
AN AHEIM LOS ANGELES BUTLER

ICOM IC-211 Pl us a large staff of highly qual i fied sales and service
personnel pledged to serve you. Henry Radio c arries large
ICOM 's new f ully synt hesized 4 MHz FM . US B.
stocks of all major brands. We take trade-ins , sell used
LS B, CW 2 meter t ransceiver . 100 Hz or 5 K Hz equi pmen t and o ffer better ter ms because we carry our
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equipment . Export inquiries solicited. Also, military,
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We stock the Bird Model 43 Wattm eter and accesso ries.

Poe.es subiect to change without notice.

HIDf!RBdiD
11240 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90064
931 N. Euclid, Anaheim, Calif. 92801
213/477-6701
714/772-9200
Butler, Missouri 64730 816/679-3127

I
r Mo re detai ls? Ad Chec k page 78. June 1977 ~ 41
E.
 "

Instead of watching the speedometer. it's now a voltmeter. Thi s Field Day group i s usin g a bicycle powe red generator to run thei r
equipmen t.

The subject of bonus points an excellent ti me to s harpen even have a chance to t ry that
was briefly mentioned. Unu sual your own operating skills or new transceiver you've seen
and diffi c ult modes of pick up some tip s from the advert ised. Al so, you can
operatio n benefit by rece ivin g more ex perienced operators . acquire many new ideas for
bonus points . Any contact s Among the crowd , there' s anten nas, carry ing them home
made through Oscar sate llit es always at least one to be t ried in your own
are du ly rewarded. As many experienced operator fro m backyard. Seemingly , the
people know , working throug h whom new operating tricks or experimenter in all o f us comes
Oscar can be a chall enge at tec hniques ca n be learned. If to t he surface. Every
home, and even more so on the you have never attempted a combinatio n, from beam to
s id e or top of a mountain. con test before , prepare for a rh ombic, is tried, with eac h
Public relat ions effort is also fun ed ucat ion. Listen to the operator always hoping to be ..
justly rewarded with poi nt s for way an operator attracts new louder than t he next guy on 40
any menti on of your exe rcise contacts o r searches for others m eters. However, many old-
by the newspapers, TV , or ca lling CO Fi eld Day. He' ll time Fi eld Day enthu siasts
radio. Finall y we come to th e make the exchanges qui ckly agree that the si mplest
ma in purpose o f Fi eld Day: and accurately. Thi s point is of techniques often work the best.
Relaying messages. Though it prime concern, especially si nce Any t ime new equipment and
c ut s down the number of it could be emergency traffic un proven antennas are
co ntact s, you can make ex tra the next time. By studying the com bined, t here are bound to
points by taking th e time to techn iqu e of a well-season ed be problems. Hence the
relay messages. A complete set con test operator, you too can just ification for Fie ld Day:
of rules is normall y publ ished master the rules of the game. Learning what works together
in QST prior to Fi eld Day. Newcomers as well as o ld and what doesn't.
Fie ld Day is really a multi- timers learn and have fun Most clubs div ide their
faceted training exerc ise, and working together. You might membersh i p into commi ttees

42 ~ June1977
 ,,-,
2 IU $289.
The Bearcat® 210 is a sophisticated
scanning instrument with the ease of
operation and frequency versatility
you 've dreamed of . Imagine, selecting
from any of the public service bands
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Pick the 10 frequencies you want to
scan and punch them in on the
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wan t to change frequencies. just enter
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Automatic search lets you scan any
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Bearcat c 1 '-' Features Bearcat 1:'1IJ frequencies not of current interest.
The decimal display with its exclusive
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Specifications " rolling zeros" tells you which
o Decimal Display- See frequency and channel Frequency Reception Range channels you' re monitoring. When the
number-no guessing who'> on the air Low Band 32-50 MHz Bearcat 210 locks in on an active
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High Band 148-174 MHz
UHF Band 450--470 MHz the channel and fre quency being
o Deluxe Keyboard- Makes frequency selec tion as easy
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change frequencies easily try everything there is to •Also receives UHF from 416--450 MHz With the patented track-tuning
hear.
• Patented Track Tuning- Receive frequencies ac ross the Size system. the Bearcat 210 automatically
full band without adjustmen t Circuitry is a uto matically 10'l'8 " W x3 " H x 7 %" D
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• Automatic Search- Seek and find new. exciting 4 lbs. 8 oz. " peaked" for any broadcast. Most
frequencies
• S elective S can Delay- Adds a two second delay to
Power Requirements competitive models peak only at the
prevent missing transmissions when .. calls.. and l l 7V ac. 11 W: 13.8 Vdc. 6W center of each band, missing the
"answers.. are o n the same freque ncy. Audio O utput
• Automatic Lock-Out- Locks out cha nnels a nd "skips 2W rms frequencies a t the extreme ends of the
frequencies not of current interest. Antenna band .
• Simple Programming- Simply punch in on the Telescoping (supplied) The Bearcat 210' s electron ically
keyboard the frequency you wish to monitor.
Sensitivity
• Space Age Circuitry- Custom integrated circuits . a
0. 6µ.v for 12 dB S INAD on L & H switched antenna e liminates the need
Bearcat tradition.
• UL Listed /FCC Certified - Assures quality design and bands for the long low band anten na . And a
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• Rolling Zeros- This Bearcat exclusive tells you which Select ivity
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More details? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 ~ 43

to handle the countless tasks
involved in this kind of activity.
The greater the number of
participants, the easier each
item can be handled and with
less chance of error. No aspect
should be overlooked. It takes a
good leader to spearhead any
Field Day group. Every job,
however large or small , will
benefit the club's total effort.
Goals
Field Day has its challenges
for everyone. Your group or
organization must set its own
goals: Finish ing high in the
nati onwide competition can be
one , or recruiting new members
another. The natural hand-in-
hand relationship between
Field Day and public relations
provides a convenient way to
increase a club's membership.
Many clubs are very service
oriented , aiding the community
in various ways. Field Day
provides a means of
announcing , through the media,
that you are there to serve the
community. Whether a repeater
group or contest club, the
general public can be shown
Amateur Radio through your
Field Day efforts.
Many groups combine family
activities with Field Day. Often ,
the balmy June weather
permits bringing the other
members of families together
as a social event. Sometimes
the party and picnic
atmosphere eclipses the main
event.
As in any competitive event ,
there are winners and losers.
Taking top honors in your class
can be reward enough. In the
strictest terms , Field Day is an
exercise in emergency
preparedness, and at times it is
difficult to separate this aspect
from the contest atmosphere.
What may seem nonsensical to
you may be a type of fierce W1AAR updates the hourly progress chart of the Field Day operation . Comparisons are
competition between rival made frequently to last year's performance and game plan c hanges are implemented
groups. to maximize the groups' effectiveness.

44 · ~ June1977
 the problems beforehand , your
club's performance in the field
will get better every year. A
gradual growing process is
recommended for any serious
Field Day contenders.
Getting involved
Now that we've gotten your
attention , how do you find a
club t o participate with? Start
checking into the local
repeaters or club nets. Many
times Fie ld Day coordination
will be cond uc ted over the air.
Also, check the local
newspapers. Those PR not ices
were sent out for just that
reason. Field Day is such a
large and well-attended event
that someone can direct you to
the nearest site. If all else fails,
go out early on the fou rth
Satu rday in June and follow the
car with all the aluminum on
the top. HRH

With a little coordination , even the largest of antennas can be installed for Field Day. Field Day antennas come in all shapes
W1 FBY and WA2CLQ are shown guiding a 2-element full size 40-meter beam up and sizes. Making maximum and total
the tower. use of them can save ti me and trouble.
This 2·element tri-band cubical quad was
used on 20·, 15-, and 10-met er CW,
Serious advice takes a little experience, but 20 simultaneously.
Many established groups and 40 meters will be the big

./
have plans drawn up for using scorers during the day. At
the same site each year. Make night, 80 and 40 meters will
sure that your club is flexible produce the big contact totals.
enough to change plans on Also, point your antennas at
short notice if another group the large population centers.
has already appropriated Very seldom will clubs stray II' .....
~

~\ :;;f:~
"your" spot . that far from home. It may
There's a large amount of seem complicated, but that's
knowledge that's basic to any half the fun.
Field Day operation. Taking You don't have to get very
into consideration a few simple fancy with towers and rotators,
hints will produce a either. Essentially the East
competitive effort from any Coast people point west, and
location. The key consideration vice versa. Anywhere from 40 to
should be organization and 70 feet (12-21 m) is sufficient
coordination before and during tower height. Going higher
the weekend. The authors, becomes more difficult and
having been involved in large time consuming . A recent
and small efforts, find the most record-setting effort by a
enjoyable times happen during contest club produced over
a tightly run operation . 10,000 QSOs, with all the
Generally, three operators per antennas 70 feet (21 m) or
transmitter is a good guide to below! By analyzing each
follow. Selecting the right band variable, and working to solve

June 1977 m 45
BY THOMAS R. SUNDSTROM , WB2AYA

There's a "private eye" in your

living room! Don't believe it?
Let a TV DXer tell you why -
and how to turn your own TV set
into a window on the world
As a reader of Ham Radio is coming from. I find the (New Jersey), I normally hear
Horizons you are already aware easiest way to check things out New York City on 162.55 MHz
that long-distance (DX, in radio is by tuning the unofficial and Atlantic City on 162.40
amateur terms) reception is a national ssb CB frequency of MHz, but when the Baltimore
regular event on the shortwave 27.155 MHz, known as channel (Maryland) and Washington ,
bands. Sure, conditions of the 16. When Rubber Duck calls in DC, NOAA stations dominate, I
atmosphere and the level of from Arkansas on the "lower know something's going on
solar activity will affect the side," and Two Ton Tommy that ought to be looked into.
signals bouncing around the from the "Sunshine State" Obviously , if you are licensed
ionosphere, but some level of shouts " that's a big 10-4" on to operate in the vhf amateur
DX activity can always be the " upper-side," I've a qui ck bands, you can make the same
found somewhere on the diagnosis as to where TV skip kind of check by monitoring a
bands . signals might be coming from. far-di stant 2-meter or 11/.i -meter
Although it seems If you have a tunable 30-to-50 fm repeater. As the signal
astounding that TV pi ctures MHz receiver, the paging approaches full quieting, you
can be seen from hundreds or services around 36 MHz and will have a clue to unusual
thousands of miles away, many the various state police conditions that warrant a
of the factors affecting short- services around 42 MHz are look-see.
wave reception also affect TV also useful clues as to what's
signals . .. far more frequently going on. Certainly, six-meter Propagation
than you think. "Sure," you say, band Amateurs will be active if TV DXing primarily depends
"how can I see TV pictures there are signals bouncing in. upon two types of propagation:
from far-distant stations when But , for sheer numbers, it's Tropospheric and sporadic E
there are 15 local ones?" It's a hard to pass up the CB skip. I've already given clues on
fact that most people are skep- frequencies for a quick how to spot these types of
tical , because few have diagnosis of conditions. propagation , so let's just hang
seldom, if ever, turned to the A synopsis of band some descriptions on these
unused channels on the conditions on the upper TV words.
television dial. channels can also be obtained If you Iive near a major
A knowledge of the world of easily if you have a scanner or population center, odds are
frequencies above the usual portable receiver covering the that the lower vhf channels will
upper limit of most general NOAA (National Oceanographic be fully occupied, but there is
coverage receivers can be and Atmospheric usually a lot of open space on
helpful when you are looking Administration) weather the uhf dial. Tropospheric
for TV DX. stations . These continuously- propagation most often affects
Vhf signals in the lower TV broadcasting stations identify uhf signals, and vhf channels
channels, up to channel 6, can every few minutes, and provide 7-13. Tropo (or trops) reception
bounce around the ionosphere, a check of how signals are is usually caused by large, slow
and the "traffic" on CB gives a travelling along the ground. For moving weather systems or
good c lue as to where the skip example, in the Delaware Valley large changes in temperature,

46 m June 1977
pressure , or humidity. As a reception could be a daily Table 1. Vhf an d uh f allocations
result the signals never leave occurrence, sporadi c E skip MHz Assigned to:
the troposphere , which extends (Es) is not so frequent. Es is an --~~----

to a height of six miles (10 exciting happening and fairly 30 · 50 Public Safet y
ki lometers) or so. Signals can easy to spot. It affects primari ly 50 - 54 A m at e u r r ad i o ( 6
meters)
travel along the " boundary" of those frequen cies below 108 54- 72 Vhf TV c hannels 2, 3,
these weat her systems to MHz (see Table 1) but there and 4
distances of 300, 600 or even , were several dates during the 72- 73 Hob b y i s t r a di o
in rare cases, 1,000 miles (500 summer of 1976 when Es made remote contro l
to 1,600 kilometers). it up to 148 MHz and poss ibly 76-88 Vhf TV c hannels 5 and
Temperature inversi ons beyond. 6
caused by cool nights and Sporadic E skip is caused by 88- 108 Fm broadcas t band
warm days in the spring and temporary ioni zation of patches (88-92 ed ucat iona l,
fall often yield the best tropo in the E layer of the 92-108 commercial)
ionosphere, about 60 mi les (95 108 . 136 Aeronaut ical
cond itions, parti cularly in the
144. 148 Amat e u r rad i o ( 2
hours j ust after sunrise and k ilometers) up. Despite studies meters)
ju st after sunset when the going back many years, 152 - 174 Public Safe ty, Mobi le
temperature c hanges most including an exhaustive study te lephone, Industrial,
rapidly as the atmosphere during the International Mari ne nav i gati o n,
heats and cools. Nights of fog Geophysical Year of 1957-58, N OAA weat he r sta-
and misty rain , particularly if a the cause of Es is not precisel y ti ons (162.40, 162.475,
weather front is in the area, known. and 162.55 MHz)
portend good tropo conditions. Sporadic E is most likel y to 174- 216 Vhf TV channels 7 - 13
On the TV screen, signs of occ ur during the summer 220- 225 Amateur rad io
months, espec ially June and 420- 450 Amateur rad io
tropo reception can be
450- 460 Pu bl ic Safety
recognized when fringe July, but there is also a minor 460-470 C i tize n s R ad i o
stations become strong , and peak of activity in December Servi ce (c lass A)
stations not normallly seen and January. The phenomenon 470 - 890 Uhf T V c hannels 14-83
start to appear. For example, I c an, however, occu r on any day 890- 942 U.S. Government
normally can see almost all of of the year.
t he New York stations here, but Sporadic E invariably affects
WNET-13 is usually poor the lower frequen cies first and,
because of a strong local as the E-layer " thickens," stations between 88 and 92
sign al from Philadelphia on higher frequenc ies will bounce. MHz can be quit e a lot of f un.
c hannel 12. Signs of improving Thi s is why the monitoring of By t he way, this discuss ion of
DX conditions will be a good c lass DCB frequen cies in the propagati on is not onl y valid for
pi cture on WNET-13, at 75 27-MHz band provides such a fm but also for the vhf amateur
mi les (120 kil ometers), and then useful clue. When t he acti on ban ds.
very good pictures from WJZ- really gets " hot and heavy," There are some ot her modes
13, Baltimore, and WDCA-20, check the first open vhf of propagation, but these are of
Washington, both over 130 c hannel you have, starting with littl e value to the beginning TV
mil es (210 kilometers) to the c hannel 2. I've seen numerous DXer. Some readers may be in
so uthwest. occas ions when th e Es is so out lying areas, far from
Whereas tropos pheri c strong th at local KYW-3 is popul ati on centers, and may
unwatc hable due to skywave encounter meteor scatter and
interference; another c lue that aurora condit ion s more
the o pen channels probably frequently than those living in
have some good DX on them. suburban or urban areas.
When Es occurs, the o ne-hop Meteor scatter depends upon
bounce is usually in the area of signals reflec ting, however
1,000 miles (1 ,600 kil ometers) bri ef ly, from ioni zati on trails of
plu s or minu s 200 miles (320 meteors. Because th ere are
kilometers). Doubl e-hop Es can many m eteo r showers per year
occur, but usually requires that (you r local library has
there be no station on the ast ronomy magazi nes that will
same channel in the vic inity of provide dates and t imes of
the intermediate reflect ion met eor showers) the best t ime
point. t o cat ch meteors is after
A strong "o pening" can midn ight when the earth is
W CV E-23 Ri c hmo nd , Vi rgi nia, w as result in Es up through chann el turning into the shower. You
photog raphed duri ng a t rope openi ng on
Ju ne 1, 1971 , at 11 :45 PM EDT, a distance 6, and monitoring the might also be fortunate enough
o f 235 miles (378 ki lom eters). educational fm broadcasting t o catc h a test pattern during

Ju ne 1977 m 47
the early morning hours, prior prepared for new tubes and an your equipment thorough ly is
to the commencing of regular alignment but, above all, make an advantage that shouldn't be
broadcast activities. sure the tuner is sturdy. overlooked.
Aurora reception is more By the way , don't pick up an
Identifying stations
likely to occur in the northern old set that uses a 27 MHz i-f.
latitudes than in the south , and You won't get any DX on that As I've mentioned, knowing
depends upon signals one, because of the many CB what general region of the
bouncing off a constantly- signals that can leak through . country the signals are coming
moving "curtain" commonly For the top DXers, antennas are from is relatively easy, whether
known as the northern lights. an art in themselves. All- it be listening to CB or
Signals constantly flutter, channel antennas, with or surveying a weather map.
making it very hard to identify without fm, are "no-nos" in A second tool of the DXe r is
received stations, but the high their books . Use a log periodic, a knowledge of the "offsets"
solar activity which generates a narrow-band Yagi , or a good used. The FCC occasionally
auroral activity may also trigger 2-13 channel antenna. For uhf, requires certain TV stations to
sporadic E skip. serious DXers use a 6- or 7-foot use a plus-10 kHz or a m inus-10
Frankly, in twenty years of dish mounted well away from a kHz carrier-frequency offset to
DXing from my home, located 2-13 vhf array. eliminate co-channel
between New York and The antennas should be interference (FCC Rules and
Philadephia, I've never seen TV mounted as high as possible Regulations, Volume 3, Part
DX as a result of meteor using good, sturdy, rotors. If 73.606).
scatter or aurora. possible, use a run of cable, If there are only a few
Consequently, you'll probably preferably shielded 300-ohm or horizontal " beat" bars on the
find trope and Es much more 75-ohm types . screen , the two stations are on
productive. However, all four Top DXers will also tell you the same frequency. If there
modes of propagation do exist that preamplifiers are not are about a dozen bars, the two
and have been documented. generally used, especially the stations are 10 kHz apart, and if
commonly marketed broadband there are many bars the two
Equipment types. These tend to contribute stat ions are 20 kHz apart.
The most desirable to receive frontend overload . If By knowing the local
characteristics of a TV receiver preamplifiers are used at all , station's offset or the DX
are good sensitivity and they are usually homebuilt with station's offset, it is possible
selectivity. You want to be able bandpass filters included to to elim inate two-thirds of the
to pull in weak signals with a select just a single channel. possibilit ies.
minimum of adjacent channel Have I discouraged you? I Offset assignments are
interference, and it is important didn't mean to, but this is what available in commercia l
to have good sync stability in serious TV DXers will say you publications, or in the FCC
order to lock in the picture need for maximum results. Do I Rules and Regulations, Volume
both vertically and horizontally. do this? No, because I don't 3, avai Iable from the U.S.
lnfortunately, most of us have the room; I'd have to take Government Printing Office,
cannot make a good judgment down my 2-meter antennas. Washington, DC 20402. Write
as to what kind of receiver I violate all the rules by using fo r prices .
would be best for TV DXing , a 2-83-plus-fm antenna, a 4-set
nor do many of us have the logging stations
booster, and 300-ohm cable , yet
finances for a special DX-only I've logged 66 stations in Shortwave listeners often log
TV set. approximately 15 states; broadcast, utility, and amateur
If you are fortunate enough channels 2 and 4 have yielded stations, and send reception
to be able to get some detailed Es from Arkansas , Florida, reports to them to get
TV set specifications, you can Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, verifications (sometimes called
make some comparisons of and Louisiana in just two years. QSLs). Well , TV DXers do the
tuner and i-f specs. The tuner Trope reception here has same thing. A report addressed
should be mechanically ranged from central Virginia to to the Chief Engineer at the
durable, and feel solid to you . Massachusetts. station, with the city and state
I've operated some that felt as The point of all this is to use of license, will usually reach
if I could snap the shaft in two . the equipment and antennas the proper person. Make sure
Most of today's top-line sets you have. DX is possible on the reader knows it is a TV
from the major manufacturers, almost anything that works, reception report; some stations
Including the kits, are pretty and when the band is open it have sent out verifications of
good. If you plan to buy a new makes little difference whether their AM outlet, not realizing
set, do some research in the or not top-quality, DX-oriented, that TV signals can bounce too.
various consumer service equipment is used. Weak-signal The reception report should
magazines. If buying a used DX·ing does require contain verifiable material,
set, even a black-and-white, be specialization, but knowing excluding virtually a// network

48 m June 1977
programming, unless a spec ific addressed , stamped no. 1O
station announcem ent is made envelope. A copy of the Digest
that it was being show n on and an 8-page listin g of
de lay. Some good material to reprinted articles will be sent
prove reception would be local free to new DXers who se nd
broadcasts or commercials , WTFDA a self-addressed no. 10
local " tags" on network envelope with 24¢ postage
announcements , a sketc h of th e affi xed. Mention Ham Radio
call sli de, or th e layo ut of the Horizons when you write.
newsroom. An other good , but more
Be sure to enclose return expensive alternative is the
postage and, above all, do not annual Broadcasting Yearbook
WESH·2 Daytona Beac h. Florid a, was
demand a verifi cation. The logged during a week of open ings when
from Broadcasting
station is performing a this stat ion was seen daily. This shot of Publications. Thi s publication
courtesy, and couldn't care the fo recast was taken during their local is an outgrowth of the weekly
less about being viewed 6 PM newscast. on June 6, 1973. WESH trade journal Broadcasting , and
i s about 825 m it es (1327 kilometers) both can be found at most
outside its normal coverage
distant .
area. broadcasti ng stations or in
if you have a camera that does larger public librari es. The
Photographs not view through the lens, don't · information contained in the
Pictures of the TV DX may be forget to adjust for parallax at Yearbook is outstanding in
sent to the station along with the short distance between the detail and quantity, and is
your reception report s. Some camera and TV screen.• worth scouting around to find a
examples accompany the text. Incidentally, if you try to take copy to look at.•
Try co lor sl ides if you DX on a pictures at a shutter speed Closing remarks
color set; soon, you will have a faster than 1/30 second, you'll
colorful collection from both get some black bars because TV OXing can have other side
tropo and Es reception. the horizontal scanning doesn't benefits too. A few years ago, I
High Speed Ektac hrome have a chance to "paint" an found a good clear picture from
(ASA 160) exposed at 1/30 entire picture on the tube. WSBK-38, Boston , with a
second (no fast er!) and about Boston-Montreal Stanley Cup
an f/2 or f/1 .8 lens openi ng w ill Publications playoff game in progress. A
normally produ ce very decent Although a few TV station n eighbor and I are hockey fans ,
color pictures. Make sure the lists appear in " White's Log" in and we watched th e entire
TV set contrast is increased to the semi-annual Communica- game before the tropo open ing
produce a vivid pi cture. tion s World and in the Vance A. fold ed. WSBK is 255 mil es (410
A faster bl ack and white film , Jones Radio-TV Station Guide, kil ometers) north east o f here,
such as Tri-X (ASA 400), should these li stings are not and was the only TV station
be exposed at 1/30 second and particularly designed for DXers. carryin g the game.
about f/5.6. If your camera has Better alternatives are the TV Check the empty spaces on
a built-in exposure meter, use Station Guide, contain ing maps your TV dial; you'l l never know
it. Watch the light glare on the and station data (including o ff- what you might find . I'll be
tube face, and take steps to sets) by TV channels, for North happy to try to answer any
elimin ate it. Th e use of a and Central America; VHF-UHF questions upon receipt of a no.
polarizing filter or even Digest, a monthly magazine 10 self-addressed stamped
movement of a refl ecting lamp providing TV, FM , and envelope.
will be of great help. utilities listings; and Beyond
If you have one of the new Shortwave, an introduction to
sets with the automatic DXing above 30 MHz; all •Publishers' Addresses
color/contrast control as the published by the Worldwide TV- Communications World , Davis
room lighting c hanges, you FM DX Association. The Publi cations, Inc., 229 Park Avenue,
New York 10003.
might con sider " fooling " the association also publi shes a
Radio· TV Station Guide, Howard W.
ce ll to make the pictures bright brochure explaining the Sams & Company, Inc., 4300 West 62nd
and contrasty. A piece of black fun ctions of WTFDA that will Street, Indianapolis 46206: $4.95.
tape placed over the cell ought be sent upon receipt of a self- TV Station Guide, $5 annually; VHF-
t o do it. UHF Digest-sample copy 75¢; Beyond
To continue, make sure the *With rangefinder-t ype cameras Shortwave , $1 .25; all avai lable from The
focused at close d istances, there is Worldwide TV-FM DX Association, Box
camera is steady and consider
usually a difference between the image 163, Deerfield, Illinois 60015.
th e use of a tripod and cable
seen in the viewfinder and that " seen" Broadcasting Yearbook , Broadcasting
release. I am assuming that you by the lens. If your camera has parallax Publi cations, Inc., 1735 DeSales Street,
will use a single lens reflex correct ion marks in the viewfind er, use NW, Washington, DC 20036; $23
(SLR) camera in all of thi s, but them. If not. you' ll have to measu re. annually .

Ju ne 1977 ~ 49
439-MHz television DXing
There's a fascinating sequel to over the 300-plus mile (500 from . It peaked with Bi ll's beam
TV DXing provided by Arthur kilometer) distance would be pointed northwest, but no one
Towslee , WA8RMC, 180 nearly impossible, but decided he knew was broadcasting ATV
Fairdale Avenue, Westerville, to keep the schedule anyway. from that direction. When
Ohio 43081. Radio Amateurs They picked , at random, W9ZIH displayed his test
are permitted to transmit slow Sunday morning , October 3, pattern, you can bet that
scan television signals on hf 1976, from 9 to 9:30 AM local W8DMR's video recorder began
Amateur bands where time , for their first attempt. It moving!
frequency crowding limits was agreed that W9ZIH would "The video activity between
bandwidth, and fast scan transmit video between 9:00 Chicago and Columbus
television signals on uhf and 9:15, and WA9ZIG/8 would continued until about 10:30 AM ,
Amateur bands where there is transmit video between 9:1 5 by wh ich time condit ions had
little activity and where great and 9:30. In the course of somewhat deteriorated, so we
bandwidth is available . Here is events, Dale told me and a few signed off . W8DMR, WA9ZIG/8
a glimpse of ATV, Amateur others of his upcoming and I were the only stations
Television , DXing in which sc hedule with Ron , but due to . from the Columbus area to
the fact that an antenna party
among the local ATV
enthusiasts was also
scheduled for the same time,
Bill Parker, W8DMR, and I were
the only ones home. (We
planned to go to the party
later).
" I turned the rig on ju st
before 9:00 AM to check in , and
at 9:00 sharp there was nothing
but snow visible on the screen.
No sign of W9ZIH was
observed. At exactly 9:15,
television signals were sent WA9ZIG/8's video appeared, so work W9ZIH. We did manage to
and received over long I called him on the 2-mete r work another station, WA9SRR ,
distances; much farther, in fact, band to ask him whether he Bob Rosasco, from Winthrop
than their commercial would object to me Harbor, Illinois, but with less
counterparts. Art reports: transmitting video before 9:30 su ccess (P2). After we signed ,
"I am writing to you in the to see if W9ZIH could copy my WA8TLZ, Dave Wagner, in the
interest of fast scan Amateur signal. With that, W9ZIH Toledo, Ohio, area managed to
television activity. The answered me on 2-meter single work W9ZIH with similar signal
following is an amazing bit of sideband (signal strength over reports to those we had
atmospheric phenomena that S-9) and told me to turn on my obtained , but the band ' folded'
resulted in what I believe to be video on the 439-MHz at approximately 11 :30 AM EDT.
an ATV distance record . frequency. As I did, W9ZIH " The remarkable thing is that
Hopefully, this bit of news will immediately responded: 'I copy a random schedule was made ,
find a place in your magazine your video fine ... about 5 per not know ing what the band
and will stir reader interest in cent snow. ' At first, I couldn't conditions would be, and that
this fascinating derivative of believe this report, but an we were home at the time the
Amateur Radio. accurate description of my test antenna party was in progress.
"It started when Dale Ulmer, pattern confirmed it. After that (We arrived at the party late,
WA9ZIG, moved to Columbus initial exchange , he sent video with some terrific tales to tell!)
(Ohio) from the Milwaukee, which I copied with about 5-10 "To our knowledge, this is an
W isconsin area and set up his per cent snow (P4) and which ATV record distance contact ...
ATV activity here. was received about the same at for 439 MHz. I believe W8DMR
Communicating regularly with WA9ZIG/8's QTH . had a previous contact with
Ronald Stefanskie, W9ZIH , in " Meanwhile, W8DMR had K4EJQ in Bristol , Tennessee ,
Chicago on 40-meter ssb, the turned on his equipment and but our contact exceeded that
two amateurs decided to set up immediately saw W9ZIH 's one by approximately 50 miles!
an ATV (fast scan) schedule on video, but because Ron's If anyone knows of a greater
439 MHz, and try to establish callsign wasn't displayed at the distance contact on 439 MHz
contact with each other. They time , Bill didn't know where the ATV, we would like to know ."
believed that a two-way contact 'unknown' signal was coming HRH

50 m June 1977
 Just REAL
''HONEST-to-GOODNESS''
DEALING at.... " America '• Moil Reliable Amateur Radio Dealer"

DEAR OM :
When you 're in the market for a new or used piece of amateur radio gea r a nd in theJ'rocess of
s hopping around for the " BEST DEAL" you can get - DON'T BE F OOLED or misle by seem-
ingly unbeatable " Low-Bargai n" prices or "Whofesale " offers!! Remember, you us ua ll y "GET
WHAT YOU PAY FOR" - and the last thing you want (Or need ) your hard-earned dollars in-
vested in is a " bed of da ndelions" that you will regret long after the showers of April have pro-
duced the proverbial May flowers.

Thus. there are TWO IMPORTANT FACTOKS you should cons ider BEFORE YOU BUY - the
PRODUCT a nd the DEALER - or . in otherwords , WHAT you buy and WHERE or from whom
you buy it. And , to be s ure , a ny fair evaluation of the various makes & mode ls ava ilable on toda y's
amateur market s hould include a comparis on of Price, Performance, Fea tures, Quality, Resa le-
Value and SERVICE-AB ILITY among other things. Once again, DON 'T BE FOOLED by mere
··1ooks" or fanc y knobs or pretty colors alone - it's what 's INS IDE that counts! !

Now , a t BURGHARDT AMATEUR CENTER in Watertown, South Dakota - of all places ! NO

KIDDIN ) - we stock & sell AND GUARANTEE & S-E-R-V-1-C-E only HIGH -QUALITY /BRAND-
NAME m ercha ndise, and we carry a COMPLETE LINE of operating a ids & accessories to fill
virtua lly every ham need. But. it's not so much WHAT we sell , rather HOW we sell it that's worth
your cons ideration .

When it comes to FAST DE LI VERY, HONEST DEALING a nd DEPENDABLE S-E-R-V-1-C-E -

we don 't jus t adver tise it - WE GIVE IT !! (And. that's NO FOOLI NG ! 1 ) We don 't!retend to be
" Big Ope ra tor s" or "Wheeler-Dea lers" but choose ins tead to offer FRIENDS HIP an P ERSONAL
S-E -R-V-1-C-E plus RELIABILITY to those who realize that there is MORE to a ··GOOD DEAL"
than just the " Lowes t Price" - that, in the fin a l a nalysis, the REPUTAT ION of the dea ler sta nd-
ing behi nd their purc hase is worth as much or MORE than the QUALITY of the product itself.

Furthermore, when you dea l with us. you ALWAYS receive our prompt . PERSONAL ATTENTION
a nd INDIVID UAL CONCERN . E very lette r or phone call puts YOU in INSTANT T OUCH with
a lice nsed ha m who is READY . WILLING and ABLE lo give your order or inquiry his undivided
a ttention - NOT PUT YOU ON " HOLD !! .. We a lways "AIM TO PLEASE" a nd you 'll find us will -
ing to COOPERATE with YOU lo the limit - because we 'K NOW <and YOU know l tha t THERE IS
NO SUBSTITUTE for "GOOD" S-E -R-V-I-C-E ! !

In short - WE DON'T FOOL ARO UND'! Granted, we are ma king som e " pretty fanc y c la ims "
of our own in thes e paragra phs - but we want you to BE AWARE of OUH policies , our terms a nd
our SERVI CES - BEFORE YOU BUY somewhere else. All we ask for is the " OPPORTUNITY"
to s erve YOO - wha tever your needs. We a r e ON THE MA P . and we WILL go a LONG-LO NG
WAY to take VERY GOOD CARE of YOU - NO FOOLI N ! !

73's
STAN BURG HARDT W'1JIT BILL BURGHARDT WB0NBO JIM SMITH WB0MJY ERV HE IMBUCK K~OTZ

WE'RE FOR REAL . . . THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!

STORE HOURS: 124 First Av•nu• Northwest
TUESDAY thru SATURDAY P .O . Box 73
9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M . Wate rlown, South Ookola 5720 I
Closed Su nda y & Monday Pho ne 605-886-7314

Mo re detai ls? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 ~ 51

 Is it working
properly?

Use a wavemeter
to find out.
BY DOUGLAS A. BLAKESLEE, W1KLK

How do you know that your wavemeter - a device to check monitoring station, or a vhf
antenna is working? You have the frequency and relative parasitic could produce an
just called a station two or strength of radio-frequency unannounced visit from the
three times and he answered energy. While not a laboratory Saturday afternoon beer-and-
someone else - and this is standard by any means, it is so footbal I bunch. Some specific
not the first time it has useful in hundreds of ways that examples of ways to prevent
happened this evening . Your an ancient version of it was such troubles follow.
transmitter seems to be referred to as a "little gem" A simple way to check
working okay , at least the back in the golden days of approximate frequency and
meter readings are close to radio construction. Let's take a strength of radio-frequency (rf)
where they should be. That look at what goes into a signals is with an absorption
nagging suspicion about the modern wavemeter that you wavemeter. It's called an
antenna persists. Wouldn 't it can build in an evening or two, absorption device because a
be nice to have a little box that and then give you a couple of small portion of the rf energy is
said "yep, your antenna is well examples of how to use it. absorbed by its circuit and
and radiating." In the early days of radio, the used to drive an indicator - a
Did that last trip through the sound of a rotary spark gap or meter, in most cases. The basic
car-wash do something to your the color of a vacuum tube circuit for the wavemeter (Fig.
2-meter fm or CB antenna? would indicate trouble. Today, 1A) consists of a tuned circuit
Again , a little box that provided transistors and tubes are (coil and capacitor) to set the
a reassuring meter reading hidden behind layers of frequency, a diode to detect
would be real neat, right? protective shielding where the rf signal and convert it into
Right! there is rarely an audible or direct current , and a meter to
That little transmitter project visual indication when respond to the de and indicate
that you just finished - the something goes amiss . the relative strength of the
one that you painstakingly Nevertheless, every Amateur detected signal. The meter can
acquired the parts for, and needs a way to check his be replaced or supplemented
were ever so careful to follow equipment (and CB rigs can be by high-impedance headphones
the instructions to the letter checked, too). Otherwise, if you wish to monitor the
with - is it oscillating, and if harmonics could result in a modulation of an amplitude-
so, where? Ah, yes, that handy violation notice from a Federal modulated (a-m) signal.
little box again. It's a Communications Commission The field -strength

52 m June 1977
meter is a cousin of the accurate frequency readout, a voltage drop of the diode and
wavemeter and provides an highly selective tuned circuit is the sensitivity of the meter.
indication of relative signal needed. The measure of tuned- Semiconductor diodes exh ibit
strength. The field-strength circuit selectivity is Q. To the phenomenon of forward-
meter (Fig. 1B) consists of an . confuse things a bit, there are voltage drop (Vt) and, before
antenna connected to a diode two types of Q . First, there is more than negligible current
detector, which drives a meter. the Q of the coil itself, which is can flow through the diode, a
Obviously, if a way could be a function of size, shape factor voltage threshold (which is a
found to connect an antenna to and wire resistance. In this built-in characteristic of the
the wave meter, the functions of wavemeter the Q of the coi Is I device) must be exceeded.
the two instruments could be used, as measured on a Once above the threshold
combined. Boonton 195A Q meter, is given voltage, current flow increases
with Fig. 2. The Q of an rapidly with increased voltage.
Circuit description operating circuit is a function The threshold voltage for
The circuit diagram of a of its inductance/capacitance germanium diodes Is 0.2 to 0.3
combined wavemeter/field· ratio and the load impedance. volt, while silicon units have a
strength meter covering 1. 7 to In the circuit shown, a link threshold of 0.5 to 0.7 volt.
200 MHz is shown in Fig. 2. As Input for the antenna was Obviously, for best sensitivity,
with all simple instruments, the chosen; the transformer action the diode with the lowest
primary design task is to find of the coil and link assure that threshold voltage Is the choice.
optimum or near-optimum a low-impedance antenna wil l Any common germanium diode
components for a given circuit not unduly degrade circuit - 1N34A, 1N67A, 1N270 - is
configuration. To provide operating Q. suitable for CR1 . Capacitor C2
discrimination among adjacent The sensitivity of the circuit is included at the output of
rt signals and to achieve an is affected by the forward- CR1 to filter out unwanted rt
energy.
Output from the rt rectifier is
Glossary of Terms fed to an amplifier whose
purpose is to amplify the de
Forward voltage drop - refers producers of rt energy that can signal to a level sufficient to
to the drop, or decrease, in cause interference to other drive a milliammeter and to
voltage measured at one end of electronic devices and can provide adjustable gain.
a rectifier, compared to the create power loss in an
voltage measured at the other amplifier stage, or an oscillator Op Amps
end, when current flows stage. Like most parasites, The dev ice used is a 741
through the rectifier in a these oscillations must be operational amplifier,
"forward" direction. removed or, better still, commonly called an op amp.
prevented from occurri ng in the
Threshold voltage - the value first place by proper design of
During World War II analog
of input voltage to a device that th e circuit and choice of devices were designed which
will cause the device to begin compon ents. would perform mathematical
operating or to conduct current. functions such as summation ,
Semiconductor - a material that differentiation, integration,
Bus wire - a name given to a is neither a conductor (such as
common ground conductor or logs, antilogs , and so on .
coppe r) nor an insulator (such as
any other electrical conductor, ceramic). Most common
Because this family of devices
usually of large diameter, to semiconductor devices - grew out of operations
which other wires and circuits transistors, diodes, integrated research , John Aagazzini, in
are attached. The bus wire - or circ uits - are made from either 1947, coined the name
bus bar, as it is sometimes the element germanium or silicon operational amplifier. Today
known, is often un insulated, that have had a precise amount of
usually made from copper or Impurities (other elements) added
other material havi ng high in order to obtain a specific degree
electrical conductivity. The of performance.
origin of the word is obscure,
Analog - a term stemming from
but probably stems from
the word analogous (simiJar to).
omnibus, a carrier of all things.
Often used to compare with
Parasitic Oscillation - an digital. Examples are a digital
unwanted or spurious meter that provides a reading in
oscillation that may occur in precise numbers, vs an analog
tuned radio-frequen cy circuits, meter that has a moving pointer
but at a frequency usually not and a calibrated scale; a digital 0
related to the tuned-circuit watch vs an analog one with
frequency. Such oscillations are moving hands. Fig. 1. Basic circu it of the wavemeter, A ,
and field-strength meter, B.

June 1977 m 53
 10 •
GAINAOJ.
lltl R•
the inverse of the other. This
R2
stage is called a differential
amplifier because it amplifies

c: METER ZERO
only the difference in current at
the two input terminals, which

GD-If
UNK AHT.
Cl
100
are called positive (non-
i nverti ng) and negative
(inverting), and marked on a
schematic diagram with plus
Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of the and minus signs, respectively.
wavemeter. Part numbers shown The terminal names describe
are Rad io Shack (RS) or Lafayette what happens if a small
(L). L1 through L5 are wound on positive current is applied.
James Millen no. 45005 1-inch
diameter fo rms. Assuming the op amp is
employed as an amplifier, a
BT1 ,BT2 Transist or radio L5 2 turns, no. 22 (0.6mm) posit ive current applied to the
battery , 9-volt ( RS enamel wire, 114-inch positive terminal will result in
23-151) diameter, mounted in- non-inverted output. But a
C1 100-p F air variable, side a 1-inch (2 .5cm) positive current applied to the
panel mount (see foot- coil form ; 0.12µH. Fre- negative terminal results in an
note). quency range 60 to 150
MHz. Link 2-inch (5cm)
inverted output. (The output
C2,C3,C4 Disc ce ramic (RS current would be the input
272-120 series). long by 112-inch (1.3cm)
wide loop. multiplied by the gain of the
CR1 Germanium diode , amplifier).
1N34A, 1N67 A, 1N270 L6 Loop of no. 8 (3.3mm) The second stage of the op
(L 32P08774V). wire , 2 inc hes (5cm) amp acts as a buffer, usually
J1 Phone type jac k (RS high, 1/4-inch (0.65cm) with a gain of one to ten . The
274-346). spacing; flared at the
bottom to fit socket.
output stage provides moderate
L1 63 turns , no. 32 (0.2mm) current (enough to drive loads
enamel wire , close- Frequency range 80 to
200 MHz. of 1 to 10 kilohms) and bipolar
spaced; 1050 µH, Q =80
at 2.5 MHz. Frequency
(plus or minus) operation.
M1 Oto 500 µA or 0 t o 1 mA An ideal op amp will have
range 1.7 t o 4 MH z. meter (L 99P51070V), or
Link 15 turns. any small meter with a infinite input impedance,
L2 28 turns, no. 32 (0.2mm) case size of 1-1 /2 to 2- infinite gain, and low output
enamel wire , c lose- 1 /2 inche s (3.8 to impedance; practical devices
spaced ; 28µH, Q =95 at 6.4cm). come close to these goals.
5 MH z. Frequency Voltage gains of 100,000 or
R1 ,R2,R5 1/ 4- or 1/2-watt c om-
range 3 t o 8 MHz. Link
position (RS 271 -1300
more can be achieved while
15turns. drawing unmeasurably low
or 271-000).
L3 13 turns, no . 22 (0.6mm) current at the input, but one
e name l wire , c lo se- R3 PC - moun t co ntrol ,
l inear taper ( RS problem exists in all op amps :
spaced ; 5.1µH, 0 = 130 If the inverting and non-
at 10 MHz. Freq uency 271-218).
R4 Panel-mount co ntrol , inverting terminals are
range 7 to 20 MHz. Link
linear taper (RS connected together at zero
3 turns.
271-211). potential, the output should
L4 4 turn s, no. 22 (0.6mm) always be zero. Unfortunately,
enamel wire , close- S1 Spdt toggle swi tc h (RS
s paced ; 0 .82µH , Q = 275-326). this is not the case ; and output
100 at 25 MHz. Fre- U1 Op-amp IC , 741 or that occurs under these
quency range 17 to 55 equivalent (RS 276-007 conditions is called offset. The
MHz. Link 1 turn . or 276-010). higher the gain of the op amp
circuit, the more troublesome
hundreds of op amps have for a given function. The first
been designed using tubes and op amps were used almost INPUT I OIFFERENTIA
AMPLfFjfR
2
discrete transistors, but, exc lusively in analog INPU T

because of simplicity and size compute~s. but now, a book is

advantage, the most popular available that describes some
devices are in integrated-circuit of the many op-amp
form . An integrated circuit is a applications.1
group of transistors, diodes, An integrated-c ircuit op amp
resistors, and capacitors such as the 741 usually OUTPUT
STAG[
OUTPUT

formed on a single piece of consists of three sections, as

semiconductor crystal and shown in Fig. 3. The first stage Fig. 3. Block diagram of an operatio nal
interconnected to form a circuit has two inputs, one of wh ich is amp lifier.

54 m June 1977
offset becomes , because the
error current is amplified along
with the input signal. So, you'll
find included in the circuit a
control , R3, to null the effect of
any offset error.
For wavemeter/field-strength
meter applications the op amp
has too much amplification. A
resistive divider network
connected from the output to
the input (R4, R2, and R1)
provides feedback which sets
the gain of the circuit. R4
controls the amount of
feedback and, thus , the gain.
Because of the high gain of the
741, some precautions are
necessary to assure stable
operation . The op amp contains
an internal capacitor which
reduces its gain at higher
frequencies to prevent The wavemeter could be one of the most usefu l items around your radio room. Here
one coil is plugged into the socket at the top of the meter box. The " bare" co!I form
oscillation caused by phase shown to the left has the 60 to 130-MHz coi l inside it. A hairpin loop for the h1ghest-
shift. Leads to the op amp frequency range is shown in Fig. 8.
inputs should be kept short.
Both supply voltages should be meter itself, the milliammeter specifications for the number
bypassed by 0.1 µ.F capacitors is converted to a voltmeter. Of of turns and wire size are given
at the op amp (if more than one course, a 0-1 or 0-10 voltmeter in Fig. 2. These instructions
op amp is employed, each unit could be used in place of the should be followed carefully if
should have its own set of milliammeter. the calibration dial of Fig. 4 is
bypass capacitors). to be correct. The antenna-I ink
Output from the op amp is a Construction details input windings can be made
voltage that may swing from 0 The wavemeter is housed in from whatever wire you have
to approximately 9 volts. The a 5-1/2 x 3 x 2-118-inch available. No. 26 (0.4mm) wire
meter, M 1, is arranged to read (12.7x7.6x5.4cm) aluminum box was used for all of the coi ls in
this voltage. By adding a (Radio Shack 270-238). This the instruments shown ,
resistor (R5), which has a much particular size was chosen because it was handy. The
higher resistance than the because it fits well in the hand. sixth coi l is a piece of bus wire
An in terior view of the wavemeter shows
Lafayette 12P83738 is a bent to shape and covered with
the variable capaci tor near the cen ter of suitable alternative. The coil heat-shrinkable tubing. No
the box, and the op-amp circuit board socket and antenna jack are antenna-input provision has
just below it. The PC board is mounted mounted at the top of the box. been made tor this coi l: If one
on th e terminal screws of the meter. A A 2-lug terminal strip (Radio is desired, it could be mounted
different meter co uld require another
method of fastening the board in place. Shack 274-688 with 3 lugs in a Millen form along with the
removed) mounted at the coil sixth co il.
socket holds CR1 and C2. It is The circui t board should be
important that lead lengths in assembled next. See Fig. 5 tor
the rf section of the unit be the PC pattern and parts layout.
kept as short as poss ible. Check to see that the foil
Coils are wound on 1-inch pattern on the board is clean
(2.5cm) diameter forms (Millen and shi ny, but , if not, touch it
45005, see footnote).• The up with fine steel wool. Mount
the components a few at a
time, bending leads slightly to
·A kit of hard-to-find parts, including
the circui t board, five Mil len coi l forms,
hold the parts in place. Then ,
the air-variable capacitor, and the 5-pin using a 20- or 40-watt soldering
socket for the coi l fo rm, is available iron, heat the lead and the toil
from G. R. Whitehouse & Co., 15 f or a second and apply a small
Newbury Drive, Amherst , New amount of rosin-core solder.
Hampshire 03031 for $16.25 postpaid.
The circuit board alone is $3.00 The sma ll-diameter solder
postpaid. (often called instrument solder)

June 1977 m 55
 range and R4, the gain control ,
to minimum (fully
counterclockwise). Turn the
power on and adjust R3 for a
zero meter reading . Then
advance R4 to maximum (fully
Fig. 4. The c al ibratio n
dial for th e wavemeter. clockwise) which will probably
Th is full size drawing cause the meter pointer to
c an b e c ut out or move up or down. Re-adjust R3
pho t ocopied and g lued for a zero indication.
d irec t ly to t he wav e-
meter enclosure.
If the capacitor specified has
been used, and if the coils have
been carefully wound, the
is easiest to use. Two jackknife. A few coats of spray calibration scales should be
assembly techniques will be of paint in your favorite color can very close to correct.
help if troubleshooting is be applied to the cabinet , if Calibration can be checked by
necessary. First, use a socket desired. Then , mount the using any known source of rf
for the 741, which will make it components. The circuit board energy such as a transmitter, rt
easy to substitute another op is mounted on the meter bolts signal generator, or grid-dip
amp. Second , make all leads and circuit connection to the meter. Many dip meters are not
from the board to external meter is made with solder lugs_ very accurately calibrated , so
components long enough so If you use a meter with lug the dipper frequency should be
that the un it can be operated spacing different than that of checked with a receiver. A
with the board dismounted . the PC board, use just one lug receiver can also be employed
Troubleshooting a mounted for mounting. Wire all as a calibration instrument by
circuit board is often difficult. remaining connections. Note wrapping the antenna wire (not
If you choose to solder the IC that a ground lead is used coaxial cable) to the receiver
in place, invest in a solder- between the two sections of several times around the
removal tool. Trying to replace the enclosure to assure a low- wavemeter coil. Then, tune in a
an integrated circuit without resistance connection. The signal. As the wavemeter is
such a tool can result in final assembly step is to tuned through the frequency of
damage to the device or the identify controls with Dymo or the signal , a slight dip in signal
board , or both . My board was press-on labels and to attach st rength will be noted. One
designed for a 741 in the 8-lead the calibration scale with frequency (usually the center
DIP package. The "can" type rubber cement or double-sided frequency) on each band
may be substituted by bending tape. should be checked . If
its lead into the DIP pattern . necessary, add or remove coil
Next, do the required "metal Calibration turns until the calibration scale
bashing " on the cabinet. A Set R3, the offset-null indication matches the
metal enclosure is desirable control, to approximately mid- frequency of the known signal.
because of its shielding
properties which limit rt pickup
to the coil and the antenna ~~-BT I ,.--- - -- - -- -- - - ,

jack. Do a trial layout of +

components to avoid drilling
holes in the wrong places.
Mark holes to be drilled f irst in
pencil , and then with a center Mf

punch. The large holes can

present a problem in a home
workshop equipped with only a
R4 fM
hand drill. Greenlee chassis
punches are available for large- 0
diameter holes, and they are MOUN TIN G
HOLE

r
L1 - L6
convenient and easy to use. lNCL

CJf·qLi-·o·____
Another technique is to drill a J2 CR f ~
round pattern of small, closely-
spaced holes slightly less in
diameter than the desired hole,
and then use a half-round file

C~-n
to finish the hole to the
desired size.
Fig. 5. A part s-placement guide tor the wavemeter
After the holes have been printed-circuit board. A board pattern is given in
JI
drilled, remove all burrs with a (ANTENNAJ Fig. 6.

56 ~ June 1977
Glade Valley School Radio Session
18th Year - July 30 thru August 12, 1977
Hams do it with more frequencies!
Improve your slice of the spectrum
by upgrading.
Glade Valley School in the Blue
Ridge Mountains of North Caro-
lina offers an intensive two week
Radio Session in code and theory
starting at your level.
Expert instructors and close as-
sociation with fellow amateurs offer
an opportunity for Saturation-
Learning.
Novices upgrade to General, Techs
become General and Advanced and
Advanced become Extras.
FCC exam available at close of
session.
r---------------------------------1
C. L. PETERS, K4DNJ , Director 1

P. 0 . Box 458, Gl ade Valley, N . C. 28627 :

Please send me the Booklet and Ap- 1
plication Blank for the 1977 Glade 1
Valley School Radio Session. :
Na me Call_ _ :
I
Address 1
I
City /State/Zip :
----------------------------------'
~t75
~LU 2
~U.. ~~~~D~~YS
,- AND OUTDOOR
~ FL EA MARKETS
SEE LATEST
EQUI PMENT
BY THE NATION'S
LEADING
MANU FACTURERS
FCC EXAMS
FORUMS, SEM INARS
AWARDS BANQUET
HOTEL
OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS At first glance, both these cars look like they have st.andard
N . Y. STATE ROCHESTER factory antennas. Even at second glance.
ARRL MARRIOTT But the one on the left has a ham rig inside. You
CONVENTION ROUTE 15
can't tell because on the outside it has an ASPR 748 gain
AT THRUWAY
disguise antenna. So the rip-off artists just pass it by.
MAY EXIT 46
HAMFEST LOCATION
A/S has an entire line of high-efficiency disguise
antennas for GM, Chrysler and Ford automobiles. The
21, 22 MONROE COUNTY
FAIRGROUNDS ITh185 Cowl Mount Whip System, for instance, will mount
ROUTE l 5A AND on an auto cowi fender or deck in a single
1977 CALK INS COUNTY 7/8" to 15/16"hole.
ROCH ESTER, N . Y.
For years law enforcement agencies
WRITE:
ROCHESTER HAMFEST
have used A/S disguise antennas to keep
BOX 1388 their cover. They'll help you keep yours, too.
ROCHESTER, N . Y. 14 603 We'll bet our A/S on it.
OR CALL: the antenna specialists co.
7 16-271-1460 DAYS ONLY
12435 Euclid Avenue, aevelend, Ohio 44106 • a member of The Allen Group, Inc.

More details? Ad Chec k page 78. June 1977 ~ 57

 levels are found on other than
the operating frequency, high·
frequency harmonic problems
can be cured with a
Transmatch or half-wave filter
connected between the
transmitter and the antenna. A
lowpass filter connected
between the output anten na
terminal of the transmitter and Fig . 8. The "co i l" for t he h ighes t-
frequency range could be desc ribed as a
the antenna will reduce hairpin. It can be made to the correct
harmonic energy in the TV s ize by comparing it to the rule. Bare
channels. ends of t he heavy wire plu g directly into
the socket on the wavemeter.
2. Suppose you want to check
F!g. 6. Full-size circuit·board pattern, foil
your recently-completed
side. A parts-placement guide is shown kilowatt amplifier to assure attaching a small antenna to it
in Flg.5. yourself that no parasitic and place it on the dashboard '
oscillation (an oscillation of your car in a position for
Using the wavemeter unrelated to the operating convenient viewing. One
Use your wavemeter anytime frequency, usually in the vhf enterp ri sing amateur in
you want to sense the region) is present. Reduce the England insulated his rear-view
presence of rf energy and to amplifier plate voltage so that mirro r and used it as an
determine its approximate if oscil lation occurs, the plate antenna for his field-strength
frequency. Whenever you work dissipation of the tube w ill not meter. After you have tuned
on a receiver or transmitter, be exceeded. With the amplifier your rig and observed the
remember the safety rules on, tune the wavemeter from 30 normal field -strength
because high voltages are to 200 MHz. When the parasitic indication, any sudden d rop on
often present. Even transistor frequency is found, construct a the meter indicates trouble
equipment develops enough trap for that frequency and, with you r transmi tter or
power to produce a nasty rf or after all voltage is removed antenna.
heat burn. When you bring the from the transmitter, insert the 4. As an antenna experimenter
wavemeter close to an trap into the plate circuit. Then, you're bui lding a quad beam for
operating circuit, think safety. rerun the test to make sure that 6 meters. To check your
A few examples will the parasitic has been experi ments, locate a reference
demonstrate the versatility of removed . dipole several wavelengths
this simple instrument: 3. You're a mobile operator and away from the quad, and
1. As a Novice, you want to want to monitor the output of connect it to the wavemeter by
check your transmitter to your rig by having some sort of coaxial cable. Then proceed
assure that when you are continuous indication that with various tuning and
operating on 80 meters, you everything is operating spacing adjustments to
don't have a second harmonic correctly. Use your wavemeter produce maximum forward
outside the 40-meter band or as a f ield·strength meter by gain, (or maximum front-to-back
have unwanted rad iation in any ratio), as indicated by the
of the TV channels. A pickup wave meter.
loop similar to that shown in Although details of filters
Fig. 6 is built from a piece of parasitic traps and antenna '
RG·8A/U cable. Remove a tuning are beyond the scope of
section of the outer insulation SUNK BELOW this art icle, information can be
INSULATION
and a rectangular portion of the
SURFACE found in publications such as
braid. Using a soldering iron, ARRL's The Radio Amateur's
heat a piece of bus wire and Fig. 7. The pickup loop is con- Handbook, Antenna Book, and
sink it into the insulation which
structed from RG·8A/U coa xial Understanding Amateur Radio
cable. The outer insulation has which are available from ham '
surrounds the inner conductor. been removed for a length of 3
Form a loop 1·1/4 inches inches (7.Bcm). Then a rectangular radio 's Communications
(3.2cm) in diameter in the bus section of the shield braid has Bookstore, Greenville, New
wire to allow coupling to the been cut away. The loop section, Hampshire 03048.
made of bare wire, was heated
wavemeter. With the loop with a soldering iron and sunk Into
section of coaxial cable the Insulation just far enough to Reference
connected between the provide some support and coupl·
ing to the cen ter conductor. Both 1. Graeme, Tobey and Huelsman
transmitter and the antenna, ends of the wire forming the loop Operational Amplifiers - Desig~
the wavemeter is used to check are so ldered to the braid at one and Applications, McGraw-Hii i,
for rf energy. If appreciable point to obtain a ground reference. 1971. HRH

58 m June 1977
 THE HAM-KEY CIE has a terrific idea
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More details? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 m 59

 BY BOB LOCHER, W9KNI

It's a Tuesday in late April. I've equal amount of sunshine. operator on Minami Torishima
had a long but fairly While some paths are best in - off duty and doing a little
satisfactory day at work, the dead of winter or in mid- operating. Weather conditions
dinner's finished , my wife is at summer, many of the important there are relatively stable right
a meeting, and my homework's paths are at their best near the now, but in a few months
done - now for a little DXing! equinoctial period. conditions will change for the
Late April and early May are I settle the earphones on my worse, with Minami Torishima
intriguing months for the DXer. head, adjusting the band for located right smack in the
The winter doldrums are past, maximum comfort . The receiver middle of the so-called
the long-haul paths are opening is warm and I begin tuning; the " Typhoon Alley" area of the
more reliably now, longer both mosaic that is a DX band North Pacific.
in time and in length. At this begins to unfold. I hear I think of the Bolivian station
time of year, the northwest Siberians, Japanese - many of as I cross his frequency again
path for 20 meters is queen; them - I hear Guam. There's - I listen:
Guam, Okinawa, Japan, Minami Torishima, a remote
OTH HR LA PAZ LA PAZ
Formosa, Korea, Hong Kong, island with a weather station in
Macau, and someday - the North Pacific. Off the back
of my antenna I hear Bolivia, all Location here is La Paz.
perhaps - China.
The periods around the - of course - with Americans La Paz, high in the Andes
equinoxes - March 21 and and Canadians well mixed in. mountains, near Lake Titicaca
September 21 - are of special I love tuning an open band ; and neighboring Peru. Spring is
interest to t he DXer. The sun is the world is calling and I must here in the States, but there
directly over the equator, and listen. I conjure up a vision of the fall season is in the air. I
all parts of the world receive an the Japanese weather station hear him turn it over to a VE3

60 m June 1977
in Ontario, I go on. There's a I move on up the band. Its so one night he arrived with
weak signal : not wise to I isten too long to a some test gear. The long and
huge pileup when the band is short of the problem was too
WBBEUN DE YBMBT R TNX aso
UR AST 569 569 HR NA JAKARTA open if you don't need that much inductance in the driver
JAKARTA ON SUN DA STRAIT station, because a rare one that grid coil - we removed two
you do need may be lurking turns and I was in business on
WBBEUN from YB0ABT, roger, just up the band. I remember 15 meters!
thank you for the contact, your one night a couple of years ago We hooked up the 40-meter
signals are clear and good copy when there was an enormous dipole, my only antenna,
here near Jakarta on Sunda pileup on a KG6 station who realizing that 40-meter dipoles
Strait. had a 20 over S-9 signal; yet work fairly well on 15 meters. I
Sunda Strait, the watery path less than 10 kHz higher was had one crystal that put me
that so many ships of all the super-rare XU1AA in "dead on" 21, 120 kHz. We
nations traverse. Cambodia begging for calls . tuned up the rig, and all
seemed well. Now maybe I
WX HR 76 76 F ES RAIN A call from the past could catch an elusive W6 -
DE JA1ADN K the only call area I lacked. We
Weather here is 76 degrees began tuning near my crystal
Fahrenheit and raining. It brings back a flood of frequency.
memories. I was fifteen years There was a station calling
I think that 76 degrees is
old, and been a Novice for only CQ - it was JA1ADN! He
pretty cool for there, then I four months. My call was signed and I called, very
remember that it's early KN0t-IGB, and I lived in Iowa. nervously. He came back - to
morning in Indonesia. Those were the days of 75 someone else. I was in despair,
This fellow ought to be watts and crystal-control for but my friend told me to wait
creating a lot of interest - Novices. I had just built a new and listen. I did. The JA
Indonesia is always a good finished the contact. I called
75-watt rig from a kit; up from
catch. I hear WB8EUN him again and he came back -
25 watts with the old rig.
answering on backscatter. I'm But there was another to me! Was I excited! It still
going to listen to a bit of this. sends shivers up and down my
difference - the new rig
As EUN signs clear, several should work on 15 meters, but spine to think of it. And there
stations try "tail end" calls. it didn't - something was - right there - I was
The YB0 comes back to wrong! A friendly ham in the irretrievably hooked on DX.
WB8EUN and signs clear. Frankly, I was so elated at
neighborhood agreed to assist,
Pandemonium! Sure glad I
don't need it. The S-meter just
stands steady at 20 over S-9 for SM0FY seems to be enjoying a CW contact with th e aid of his keyer. A part of a
DXCC certificate is visible behind him, possibly earned through his use of the Drake
almost a minute, then drops as equipment evident in this neat arrangement.
stations complete their calls.
There's no sign of the YB0
coming back yet. Then a strong
DE K5FVA K5FVA K

Hey - its Louie! He must have

been lying in the weeds 'til the
pileup died down, because I
didn't hear him before.
And, son of a gun, look at
that:
K5FVA DE YBMBT
The delayed-call trick worked
again . Its one of the more
effective tricks in an open
pileup. It requires iron
discipline and nerves of steel
to sit there listening to the
pileup, and, as it dies down,
slipping your vfo into a clear
hole and getting in that one
clear call; but it often works.

June 1977 m 61
 --~ ... «lOolru,
my name is Luis - send
l confirmation card to LU2AFH
- how well do you receive my
signals? W9KNI from LU1ZA ,
go ahead.
• 001• -'M ••~i! I go back,
LU1ZA DE W9KNI R TNX OSO
DR LUIS BT
UR AST 579 579 OTH NA CHICAGO
NAME BOB OSL LU2AFH OK
LU1ZA DEW9KNIAA KN

LU1ZA from W9KNI, roger,

thank you for the contact dear
Luis, your signals are also
strong and clear here near
Chicago - my name is Bob, I
will send the confirmation card
to LU2AFH okay. LU1ZA this is
W9KNI, go ahead.

R OK BOB TNX 73 W9KNI

DE LU1ZA SK ORZ DE LU1 ZA K

Roger, okay Bob, thank you and

The statio n o f JA 1 KSO has the capability to reach out for the rare o nes , as bes t regards to you, W9KNI
indi cated by the certif icates and endorsements on the wall behind th is well- this is LU1ZA, end of contact.
eq uipped operating desk. One of the DXCC certifi cates sports a sticker for 300 and What station was calling me ?
another has one for 310 different countries!
This is is LU1ZA, go ahead.
Wow! Instant pileup! Guess
there must be thirty stations
that point that the few a ca with just th e faintest ca lling in there. While I li sten
operati ng ski lls I had virtually trace of a ch irp - a nice fist, t o the madhouse, I fill out the
coll apsed. My friend had to too. QSL. I get out my DX Cal/book,
help me copy, but I completed and find LU2AFH , Lui s' QSL
the contact okay, and a few CO CO DE LU1 ZA LU1 ZA CO manager. I address one of my
weeks later I received my QSL. special blue overseas airmail
Now, twenty years later, Wow - there he is already. envelopes - they are very
JA 1ADN is sti ll active, and so Good thing I came early. He's light, to redu ce postage
am I. We sti ll meet on the DX getting stronger, too, as my expense, and very opaq ue, so
bands occasionally and, antenna comes arou nd t o hi s that the contents cannot easily
whenever I hear him, I recall my direction . Quickly, I bring my be identified. I look in the front
first DX QSO. tran smitter vfo to a "dead zero" of the Cal/book and find the
Wou ld you believe it was two with his signal just as he signs. t able of International Postal
more weeks before I worked my I li st en for a moment - dead Rates. I find Argentina, and the
first W6? silence. I call him: table indicates three
LU 1ZA DE W9KNI W9KNI AR International Reply Coupons -
A new part of the world IRCs - are needed for airmail
A brief call because I don't
I glance at the clock - return postage.
want to attract attention if no
01552 (GMT), which is 8:55 PM These IRCs are really ni ce -
one else is call ing him. Then ,
COST. I have a note pencil ed you buy them at the Post
into the margin of my log. W9KNI DE LU1 ZA Office for 42¢ each. Then you
Earlier I had heard LU2AFH Hot Dog! A new count ry! mai l them to the DX station
mention t o a W4 that LU12A, GE OM TNX OSO RST 579 579
with your QSL. The DX station
o n the South Orkney Islands in OTH ISLAS ORCADOS ISLAS takes the IRCs to hi s post
the Antarctic, would be on ORCADOSBT office. If he gives the clerk one
14065 kHz most Wednesdays at NAME LUIS LUI S BT IRC, he w ill rec eive in return
02002, whi ch translates to 9PM OSL LU2AFH LU2A FH enough postage to send you a
HW CPY? W9KNI DE LU1ZA K
COST. Now I hit the antenna QSL via first class surface mail.
rotor, and start my beam Good evening old man, thanks More IRCs can be exchanged
around to 159° - the bearing for the contac t, your signals for enough postage for an
for the South Orkneys. I move are s trong and clear here at my airmail response - the number
the receiver to 14065 and I hear loca tion on Islas Orcados - needed for an air response

62 ~ June 1977
 P29EJ P29EJ DE W4BW W4BW K.
H'm, it's Prose, calling New
Guinea; think I'll take a look. I
turn the antenna toward New
Guinea - a little north of
straight west.
It sure makes a difference
using a great circle map. I used
to reason that since New
Guinea was near Australia, I
should point my antenna
Alf, LA4LL, chases DX from a compact southwest like it shows on the Com par a tive l y ra r e T urkey is
but fun cti onal corn er setup , proving National Geographic maps. But so met imes rep r esented on t he ham
that you can have a lot of fun without when I pointed my antenna that bands by TA 1MB. Again, the emphasis
instal ling a super station. is on a simple and inexpensive station.
way, I could barely hear the DX
station . That was a real
being listed in the International disappointment. I had put up a the map t hrough t he DX station
Postage Rates table in the DX two-element tri-band beam , so to the edge of the map. On t he
Cal/book. In this case, the table that I could work DX better, but edge you read the direction to
shows that Argentina needs 3 often I could hear the DX po int your antenna. With two
IRCs for Airmail postage. louder on my dipole. except ions, wh ich we'l l cover
I take another blue airmail Well , one of the old timers shortly , that's all there is to it.
envelope, and address it to took pity on me when I asked And don 't worry about the
myself, remembering to include for advice, and dug out a dusty exact degree reading - be ing
"USA" on the bottom line. I globe. He showed me how within ten deg rees will be fine,
fold it, and enclose it in the Great Circle routes work, and I and makes no difference. So,
envelope to LU2AFH, along remembered that name from for New Guinea, we poin t the
with the QSL and the three grade-school geography, along antenna a bit north of straight
IRCs. Tomorrow I'll take it to with Bunga of Malaya. Then, he west, not southwest ; and yes,
the Post Office and send it off. pointed out that radio signals, there he is, talking with W4BW.
With luck, I may have my QSL like transoceanic pilots, travel Now, the exceptions. One is
from LU1ZA in two or three the globe in the shortest one of the more exc it ing
weeks. direction - a great circle path. aspects of DXing - Long
The IRCs are expensive; 42¢ Then, the " OT" pulled out Paths , something many newer
each . Obviously, three cost his Antenna Manual and DXers aren't real ly aware of.
$1 .26, but sometimes an showed me that Great Circle If we consider the ease,
opportunity may arise to map. All of a sudden I began to given good conditions, that we
purchase them from a DX understand! I had wondered can work stations ten thousand
station or a QSL manager for what that silly map was for. m iles away - stations nearly
the approximate "cash-in" Yup , it tells where to point your half way round the world from
value. Such sources are not beam antenna. There are some us - then what happens to our
common, but it does happen, real nice Great Circle maps in signals when they reach the
and the DXer should be alert to color, available from ham opposite point of the globe? Do
the opportunity. radio ,* that you can hang on they quit and fall over the
Now, I've finished the QSL the wall of your station; they're edge? Of course not, they keep
for the LU1ZA QSO, and I turn a great help to any DXer. right on going as far as
my attention again to the To use the map, all you do is propagation conditions will
pileup. It is huge now, people find the station you want to carry them. So, beaming our
calling LU1ZA frantically, but work on the map, and mental ly signals down a good
he seems to have gone - draw a line from the center of propagation path, it is often
probably scared off by the size possible to work a stat ion by
of the pileup . Sure glad I snuck ·Radio Amateur's Grea t Circle Chart of send ing our signals more than
through a QSO before everyone the World plotted from the center of 12,500 miles. Sometimes, this
found him! the Uni ted States and showing Great long path approach is more
Circle bearings in degrees to other
areas of the world . The Chart also rel iab le than the shorter direct
Which way did he go? includes a list of bearings from six one.
I continue to tune the band, major U.S. cities to the most important For example , from the
listening to the grunts, the cities of the world. In full color, 30 x 25 midwest USA in the summer
inches (76x64cm), Order No. CB·GCC
chirps, the whispers calling. I from ham radio's Communications
months, the most reliable path
come across a loud, beautiful Bookstore, Greenville, New Hampshire into South Africa on twenty
fist: 03048; price $1 .25 postpaid. meters is the long path. We

June 1977 m 63
 Cramped for
Antenna ?
space.
paths , and pick the one
offering best copy. Thi s doesn 't
necessarily mean the strongest
signal, bu t the one most free of
echoes caused by the signal on
the opposite path.
The answer to your problem is here ! ! ! The other exception to
The McKAY DYMEK DA 100. normal-bearing short paths is
The DA 100 is a compact, wide dynamic the so-called " crooked" path.
range, broadband, untun ed, om_ni-direc- This condition defies
tio nal receiving antenna coveri ng the conventional logic, and is
frequency range of 50 kHz to 30 MHz.
The exterior module, a small weather-proof
d iff icu It to forecast. It
~ manifests itself when you hear
box with a 56 inch (142 cm) whip delivers
the signal to the power su pply unit through The sh ac k of Pete , SM2CEW, has a a DX signal from an unusual
a su pplied 50' coaxial cable. look of convenience and effectiveness direction. You turn your
The power supply locates near your abo ut it. Hi s location (Lulea, Sweden)
general coverage receiver and attaches antenna toward him, and he
near the Arctic circle has not hampered
with a supplied patch co rd .
co llecting QSL cards for the wall.
drops out. Then you try long
The DA 100 antenna is small, but will equal path, with similar resu lts. Th.e
or outperform a 100' long wire antenna,
and is priced within reach of everyone!
condition is due to a scattenng
point our antennas straight . effect , which we won't cover
Order factory direct. Call toll free today ! west in the hours after sunrise, here. Usually, crooked-path

-I
M oney-back guarantee. Rent/ own pl<;in
available. Complete specs and details on and there they are, South signals show up on a path that
request. In Canada, contact Ro-Bar. Africans. It's exciting, really, to is open to somewhere else. For
Electron ics, 140 Doncaster, Thornhill, think of the signal heading out
Ontario (41 6) 881-2331 . examp le, you might hear
over the Pacific, over Au stralia, Japanese stations out of the
Nationwide 800/854-7769 cmmm
California 8001472-1783 - into and across the Indian southwest when the band is
~ McKay Dymek Company Ocean and its trackless
l l j (. 675 N. Park Ave., P.O. Box 2100 open to the South Pacific , or
surface, and into South Africa you might hear Europeans on a
11111111 Pomona, Calif. 91766 - Long Path indeed! band open to Central Africa,
On 40 and 20 meters other with no normal opening to
reliable long paths exist: The Europe. All you can do to work
Mid-East and Eastern Eu rope,

5
these stations is turn your
HELPFUL beaming straight southwest in antenna until the signals peak,
mid-winter; Australia, beaming
HANDBOOKS! ENE in winter; and India,
no matter what direction.
So, l isten carefu ll y, and
straight south in winter. good DX . HRH
Save time, trouble, money
Aiming your antenna is easy:
Enjoy louder signal reports
You determine the short path
bearing on the Great Circ le
• Low-Cost WIRE ANTENNAS map , and point your antenna in
Describes 65 antennas, 2-lbO meters, outdoor· exactly the opposite direction.
indoor, "invisible." By WbSAI, 192 pps. $4.95
The trick is in knowing when to
• BEAM Antenna Handbook look for a long path opening.
Beam dimens ions, 6-40 meters. Compact and tri •
band beams. By W6SAI, 200 pps. $4.95
Really, experience is the best
teacher, but the above
• CUBICAL QUAD Antenna s information on paths will be a
The world-famous book by Bill Orr, WbSAI. helpful start. Also, if you hear
Build your own efficient Quad. 112 pps. $4.75
people calling a DX station and
• VHF HANDBOOK you can't hear him on the short
Covers VHF bands, FM, satellites, and much
more. By W6SAI & W9EGQ, 336 pps. $5.95
path, or can only barely hear
him , try pointing your antenna
• Better Shortwave Reception down the long path. Or, if you
How to get best receiver "buy," how t o a lig n are listening to a weakish DX
for loud signal s. By WoSA I & W2LX, 15&
pps. $4 .95 station, and he has a bit of
echo on his signal , definitely
Sold by leading dealers. On orders to publisher,
add 35 ¢ post./handling per book. CT. res. try a " look" in the other
add sales t ax. direction.
Sometimes, you will even
find a situation where both the "Nothing serious. Little Mary Jane Hi cks
RADIO PUBLICATIONS, INC. long path and the short path next door scooped him on working the
Box 149, Wilton, CT 06897 are open. Then you try both DXped ition to Okino Tori-Shi ma."

64 ~ June 1977
 THE

ORIGINAL
POSTURE KEY
By Shavney

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$
•
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PA. RESIDENTS ADD 6% SALES TAX.
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TRY IT, YOU 'LL LIKE IT! 111 S. EASTON RD.
GLENSIDE, PA., 19038

Finally, an Amateur Radio Magazine

written for you! - covering just what yo u want to
know and in a language you'll understa n d and en -
joy. Join the many thousands who have already
subscribed to the newest magazine in Amateur
Rad io Ham Radio HORIZONS with great reading
for th e old t imer and a vit al helping hand for the
beginner. Dedicated to the fun of Amateur Rad io.
As a subscriber you won't miss a single exciting
issue and you' ll save money at the same time.
Don't m iss out - send i n your order today.

~~RADIO
llORIZONS Greenville, NH 03048
Please send HORIZONS, I enclose check or money order.
D 1 Year ......... $10.00 D 3 Years ............. $24.00

Address _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __

C ity_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ State _ __ Zip._ __

More details? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 m 65

 ..a those days before spark . • •

~
0
- 0

A fascinating chapter in the hitherto unpublished history of

hamming is revealed in all its exciting detail. The tragedy,
pathos, unsung heroism, and - yes - laughter, are all
here, just for you
BY LAURA SARGENT, WA7YUA

Radio meetings were invented Unfortunately, before he got emerged with a working model
in 35,000 B.C. by Grakk - who any further, he received news containing something which he
was looking for a way to get of the invention of referred to mysteriously as the
out of the cave a couple of unemployment compensation "insides." Unfortunately,
evenings a month. and went off to stand in line. Lasagne's radio could receive
Unfortunately, before he was Lethargi cus' knob somehow only one local rock station.
able to patent the idea, his wife turned up in Europe several Another Italian, Fettucini ,
invented the big c lub and the years later when a German devoted his life to making a
concussion. (Mrs. Grakk later (name unknown) got th e idea of radio (based on the Lasagne
invented ladies' bridge parties attaching it to a box. The story "insides" theory) that would
- which didn't become really is that he spent the rest of his send and receive on all
popular until 1183 when life carrying the box from one frequencies . In 1327 he was
s uccess ful playing cards were mountain-top to another - finally successf u I.
invented.)* trying to get the best reception . Unfortunately, the Fettucini all-
Al though radio it sel f was not The next important frequency radio received all the
invented until much later in development came ce nturies frequen cies at once . (Some
history, there were some early later. About 1220 an Italian people liked to dance to it , but
unsuccessful attempts. For scientist named Lasagne heard most thought it could be
instan ce, one primitive tribe on about the early Greek and improved .)
the coast of France tied long German work and decided to The next advance after that
twigs to seashells and tried , in continue the research himself. was made by Linguini. In 1481
vain , to get a different station He locked himself up in his lab he built a radio that could be
(t he noise-level was too high). for three years and finally tuned to send and receive on
The first real breakthrough individual frequencies . Soon
came about 50 B.C. in Greece. after the complet ion of the first
Lethargic us, temporarily o ut of set he was astonished to hear a
work, was looking around for faint signal coming from
something to do. While toying another station - in Boston,
with a knife and a piece of Massachusetts. This was very
wood, he realized excitedly that interesting to Christopher
he had carved a tun ing knob. Columbus (who happened to be
visiting that day). He
immediately began looking fo r
·Note: our files for this pe riod ind ic ate ways to get across the ocean
that at least two early attempts to and exchange QSL cards .
popularize playing cards were made.
but failed - ostensibly because of the Columbus missed Boston by
diffic ulty in shufflin g decks of stone a few miles, but the Pilgrims
tablets . Editor eventually landed near there .

66 m June 1977
 How You
Can Convert
Your Rohn
25G Tower to a
FOLD-OVER
CHANGE, ADJUST OR JUST
PLAIN WORK ON YOUR
ANTENNA AND NEVER LEAVE
They were met by a small band THE GROUND.
of Indians who owned little
except for the plastic Radio
Tepee hand-helds they had If you have a Rohn 25G
been given for Christmas one Tower, you can convert it to
year. The Pilgrims soon found a Fold-over by simply using
out that th e Indians were not a conversion kit. Or, buy an
much interested in trading for inexpensive standard Rohn
beads but would do almost 25G tower now and convert
anything for a Once-A-Month
to a Fold-over later.
Free Battery card.
The Indi ans were very happy Rohn Fold-overs allow you to
with their hand-helds and work comp letely on the
supply of fresh batteries. They ground when instal l ing or
especially liked to use them servicing antennas or rotors.
when they were surrounding Th is eliminates the fear of
the Pilgrims ' vi llage prior to an climbing and worki ng at
attack. One Indian would hoot heights. Use the tower that
like an ow l into his radio and
reduces the need to climb.
another would hear and hoot
back . Fortunately for the
When you need to "get at"
Pilgrims , the Indians usually your antenna ... just turn
got so involved with their. the handle and there it is.
hooting that they forgot to fire Ro hn Fold-overs offer un-
any arrows. beatable utility.
Radio became very important Yes! You can convert to a
to the further settling of this Fold-over. Check with your
country. The westward push distributor for a kit now and
was in fact sponsored by the
keep your feet on the ground.
FCC - which had a lot of 6
and 7 calls that weren' t being
used.
AT ROHN YOU GET THE BEST
Yes - radio has played an
important and interesting role
in the history of this country
and the world. The next time
Unarco-Rohn
you squeeze a mike , maybe
you'll give thanks to some of
the unsung heroes who labored
6 01v1s1on ol Unarco lndus1r1es. Inc.
Po Oox 2000. Peona, lll1no1s 61601

to provide you with such a fun

way to spend your time and
money. HRH

June 1977 m 67
 B. B. C.
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68 m
L-------------------------J
June 1977 More detail s? Ad Check page 78.
Let Standard help~ obtain your
Technician Class Ham Ticket.
It's not as hard as you thin k. With Standard's exciting new
package you can be ready before you know it. This is a
program designed to assist CB'ers and other non-
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Sound great? It is , and the Standard package has every-
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You 'll also get with this package sisting of the following material : Code key / oscillator,
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suitable for listening only . the cost of a year's subscription to Ham Radio Horizons
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Now you know what it takes to pass the FCC Technician
Class amateur radio license examination : some time,
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See your local Standard CB or Amateur Dealer for
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Communications Corp.
P.O. Box 92151
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GENERAL 53. THE SH ADOW! Who Kno ws Wh al Evil Lur ks 1n lhe Hearts
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HOME STUDY I NSTRUCTIONS AND radio adve11tu re

LEARN TO RECEIVE CODE ONCE AND - OTH ER SH OWS AVAILABLE -

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N1ge1 Bt uc c
METHODS OFTEN DON'T WORK DUE TO 6. AFTERNOON t<IO SH OWS Capt M 1dn1ghf. Jack Ar m-
INSUFFICIENT PRACTICE MATERIAL. stro ng, B uc k Rogers. D ick Tracy (4 show s)
8. DOWN IN ALLEN"S A LLE Y, wo th Fred Allen
THI S NEW METHOD SUCCESSFULLY 10. THE SPIKE JON ES SHOW 11949) , & VIC & SADE { 194 6)
USED BY PEOPLE FROM 10 TO 65 YEARS 15. THE ALDRICH FAMILY ( 1939), & LIFE WITH LUIGI 11948).
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20. THE GREAT GILDERSLE EVE (1 949) & OU R MISS
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CHECK IN G SHEETS TO VERIFY AC· 27. LIGHTS OUT 119431 . & THE WITCH 'S TA LE 11939)
28. GEORGE BURNS & GRACIE ALLEN 11948 )
CURACY , INFO ON OTHER HAM LICENSE 32.
0

GUNSMOKE ( 1952). & THE ROY ROGER S SHOW (1945)

REQUIREMENTS. 40. JUDY GARLAN D ON RADIO 11952)
SS. FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY ( 1940 & 19411 2 show s.
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SCIENTIFICALLY PREPARED CODE PRACTICE
(LETTERS. NUMBERS. PU NCTUATION . CODE The Radiola Company
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LARGO, FLA. 33540 ~n~ign Yo~N~'._- _ -~ Radio Yesteryear 1977_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _J

More details? Ad Check page 78. June1977 ~ 69

 (but still good) 2-meter

DX lorecaster openings out to about 1400

miles (2200 kilometers). The
times to look will be an hour or
so before and after local
June,I977 noontime, and again for an
hour or so on either side of
sunset. Don't forget 10 meters,
Keep an ear open for unusual maximum of 700 miles (1100 either!
weather and ionosphere kilometers) during the day and
conditions during the first 1000 miles (1600 kilometers) or Using WWV's propagation
week of the month, particularly more after dark. information
around June 4th and 5th, and
Sporadic E activity during June WWV gives much
again between the 19th and
should gladden the hearts of all information of value to the
23rd , with maxi mum activity
high -frequency and very-high- DXer at 18 minutes after each
surrounding the summer
frequency operators, with hour, on all of the frequencies
sol stice on the 21st.
frequent openings on 6 meters they use: 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0
Band outlook out to about 1200 miles (1900 MHz. The information consists
Twenty meters will provide the ki lometers), and less-frequent of Solar Flux data plus
best DX, with a short early Geomagnetic Activity, using
morning spurt, followed by the A and K Indexes. The
prolonged late afternoon and '"° following chart was published
evening activity. During the 140 by the International Shortwave
heat of the day, look for short llO Listeners magazine, Monitor.•
skip out to 1000 miles (1600 120 ABOVE HIGH LOW en ow OISTl.IRSED
By transferring the WWV
NORMAL NORMAL N ORMA L NORMAL
kilometers) or so. SOLAR uo information to the chart, you
FLUX
IOO can quickly plot the crossover
Fifteen meters will be open point and directly " read" the
90
occasionally, mostly to South condition of the ionosphere.
BO
and Central America, although Conditions from low normal
YO '---~-------.,.~-.--
0
it will be worthwhile t o look for A 'N()(X
through above normal are the
activity to other areas between ' 2 3
GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY
K INOfX
o nes to use for your forays into
0700 and 0800, and again the DX jungle. Good hunting!
This chart shows how the interaction
between noon and 1800 hours, between solar flux and the geomagnetic HRH
local time. Until sunspot activity (A or K Index) influences pro·
activity really begins to climb, pagation conditions for the hf bands. *Monitor (England), December, 1976.
fifteen will not be much of a
summer-time band. Short skip,
however, out to abo ut 1200
miles (1900 kilometers) will be Glossary of Terms
prevalent.
Sporadic E is a little-underst ood ionizatio n. Essentially a produc t of
Ten meter DX opportunities will phenomenon th at affects the lower ultraviol et radiati on.
be scarc e, but on many days (E) level of the io nosphere and Geomagnetic Activity. Solar
you will be able to make good results in strong short-skip parti c le radiat ion from th e sun
use of short-s kip conditions propagation. Highly ionized directly affect s the earth' s
out to about 1300 miles (2000 " clouds" see m to appear in th e E magnetic fi eld , and can cause the
kilometers) during the day. layer, remaining in place fo r ionosp heric activit y to weaken or
minutes, o r even ho urs, producing disappear entirely. It is respo ns ible
Eighty and forty meters will st ro ng but relatively "local " for fad ing, flutter, and inc reased
open up during the darkness c ondit ion s of good propagation - noi se levels. The A Index is th e
hours to many areas of the partic ularly at the upper end of the daily {planetary) average of
world - from the standpoint of hf spectrum and lower end of the measurements taken at all
vhf spectrum. Quite unpredictable, part ic ipat ing o bse rvato ries
signal s being there. Hearing hence the term "sporadic."
those signals will be a problem , worldwide and, hence, is about 24
however, because of hours late wh en reported . The K
Solar Flux is a measurement of Index is related to the A Index , but
thunderstorm activity. Short rad iatio n f rom the sun at 2800 MHz consist s of measurements taken at
skip of up to 300 miles (500 and is used to determ ine solar the Fredricksburg, Virginia,
kilometers) during the day and flu x. Values from about 70-150 are o bservat ory, and reported every
800 mil es (1200 kilometers) at chosen to represent the flux level. three hours. In general, the lower
night will be plentiful on 80 In general, the higher the solar the A and K Indexes , t he better the
meters. On 40 meters, you can flu x, the higher the degree of ionosphere for radio propagation.
plan for good signal s out to a

70 m June 1977
 WESTERN USA MID USA EASTERN USA

GMT PDT
N NE E SE s SW w NW MDT
N NE E SE s SW w NW CDT EDT N NE E SE s SW w NW

-- - t ~ /-'- t ~ /-'- ,_ t ~ /-'-

0000 5:00 -
/-"
20
20 15 15 15 20 -
- 6:00 - 20
/-" 20 15 - - 15 - 7:00
- 8:00 -
/- "
20 20 20 20 15 - -
-- - >---- '--
0100 6:00 - - - 15 15 15 20 -
- 7:00 - - 20 15 - - 15 - >----
8:00
'--
9:00 - 20 20 - 20 15 - -
- - - -
0200 7:00 - - 20 15 - 15 15 - 8:00 - 20 20 20 - 15 - - 9:00 10:00 - 40 20 40 20 20 20 15
-- - '--
0300 8:00 - - 20 15 - 15 15 -
- 9:00 20 20 - 20 20 15 20 20* ------
10:00 11 :00 - 80* 40* 40 20 20 20 15
-- - - - -
0400 9:00 20 40 20 20 20 15 15 - 10:00 20 20 - 20 20 15 20 20* 11:00 12:00 - 80* 40* 40 40* 20 20 20*
-- - - >----
0500 10:00 20 40 40 20 20 20 -15 11 :00 20 40* - 20 20 20* 20 20 12:00
-- 1 00 - 80* 40* 40 40* 20 20 20
-- - '--
0600 11 :00 20 40 40* 20 20 20 20
20
-12:00 20 40 - 40 20 20* 20 20 1·00 2 00 - 40 40 40 40* 20 20 20
-- - '--
0700 12:00 1 00
- - 40* 20 20 20 20
20 - 40 - 40 20 20 20 20
-------
200 3 00 - - - - 40 40 40 20
-- .___
--
0800
- 1:00 - - 40* 40 - 20 20
20 200 - 40 - 40 - 20 20 - -
>----
300
'--
' 00 - - - - 40 40 40* 40
-- - -
0900 2:00 - - - 40 - 20 20
20 3·00 - - - 40 - 20 20 - •·oo 500 40 - - - 40 40 40* 40*
-- - - -
1000 3:00 5 00 600
- - - 80* - 20 20
20
-•·oo - - - 40 40 40 40 - 40 - - - - 40 40* 40
-- - .___
1100 4:00
-
s·oo 6:00 7 00
-- - - - - 80* 40 40 40
20 - - - AO 40 80* 40 - -
>---- '--
40 - 20 - - 40 40 40
1200 5:00 - - - - 40 40 40
20 - 600 40 80 80* 700 800
-- - - - 40 - >----
20 20 20 - 20 20 20 20
1300
-6:00 7 00 8 00
- 9 00
- - - - 40 40 SO*
40 - - - - 40 40 40 - .___ 20 20 - - 20 20 20* 20
-- -
--
1400 7:00 - - - - SO*
40 800 20 20 40 - 9:00 10 00
- 40 - - 40 20 20 .___ 20 20 - - 20 20 20* 20
-- - -
1500 8:00 20 20 - 20 - 20 20
20 900 - 20 20 - - 20 20 10 00 11 00 20 - - - 20 20 20 20
-- - ,____ -
-
--
1600 9 :00 20 20 - 20 - 20 -20 10.00 - 20 - 20 - - 20 20 11 00 1200 20 - - 15 20 - - -
-- - ,____
1700 10:00 20 20 - 20 - 20 -- 11 00 - - 15 20 - - - 20
- 12·00 1:00 - - - 15 20 - - -
- ,____
1800
-
11 :00 20 - - 20 - - - - 12 00 - - 15 20 - - - 20
--
- - 1:00 2:00 - - 1 - 20 - - -
- ~ '--
1900
-
12:00 20 - - 20 - - - - 1:00 - - - 20 - - - - 2:00 3:00 - 20 1 ·-hs - 20 - - -
-- .___
-
2000 - 1:00 - - - 20 - - - -
-- 2:00 - - - 15 - - - - 3:00
.___
4:00 - 20 15 20 15* - - -
c....
- - -
c: I 2100 2:00 - 20 - 3:00 - 20 20 15 - - - - 4:00 5:00 - 20 20* 20 15*
:::> - - - 20 15 - .___ - - -
<!) - -
... I 2200 3:00 - 20 20 15 - 20 20 - 4:00 - 20 20 15 - - - - 5:00 6:00 - 20 20* 20 15* -
(0
- -
...... - - - --
...... 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00
1 2300 - 20 20 15 - 15 20 20 - 20 20 15 - - 15 - - 20 20 20 20 - - -
- - - - c
0
< 0 c 0
iii <( z <
::; iii <( z ccu. co
<( <( 0 <( c <( 0 c <( <(
-z
<( -'c
~ w -' < 0 ;: -'
<( a: < ... -' <( 0 ;: ... ... -' <( 0 c_.
....., c w u 0
,..._ c w 0 cc 0 c-' w <( 0 =! a: c
IL
ccw a: w CllZ a: IL w a: w <( <( >-w
N IL
z N
ccw z
.... 0 :E c =>< "'~ 0 :E <(
"'w "'w 0 <( "' N
:::)
...a:z c w ...cc ..... ...cc :E
a: !!: a: a: <( <(
...ccc c ... ...z !!: a: a: a:
...a:z <( w ~ !!:
w :::. z w ·O w :::. z w :::. w < 0 ·W
~ 0 w ui ui c z !l: o ...c u w ui ui <( z
cu. <
u. w 0 ui ,,; 0 :t: z
~ HAM CALENDAR June1977
~
c....
SUNDAY I MONDAY I TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
c:
::i 0 1g11J t E1ec11on1cs IQ• ~u1 oma h01"1
(!)
wor11snoc rwo·aa r v.01'.;.sno:i
..... ~
:>asea on 1he smaJ1scale ana
........
<D mec1um scale fi t .n1e91aiea ~C:fiL f,J: r: nJ Co., ~e., : 1on O; ike t.t rnnesota S!.1lf 050 P;i ri, 3v tile Hec1r· anel A=lC l8 J0l 0:: ~
· All 1f'l!erna1ron.:11t venrs sucti .ls con1es·s ;u e sn own or: me GM r o;:; ys 1,, 235916 15 - E- ce11e111 ·....a rm u::> Jot :=1e'a O;i ~· ,u1c e•ce te"Tcr 1est
c11cu1rs ~Aan 1,· r.ours ol Westcoasr OLJalil) m9 P!J'l Scam:H1ucl"I t.f:lC T"ie 5"e ra;o"
wn1cn :riev ta~e place even 1no.s9n mey 'T\df ac1uar1;' tleQl''l er; 1 1~
e~emn9 oi me oretecmg O?.~' +r North Arn-e•ica -
laM!i!lory 11me . ,.,,fl mc1v1cua Cen ;re h ronlJ On~a:1::.
!01 Tec'ls anc Nov1co:-s ·o :;~ r m:o'.. -e<J 1-i - iecn .inv "l!J'.'•Ce
oreacDoatd•ng srar1ons will oe 11eoue"'c1es 1n s ?1?S ?1· ?r, ?8: /1 "lit Ma ff' :i ac 10 Monions
Canaca 3-': G•eeriv111e ~/ H OJOJ.8
01ov1dea .iiong w1m •naeoiri
1e c1ur!'! s -- 1n 10 Or 1•oms Be 1
VP! & SU Conr1nu.nQ €<1uc.1t1(}n
Center 0!.w;ksbu1 9 VA 24601
f70J) 9~ 1 ·6328 - 7-B June
21 3 4
Ar1ow Repeater Hamles1 - Chelsea Fa 1rg1c-unds - 1·94 at e:rn 159 - M•croco111Duler lntcrlac1n9
Mn Arbor. M• Work shoo - ! hree-day
Mana ss<is Hamtes1 - B1· the '" Ole V1r91ma Hams· ARC Prrnce W1llam AMSAT Eastco~s! Net J8SO kH1 workshop oasN1 on HIP. poputa1
C:[)(mly F;rng routlds - 1f 'l mile S ol Masassas VA on At 231\ - 9PM EOSr <0100l Wednes.oa~· 8080 M1t rQproccsso1 Ove1 ::io
WA4RVN Mormng ) Ol)f!r,l!1ng 808 0 COfTlPUICI S MHU V H ~ os.o Pari,· - I 1- 1:i
Per ~oomen Valley ARC Ha m!est - Per1c:101ne1wrlle Sale & Auction G1ouoc AMS fd M1e1 -Con1 1ntint Ne t 3850 .lva11ao1c to1 1J,1rt 1c10,1n1 use Bem111da ~ 1 eld Ody - 1· ·1?
Ar 29 - Perloomer1111Ue PA - WA3EBX 1iH1 9PM COST (02001 1nro Dr No111s Btlt VPI .\ SU Tn ·Slale Anlrl\P.lJ' H.1rn1c<>t a~· the Cll1t k dSilW MM ~a11 on1tl Guaro
Rome Ham Fanllly Oa~ - The Beeches RI 26 - Rome N'1 WeOnes0.1y Mor11m9 J Con 1inuing FoucalKln Cen11?r AI M~ry - Ht>HlJ flC!O MS ' 1 1'!
S1arved Rock RC Ham1es1 - Surea l.I County F;i 1r9rou nC1 s Pruv.:eton IL - AMSAT Wes1coas1 Net 3850 i.: Ht Blac1c.stx11g Vt1 7-~ 0G t 1703\
W9 MKStWR9AFG RPM ?DSl fOJ007 Wednesd.~ y 951 63?8 9 11
111 S1a1e ARA W8VA Hamtes1 - Camele n Park. R1 West - ttunhng!on Mornlflgl
VN
5 6 7 81 9 10 II
AMSAT Eas:coast tw 38 ~0 k'"lt
9PM EOST 10100! Wedn{!sday
Mornm9 f 4Jt As1<1n Q,; Contes! - Phcne IOOOl 6 18 - · 600Z 6119
AMSAT Mia Con11ne01 Ner 3850 ARRt Geo•a ,a S1;;ie Cf)f'l~en• on Allaria G' - 18 19
~ ~i 1 9PM COS! ~ 0200Z '.~ecsc1'lf' S~ :ie Rt. anc Poseti..a :;RC $:)u' n 0Jlo; O!a Hor-w! ntion
Hall o! Science ARC Fleamar1te1 1Hamven11on
Wect:"teSOd~ Mo•mno1 C na n• CJe · 1~ 1 n SD · 8 •Q
Tne Egycrnan flC Hamrcst - Club Grounos - GrJ ni re C11y •l M.l SAT Wesrcoost ~l e! J8'i0 ~·'"lz Wes.1 \'1 r ;1r:~ QSO Pa·r~ - ' 8 · 19
8PM POS T I OJOOZ w eaneSOdy
Morni na1
W1AW Oual lv1rt9 Run
I t-40 WO'l'I)
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
ARRL FIEL O OAT - ZS-26 ....... ·
-"'MSAT Eas!coas: Ne! 38 50 ~Hl
9PM EOST ro1ooz
Wedne sCIJY
Mornmg}
AMSM Mio Con1 1nen1 Net J850
Am<1 1eur Radio W~ek - 19·25 kH1 9PM CDSl t0200l
Wednesday Morning1 W1AW Morning Ou.:1l ri ym9 Pu 1
Santa Maria Amaieur Radio Picnic/Swapfes r - By the Sa1ell11e ARC -
N&wlovo - Union 01\ Picnic Groonds on Orcu 11 Hill - Santa Maria CA AMSAf Westcoasi Net J8~ kHz
8PM POSI (0300Z wea nesoa~
Morning )
19 201 21 22 23 24 --0 25
AM S/IT E.islCOdSI Ne! 3a;o l(f-lz
9PM EOS 1 10100Z w eonesaa·f
Mornmg l
Mobile Amaieur R<ld10 .Q.waras c iu:,
AM S.AT M1l1 ·Conirnen1 Net 3850
Cou 11~ Hun!e• s Conveni1on -
l( Hl 9PM COST 102ooz
Wedne~t::l<1y M ornin g)
Rochester Mt~ - 6130-7-' 3
AMSAT Westtoas1 ~iet 38SO kH Z
8PM POST WJOOZ Wednesday
Mo1ning1
26 27 28 29 30
 15 meters, but since moving to an was on page 28 of your first issue.

*~
apartment house, steel structured, It wou ld be greatly appreciated if
and with restrictions on outdoor you could send me the ci rc uit (or
antennas, I have t o operate with an tel l me how t o get it) fo r the
indoor L·shaped antenna whi ch

ol Opos-
recei ver and QRP transm itter.
limits my enjoyment. Is there Paul Drexler
anyway to enjoy hamming under Wycombe, Pennsylvania
these restri ction s? I would like to
I see articles, if poss ible, on
BOX apartment operating. Perhaps
others have found a way.
Dear Horizons:
I love your new magazine! I was

ti Thanking you again for a very

interesting magazine.
Max Mendelson
given a copy at Universal Serv ice,
the local ham store here in
Colu mbus. I was previously
Bayside New York lic ensed (K8GMS), but let my
license lapse several years ago. I
Dear Horizons: We have an article in the works at just purc hased a Sony ICF·5900W
Rundlett, K4ZA, just phoned me th is moment that may help you receiver (portable), which brings
the good news about the new Ham out, Max. It is called " Antennas for me to the subject of this letter.
Radio Horizons magazine, and read Tiny Yards," and will appear in The QRP transm itter pictured on
me the prospectus. Horizons soon. It addresses the page 28 o f the Marc h issue is just
I hasten to write to congratulate problem of limited-space antennas what I have been looking for to go
you and the staff wh o conceived and there are a couple of ideas w ith the Sony!
this magazine, whic h will be a that will help the apartment I wonder if it would be possib le
welcome addition to the ham dweller. Perhaps one of the for you to tell me where I can get
media and which should fulfill a antennas presented will do the job details on the constructi on of this
long present void! for you. If not, there'll be more unit.
As you well know I have been a antenna articles later. Editor Thank you very m uc h f or your
booster of ham radio tor some attenti on - I hope to regain my
time, the entire life of the call soon and get bac k on the air
magazine in fact! And I wish to Dear Horizons: "QRP."
become a steady contributor to the I have just read Ham Radio Wiiiiam L. Morrow
new Horizons .. . Horizons and I believe it's the best Columbus, Ohio
A. David Mlddelton, W7ZC publication for beginners I've seen
Springdale, Utah for some time. I have been Jn response to the many similar
interested in becoming a ham, and requests fo r more information
now seems to be the time. Thanks about the Novice receiver and the
for the push. low-power transm itter that were
Dear Horizons: Bruce H. Hanson, KWF 7342 mentioned in March issue of
" I wan t to be a Ham." Alamogordo, New Mexico Horizons, we are going to reprint
After reading the Marc h, 1977, the material from ham rad io
issue of Ham Radio Horizons, magazine, where they first
I am convinced that ham radio Dear Horizons: appeared. You'll be seeing them
is for me . I had been an inactive radio described fully in Horizon s before
I am c urrently operating a CB amateur for approximately seven Jong. Editor
mobile and base station (license years until I read the first issue of
KBD 0878). I have become Ham Radio Horizons. This new
discouraged at times trying to talk magazine has since inspired me to Dear Horizons:
on a much congested system. once again become active in I just recei ved your Ap ril , 1977,
Please send me a catalog and Amateur radio, with a fervor that I issue. I feel compel led to object to
suggested study material for haven't had since I first received the so cal led " Zero Bandwidth
becoming a ham . my Novice license in 1960. SSB" by Agyle Karryer. Could he
Jerry E. Teter It is truly a pleasure to find a be the same WIOU who writes for
Tamaqua, Pennsylvania ham magazine with articles of another magazine?
general interest, rather than solely If you must be funny , please
of a tec hnical nature. Truly, I found issue comi c magazines and leave
Dear Horizons: each article interesting and in- Amateur radio alone. Any more
I am writing to tell you how well formative. such articles will lead to my
I am pleased with your magazine Robert S. Andrews, K1TJE cancellat ion!
Ham Radio Horizons. I find your Brookfield Center, Connecticut Donald E. Thomas
magazine down to earth , Millville, New Jersey
interesting, and informative. I was
especially pleased with your article Dear Horizons: Prof. Karryer replies: " No I don 't
"The call from Cedro Canyon" by I am 12 years old and about to write for other magazines, and I
A. David Middelton, W7ZC. get my Novice license. I really am sorry if my sense of humor
For years I really enjoyed enjoy your magazine and the two offends Mr. Thomas. I didn't
hamming when I had a house with articles on how to get on the air. realize that the world was so
an outdoor antenna on 80, 40, and The only disappointment I found grim. " Editor

June 1977 m 73
 torque before windmilling which (S0-239) connectors, and is
PRODUCT is twice that of other compar-
ably priced rotors on the market.
epoxy-encapsulated in a white
PVC case so that it can be used
The WR500 has a 98 steel ball in any climate. Loss through the
bearing raceway capable of transformer is less than 0.1 dB.
handling 750 pounds balanced Size is 3V2" (89mm) diameter
weight, and assures elimination and 2V2" (64mm) high. Price is
of side torque jamming when $42.50, postpaid, in the United
rotor is mounted in line with States and Canada.
the mast. For additional information,
The suggested list price on write to Palomar Engineers, Box
the new Wilson Rotors will be 455, Escondido, California
$429.00 for the WR1000 , and 92025.
$119.95 for the WR500 .
SHOWCASE Deluxe Mobile
New Rotor Line RF Transformer Antennas
Available from Wilson Matches Vertical
Antennas
Palomar Engineers has in-
troduced a wideband rt
transformer rated at 5 kW PEP (2
kW CW, ccs) from 1-30 MHz.
Taps are provided to match 50-
ohm coaxial cable to 32, 28, 22,
18, 12, 8, or 5-ohm antennas. The
transformer is unbalanced-to-
unbalanced for use with short
vertical and whi p antennas.
Quarter-wave antennas, or
The rotor everyone has been short verticals that have been
waiting fo r will be available in resonated with loading co ils, Swan Electronics has just an-
early 1977 from Wi lson Elec - can be matched to 50-ohm coax- nounced a new series of mobile
tronics Corp . , La s Vegas , ial cable by selecting the proper antennas and antenna acces-
Nevada. The Model WR1000 tap on the rf transformer. In sorie s for frequencies between
Rotor has been d es igned to han- many cases the transformer can 3.5 and 30 MHz. The Model 45 is
d le the largest antenna arrays up be used instead of an antenna rated at 1000 watts peak en-
t o 25 square feet (2.3m2) of wind tuner. It is much smaller than a velope power , and may be
loading . A stainless steel spur tuner of equivalent power han- manually switched to any one of
ring gear design is superior to dling capability, is less expen- five bands : 10, 15, 20, 40, and 75
prop pitch models, and provides sive, and is more efficient. It has meters.
a full 4,000 inch-pounds Swan antenna accessories in-
(450N-m) of turning torque. The clude the SWR-1A relative power
solenoid controlled wedge-type meter, the WM-1500 in-line watt-
braking system requires 12,000 meter, the KDS heavy-duty
in c h-pounds (1355N-m) before spri ng for mobile antennas, the
over-riding. The WR1000 Rotor ABM mobile antenna ball mount,
Weighs 60 pounds (27kgm), is 11 and the stainless-steel strap
x 19 inches high , and features bumper antenna mount.
116 steel ball bearings , and can The Model 45 five-band anten-
handle over one ton of balanced na, including base section, coil,
weight. and top section Iis ts for $119.95.
Also being introduced is the The HDS spring retails for $15,
Model WR500 Rotor, considered the ABM ball mount lists for $15,
mechanically superior to other and the strap bumper mount is
rotors presently being marketed , particular application to phased priced at $17.
with 780 inch pounds of turning vertical directional arrays. For additional information,
torque before stalling, a special The transformer is wound write Swan Electronics, 305 Air-
disc type built-in braking system with teflon-insulated wire on an port Road, Oceanside, California
requiring 1300 inch pounds of rf ferrite toroid co re, has uhf 92054.

74 m June 1977
 HALF-SIZE fULL. PERFORMANCE R-X NOISE BRIDGE
Multi-Band HF Communications Antennas
ESPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR TH£ NEW AMATEUR

•I Ic
7>10 HD THOUSANDS IN USE

MOR-GAIN HD DIPOLE SPECIFICATIONS MOR-GAIN HD Dlp0les • ••

MODEL BANDS LENGTH PRICE • One half the length of conven·
(Meters) (feel) tional half-wave dipoles.
40-20 HD 40/20' 36 $49.50 • Multl·band, Multi·frequency.
4Q-10 HD 40/20/15/10 36 59.50 • Maximum efficiency • no tra'p s,
80·40 HD 80/40 + 15 69 57.50 loading coils, or stubs. · ·
75·40 HD 75/40 · 66 55.00 • Fully assembled and pre·tuned
75.40 HD <SP> 75/40 66 57.50 • no measuring, no cutting.
75·20 HD 75/40/20 66 66.50 • .Proven performance • more than ·
75·20 HD CSP) 75/40/20 66 66.50 10,000 have been delivered.
75·10 HD 75/40/20/15/10 66. 74.50 • Permit use o.f ttie full capablli·
75-10 HD (SP) 75/40/20/15/10 66 74.sO ties of today's 5·band xcvrs.
80-10 HD 80/4D/20/15/10 69 76.50
NOTE: 75 meter models are factoey tuned lo . ·resonate. al
• One feedline for operation on y Learn the truth about
all bands. · your antenna.
3950 ,KHz. !SP) models are facto!')' tuned to resonate at • Lowest cost/highest perfarm·
3800 KHz. 80 meter models are factory tuned to resonate
at 3650 KHz.
ance antenna on the market y Find its resonant
today.
WHY MOR-GAIN? • Highest performance for the No- frequency.
NOVICE LICENSE OPERATION. The MOR-GAIN HD
Dipole is the ideal antenna for the new or Novice
vice as well as the Extra-Class
Op.
J Adj~st it to your
operator. As the Novice progresses to higher license • Guaranteed ONE YEAR. operating frequency quickly
classes, he can easily re-tune the HD Dipole to the
new frequencies of his higher license frequency priv· LIMITED REAL ESTATE. Where real estate for an· and easily.
lieges. The HD Dipole Is thus a one-time investment. tenna installation Is l;mlted, the HD dipole is the
HD Dipoles are available for all Novice frequencies. ideal· solution. Operation on 80/75/4o meters Is now
LEAST COST. Dollar for dollar, the HD ' dipoles are possible since the HD dipole is only half the length If there is one place in your station
the highest performance least cost multi-band antennas of a conventional half-wave dipole. For all-around where you cannot risk uncertain
on the market today. For Example: the 5-band 75-10
HD dipole costs less than $15.00 pei: band • an operation, the HD dipole will outperform any trap results it is in your antenna.
unbeatable low cost. loaded horizontal or vertical dipole.
Contact yo1o1r fmvOt"ite dHler or order direct from MOR-GAIN today. Write for fully descriptive· The Palomar Engineers R·X Noise
four page brochure. • Bridge tells you if you r antenna is
Manufactured & Guarantffcl"by resonant or not and, if it is not,
MOR.QA IN , whether it is too long or t oo short .
. 2zoON South 4th Street. • All this in one measurement
,.Leavenworth; Klinsas .660'48 , .. .
-'fl (913) 682-3142 reading. And it works just as well
with ham-band·only receivers as
r--------------------------------- with general coverage equipment
because it gives perfect n ull

NOW ... readings even when the antenna is

not resonant. It gives resistance and
reactance readings on dipoles,

Yaesu and Drake inverted

multi band
Vees, quads,
trap d ipoles
beams,

verticals. No station is complete

and

without this up-to·d a te instrument.

Why work in the dark? Your SWR

meter or your resistance noise
bridge tells only half the story. Get
the instrument that really works,
the Palomar Engineers R-X Noise
Bridge. Use it to check your
antennas from 1 t o 100 MHz. And
•
FT· lOlE TRANSCEIVER
use it in your shack to adjust
resonant frequencies of both series
ORDER a nd parallel tuned circuits. Works
bette r than a dip meter and costs a
TODAY! I
lot less. Send for our free broc hure .
I
Write I
I The price is $39.95 and we deliver
or I
I
I
postpaid anywhere in U.S. and
Canada. California residents add
Call I
I
sales tax.
WA2 KTJ I
I
WB2LVW TR·4C TRANSCEIVER I
I Italy write i2VTT, P.O . Box 37.
I
22063 Cantu. Elsewhere send
WANTED: GOOD I
I
I
$42.00 (U .S .) for air parcel post
CLEAN TRADES! I delivery worldwide.
I
Se e us for all your Amateur Radio needs . :
Fully guaranteed by the originator
Mail Orders accepted. N. Y. residents add sales tax. :
SASE will gel our list of used Amateur Equipment. : of the R ·X Noise Bridge. ORDER
I
YOURS NOW!
C F P COMMUNICATIONS : I
211 NORTH MAIN STREET
PALOMAR
I
I
HORSEHEADS, N. Y. 14845 I
I
PHONE: 607-739.0187
Store Hours: Tues. to Sat. 10·6 p.m.
I
I
I
I
ENGINEERS
Fri. & Sat. subject to Hamfest weekends. Closed : BO X 4 55, ESCOND IDO . CA 92025
Su n. & Mon.
!1________________ _ ______ ______ _____ J1 Phon e: (714 ) 747.3343

More details? Ad Check page 78. June 1977 m 75

 & MORE!
R.F. POWER TRANSISTORS TUBES TRANSISTORS
~~#
2N2857
2N2857 JAN •
l( M~
1000
1000
Vee
10
10
Power
30mw
30mwA
Case
A
2C39
3828
$ 1.10 811A
Price
$ .95
4Xl50G/8172
$ 2.00
$ 4.00
$ 10.00
2N2431K
2N2907A
2N3250A
5/$1.00
5/$1.00
5/$1.00
2N33b JAN
2N499A JAN
2N5028 JAN
2/$1.00
$1.00
$1.00
2N2947 .< f) 50 25 c $ 8.00 832A
15W
$ 6.95
$ 5.00
2N3567
2N3E>38
5/$1.00
5/$1.00
2Nbl9
2N7l8 JAN
4/$1.00
3/$1.00
2N2950 ~ 50 25 3.SW0 $ 4.50 ~~:tW $ 4.00 2N3b40 5/$1.00 2N742 3/$1.00
2N3291
2N3375/MM3375
250
100
10
28
1608
ll.6W
A
E
S .85
S 3 .50 4b00A i1s~:~g ~~~~~ ~m:gg 2N%1
2N9b4
3/$1.00
3/Sl.00
2N3818
110
~' 150 28 E
20W S 4.50 SCR & TRIACS 2N3703 5/$1.00 2N1048 S3.00
2N38bb V. 400 28 8
lW $ .b5 2N4lb0 Sl.00 2N4001 Sl.00 2Nll42 JAN 2/$1.00
2N4l70 Sl.00 2N429l 4/$1.00 2Nl312 4/Sl.00
2N38bb JAN 400 28 8
lW S 2.00 2N4441 S .75 2N5192 2/$1.00 2Nl38l 4/Sl.00
2N38bb JAN TX 400 28 8
lW $ 3.00 2N4444 $1.00 2N5194 $ .75 2N20b0 JAN 2/$1.00
2N3925 ,&tp •' " 175 13.6 SW
0 $ 2.50 ?N5060 $ .30 MM3002 $ .75 2N914 10/$1.00
2N3948 '""\'
1
~? 200 20 8
lW $ 1.25 MAC2l-l 25V 25A $1.00 MM4000 $ .75 2N2494 2/$1.00
2N3950 50 28 E
SOW $10.00 MAC21·2 SOV 25A $1.50 MM4003 $ .75 2N2904 4/$1.00
2N4072 175 13.6 A
.25W $ ·i.OO MAC21·3 lOOV 25A $2.00 2SC45B 5/$1.00
MAC21·5 300V 25A $3.00 250235 2/$1.00 DIODES
2N4957 1200 10 1708
A S 5.00 MAC2l-b 400V 25A $3.50 MJE800 $ .65 1N914 30/$1.00
2N5109/PT3571A 1200 15 B
1108 S 1.10 KMC RF TRANSISTORS 1N4148 30/$1.00
MJE1093 Sl.00 1N20bl 10/Sl.OO
2N5177 /MRF5177 --i-r~ 400 28 F
30W $10.00 K6008 MJE3055 S .75
1508 S .50 450mw 3000MHz Vccl2 lN2070A 8/$1.00
2N5179 ~- f ~ 900 b A MPSA-13 4/$1.00 1N4001 10/$1.00
2N5589 ~ 175 13.b 3W
G S 4.60 $2.50 each or 5/$10.00 2N2369A 10/$1.00 1N4002 8/$1.00
2N5590
2N5591
175
175
13.b
13.b
lOW
G
25W
G
S b.30
$10.35 ::~-~WP~Wf:o~WSOR 2N::i::trolyti~o~~~~ 1N400b
1N5160
4/$1.00
$1.00
2N5b37 400 28 20W
G $10.00 4C5 l00·250MHz $12.00 3000MFO @ 200VDC
2N58b2 ~ ~~ 150 27 75W
H $49.00 ..,
4_o s_ 2,,...
oo_-_so...,o,..M...,H_z....,...,.........,...s"""1_
2_.oo
_ 1800MFo @ Nv8~ ~lrJ~~N1x i.cs2.oo
2N5942 ~. 30 28 80PEPI $44.00 Aerodyne Ind ustr ies, Inc. $1.25 OG200BA $2.00
2Nb081 175 12.5 G
15W $ 8.50 ~~~~1 ~Wl~1~cie P~4s~~7~mrfHz ----------------
2N&083
2N6084
fi I :
~.. (__),. !.
175
175
12.5
12.5
G
30W
40W
G
Sll.25
$14.95 35w output. $35.00 ~.fo~~ 7402, 7408, 7420, 74Hll, 74H53 @
2Nb097 175 12.5 H
40W $15.00 ROTRON FANS:
Feather fan model 113 $6 .00
7 /$1.00; 74121, 74145, 74193 @ 3/$1.00;
LM380N8 $.79; LM565CH, LM5E>7CN @ $2.00
MM1500 1500 20 250mwL $15.00 Muffin Fan $4.00 each; LM380N $1.29; NE555V $.40; 825129
MMlb07 /2N5842 1700 4 A S 6.00 Muffin Fan model 747 $5.00 $2.00; MM5203Q $5.00; MM5262N $2.00; TMS-
MM4049 ~ 4000 5 A S 7.00 Pamotor muffin fan model 4500c 2600J S4.00; TMS4050NL-2 SS.00; TMS40E>ONL
MM8006 /~°)-- 1000 b 1408 A S 1.25 <NEW> S6.00 S5.00; 2102 S.75; 6102 S.90; 21L02 S.90;
PT3551C 175 12.5 15W J s b.00 TRIAD TRANSFORMERS
F-18X 6.3VCT @ b amps $3.00
Pll03 $1.00; C8008-1 SS.DO; MCb820L SS.00;
MC6850L Sb.SO; IM5623CJE S2.00
MMT-74 700MHz 12V 1408 K 3/Sl.00 RG-174 50 ohm Coax 6' Lengths F·21A 6.3VCT @ 10 amps $4.95
MMT-2857 lOOOMHz 15V 1808 K $1.00 5/S .85 F-22A 6.3VCT @ 20 amps $b.50 Pleas• add sufficient postage with all orders.
FMT-2060 lOOOM Hz lOV 1608 K $1.00 AA SIZE NICAO BATTERIES: F-93X 6.5V·40V 750ma $3.00 C.0.0. orders will be accepted if over $5.00. All
Motorola & Fairchild Micro T RF Transistors 1.25 Volts 40¢ each 89059 24V @ 2 amps $3.00 parts are prime and fully tested at the factory.

3001 NORTH 32 ST., APT. 212 (602) 956·9423

SEMICONDUCTOR SURPLUS PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85018

STEP UP TO TELREX WITHA

DON & BOB'S
SUPER BUYS
WIRE, ETC. Premax heavy-duty 4 ft.
TELREX "BALUN" FED-"INVERTED-VEE" KIT ground rod + clamp $4.00 Consolidated
antenna wire: ff. 14 stranded $5.00/ 100 ft.
THE IDEAL HI -PERFORMANCE # 12 stranded ~8.00/ 100 ft. # 22 GA phos-
bronze longwire antenna w ire $3.50/1000
INEXPENSIVE AND PRACTICAL TO INSTALL LOW-FREQUENCY ft. Belden # 14 stranded copper covered
s teel wire $5.00/100 ft.
MONO OR MULTIPLE BAND, 52 OHM ANTENNA SYSTEM $10Q.100 FT. SPECIALS
KLM KR400 Rotor + 100 ft. rotor cable
$100.00
COE Big Talk + 100 ft. rotor cable $100.00
CABLE 5/ 32" , 6·strand, soft-draw n guy
cable. For mast or light tower,. 3 ¢ foot.
RAYTHEON BUA $16.00/ pr. 5728/ T160L
ea. $2 1.95 (In sealed cartons)
BELDEN COAX RGSU 8237 19 ¢ ft. 82 14
RGB foam 23c ft. 8235 300 ohm kw twi n ·
lead $12.00/ C. 8210 72 ohm kw twinlead
$19.00/ C. Silver Plate Amphenol PL259
59( UG175 19¢.
COE Ham-2 $129.00. CD44 $104.00. AR-
22XI $50.00. Belden 8 wire rotor cable
Telrex " Monarch " (Tra pped ) 1.V. Kit 14¢ ft.
Duo-Band / 4 KWP I. V . Kit $63 .5 0 EXTRAS Reed switch3/$1.00. Buss AGC3
fuse 5¢ COE. .001 /lOKV doorknob cap
Post Paid Continental U.S. $1.95. Mallory 2.5A/ 1000PIV epoxy diode
19¢ e a.
Optimum, fu ll-size doublet performance, independent of ground conditions! "Balanced- CALL US FOR QUOTES ON: ATLAS 350Xl.,
KENWOOD TS520, TS700A, TR7400A, FT·
Pattern", low radiation angle, high signal to noise, and signal to performance ra tio ! lOlE. ALL IN SEALED CARTONS.
Minimal support costs, (existing tower, house, tree). A technician can resonate a CALL US FOR QUOTES
Telrex " Inverted-Vee" to frequency w ithin the hour ! Minimal S/W/R is possible if & ITEMS NOT LISTED
installed and resonated to frequency as di rected! Pattern primarily low-angle , Omni-
directional, app rox. 6 DB n ull at ends! Costly, lossy, antenna tuners not required! MADISON
Complete simplified installation and resonating to frequency instructions supplied with
each kit .
ELECTRONICS SUPPLY, INC.
1508 McKinney Houston, Texas 77002
713/ 658-0268 Nites 713/497·5683
For technical d ata a nd prices on complete
TERMS: All prices FOB Houston. Quotes Good 30
Telrex line, write for Catalog PL 7 (HRH) Days. All Items Guaranteed. Some items subject
to prior sale. Send letterhead for Amateur
dealers price list.

76 m June 1977 More details? Ad Check page 78.

 ANTENNA CONNECTOR
HYE.QUE ( HQ-1) d ipole c o nnector
h ,t s COola, SO 2'39 s oc ke t mofd ed in to
t1,lass lilted p las llc body io accept
coa .. PL 2~9 p lug on fccdlme 0 11p-
ca p i.ce ps coax hllln gs dry. ln s lrl.c·
lions included. G uafol nlecd. Al your
dealers 01 $3.95 postpaid. Com-
pa n ion 1nsula1o rs 2/ $ .99.

BUOWIG MFG. CD. P O B o • 97H. Ramona. CA 9206

RADIO EXPO, CHICAGO. September 17, 18, at
Lake County Illinois fairgrounds. Manufac·
turers' exhibits, flea market, seminars, and door
prizes. 4000 attended last year! Exhibitors are
urged to reserve booth space now - call Doug
Thornton worlldays at (312) 595-0020.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING here for used ham gear,
there's at least one other place you should be
looking: Buyers & Sellers weekly equipment list.
Each list (updated every week) contains hun·
dreds of pieces of gear, currently available all
over the United States, organized into SSB
transmitters, 5 band transceivers, linears, etc.
all having our mail purchase guarantee. A sam-
RATES Regular classified is available 28th DAYTON HAMVENTION at Hara Arena, ple copy Is FREE by sending a Self Addressed
at 50¢ per word. Display classified (1 inch April 29, 30, May 1, 1977. Technical forums, ex· Stamped Envelope to: Buyers & Sellers - Dept.
deep x 21/4 Inches wide) is $50, or at the hibits, and huge flea market. Program brochures ZC, P.O. Box 73, Kenmore Station, Boston,
mailed March 7th, to those registered within Mass. 02215
12x rate is $35. All Ad Scan payable in ad-
past three years. For accommodations or ad-
vance. No cash discounts or agency com- vance flyer, write Hamvention, P.O. Box 44,
MULTI-BAND DIPOLE TRAPS. PACE-TRAPS
missions allowed. Dayton, Ohio 45401 .
are the key devices required to build the All·
Band dipole depicted in the ARAL Handbook.
HAMFESTS Sponsored by non-profit
MOBILE IGNITION SHIELDING provides more Two models available. NG-Series (novice gallon)
organizations receive one free regular - $14.95 pr. FG-Series (full -gallon) $16.95 pr.
range with no noise. Bonding strap sale less
classified ad (subject to our editing). Shipped postpaid In USA, Conn. residents add
than 50¢ each. literature. Estes Engineering,
Repeat insertions of hamfest ads pay the 930 Marine Drive , Port Angeles, Wash. 7% tax. Check or M.O. to Pace-Traps, Upland
standard rate. 98362. Rd., Middlebury, CT 06762 .
COPY No special layout or ar- MASSACHUSETTS. NOBARC, Northern
ILLINOIS Egyptian Radio Club, W9AIU , Annual
rangements available. Material should be Hamfes t June 12, 1977 at Granite City, Ill. Club Berkshire Amateur Radio Club Hamfest, July 9 &
typewritten or clearly printed (not all House. Talk in 146.6176, food available, games 10 at Cummington Fair Grounds, Cummington,
capitals) and must include full name and for children, activities for ladies, swap row, main Ma ss . Detail s fr o m Hildy Sheerin,
address. We reserve the right to reject un- prizes (tickets at parking lot), attendance prizes WA1ZNE.
suitable copy. Ham Radio cannot check for OM and XYL's.
NEW HAMPSHIRE. Hosstraders Annual Tailgate
each advertiser and thus cannot be held Swapfes t, Saturday, May 7, all day, at the Deer·
CODE PRACTICE OSCILLATORS, hand keys,
responsible for claims made. Liability for field , NH fairgrounds. Admission 75¢. Dealers
electronic keyers , other produ c ts . Free
correctness of material limited to cor- catalogs. GLOBALMAN PRODUCTS, Box 246, El welcome. Excess revenue to benefit Shriners
rected ad in next available issue. Toro, Calif. 92630. 7141533-4400. Hospital for Crippled Children in Boston. SASE
DEADLINE 15th of fourth preceding for details to Norm, WA11VB, Box 32, Cornish,
VACATIONLAND HAMFEST: Enjoy a family ME 04020 or Joe , K1 ROG , Star Rt., Box 56,
month. outing at Sandusky, Ohio, Sunday, May 22, 1977. Bucksport, ME 04416.
SEND MATERIAL TO: Ad Scan, Cedar Point Amusement Park only 5 minutes
Horizons, Greenville, N. H. 03048. away. Lodging, camping and picnic facilities MANASSAS HAMFEST Princ e William County
nearby. Indoor-outdoor flea market area, room Fairgrounds - 112 mile south o~Manassas, Va.
for all - rain or shine. Info and reservations - on Rt. 234 Info: Send large S.A.S.E. to: Bill
WB8LLY, P.O. Box 2037 , Sandu sky, Ohio Turner WA4RVN, 312 E. BrunswickSt,..? terling ,
44870. Va. 22170.

THE FIRST WEST COAST COMPUTER FAIRE. A FREE CATALOG. Unique Components, Kits, SPOKANE ARC HAMFEST Pence Union
conference & exposition on personal & home Calculators, Digital Thermometers, Ultrasonics, Bldg . at Eastern Wash . State College. Sat. &
computers Is being held at the San Francisco Strobes, NI -cads, Leds, Trans istors, IC's, Sunday July 16th & 17th. Info WA7BWO, Drawer
Civic Center, April 15. Over 200 exhibits and 100 Chaney's, Bo x 27038, Denver, Colo . "A", Cheney, Wash. 99004, orWA71KZ.
conference sessions on Saturday and Sunday, 80227.
April 16-17. $9 at the door for two days - K1 FCO, members of the 143 Communications
preregistration is less. Contact : The Computer SECOND ANNUAL KEY WEST CONCH-FEST Flight (Spt), Rhode Island Air National Guard,
Faire, Box 157'9, Palo Alto, CA 94302. May 8·9 $12.00 includes one dinner and admis- plan to be operating on Armed Forces Day, May
sion to many attractions in the Key Wes t area. 21, 1977. Anyone working our c lub station,
ATTENTION MICHIGAN HAMS! See us for Col- Door prizes will be awarded. Reservations and K 1 FCO, wi 11 receive a commemorative cer·
lins, Drake and Ten-Tee gear. W8RP, WB8UXO, room information available from Dennis Farr, tificate from our unit provided a S.A .S.E. and
WB8VGR. Purchase Radio Supply, 327 E. 1831 Harris Ave., Key West , Fl. 33040. QSL card are sent to us. Our mailing address is;
Hoover Ave ., Ann Arbor, Ml 48104 . Ph . K1FCO , 143 Communications Flight, Rhode
313-668-8696. NEED HELP For your novice or general ticket? Island Air National Guard, T. F. Green Airport,
Complete audio-visual theory instruc tion. Easy, Warwick, A. I. 02886. We will be operating on the
QSL'• with class! Unbeatable quality - no electronic background necessary. Write for following frequenci es; 21 .385 MHz 1400Z to
reasonable price. Samples. QSL's Unlimited, free information: Amateur license instruction, 1800Z, 14.330 MHz 1400Z to 1800Z, 7.280 MHz
Box 27553, Atlanta, GA 30327. P.O. Box 6015, Norfolk, Virginia 23508. 1400Z to 1800Z, 50.700 MHz 1400Z to 1800Z.

WYOMING ~ TRIPOLE MULTI-BAND SST T·l RANDOM WIRE ANTENNA TUNER

Ranch land. Antelope, deer, elk, wild horses

~:.~~';!-
;;~~ ·+:~<:;!
Al·•and lfttlnn.11 . Guannlnd.
- Your "Antenna Ranch." 10 Acres $35 80 10 6 Meters plus 160' !J SWl ~l'l(IS Bulft-•n
down, $35 month. FREE info - maps Dl1un ,. 'l KW PEP r•tti'tg kore1unong. l•Dor
tra e> (hangts 80 Iii> 120 It invtritd·Y 01 t1oozon1al
photos. Owner. AYll'-Ole 11'1 kil fOfm QI nsembltd
Kil TIO-K . ... . . • . . . $54.!15 u sti ?PO in USA
Dr. Michael Gauthier, K81CS Univ1t11t Rldil Co . Otpl. HJ
9550HH G•ll•tln Rd., Downey, CA 90240 l11H4M1E1,...t.TX 7MH
T.,.._ (115151M t10 SST ELECTRO NICS. P.O. BOX l . LAWNDALE. CA. 90260

June 1977 ~ 77
 LOOK
AD CHECK DRAKE
TR4-CW 80-lOm hf trans. with CW filter
reg. $649 .00 Now $589.00
AD INDEX
... for literature, in a hurry - we'll 34PNB Noise blanker for TR-4C A midon Associat es 68
reg. $10 0.00 Now $90.00
rush your name to the companies RV-4C Remote VFO/speaker Anc rona Corporation 79
whose names you check. reg. $120.0 0 Now $109.00 Antenna Speci alist s 57
AC-4 AC power supply for TR-4C & T-4XC
reg. $120 .00 Now $109.00 Atlas Rad io Cov. IV
Place your check mark in the space between DC-4 DC power supply Audio Amateur 79
name and number. Example: HRH .Y..... 150. reg. $135 .00 Now $124.00
L4B Linear amplifier BBC Electronics 68
reg. $895.00 Now $795.00 Burghardt Amateu r Center 51
SSR-1 Gen. coverage rcvr. . 5-30 MHz
INDEX reg. $350.00 Now $285.00 Byte Publicat ions 68
R-4C 80-lOm receiver
Amidon __ 005 Henry_062 reg. $59 9.9 5 Now $539.95 CF P Comm unications 75
4-NB Noise blanker for R-4C Cleveland Ins tit ute of Electron ics 59
Ancrona _ _ 565 Herrman __ 568 reg. $70.00 Now $64.00
T-4XC 80-lOm transmitter Comm unic at ions Center 78
Antenna Hy-Gain _064 reg. $599.95 Now $539.95 Commun icat ions El ectronics 43
Spec_010 TV-3300LP Low pass filter
lcom_065 reg. $26.60 Now $19.95 Commun ic at ions Spec ialist s 10
Atlas __ 198
Keng ore _ 538 HY-GAIN Cushcraft 4
Aud io TH3-MK3 3 element tri-band Drake Co., R. L. Cov. II
Amateur 564 Kenwood• reg. $19 9.95 Now $169.95
204BA 4 element 20m beam De nt ron Radio Co. 65
BBC Larsen __ 978 reg. $179.95 Now $149.95 Elec t ronic Dist ri butors 80
Elect._529 TH6DXX 6 element super Thunderbird
Long's_468 reg. $2 39.95 Now $199.95 Ehrhorn Technology Operatio ns 80
Burghardt __ 530 402BA 2 element, 40m Erickson Communi cations 37
Madison• reg. $199.95 Now $179.95
Byte_487 14AVQ 10-40m vertical GSE Technic al Boo ks 80
McKay reg. $67.00 Now $57.00 Glade Va lley Rad io Sessions 57
CFP _ 022 Dymek_511 18AVT 10-80m vertical
reg. $9 7.00 Now $87.00 Ham Radio Center 59
Cleveland Inst. Mor-Gain _ _ 089 18HT Hy-Tower, reg. $ 2 59 .95 Now $229.95
3806 2m Handheld Ham Radio HORIZONS 65
Elect. _566
Palomar __ 093 reg. $189.00 Now $169.00 Heat h Company 21
Comm. 3750 Transceiver
Processor reg. $1895.00 Now $1695.00 Henry Radio Sto res 41
Center _ _ 534
Tech. 540 3854 Speaker for 3750 The Herrman Company 69
Comm. reg. $59.95 Now $49.95
Rad io la __ 569 3855 Remote VFO Hy-Gain Electronic s Corp. 9
Elect._489 reg. $495.00 Now $449.00 learn 7
Comm.
Spec . _330
Radio
Pub._541 YAESU Kengore Corporat ion 79
FT-JOIE, 160-lOm trans. w/processor Trio-Kenwood Co rp. Cov.111
Rochester $729.00
Cushcraft _ _ 035 FT·lOIEE, 160-lOm trans. wo/processor Larsen Elec t ronics, Inc. 34
Hamfest•
$649.00
Dentron __ 259 FT-lOlEX, Transceiver AC only $589.00 Lo ng 's Elect ron ics 1
Rohn _ 410
FTV-6508, 6 meter transverter $199.00 Madison Electronics Supply 76
Drake _ 039 FTV-250, 2 meter transverter $199.00
Scott __ 519 McKay Dymek Co. 64
FV-101 B, extern a I VFO
E. T.O. •
Semiconductor SP-lOlB, speaker
SP-lOlBP, speaker/patch
$1!10~:8ll
9.00
Mor·Gai n 75
Elec t. Dist. _ 044 Surplus _ _ 512 Palomar Engi neers 75, 79, 80
FA-9, cooling fan 5.00
Erickson __ 047 Shavney __ 570 XF30C, 600 Hz CW filter o.oo Proc essor Tec hnology Co rporat ion 3
XF30B, AM filter 0.00
Standard __ 109 Y0-100 Monitor scope $199.00 The Rad io la Company 69
GSE MMB·l Mobile mount for 101 $19.00
Books _ 567 YC-601 Digital readout (101&401) $169.00 Radi o Pub licat ion s, Inc. 64
Telrex_377
YD-844 Base mike $29.00 Rochester Hamfest 57
Glade Valley _ 213 YP-150 Dummy load wattmeter $69.00
Ten· Tee• Unarco-Rohn 67
FT-301S Trans. 40W PEP dial $559.00
Ham Center __ 491 FT·301SD Trans. 40W PEP digital $765.00
Tri-Ex __ 116 Scott Com municat io ns 59
FT-301 240W PEP dial $769.00
HORIZONS_ 150 FT-301 240W digital $935.00 Semi cond uc tor Surplus 76
Whitehouse 378
FP301 AC supply for FT301 $125.00 Shavney Imports 65
Heath _ 060 FP-3010 AC supply with clock and IDer
$209.00 Standard Commu nications 69
Y0-301 Monitor scope $219.00 Tel rex Labs 76
FV-301 Remote VFO $109.00
•Please contact this advertiser directly. FR-IOJS 160-2m Receiver $489.00 Ten-Tee 35
FR-lOlD 160-lOm Digital Receiver $599.00
Limit 15 inquiries per request. FL-101 160-lOm Transmitter $525.00 Tri-Ex Tower Co rporatio n 27
FT-221R All mode 2m transceiver $595.00 G. R. Wh it ehouse & Co. 75
FT-620 6m transceiver $365.00
FRG-7 General coverage receiver $299.00
JUNE, 1977 QTR-24 24-hour clock $30.00
FL·2100B Linear amp, 1200 PEP $399.00
Please use before July 31, 1977 Foreign Subscription Agents
TEMPO for Ham Radio HORIZONS
Tempo I 80-lOm transceiver $399.00
Tear off and mail to AC·l AC supply $99.00 Ha m Ra dio Canada
DC-IA DC supply $120.00 Box 11 4. Goderich
HAM RADIO HORIZONS - "Ad Check" VF/l Remote VFO $109.00 Ontario . Canada, N7A 3Y5

Greenville, N. H. 03048 Tempo 2020 80-lOm transceiver $759.00 H11m Radio Europe
8120 External speaker $29.95 Box 444
8010 External VFO $139.00 194 04 Up plands V asby, Sw ed en

NAME _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CALL FOR DAILY SPECIALS Ha m Radio France

20 b is, Avenue des Clarions
89000 Auxc rre, France
OPEN 7 DAYS AWEEK Ham Radio Holland
Talk to Bob, WB 0 RQZ, Joe, WA0 WRI, Postb\J s3051
CAL~------- Don, WB0 YEZ, Roy, WB0WWA, or Bob,
WB 0 VXF.
Delf t 2200, Hollanc1
Ha m Ra dio Italy
2% discount for certified check or money ST E. Via M aniago 15
order. J ·20 134 M ila no . Ita ly
STREET Ha m Rad io UK
402-466-3733 Post Ottice Box 63 , Ha rrow
M iddlese)I HA3 6HS , Eng la nd
CITY _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ __
Communications Center Holland Radio . 143 Greenway
Greens ide. J ohannesburg

e
Repu blic of South Afric a
2226 North. 48th Street ~.
STATE -----~IP _ _ __ __ Lincoln, NE 68504 ·~

78 m June 1977
 SAllEN HYBRID 5 KW PEP INPUT
POWIR AUDIO WITH THIS NEW BALUN

AMPLIFllRS

THE AUDIO AMATEUR is a quarterly

for the enthusiast who enjoys hands-on
work in building or customizing his - t:'
aud io equipment, or technica l savvy ;, ·~~/
about his hi fi gear.

TYPICAL ARTICLES: Octave

• Multi-purpoM fin• r • mplifien for comme rci• I and indus-
equalizers. T ransmission line trial e,ppltc.tions • Laa tMn 0.5" hermonic distonion at
loudspeakers with 8" to 24" drivers, full pow., level • t /2 d 8 r-.pons• hom 20 to 100,000 Hi
• Built- In current limiting (for Sl-10500) and efficient heet
rldi1tin9 coMtruction. • Sintl• or split Cdue l) power supply
Electrostatic speakers with a 900 Watt • Ruoged, compKt •nd lightw.ight peck1991,
direct drive a mplifier, Mixers, preamps, SANKEN Series Sl-10000 amptlflers ire stlf~ont8ined
power hybrid amplifim designed for Hi-Fl, stereo, musA
parametric equalizers, stock eq uipment Instruments. public address systems ind other eodio appli-
c•tions. The 1mpUfien have quasi~omplementerv cl'" 8 On all bands 160 to 10 meters.
modifications for Heath a nd many output . The circuit emplovs Olp-chip transiston with Mgh
relilbilitv and pass ivated chip power t'8nsistor1 w ith excel·
Dynaco uni ts. Completely tested circuits, lent secondarv breakdown stre ngth. Runs co ol as a cucumber a t its CCS
S l - 1010G (10W output) . .. S 6 .90
construct ion aids. etched circuit boards, Sl-1020(; (20W ou tput) ... $ 13.95 rating of 2 KW (Continuous output
SH030G l30Woulputl ... $19.00 power through the balun at matched
parts sources . Sl - 10506 ISOW ou tputl ... $26.80
load}.

READERS SAY: "A hit here at WL WT @ 4" dia. Wt. 24 oz. $32.50 PPD.

AND FOR FULL LEGAL POWER

Television ... p rovided severul useful ideas
fur our engineers .. "... Cumwt pruise you the time tested Model 1 K balun is
P.O. Box 2208H, Culver Cltv, CA 90230
enough for your understunding ofjust IP'1one Orders) (213) 641-4064
still available. Rated at 1 KW CCS (3
wlwt it is audio enthusiasts with limited KW PEP input) .
kndw-how yearn to do. " "As an audio 2%" dia. Wt. 9 oz. $ 16.95 PPD.
technician I have fo und TAA one of the Send For Your Copy Today!
best sources for technical help in the ONLYPALOMARBALUNS
audio field ... ··Craig Stark of Stereo HAVE ALL THESE FEATURES
Review says: "Those interests of the
• Toroidal core for highest efficiency.
'home constructor· T he Audio Amateur • Teflon insulated wire to prevent
serves are ... absolutely top quality. T he arc-ove r. 0 K for tuned feeders.
magazine is, I think. the only American • Stainless steel eyebolts take antenna
publication devoted to the really serious tension. Won't rust, won't pull apart.
• Epoxy filled case. Absolutely water-
audiophile constructor. " proof.
• Lightning protection built-in.
DEPT. H ., A . • Wideband 1.7 to 30 MHz.
P. 0. BOX 176, 1_~ '. ·, J,UtJO •
•
Hang-up hook provided.
Now available in either 1 : 1 or 4: 1
PETERBOROUGH 1,;. \\( ~ Ol1Ci 'l~; '1 ~"' :-'
M -
ratio. 1: 1 ratio matches 50 or 75
N.H. 03458 U.S.A. ohm coax to 50 or 75 ohm balanced
load (dipo les and inverted Vees). 4 :1
O Check here for free prospectus . ratio matches 50 or 75 ohm coax to
0 I enclose $9.00 for 4 quarterly issues . 200 to 300 ohm balanced load.
0 I enclose $25.00 fo r twelve issues. Featuring ham radio eq uipment of over
60 manufacturers, contains descriptions,
pictures, specifications & prices . . . Free descriptive brochure on request.
no advertisements! A must addition to Order direct .
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ADDRESS Center insulator without balun $7.95
$2.95 Postpa id (U.S.} Postpaid U.S. & Canada.
Specify ratio 1: 1 or 4 : 1
KENGORE CORP - Dept. A California residents add 6% tax.
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Please a llow six weeks for delivery. Rates
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Nam e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- ENGINEERS
BOX 455, ESCONDIDO , CA 92025
er areas available on request.
Phone: (71 4) 747.3343
------------
More details? Ad Check page 78. June1977 ~ 79
 TOROID CORES Learnalong
Electronics
with
MATHEMATICS
The Grantham Electronics -With-
Mathematics SERIES - in four vol-
umes, written in home-study-course
style - now available by mail order...
0 Introductory Electricity With Mathe-
matics. Size, 7 x JOY.?. 288 p ... $12.75
0 Fundamental Properties of AC Circuits.
Size, 7 x IOY.?. 267 pages ...... $12.75
0 Mathematics for Basic C ircuit Analy-
sis. Size, 7 x JOY.?. 352 pages ... $12. 75
0 Basic Electronic Devices and Circuits.
Size, 7 x IO Yi. 378 pages ..... . $12.75
0 All Four Volumes Listed Above.
~ All the popular sizes a nd mixes. (Save $6) ............ ...... . $45.00
F ast Service. Same day shipment
V via first class mail or air. The books listed above were written by Donald J .
No minimum order. Grantham, whose 25 years of teaching- in print
and in the classroom-enable him to anticipate
IRON POWDER TOROIDS : questions in these subjects and thus answer them
MIX 2 in these books. 16 lessons and 16 multiple-choice
'i't\~8
M IX 12 SI ZE PRICE
~ORE
I ZE ~a? MHt
60-200
MHz 00
!Ml.I
USA
s
tests in each volume; many circuit diagrams with
u . 10 u=S.5 u . 4 detailed explanations; many sample problems
T.200 120 2.00 3.25 with step-by-step solutions; many practice prob-
135 1.06 1.50 lems with answers; easy-to-understand language;
55 45 .80 .80 in·depth explanations. Order from GSE Techni-
cal Books - address given at bottom of page.

-
T ·68 57 47 21 .68 .65
T·50 Cl.>
T ·25
51
34
40
27
18
12
.50
.25 .40
.SS
Prepare for Your Cl.>
a.
RF FERRITE TOROIDS :
MI X 02
F.C.C. LICENSE E
0
u
~O RE
MIXOl
u• 125 u = 40 SIZ E PRICE Donald J. Grantham has been an expert in
USA
I ZE . 1 70
M.t!!....,
10.150
MHz
(i~-~ s FCC license preparation since 1951 when he
F ·240 1300 400 2.40 6 .00
began teaching students to pass FCC commer-
f . 125 900 300 1.25 3.00
cial-operator license exams. In I 952 he wrote
f .57 190 .8 7 2.05
an FCC license correspondence course- and
600
F ·50 500 190 .SO 1.25
continued to upda te it for ma ny years. Now he
f .3 7 400 140 .37 1. 2 5
has put the la test FCC-exam information in:
f .2 3 190 60 .23 1.10 0 Grantham's FCC License Study Guide.
Size, 7 x 10~. 377 pages . . .. .. $12.75

mo. .
Chart shows uH per 100 turns.
FERRITE BEADS: This not a Q & A book, not a correspondence
course, but simply an authoritative down-to-earth
presentation of what you should know to pass
FCC license exams for 3rd, 2nd, and !st class
radiotelephone licenses. Four information sec-
tions. 1465 FCC-type multiple-choice questions,
with more than 65,000 words "explaining" the
correct answers. Self-study presentation. Order
from GSE - address at bottom of page.
$2.00 DOZEN _,
OTHER GSE BOOKS
0 Improve Your Technical Communica-
tion (How to write technical reports,
manuals, proposals, articles, etc.).
Size, 7 x IOY.?. 216 pages .... •. . $5.00
D Geometry for Science and Technology.
Size, 7 x JO ~. 141 pages .......... SS.00
D Modern Electronic Calculations.
TO ORDER : Specify both core size Size, 7 x JO ~ . 207 pages .... .... .. S7.00
and mix for toroids. Packing and
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ENGINEERS GSE Technical Books
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(2000 Stoner Avenue)
Phon e : (714) 747 -3343
P.O. Box 25992, Los Angeles, CA 90025

80 Im June 1977 More detail s? Ad Check page 78.

 The ultimate transceiver ... Kenwood ' s TS-820. No matter what you own now,
a move to the TS-820 is your best move . It offers a degree of quality and
dependability second to none, and as the owner of this superb unit, you will
have at your finge rtips the combination of controls a nd features that, even under
the toughest operating condition s, make the TS-820 the Pacesetter that it is.
~
I compression using a true RF changing the receive frequency
compressor as opposed to an IF Enables the operator to eliminate
Q}-eatures clipper Amount of compression is unwanted signals by moving them
Following are a few of the TS- ad1ustable to the desired level by a out of the passband of the receiver
820' s many exc1t1ng features convenient front panel control. This feature alone makes the TS-
SPEECH PROCESSER • An HF IF SH IFT • The IF SHIFT control 8 20 a pacesetter.
circut provides quick time constant vanes the IF passband without

• The TS-820 employs t he display reads out to 100 Hz Both RECEIVER SENSITIVITY: Better than 0.25uV VFOindicators showing wh ich VFO is in use.
latest phase lock loop circuitry.The receive and t ransmit frequencies are RECEIVER SELECTIVITY:
SSS 2.4 kHz (-6 dB)
single conversion receiver section displayed in easy to read . Kenwood 4.4 kHz (-60 dB) Although the TS-820 has a built-in
performance offers superb protection Blue d1g1ts cw· o s kHz (-6 dBJ speaker, the addition of 1he SP-5 20
1.8 kHz (-60 dB}
against unwanted cross-modulation •twith oPhonal CW hllef installed) provides imp roved tonal quality. A perfect
A nd now. PLL allows the frequency IMAGE RATI O : 160-15 meters Better than match in both d esign and performance.
to remain the same when sw 1tch1ng 60 dB
1O meters: Be tter •han 50 dB
sidebands (USB. LSB. CIN) and IF REJECTION Better than 80 dB
el1m1nates having to recalibrat e POWER REQUIREMENTS : 120/ 220 VAC,
The TV- 502 transverter puts vou on 2-
each time 50160 Hz. 13.8 VOC (with opti onal meters the e11sy way. Operates in the
F REQUENCY RANGE : 1.8-29.7 MHz DS-1A QC.DC convener}
1160 - 10 meters) 144.0 -145.7 MHz frequency range with
POWER CONSUMPTION : Transmit: 280 Watts
MODES : USS, LSB , CW, FSK a 14 5.0-146.0 MHz option . Completely
• (optional) A d191tal counter display Receive: 26 Watts (heaters o ft}
INPUT POWER: 'l<XNI PEP on SSB compatible with the TS-820. the TS-5 2 0
DI MENSIONS 13-1 / 8.. W x 6.. H
can be employed as an 1ntergral part 160 W DC on cw x 13-3116.. D
100 w DC on FSK and most anv HF transceiver .
of the VFO readout system . Counter ANTENNA I MPEDANCE : 50. 75 ohms, WEIGHT · 35.2 lbs (16 kg)
mixes t he earner. VFO. and first unbalanced
heterodyne frequencies to give CARRIER SUPPRESSION : Better than 40 dB Function switch provides anv combine- Similar to the TV-602 except that it
SIDEBAND SUPPRESSION: Better than 50 dB
exact frequency Fig ures the fre- SPURIOUS RADIATION: G-totr than -60 dB tion of transmit / receive/ transceive with opens up the 6 -meter band (60.0 -64.0
quency down to 10 Hz and digital (Harmonics more than ~ dB) the TS-820. Both are equipped with MHz) to your HF rig.

TRIO-KENWOOD COMMUNICATIONS INC. 116 EAST ALONDRA/GAR DENA. CA 90248