Topband: Tennis Ball Launcher
We made over a dozen of these for a club project. Here's some notes: 2.5" PVC is usually not a local item, so I ordered it on line along with all the bushings, reducers, caps, and threaded 90's. Since folks tend to drop these on the 1" 180 degree bend in the tubing, having a 3" to 1" threaded reducer on the storage tank allows the storage tank be removed. The sprinkler valve is threaded too so it and the barrel can be separated for repairs. The storage tank was 3" and the interconnect piping was 1" along with a 1" sprinkler valve that we modified with a pneumatic push button firing mechanism. (The use of the air gun nozzle is cumbersome and prone to damage and leaks!) A small 1" round pressure gauge on the storage tank near the schrader valve gives predictable shots. The storage tank is closely mounted below the barrel and clamped with hose clamps or other materials, so the final product is 'U' shaped, easy to store and transport in vehicles. A closed face spinning reel is mounted on a piece of 1/2" PVC and slides in between the barrel and storage tank, under the hose clamp. Once fired, the reel can be slid off the gun and be easily moved to get the 3.0 oz weighted tennis ball through the limbs. Tennis balls don't dent vehicles or break windows, versus those shooting a PVC Sabot. The 3.0 oz weight (13 real pennies) allows the fishing line to be able to slide through sticky pine trees (common out here in 1 land) If you want pics, email me at (my call sign) @ arrl.net 73 Kriss KA1GJU _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Hi Z Antennas
Dennis, I congratulate you on your efforts to make your top band receiving adequate despite your local noise. There have been too many poor excuses for remote RX sites. You exemplify the true ham spirit, experimenting with antennas that fit your needs at your location. I wish others would do the same. See you in the contest this weekend and good luck. 73, Larry n7dd Sent by Larry On Nov 30, 2018, at 1:10 PM, Dennis W0JX via Topband wrote: I have had a Hi-Z four square up since early 2012. It is a very good system for my needs. I have adequate land - although it was necessary to put it out in the front yard to get it away from the TX antenna - for the 80 foot per side layout. I see 18 to 24 db front to rear rejection depending upon angle of signal arrival. My system is probably compromised by power lines that border two sides of my property. The Hi-Z is connected to the second RX in my K3 and is used in diversity mode on 160 and 80. For main RX on the low bands I used to have two, 450 foot reversible beverages. However local noise sources have made those beverages almost unusable in the past 5 years. Hence I was forced to put up antennas which have excellent rear rejection. For that purpose, I installed three "dual flag" receive arrays. These are similar to DHDL rx antennas developed by George, AA7JV except that I use two flag loops instead of the half deltas. The flag antennas (really simplified Waller flags) have excellent rear rejection and make the AC power line noise almost non-existent. If you purchase the Bev-Flex, I do recommend installing it as a EWE or FLAG. If you go with the Hi-Z two element, make sure there are no antennas or large metal objects in near by proximity or you won't get the receiving pattern you need. 73, Dennis W0JX Milan, OH _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Shooting lines over tree tops
I have the SS Line Launcher, which uses .22 blanks and can shoot its custom-shaped projectile a VERY long distance. I agree with the previously posted tip of spreading a plastic tarp so that shot line can feed out with minimal chance of snagging or forming tension knots on itself. I also like the trick of figure-8 coiling of shot line, a smart idea. I use a large cardboard box to contain my free line—putting that box on ground about 3 feet in front of me. I have used my Line Launcher in Vermont to put lines easily over 100-foot tall trees and place suspension ropes for large horizontal wire loops. A serious piece of advice if you use the Line Launcher: Wear Good Ear Protection—the report is very loud. Second piece of advice: Wear Eye Protection at all times. This is no toy, but a truly dangerous weapon just as soon as the projectile has been lowered into the barrel. The gun must be treated with great respect and disciplined moves. The bad mental trap here to consciously avoid is dropping your guard because your brain is telling you, “It’s only using blanks”. Jim NK7B _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Hi Z Antennas
I have had a Hi-Z four square up since early 2012. It is a very good system for my needs. I have adequate land - although it was necessary to put it out in the front yard to get it away from the TX antenna - for the 80 foot per side layout. I see 18 to 24 db front to rear rejection depending upon angle of signal arrival. My system is probably compromised by power lines that border two sides of my property. The Hi-Z is connected to the second RX in my K3 and is used in diversity mode on 160 and 80. For main RX on the low bands I used to have two, 450 foot reversible beverages. However local noise sources have made those beverages almost unusable in the past 5 years. Hence I was forced to put up antennas which have excellent rear rejection. For that purpose, I installed three "dual flag" receive arrays. These are similar to DHDL rx antennas developed by George, AA7JV except that I use two flag loops instead of the half deltas. The flag antennas (really simplified Waller flags) have excellent rear rejection and make the AC power line noise almost non-existent. If you purchase the Bev-Flex, I do recommend installing it as a EWE or FLAG. If you go with the Hi-Z two element, make sure there are no antennas or large metal objects in near by proximity or you won't get the receiving pattern you need. 73, Dennis W0JX Milan, OH _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Info on modding 4 el HI-Z to 3 el HI-Z wanted
Hello Kevin, You would need to get a shack switch for the 3 element array and a phase controller for the three element. All the rest would retrofit just fine except you would have to contact me about the proper phase delay line to use with the three. Contact me directly if you need more information. Lee K7TJR Hi-Z Antennas -Original Message- From: Topband On Behalf Of kol...@rcn.com Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 9:23 AM To: Topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Info on modding 4 el HI-Z to 3 el HI-Z wanted Anyone have any info? I have a 4 el unit but can only (maybe) accommodate a 3el triangle on my property. W hat would have to be done to the controller box etc.? 73 Kevin K3OX - Original Message - From: "Gary Smith" To: "Steven Jobes" Cc: Topband@contesting.com Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 12:15:21 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas Steve, I haven't used the HI-Z 2 element or the JK system. I do have both the HI-Z 3 and 8 element arrays. I find them both invaluable on 160 and 80. They do work on the higher bands as well, I usually use my triangular for 20M & up but I have only vertical antennas, no tribander. I can say that on a given 160 & 80 DX signal, the 8 usually hears better than the 3 but not always, the 3 sometimes gets the best copy but always better by far than the sloper on 160 & INV-L on 80. You'll never find better support than you get from HI-Z. 73, Gary KA1J > -Original Message- > From: Steve via Groups.Io > To: yccc > Cc: yccc > Sent: Wed, Nov 28, 2018 8:51 pm > Subject: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas > > Hi I am seeking information from anyone with experience with hi z > arrays. I am considering either the hi z two element array or the Jk > antenna bev-flex beverage system. They both can fill my needs as my > property has limitations headed northeast. And both will give me > directivity towards Europe. Thanks for any advice, > > 73 , > Steve Jobes > W1dxh > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. > > View/Reply Online (#52807): https://groups.io/g/yccc/message/52807 > Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/28483069/417809 -=-=- YCCC > Discussion Group (members-only) -=-=- Group Owner: > yccc+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/yccc/unsub > [w1...@aol.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _ Searchable > Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Info on modding 4 el HI-Z to 3 el HI-Z wanted
Anyone have any info? I have a 4 el unit but can only (maybe) accommodate a 3el triangle on my property. W hat would have to be done to the controller box etc.? 73 Kevin K3OX - Original Message - From: "Gary Smith" To: "Steven Jobes" Cc: Topband@contesting.com Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 12:15:21 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas Steve, I haven't used the HI-Z 2 element or the JK system. I do have both the HI-Z 3 and 8 element arrays. I find them both invaluable on 160 and 80. They do work on the higher bands as well, I usually use my triangular for 20M & up but I have only vertical antennas, no tribander. I can say that on a given 160 & 80 DX signal, the 8 usually hears better than the 3 but not always, the 3 sometimes gets the best copy but always better by far than the sloper on 160 & INV-L on 80. You'll never find better support than you get from HI-Z. 73, Gary KA1J > -Original Message- > From: Steve via Groups.Io > To: yccc > Cc: yccc > Sent: Wed, Nov 28, 2018 8:51 pm > Subject: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas > > Hi I am seeking information from anyone with experience with hi z > arrays. I am considering either the hi z two element array or the Jk > antenna bev-flex beverage system. They both can fill my needs as my > property has limitations headed northeast. And both will give me > directivity towards Europe. Thanks for any advice, > > 73 , > Steve Jobes > W1dxh > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. > > View/Reply Online (#52807): https://groups.io/g/yccc/message/52807 > Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/28483069/417809 -=-=- YCCC > Discussion Group (members-only) -=-=- Group Owner: > yccc+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/yccc/unsub > [w1...@aol.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _ Searchable > Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas
Steve, I haven't used the HI-Z 2 element or the JK system. I do have both the HI-Z 3 and 8 element arrays. I find them both invaluable on 160 and 80. They do work on the higher bands as well, I usually use my triangular for 20M & up but I have only vertical antennas, no tribander. I can say that on a given 160 & 80 DX signal, the 8 usually hears better than the 3 but not always, the 3 sometimes gets the best copy but always better by far than the sloper on 160 & INV-L on 80. You'll never find better support than you get from HI-Z. 73, Gary KA1J > -Original Message- > From: Steve via Groups.Io > To: yccc > Cc: yccc > Sent: Wed, Nov 28, 2018 8:51 pm > Subject: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas > > Hi I am seeking information from anyone with experience with hi z > arrays. I am considering either the hi z two element array or the Jk > antenna bev-flex beverage system. They both can fill my needs as my > property has limitations headed northeast. And both will give me > directivity towards Europe. Thanks for any advice, > > 73 , > Steve Jobes > W1dxh > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. > > View/Reply Online (#52807): https://groups.io/g/yccc/message/52807 > Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/28483069/417809 -=-=- YCCC > Discussion Group (members-only) -=-=- Group Owner: > yccc+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/yccc/unsub > [w1...@aol.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _ Searchable > Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas
I am not a member of the YCCC but I do have a couple of years experience with the Hi-Z. Mine is the 3 element array at 50 foot spacing. The verticals you construct yourself and are 21 foot tall. Mine are aluminum tubing from DX Engineering but I know people who have made them from long fishing poles with wire run up them. Each antenna has a preamp fixed to the base and requires no ground system, only a ground rod at each antenna. That's part of what made the system attractive to me. I live on an acre lot outside of the city and don't have access to enough property to use beverages. The K9AY system sounds like a good system but unless you have a spot that you don't mow you can't leave it up any longer than through the winter months. With the Hi-Z you can put it up and bury the 75 ohm feed so you can use it more than just when your not mowing. The three element even at 50 foot spacing (optimized for 160) still works well down to 40 meters. After that the higher in frequency you go it looses directivity. Although sometimes it has so much better SNR than my transmit antenna that I can hear better even on the higher frequencies. The other advantage to the Hi-Z is that it can be placed within 100 foot of the transmit antenna without any problems. I have a local AM station that is about 8 miles east of my location. I never had any problems on 160 until I put up the Hi-Z. Then the SNR was so good when I pointed the array east I could hear the harmonics and had to put a high pass filter in to block it on the array. BTW you get 6 directions out of the three element Hi-Z. I am not sure how many directions the 2 element would give you but If I lived where that was all I could muster, I wouldn't hesitate to put a 2 element Hi-Z up. Surrounding objects don't seem to effect it much (although I haven't tested mine in the total clear) because I have mine in a triangle surrounding a large walnut tree with a row of evergreens about 10 foot along one side. The bottom line is before I would work everything I could hear on 160 and now there are a lot that don't hear me. Time to work on the transmit antenna! 73 Tim, K9CQ Jacksonville, IL (west central north of Saint Louis MO.) -Original Message- From: Steven Jobes via Topband Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 9:44 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas -Original Message- From: Steve via Groups.Io To: yccc Cc: yccc Sent: Wed, Nov 28, 2018 8:51 pm Subject: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas Hi I am seeking information from anyone with experience with hi z arrays. I am considering either the hi z two element array or the Jk antenna bev-flex beverage system. They both can fill my needs as my property has limitations headed northeast. And both will give me directivity towards Europe. Thanks for any advice, 73 , Steve Jobes W1dxh -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#52807): https://groups.io/g/yccc/message/52807 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/28483069/417809 -=-=- YCCC Discussion Group (members-only) -=-=- Group Owner: yccc+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/yccc/unsub [w1...@aol.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas
I've had much more success with the bev flex, configured as a EWE, than a HI-Z 3 element array, however, every users experience may be different, depending on local noise and other factors. - Original Message - From: "Steven Jobes via Topband" To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 10:44:43 AM Subject: Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas -Original Message- From: Steve via Groups.Io To: yccc Cc: yccc Sent: Wed, Nov 28, 2018 8:51 pm Subject: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas Hi I am seeking information from anyone with experience with hi z arrays. I am considering either the hi z two element array or the Jk antenna bev-flex beverage system. They both can fill my needs as my property has limitations headed northeast. And both will give me directivity towards Europe. Thanks for any advice, 73 , Steve Jobes W1dxh -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#52807): https://groups.io/g/yccc/message/52807 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/28483069/417809 -=-=- YCCC Discussion Group (members-only) -=-=- Group Owner: yccc+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/yccc/unsub [w1...@aol.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Not so boring report
Even though my QTH is about 50 miles from Boring, my reports can still be boring? This morning - I got on the radio around 7 AM local (1500Z) and quickly worked Vlad, RA4LW, who I also worked last night. During the next hour - 8 more Europeans made it into the log. This is the first time I have heard this morning opening to EU in perhaps 8 years. It's an indication to me that we are moving into the best time to be on topband - for perhaps the next 2 or 3 years. My TX antenna was best for RX as I don't have too many beverages up yet (just one going East). Many stations were worked using "QSB protocol" with short transmissions. 73 Tree N6TR/7 Manning, Oregon _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Fwd: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas
-Original Message- From: Steve via Groups.Io To: yccc Cc: yccc Sent: Wed, Nov 28, 2018 8:51 pm Subject: [yccc] Hi z receive antennas Hi I am seeking information from anyone with experience with hi z arrays. I am considering either the hi z two element array or the Jk antenna bev-flex beverage system. They both can fill my needs as my property has limitations headed northeast. And both will give me directivity towards Europe. Thanks for any advice, 73 , Steve Jobes W1dxh -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#52807): https://groups.io/g/yccc/message/52807 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/28483069/417809 -=-=- YCCC Discussion Group (members-only) -=-=- Group Owner: yccc+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/yccc/unsub [w1...@aol.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
