Article Index
Help Wanted for New Project: An Apartment Dweller's Site
I have an idea that there are a lot of people out there in my situation. I live in an apartment and have struggled with station setup, antennas, neighbors and landlords. I have done many searches trying to find information that would help, maybe even a support group to discuss issues. I've yet to find it. So...
I've Been Googled!
You might have noticed the hit counter at the bottom of this web page. By clicking the counter, I can see how people made it to my site. I can't see any details other than the link that brought them here. I've noticed I show up a lot in web searches. Some make sense, some don't. Here is a summary of some searches that led to my site and my comments to go along with them.
Bug Smoke
If you have a bug on the shelf, read this and then get to work. This isn't a technical article about how to adjust your bug but may help you understand why you've had problems setting it up in the past.
Life without Ham Radio
About three weeks ago my antenna fell in high winds. Getting it put back up has been a bit of a nightmare because of my dependency on my landlord. What does a ham do when he can't get on the air? Here's my depressing story.
Antenna Restrictions? Been There, Done That
It is becoming more and more prevalent for hams to have to deal with antenna restrictions in one form or another. Homeowners use to be able to do pretty much as they pleased when it came to antennas. Usually the only thing stopping them from putting up wires, poles, towers and beams were the XYL restrictions. XYL restrictions could be fairly harsh and were not to be underestimated. But those were rare cases that no compromise could be found. Now there are written Deed Restrictions forbidding almost all types of antennas. But apartment dwellers have been under antenna restrictions for a lot longer than homeowners. Over the years, apartment dwelling hams have tried some rather ingenious and outright brazen methods of beating the antenna restrictions. I would like to share just a few of my trials and tribulations of dealing with antenna restrictions in an apartment.
My First Rig
Paul is a regular around 7070 on digital modes. I've had many long and fun discussions with Paul, everything from the old days to antenna theory and design. I asked Paul if he'd write some articles for the web site and he said yes! In his article, Paul relates the story of his first rig. I hope it brings back memories for you and encourages you to send in a story.
Field Day 2006
I worked Field Day with the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club, W4CA. This is the second year with them and as before, they put on a great show. From setup to teardown, it was constant go. I would like to say it was tough because I'm not a young man anymore, but the embarrassing truth is I was outperformed by my elders.
When Sparks Fly, Part 3
After a BALUN blowout and a replacement that didn’t meet my needs, everything is back to normal at the shack. I purchased the DXE 4:1 high power BALUN and ran it through its paces. Not perfect, but it is what I expected.
When Sparks Fly, Part 2
In part 1 of this series I explained how I burned out my Radio Works 4:1 Remote BALUN. It was a good BALUN and held out for quite a while, but the stress of RTTY and a possible lightning strike caused its untimely end. I replaced the BALUN with a high power DX Engineering 1:1 BALUN. It might not be the right solution for my setup.
When Sparks Fly, Part 1
I recently had a balun burn out in a not so dramatic way. I do not believe it was poor design or quality that caused the failure but I do question some of the components. These are my ‘non-scientific’ impressions of what may have gone wrong along with some pictures to show the final result.
Small Wonders!
I've just finished building the Small Wonder Labs PSK-40 Transceiver. It was a great two-night build and I believe suitable for a novice builder with a little experience. Here's some of my building and operating experiences.