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So I'm a new ham (General), as I've said before, and aside from a VHF/UHF HT, the BitX is my first (and presently only) radio. I'm in an apartment, so antenna choices are severely limited. I am currently running my BitX through a MFJ-1622, which is tapped coil 1/4 wave apartment antenna with a 5 foot whip and a counterpoise. ?(? ).
I've NEVER been able to hear anything but static on my BitX40, and have done much troubleshooting, finding nothing amiss thus far (on the second one anyway, the first one I built is another story for another day). I took a wafg and figured it to be the antenna, ordered the parts for Jack's antenna analyzer, most of which still aren't here. Impatient as I am, I've sprung for an MFJ-259C antenna analyzer, which arrived about an hour ago, and sure as shootin', my antenna appears to be VERY out of whack.impedance is about 90 ohms, SWR up at 13.5 at freq 7.285.
And now the question: Is this most likely the reason I've been able to hear nothing and no one has been able to hear me?
Then I, of course, have to go OT a bit: Any suggestions as to how to adjust this antenna to something reasonable? Near as I can figure, it has three mechanical adjustments: placement of tap on coil, whip length, counterpoise length.
I will, of course, spend the weekend adjusting everything, one thing at a time, small adjustments, until I figure it out, but if anyone has the antenna knowledge to give me a little guidance, it would sure save some time.
If it's not the antenna, you'll be hearing from me. I've been trying to get on HF for about 2 months now. I've got me an itch that demands scratching!
73, Richard
-- W2KAP In any given circuit, the most expensive part will always sacrifice itself to protect the fuse.
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Hi Richard,?
I'm working on the antenna beast, too. :) ?I just put one of these up in my house, sort of to play w/ while I work on an outdoor antenna. ?
I omitted the 20m legs since I only wanted to use it on 40m; it was really easy to tune... just hook up radio w/ swr meter on the antenna and trim the legs bit by bit until it reads 1:1 swr.?
I was able to pick stuff up the day I made it, but not the couple days following...? I'm not sure if it was because of band conditions or what...? I think I saw that hf conditions were not good this last week.?
This might be worth trying, anyhow, if you want a cheap alternative antenna to try.?
--Dan
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Richard,
For RX only, try as much wire as you can string about.? Won't work
for TX but should be better for picking up signals. Ask around for
the frequency and time for nets in your area and you should be
able to determine if you can pick anything up. Here on the west
coast we have a noon net that runs for 3+ hours a day with
stations from all over the west so one can easily figure out how
your antenna is hearing.
Good luck and 73,
Jonathan
On 4/28/2017 11:24 AM, richard kappler wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
So I'm a new ham (General), as I've said before,
and aside from a VHF/UHF HT, the BitX is my first (and presently
only) radio. I'm in an apartment, so antenna choices are
severely limited. I am currently running my BitX through a
MFJ-1622, which is tapped coil 1/4 wave apartment antenna with a
5 foot whip and a counterpoise. ?(?
).
I've NEVER been able to hear anything but static on my
BitX40, and have done much troubleshooting, finding nothing
amiss thus far (on the second one anyway, the first one I
built is another story for another day). I took a wafg and
figured it to be the antenna, ordered the parts for Jack's
antenna analyzer, most of which still aren't here. Impatient
as I am, I've sprung for an MFJ-259C antenna analyzer, which
arrived about an hour ago, and sure as shootin', my antenna
appears to be VERY out of whack.impedance is about 90 ohms,
SWR up at 13.5 at freq 7.285.
And now the question: Is this most likely the reason I've
been able to hear nothing and no one has been able to hear me?
Then I, of course, have to go OT a bit: Any suggestions as
to how to adjust this antenna to something reasonable? Near as
I can figure, it has three mechanical adjustments: placement
of tap on coil, whip length, counterpoise length.
I will, of course, spend the weekend adjusting everything,
one thing at a time, small adjustments, until I figure it out,
but if anyone has the antenna knowledge to give me a little
guidance, it would sure save some time.
If it's not the antenna, you'll be hearing from me. I've
been trying to get on HF for about 2 months now. I've got me
an itch that demands scratching!
73, Richard
--
W2KAP
In any given circuit, the
most expensive part will always sacrifice itself to
protect the fuse.
|
Use the MFJ to determine where the antenna is resonant. If the frequency is below 7.285 decrease the ?amount of coil and recheck. Conversely if it is resonate above 7.286 you will have to add coil. ? v/r Fred W4JLE ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of richard kappler
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2017 2:24 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [BITX20] Bitx40 vs the antenna beast ? So I'm a new ham (General), as I've said before, and aside from a VHF/UHF HT, the BitX is my first (and presently only) radio. I'm in an apartment, so antenna choices are severely limited. I am currently running my BitX through a MFJ-1622, which is tapped coil 1/4 wave apartment antenna with a 5 foot whip and a counterpoise. ?(? ). I've NEVER been able to hear anything but static on my BitX40, and have done much troubleshooting, finding nothing amiss thus far (on the second one anyway, the first one I built is another story for another day). I took a wafg and figured it to be the antenna, ordered the parts for Jack's antenna analyzer, most of which still aren't here. Impatient as I am, I've sprung for an MFJ-259C antenna analyzer, which arrived about an hour ago, and sure as shootin', my antenna appears to be VERY out of whack.impedance is about 90 ohms, SWR up at 13.5 at freq 7.285. And now the question: Is this most likely the reason I've been able to hear nothing and no one has been able to hear me? Then I, of course, have to go OT a bit: Any suggestions as to how to adjust this antenna to something reasonable? Near as I can figure, it has three mechanical adjustments: placement of tap on coil, whip length, counterpoise length. I will, of course, spend the weekend adjusting everything, one thing at a time, small adjustments, until I figure it out, but if anyone has the antenna knowledge to give me a little guidance, it would sure save some time. If it's not the antenna, you'll be hearing from me. I've been trying to get on HF for about 2 months now. I've got me an itch that demands scratching! -- In any given circuit, the most expensive part will always sacrifice itself to protect the fuse.
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Fred,
You are a gentleman and a scholar, that is exactly the type of guidance I was looking for!
Cheers, Richard W2KAP?
On Apr 28, 2017 6:02 PM, "Dr Fred Hambrecht" < AAR4MI@...> wrote: Use the MFJ to determine where the antenna is resonant. If the frequency is below 7.285 decrease the ?amount of coil and recheck. Conversely if it is resonate above 7.286 you will have to add coil. ? v/r Fred W4JLE ? From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of richard kappler
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2017 2:24 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [BITX20] Bitx40 vs the antenna beast ? So I'm a new ham (General), as I've said before, and aside from a VHF/UHF HT, the BitX is my first (and presently only) radio. I'm in an apartment, so antenna choices are severely limited. I am currently running my BitX through a MFJ-1622, which is tapped coil 1/4 wave apartment antenna with a 5 foot whip and a counterpoise. ?(? ). I've NEVER been able to hear anything but static on my BitX40, and have done much troubleshooting, finding nothing amiss thus far (on the second one anyway, the first one I built is another story for another day). I took a wafg and figured it to be the antenna, ordered the parts for Jack's antenna analyzer, most of which still aren't here. Impatient as I am, I've sprung for an MFJ-259C antenna analyzer, which arrived about an hour ago, and sure as shootin', my antenna appears to be VERY out of whack.impedance is about 90 ohms, SWR up at 13.5 at freq 7.285. And now the question: Is this most likely the reason I've been able to hear nothing and no one has been able to hear me? Then I, of course, have to go OT a bit: Any suggestions as to how to adjust this antenna to something reasonable? Near as I can figure, it has three mechanical adjustments: placement of tap on coil, whip length, counterpoise length. I will, of course, spend the weekend adjusting everything, one thing at a time, small adjustments, until I figure it out, but if anyone has the antenna knowledge to give me a little guidance, it would sure save some time. If it's not the antenna, you'll be hearing from me. I've been trying to get on HF for about 2 months now. I've got me an itch that demands scratching! -- In any given circuit, the most expensive part will always sacrifice itself to protect the fuse.
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I. too, am warring with the "antenna beast". I live with my parents, and my dad doesn't want me running coax cables out through window panel feed-throughs or drilling holes in the upstairs walls, and the metal-framed windows are designed in such a way as to pinch a feed-through cable made of flat lead.
My solution will be to make a folded dipole, run around the wall just under the ceiling in my bedroom, and made of 300 ohm flat lead (I have 50 feet of the stuff), with the "legs" 20-1/2 feet long each (I have 41 linear feet of wall in my room). I will be using a 6:1 balun to impedance match (50 ohms out from the radio to the 300 ohm antenna), with an automatic antenna tuner (either my Elecraft T1 or one of my old but trusty LDG AT-11 tuners) between the rig and the balun. Probably won't work much past 40 meters, but it's better than nothing at all!
Rich KC8MWG
On Friday, April 28, 2017 6:13 PM, richard kappler <richkappler@...> wrote:
Fred,
You are a gentleman and a scholar, that is exactly the type of guidance I was looking for!
Cheers, Richard W2KAP?
On Apr 28, 2017 6:02 PM, "Dr Fred Hambrecht" < AAR4MI@...> wrote: Use the MFJ to determine where the antenna is resonant. If the frequency is below 7.285 decrease the ?amount of coil and recheck. Conversely if it is resonate above 7.286 you will have to add coil. ? v/r Fred W4JLE ? ? So I'm a new ham (General), as I've said before, and aside from a VHF/UHF HT, the BitX is my first (and presently only) radio. I'm in an apartment, so antenna choices are severely limited. I am currently running my BitX through a MFJ-1622, which is tapped coil 1/4 wave apartment antenna with a 5 foot whip and a counterpoise. ?(? ). I've NEVER been able to hear anything but static on my BitX40, and have done much troubleshooting, finding nothing amiss thus far (on the second one anyway, the first one I built is another story for another day). I took a wafg and figured it to be the antenna, ordered the parts for Jack's antenna analyzer, most of which still aren't here. Impatient as I am, I've sprung for an MFJ-259C antenna analyzer, which arrived about an hour ago, and sure as shootin', my antenna appears to be VERY out of whack.impedance is about 90 ohms, SWR up at 13.5 at freq 7.285. And now the question: Is this most likely the reason I've been able to hear nothing and no one has been able to hear me? Then I, of course, have to go OT a bit: Any suggestions as to how to adjust this antenna to something reasonable? Near as I can figure, it has three mechanical adjustments: placement of tap on coil, whip length, counterpoise length. I will, of course, spend the weekend adjusting everything, one thing at a time, small adjustments, until I figure it out, but if anyone has the antenna knowledge to give me a little guidance, it would sure save some time. If it's not the antenna, you'll be hearing from me. I've been trying to get on HF for about 2 months now. I've got me an itch that demands scratching! -- In any given circuit, the most expensive part will always sacrifice itself to protect the fuse.
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If static is the issue, go outside to eg a park. Tuning the antenna only will be important when transmitting.
Find local hams to support getting the receive part working.?
7.285 is good enough to make the bitx40 receive. Go outside to loose the static first.
Ron - PA3FAT
Sent from my iPhone
On 29 Apr 2017, at 00:02, Dr Fred Hambrecht < AAR4MI@...> wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Use the MFJ to determine where the antenna is resonant. If the frequency is below 7.285 decrease the ?amount of coil and recheck. Conversely if it is resonate
above 7.286 you will have to add coil.
?
v/r
Fred W4JLE
?
From:
[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
On Behalf Of richard kappler
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2017 2:24 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [BITX20] Bitx40 vs the antenna beast
?
So I'm a new ham (General), as I've said before, and aside from a VHF/UHF HT, the BitX is my first (and presently only) radio. I'm in an apartment, so antenna choices are severely limited. I am currently running my BitX through a MFJ-1622,
which is tapped coil 1/4 wave apartment antenna with a 5 foot whip and a counterpoise. ?(? ).
I've NEVER been able to hear anything but static on my BitX40, and have done much troubleshooting, finding nothing amiss thus far (on the second one anyway, the first one I built is another story for another day). I took a wafg and figured
it to be the antenna, ordered the parts for Jack's antenna analyzer, most of which still aren't here. Impatient as I am, I've sprung for an MFJ-259C antenna analyzer, which arrived about an hour ago, and sure as shootin', my antenna appears to be VERY out
of whack.impedance is about 90 ohms, SWR up at 13.5 at freq 7.285.
And now the question: Is this most likely the reason I've been able to hear nothing and no one has been able to hear me?
Then I, of course, have to go OT a bit: Any suggestions as to how to adjust this antenna to something reasonable? Near as I can figure, it has three mechanical adjustments: placement of tap on coil, whip length, counterpoise length.
I will, of course, spend the weekend adjusting everything, one thing at a time, small adjustments, until I figure it out, but if anyone has the antenna knowledge to give me a little guidance, it would sure save some time.
If it's not the antenna, you'll be hearing from me. I've been trying to get on HF for about 2 months now. I've got me an itch that demands scratching!
--
In any given circuit, the most expensive part will always sacrifice itself to protect the fuse.
|
Thanks for all the responses. I was actually Fred's guidance that did the trick. I had the antenna close to 1:1 in about 15 minutes before herself decided we needed to do other things. I'll get it tuned today and hook the radio up to it and see where I'm at then. Thanks for all the help everybody!
73, Richard W2KAP 
On 29 Apr 2017, at 00:02, Dr Fred Hambrecht < AAR4MI@...> wrote:
Use the MFJ to determine where the antenna is resonant. If the frequency is below 7.285 decrease the ?amount of coil and recheck. Conversely if it is resonate
above 7.286 you will have to add coil.
?
v/r
Fred W4JLE
?
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The thing is that RX won't be affected much by the SWR. That is a TX thing. So the question remains why haven't you heard anything? As I said earlier, try finding some net frequencies and times and find some wire to string about the apartment/house. That way you can find out if the BITX has RX issues or if your antenna location isn't working.
Good luck and 73!
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Thanks for all the responses. I was actually Fred's guidance that did the trick. I had the antenna close to 1:1 in about 15 minutes before herself decided we needed to do other things. I'll get it tuned today and hook the radio up to it and see where I'm at then. Thanks for all the help everybody!
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Daniel Norris