APRS SATCOM base antennas
Sat 28 October 2017
Years ago, Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, talked about a "good" antenna for APRS SATCOM applications. It was a 19-inch vertical antenna that would function on both the 2m and 70cm bands, and had lobes that were up around the 30-degree mark. Looking for information on that antenna last night I found a page Bob had written expanding on the idea. This page provides designs for i-gate antennas on 2m and includes the 19-inch antenna as well as a new design, a 3/4-wave 2m antenna.
I'm seriously considering building one or both of these antennas this weekend to test out these antenna designs.
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Tags: Digital Operations / International Space Station (ISS) / Antennas / APRS / Packet Radio / Satellite Operations /
Other articles
J-Pole antennas for SAR
Mon 10 July 2017
[caption id="attachment_1055" align="alignleft" width="169"] Fiberglass mast with two VHF j-pole antennas affixed.[/caption]
I recently started working with Calvert K9 Search, a local SAR team that specializes in using dogs to search for people. In an effort to improve communications between the command post (base) and …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …N6NB VHF/UHF Quad Antenna
Sun 09 August 2015
I'm interested in VHF and higher bands. Unfortunately my current home doesn't permit me to really dive into these bands like I'd prefer (with LOTS of big antennas!). So, to get my fix, I'm hoping to build a rover station that I can use go catch some new grids and …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Now on medium wave!
Wed 14 January 2015
Years ago I purchased a 40-80-160m dipole antenna in hopes of getting a good signal out on the lower bands. Unfortunately the antenna ended up being too large for my yard and I didn't use it. Fast forward to now and I've got plenty of room for antennas. When I …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Breaking the Arrow Antenna's diplexer
Sun 02 November 2014
The Arrow Antenna for satellites has an optional diplexer that allows easy operation of 2m and 70cm from a single feedline. I've used this configuration for over ten years with no problems. I'm not sure, exactly, what happened but the diplexer failed. After ordering a new one I started digging …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Parabolic antenna beamwidth calculations
Sun 01 June 2014
Okay, I'm thinking about parabolic antennas right now. I created a spreadsheet that would take care of all the formulas some years back but I can't seem to find it now. I'm trying to find all the formulas that I need to get the information I need to make my …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Antenna maintenance
Sun 18 March 2012
The weather was nice enough for me to get some of my antenna maintenance done that I couldn't do during the cold winter months. First on the list was to completely remove the 23cm (1.2GHz) antenna from the top of the tower. While I've had good luck working stations …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …All antennas up in the air.
Sat 01 August 2009
I've also noted that the only …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …New antennas up in the air.
Fri 31 July 2009
It was hot this afternoon but I was able to get two of the three planned antennas up. Tomorrow is the ARRL UHF Contest so hopefully I'll be ready (still have to trim a limb or two out of a tree).
Top antenna is 23cm (1278MHz) and the lower one …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Received 23cm antenna
Tue 07 July 2009
Came home to find a long box on the doorstep. Opened it up to find my new 23cm (1.2GHz) antenna ready for assembly. In less than an hour I had my twenty-four element loop yagi put together and ready for talking. Now I just need to get some N …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …VHF/UHF Update
Wed 01 July 2009
Well, things took a slight turn for the worst last night. After receiving the UT-10 and the coax, N-connectors, and rotator control wire I realized that the pole I have stuck up in the air isn't wide enough to support the rotator. Apparently the pole is 1" in diameter and …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …New toys...
Sat 27 June 2009
I haven't posted anything lately but that doesn't mean that nothing has been happening.
First, a couple of weeks ago I found a Kenwood UT-10 1.2GHz module for my TS-790A. I've been looking for one of these for going on two years. Finally my eBay alert came through and …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Worked AO-16 from inside using???
Sat 27 September 2008
I just worked a pass on AO-16. Heck yeah it was early. But having the bird all to myself at 5:45 in the morning means I get to test my antennas without stepping on anyone else. I did work N8OQ but it wasn't easy. And I'm not really sure …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Satellite Operations: Antenna Support
Tue 23 September 2008
Now comes the interesting part. How do I hold up my antennas so they can twist and turn as required? I don't plan to be in the same location in two years so I don't want to do anything permanent. I currently have a 30-foot pole up next to the …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Satellite Operations: 2m and 70cm Antennas
Tue 23 September 2008
The most important part to a radio station is the antennas. You could probably lump in the feedline as well but I think I have that figured out for the moment.
So what antennas do I already have and what do I need.
Have:
- 11-element 2m beam (single polarization, currently …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …Problems at Radio Station W4OTN
Thu 22 November 2007
I've been having problems with my radio station lately and it has really started to bother me. I've used two antennas and haven't been satisfied with either one of them. Before I was using a 40-80-160 dipole but the 80m portion was too long and didn't want to work right …
By Sparks, Category: Information Security
Continue reading …20m Vertical Erected
Fri 28 September 2007
Last night I put the final touches on the 20m vertical antenna I built the previous night. Looking over everything and checking it twice I thought I had everything taken care of. I looped a branch in a nearby tree and pulled the antenna skyward so that the base was …
By Sparks, Category: Radio
Continue reading …New HF Antenna
Fri 21 September 2007
I'm going to build a new antenna I found in the 2003 edition of the ARRL Handbook. This antenna was originally published by the ARRL in their September 1984 edition of QST in which Chuck Hutchinson, K8CH, explains his "Tree-Mounted HF Groundplane Antenna".
I will be building the 20m version …