Tag Archives: antennas

Liberty Net: September 10, 2016

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liberty-net-experimental-radioby Kevin Strom, WB4AIO

AS FALL APPROACHES, the static on 75 meters starts to go down and far-sighted hams start thinking about improving their antenna systems in the cool — but not yet cold — outdoor weather. Falling leaves often signify rising signals!

Listen: Liberty Net 9/10″]

Thanks to Marty, N2IRJ, for filling in as Net Control Station when Vic, W1WCR was attending this year’s Oktoberfest.

Here’s a brief selection taken from among the topics brought up on the net, along with my take on them:

• These days, if you buy a John Deere, an RCA, or sometimes even a Cadillac, you’re just getting a cheaply-made Asian product with a venerable old American nameplate slapped on it just before the inflated price sticker (of about ten times the item’s true value) is attached. In so many ways, America is just a shell of its former self. Soon we won’t be able to pretend anymore. (11 minutes)

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Liberty Net: July 30, 2016

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Liberty-Net---glass-transomby Kevin Strom, WB4AIO

IT’S LIGHTNING season. There are many methods of protecting your station from nearby strikes (nothing can protect it from a direct hit). One method used here at WB4AIO is this: I use open wire feedline. Where it enters my home, the two balanced-feedline wires pass through the wall by going through through two narrow plastic tubes just a little bit wider than the wires themselves.

Just about an inch or so outside the wall, each wire of the feedline is connected via a Powerpole quick-disconnect connector. When a storm is approaching, I just walk out to the back of the house, disconnect the feedline, and toss it ten or 15 feet away from the house. (This is also done when mowing the lawn, so the feedline is out of the way and out of danger.)

There’s no better way of keeping a lightning-induced spike on the antenna from entering my equipment than by having that antenna’s feedline a dozen feet from the house!

Another thing I do is keep a 2-Watt 22 Megohm high voltage resistor connected across the open wire feedline at all times. This absorbs practically no desired RF, but effectively prevents DC static charges from building up across the antenna’s feed system during precipitation or storms. Such DC buildup can sometimes cause loud popping sounds in your receiver called “precipitation static” — or even cause arcing when a passing storm front brings a large atmospheric voltage gradient along with it. With the resistor paralleling the feedline, any such charge is bled off before it can cause any problems.

Listen: Liberty Net 7/30″]

Here are a few selections from the topics brought out on this week’s net, along with my comments:

• The murders, rapes, and other crimes committed by non-White invaders being brought into Germany by traitorous politicians like Angela Merkel are getting so overwhelming that Germans are starting to call this 2016 season “Merkel’s Summer of Slaughter.” (21 minutes)

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Liberty Net: June 12, 2010

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by Kevin Strom, WB4AIO

W1WCR’s new antenna — a 165-foot doublet held up by 100-foot pine trees — provided even more intense signals than usual for this week’s session of the Liberty Net.

Conversations on the historic current events discussion net ranged from the hidden aspects of politics to spy numbers stations to shortwave radio propagation and the mysteries of women.

[wpaudio url=”https://3950.net/recordings/LIBERTY%20NET%20%20%202010%20June%2012th,%20Saturday%20%20%206h%2012m%2050s%20%20%20Source%20%20N2IRJ.mp3″ text=”Listen to or download this week’s Liberty Net recorded June 12″]

Here is a small sampling of what you’ll hear on this week’s recording:

• New York City schools have come up with an innovative way to close the “racial achievement gap” — they simply give partial credit for wrong answers. (2 hours 44 minutes)

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