Not just any old wire will do
Over the last few days, I’ve been experimenting… with antennas that defy the rules of physics. My results have been far from stellar, and now I’m ready to return to the fold. Get busy measuring twice and cutting once, etc. That’s the easy part; deciding what model to follow is the question that needs to find an answer.
You see, hams have been experimenting with antenna design for pretty much always. I’m sure that Marconi went through weeks of mental agony, trying to choose which piece of wire from his locker might do the job. As well, hams tend to want to let the world know how they’ve beaten physics into a corner, what with their design. There are books galore. And now, we have YouTube videos, where individuals demonstrate just how to cut that section of tubing to exactly the right length, before actually testing things.
I’m not there, but I have visions of time spent at the local hardware store, picking out the right length of copper, or aluminum, or PVC. I’ll have to decide before buying and cutting, unfortunately. And it’s best for my reputation if I pretend that this is for a “home plumbing repair”, since there aren’t many hams around here. We’re a rare breed, with a reputation to defend.
When I finally make my decision, I’ll take the time to document my efforts. For posterity. Not sure if I’ll go all the way to video, but I can write reams about the propensity of PVC to flex in the wind. And if I actually hear something, I’ll claim science is on my side, and not just pure luck.
