i did this years ago, radio shack mag mount 5/8 wave antenna was fine for 6 m fm. i built a 5 watt tentec kit for 6 m and successfuly talked to a friend about 40 miles away, at the time a local ham was thinking of putting up a 6 m repeater, which never did get built, so the tentec got put into storage.
Nice to see you show this! I have done same with a 5/8 2M HT antenna on an FT-817 with counterpoise attached to radio chasis. Took a little length adjustment but worked fine with low SWR on the '817 meter. It indeed works.
Hey Mike. How ya doin'? A very good experiment with the antenna.. And, the results are not really all that surprising. The your "counterpoise" is really the bottom half of a slightly off center fed vertical dipole. Being a dipole, playing with the length brought the whole antenna into resonance.
I still can't bring myself to pick up a RigExpert, when my little cheap NanoVNA does what I need. Yeah, the learning curve is a little steeper, but after after doing my initial antenna setup (and marking my whip for each band), I just keep it in my kit for "just in case" purposes... With that said, it packs down considerably smaller. One other advantage I've found with it, once the desired frequency is set, I can just prop it up where i can see it, walk over, adjust, and check with a quick eyeball glance... Rinse & repeat, until I get it where I want it... Never having to touch it again till I'm done. The fact that it costs a fraction of the price doesn't hurt either. 😉 ..... Still want one, though 😂
Looks like you're basically making a dipole. Another option is to use a lead to the antenna which is the correct length and the shielding on that can also sort of serve as a dipole element. Not always practical, but pretty great if you wear a plate carrier and want to rout the antenna onto your back. Cheers.
Don't forget that there are timezones besides Texas Time! ;) In PST (+8), Zulu day ticks over at 4pm (5pm PDT -- so a morning and evening POTA contact are probably on different days; but an evening and then a next morning contact would just count as one. :( I'm old enough that I have an excuse to have to think hard to match +7 vs +8 to PST vs PDT (enacted in 1966); but I imagine younguns off in the woods where they can't google UTC or "'Zulu Time" might have a harder time figuring it out in their head.
I have the Stick 230 and Stick 500 now, the Bluetooth connectivity drops when the device goes to sleep so keep it awake by pressing a button every couple minutes, it can be annoying.
The Antenna on my Jeep is a 6M/2M and works well on 70cme too. It has a center loading element. I would not want it on an HT, but it is not worse than the longer Aubree offerings.
Funny, I just made a counterpoise so I can hit a repeater better during my evening walks. Definitely hitting it and receiving it well but no QSOs yet 😢
Keep trying it... Maybe its not the popular repeater? Maybe the old heads listening are to grumpy to talk to a new person, on "Their Repeater"? If you use a Roger Beep, someone will deffintley get on the repeater, just to complain! 😡 😅 (It works!)
@@chrissewell1608 I've been a member of this club for 30+ years. Just very few people have a radio on at 11 PM. Long story as to why I go for a walk that late.
I have the stick and would like to know where I can get that case to put my stick in. i didn't see it listed in you things. Was it there and I just didn't see it? I am new at using it and want to have something to protect it! They cost a lot but worth the cost bot need it to last for many years. 73 W4DES
I too share your opinion of football. But has anyone else noticed, that since the dawn of man in ancient times. Governments have subversivly promoted violent sports to take place. Mainly in large arenas, and allowed the booze to flow. Which is a means of keeping the peasants occupied, drunk and happy. Thus keeping their spirits high from their mundane lives and poor working conditions, And preventing massive uprisings against the rulers! Since the Collesium in Rome 🏛 to a local Football Stadium 🏟 today! Something to think about 🤔..... Cheers! 🍻 NOW... BACK TO WORK!
It's so nice to see someone with a VX-7R radio. I thought I was the only one.
A 6m 1/4 wave antenna is the same length as a 2m 5/8 wave antenna, so you get a 2 for 1 deal with a 2m 5/8 wave antenna.
i did this years ago, radio shack mag mount 5/8 wave antenna was fine for 6 m fm. i built a 5 watt tentec kit for 6 m and successfuly talked to a friend about 40 miles away, at the time a local ham was thinking of putting up a 6 m repeater, which never did get built, so the tentec got put into storage.
Thanks!
Hey thanks so much!
Nice to see you show this! I have done same with a 5/8 2M HT antenna on an FT-817 with counterpoise attached to radio chasis. Took a little length adjustment but worked fine with low SWR on the '817 meter. It indeed works.
Hey Mike. How ya doin'? A very good experiment with the antenna.. And, the results are not really all that surprising. The your "counterpoise" is really the bottom half of a slightly off center fed vertical dipole. Being a dipole, playing with the length brought the whole antenna into resonance.
I still can't bring myself to pick up a RigExpert, when my little cheap NanoVNA does what I need. Yeah, the learning curve is a little steeper, but after after doing my initial antenna setup (and marking my whip for each band), I just keep it in my kit for "just in case" purposes... With that said, it packs down considerably smaller. One other advantage I've found with it, once the desired frequency is set, I can just prop it up where i can see it, walk over, adjust, and check with a quick eyeball glance... Rinse & repeat, until I get it where I want it... Never having to touch it again till I'm done. The fact that it costs a fraction of the price doesn't hurt either. 😉
..... Still want one, though 😂
Looks like you're basically making a dipole. Another option is to use a lead to the antenna which is the correct length and the shielding on that can also sort of serve as a dipole element. Not always practical, but pretty great if you wear a plate carrier and want to rout the antenna onto your back. Cheers.
Another great one, Mike. Thanks!
Anyway, nice easy and quick app to reference. Thanks for sharing.
Don't forget that there are timezones besides Texas Time! ;) In PST (+8), Zulu day ticks over at 4pm (5pm PDT -- so a morning and evening POTA contact are probably on different days; but an evening and then a next morning contact would just count as one. :( I'm old enough that I have an excuse to have to think hard to match +7 vs +8 to PST vs PDT (enacted in 1966); but I imagine younguns off in the woods where they can't google UTC or "'Zulu Time" might have a harder time figuring it out in their head.
Yeasu housings are pot metal molded, but they are conductive. But a rat tail / counterpoise antenna is usually easy to added on.
I have the Stick 230 and Stick 500 now, the Bluetooth connectivity drops when the device goes to sleep so keep it awake by pressing a button every couple minutes, it can be annoying.
The Antenna on my Jeep is a 6M/2M and works well on 70cme too. It has a center loading element. I would not want it on an HT, but it is not worse than the longer Aubree offerings.
clips auto part stores or online
Funny, I just made a counterpoise so I can hit a repeater better during my evening walks. Definitely hitting it and receiving it well but no QSOs yet 😢
Keep trying it... Maybe its not the popular repeater? Maybe the old heads listening are to grumpy to talk to a new person, on "Their Repeater"?
If you use a Roger Beep, someone will deffintley get on the repeater, just to complain! 😡
😅 (It works!)
@@chrissewell1608 I've been a member of this club for 30+ years. Just very few people have a radio on at 11 PM. Long story as to why I go for a walk that late.
Ham Radio Tube aka Antenna Nerd! :D
I have the stick and would like to know where I can get that case to put my stick in. i didn't see it listed in you things. Was it there and I just didn't see it? I am new at using it and want to have something to protect it! They cost a lot but worth the cost bot need it to last for many years. 73 W4DES
Is it just me, or is the audio and video not synced up right? It synced back up after the ad. might be my end.
Looks fine on my end
@hamradiotube not a cheap martial arts movie
@@Philip-KA4KOE that is kinda what it was looking like. 🤣
RigExpert Zoom does come with chargeable batteries and a charger to charge them with.
Long live the Tiger Tail 🌮🌮🌮
Mike, been watching your videos for some time, back when you were in good old MI. Anyway I think you should go into broadcasting.
Lol are you saying I have a face for radio?
No dude. You would say Beat the Hell Out of Arkansas! Gig 'em. 73
or, you can split the difference and just say, "Go Huskers!"
;-)
BT on the Stick rocks! Does okay on Android. BT on a Windows machine doesn't work at all.
Rocks? Really? I think it's horrible.
I too share your opinion of football. But has anyone else noticed, that since the dawn of man in ancient times. Governments have subversivly promoted violent sports to take place. Mainly in large arenas, and allowed the booze to flow. Which is a means of keeping the peasants occupied, drunk and happy. Thus keeping their spirits high from their mundane lives and poor working conditions, And preventing massive uprisings against the rulers!
Since the Collesium in Rome 🏛 to a local Football Stadium 🏟 today!
Something to think about 🤔..... Cheers! 🍻
NOW... BACK TO WORK!
Best MBM to date. Great antenna test. Did they name the App after you?
Lol I see what you did there!
G90 would tune it
If it did 6 meters. I did use the G90 to tune a Signal Stick antenna on 20 meters though. That was pretty cool!
No!