POTA | Spark Plug Antenna and A Non Techie
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Playing a little Parks on the Air with Scott from Ham Radio For Non Techies and using his new Spark Plug Antenna.
*Spark Plug Antenna* Note: These are made by hand in very small batches by one person. I promise you will most likely have to wait a while before you get yours. www.sparkplugg...
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Yaesu FT-891:amzn.to/2XaTkof
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#hamradio #pota #parksontheair
I was waiting for that Gator to pop out from behind that tree behind ya Mike, LOL!
Would have been sweet. I'd have gotten to eat gator twice in one week haha!
The reason you couldn't get the SWR very low is because you had a choke on the wrong (antenna) end of the coax. It should be on the radio end. The antenna relies on the shielding of the coax as a counterpoise.
Maybe, maybe not. I have an end fed that requires the choke at the feed point. The Chameleon LEFS to be exact.
I’ve already seen a few videos of this antenna. They do work pretty well!
I can't wait to get one of my own. BTW, I just sent you what I will call a QSL card.
Get you some alligator jerky if you can find it. It's good. I would like to see your upcoming video on this antenna. It still amazes me what 5-10 watts and a wire will do. I put up the HF Kits end fed and its oriented north to South. Most of the contacts were coming in from the northeast also. I was on 20 meters. Great video!! Keep them coming.
I had fried alligator pieces a couple weeks ago. It was good. It's been years since I had alligator. Haven't come across any jerky but I would def try that. I love jerky. I seem to get a lot of contacts to the NE regardless which direction the EFHW is pointing. There's just a lot of hams up in that part of the country. Thanks for watching. 73
I have seen other activations with that antenna. Someone recommended buying one or two nuts from a hardware store and putting them in a bag and taking it along with the antenna. If you lose the bras nut, you have extras.
Thats a good idea. For a very brief time I worked in Lighting and it looked like a ferrule used for a lot of fixtures. Shouldn't be hard to find. Or any other kind of nut for that matter.
i ended up putting a Y connector on my wire so theres no need to unscrew the nut all the way off,just a turn or 2 and its loose enough to slip the connector on.before i did the connector i dropped it a time or 2 and just stripped some wire jacket off and wrapped it around the post and it worked perfect.
I suspect I will be doing the exact same thing when I get my antenna.
Great video, new to ham currently studying for my Technician. Great seeing two of my favorite channels together. Thanks for all the helpful information!
Awesome. Welcome to ham radio and good luck on your test!
I just can't hunt you down! Texas has been challenging lately, for my mobile station in pompano fl. I'll get you one of these days.
Hey I'm from Lighthouse Point originally! I'll be out tomorrow. Look for me on the spotting page.
Hi Mike, 49 to one is 24 1/2 to Straight thru with a wire.
When I logged on to spot myself at Lake Arrowhead I saw your spot that you were QRT. Oh well, one day......
Get the Ham Alert app. Thats a great tool to have as well that notifies you of callsigns you enter into the program.
Good to see y’all collaborating!
It's nice to play radio with other people from time to time too. I'm usually by myself.
Thanks for the review. Would be interesting to see if there's some trick/solution for adding a counterpoise to the BNC connector (maybe some type of ring soldered to the counterpoise wire?), and how much better SWR it gets with a counterpoise. Thanks!
Check out Lake Charlotte, but only in the winter when the gators are torpid. Avoid at all cost going there during the nesting season of May-June.
Yeah nesting season doesn't sound too good for my lively hood lol! Good thing Winter is coming.
Looks like fun....both activated. Lots of good antennas, especially EFHW out there.
I'm trying to get one of every antenna! I'm a little obsessed with them.
I have similar experience with two on same summit. I let my friend go first on ssb and I do cw that seems to even up the qso count.
You'd think it would be easy to spot another station on a summit haha!
Hey Mike that’s an interesting looking antenna, and to been working with five watts I thought that was pretty good. Hopefully the alligator tasted good I never had any before. Well you had fun at a different park this time. Take care and have a great week.
WD5ENH
Steve
Yeah i'm going to be getting one of my own to put through the paces. I'm really excited. Antennas tend to do that to me though. It doesn't take much to get out and honestly 5 vs 10 watts doesn't really matter that much. The Gator was good too!
Hi Mike very nice Ace Hardware sells that brass nut maybe worth buying a few and put them in the "bag" nice video.
Great idea
Cool making a contact with you Mike.
Heck yeah! Glad to get you in the log!
Maybe you could do a small (2”) jumper ring terminal to power pole. Then cut your antenna to have a power pole on the end. Leave the pigtail on so you don’t remove the nut in the field and use the power pole to add/remove the antenna.
#TeamReply for the WIN
\o/
Team “reply” 😂😂😂
Looks like a slick antenna. Worked pretty well even too. 73
It was really cool. I am on the list to get one. Prob after Thanksgiving.
Nice video, looking forward to a full review.
You and me both!
I've tuned mine, but haven't had a chance to put it on the air yet, but I'm interested to see you put it through the ringer! As for the wire terminal, I just leave the wire attached and wrapped it around a mini winder.
I'm excited to get one but it won't be until later this month. Another commenter said he's getting all the bands 40-10 without a tuner on a 67' wire. That has me excited!
Looks like a good little antenna
So far so good. I'm going to be getting one soon and will be doing a full review.
@@hamradiotube cool can't wait to see it.
When I first saw that antenna, I immediately thought of Adams. Can it be connected straight to the radio like Adams? Thanks for another great video Mike and 73
It is very similar. I talked to the creator of the antennas and he was definitely inspired by Adams for sure. You'd prob want some kind of counterpoise if you were to connect it to the radio directly as the coax serves that purpose. You'd also need an adapter as this is BNC Female.
Mike
I have the same antenna. Used It in September for a short activation 32ft piece of wire up my Jackie pole…….30 CW contacts with no problem. Flat SWR and no tuner..
Carry it in my car at all times. My 67 ft piece of wire gives me 40,20,15;17,12 & 10 no tuner needed. It just works……
DE Greg WA3GM
That's awesome. I can't wait to get mine but I won't get it until late November or early December. Awesome you're getting all the bands as advertised. I'm really excited about it.
@@hamradiotube no tuner and SWR is a under 1:3//
Are those coil nessiary on the coax????
Maybe a knotted loop of line around the groove on the ferrule/cap/knob/thing, and epoxy the other end to the body tube and put a heat-shrink over it?
I assume you're talking about not losing the cap thing? When I get this antenna I'm gonna have to figure out something but thats a good idea.
@@hamradiotube yeh, that's what I was talking about, because that little bugger is just *dying* to get lost, after getting fumble-fingered, bouncing off the table or bench and then somehow it will stop being shiny brass, and will take on the color of invisible.
Do you happen to know how I can find a good Elmer in the North East Houston area? My son lives in Liberty Texas on the North East side of Houston and he in wanting to get his license and get into ham radio. I have mailed the ARRL Tech, and General exam study books to him, but as I am in Hawaii, I am really limited as far as being an Elmer for him.
Just ordered that sparkplug antenna, thanks to your video. I assume it's best to use high-grade antenna wire. What would you suggest as a source and what length please? Thanks....I enjoy your work!
Awesome, its a cool antenna. I prefer 26AWG PolyStealth wire. You can get it here: www.amateurradiosupplies.com/category-s/218.htm You'll want at least a 100' spool. For 40 meters its a ~66' antenna. You'll need about ~135' for 80 meters.
Nice..............................
Very nice
Change the ring terminal to a spade so it can slide on without removing the knob.
I will most likely do that.
I would be interested in knowing what band you were on.
Pretty sure I was on 20
I got someone P2P who was in K-2992 on Sunday, must have been the people on the other side of the park from you. 😆
And you didn't even bother getting us?? :)
@@hamradiotube You had gone QRT a minute before according to the POTA spots. 😆
@@K1STG-Fred that’s no excuse haha!!
Could you do a video on how to use the website or app to select and then activate that park Barney style? Lol I'm slow.
th-cam.com/video/oQr5NoNY6Pc/w-d-xo.html
First ! Alligators, snakes, heat and humidity……does it remind you of Florida. Nice video! 73 KM4SON
Very much so and I love it!
wow, only 5 watts in the beginning and a very interesting antenna. Nice sounding radio. Why not, just bought one to try. KD2LMR
It doesn't take much to get out. It's an awesome radio, you're going to love it!
These 705's are starting to show up more frequently on the used market so not everyone seems to love them. My HRO had 2 of them in the consign section as well.
@@hamradiotube Thank you, I was actually referring to the Spark antenna. But I would love to play with the 705 at some point. I have the 7300 on my bench and it really works well. Also taking a close look at the Xiegu X6100 when it comes out. Currently own the G90 for POTA and love it! Thanks for the great videos. Dave - KD2LMR
@@hamradiotube bought a used 705. Your right, I love it!
PAPA POTO IS THE MAN ! 73 AE4OY William Peacock EM-81UF SOUTH EAST GEORGIA 🤓🔥
What tablet, stand and keyboard was Scott using? I'm looking at a tablet for sota?
I can only tell you its whatever tablet Josh from Ham Radio Crash Course was talking about a couple weeks ago. I feel its' a Lenovo for about $100. Not sure if this is the exact stand but it looks like this to me: amzn.to/3mYtQXk Not sure about the keyboard but it folds in half, I know that.
#200. Gonna have to start calling Scott "Sparky" KI5IQE
We just might have too lol!
How long was your random wire?
This antenna is not a random wire. It needs to be a specific length. This is not my antenna so I don't know the length but usually these types of antennas for 40 meters are ~65-66'. I will be getting one of my own soon and will be doing a full review and will include the length once I cut it for resonance.
@@hamradiotube Super dude. Thanks for the info.
Mikey you are such nut at times... I could share a true story with you right now about being an eye witness of an Aligator Attack but that would blow the Case. All I am sayin is, my friend who got his leg ripped off and almost died over blood loss if me wasn't there. He barely survived the Aligator Attack. Back at these Days there were no cell phones yet. Sending out an emergency call via 2m hand held radio left you an open chance 1 : 100.000 to be heard by anyone. We were 30 miles away from the next smaller Community of a little village with like 600 people living there. And the next large City with an Emergency Clinic was almost 58 miles away. You not going to impress these Monsters with a lousy 38 special or 357Mag just to not coming near to you believe me. They love Michigan Refuggees with dark hairs, blue eyes and sandals on who got stranded in Texas for lunch! Of what I heard about... so pls watch out.
Missing coal and meat, barbecue 🤤🤤🤤🤤
It would be quite difficult to bbq on the charcoal grills found at most parks. However, I did just BBQ a wonderful pork butt the other day that is most delectable.
Hint: Don't say if you like the crap I'm producing. I don't listen to crap very long. You don't produce crap. If you did I'd let you know.
Just so you know, I design wastewater treatment plants 50 plus hours per week. I know crap. I'm also an extra.
Some of us have our own unique ways of staying humble. I do appreciate you putting up with me though lol! I don't envy your 50 hours a week, but I respect your qualifications in the field :) 73
Not the Scotty 2 Hotty reference.... That's "Too Cool".... Move along kids, no wrestling fans here :)
I would have no idea thats from wrestling.