Topbanders,
Facing the usual problems in England with council planning permission
(zoning) for BIG antennas, I tried an experiment the last couple of nights.
Fortunately there was some propagation last night....not too good the night
before.
Fair Radio Sales has surplus 7 foot weather balloons, and last year I
ordered and received four of them, along with two survival radio box kites,
and the 306 foot antenna reels that go with them.
This weekend I got home to find the tank of helium from BOC had arrived (the
XYL isn't sure what hobby I am really in to) so Friday night was the first
effort to fill one of the 7 footers in the garage. The first try was a
success, but to get it to the back garden was a bit problematic. Anyway,
after a few tries, I got around the hedge and climbed over a rose bush or
two with the balloon (inflated) in tow.
I attached the balloon to 18m of the spool of wire I got with the box kite,
and attached that to my inverted L (up 17m and out 15m). Then, let the
balloon take the whole mess up, with the first 17m supported by the mast for
the inverted L.
It loaded up well with just a series cap of about 600pf, 1:1 at 1.832, using
the inverted L ground screen.
The vertical (not much wind) didn't seem to cause any problems with the
flags and loop receive antennas, but the noise level on the vertical was up
to S5 from the normal nighttime level of S3 on the L.
Using only 50 watts, the first night netted a QSO with AA1K and Jon gave me
a 599....that was the best report for months from here in the east of
England. Many Europeans were also worked. Just after sunrise, I hauled
the wire down and tied off the balloon in the back garden.
Last night, up it went again, and early this morning, a run of more than a
dozen US stations, with K3JJG also giving out a 599.
Now, if it is windy, I will use the box kite, no wind, the balloon, and in
case of a real northwester off the North Sea, the inverted L.
In the meantime, it is just a matter of explaining all of this to a group of
rather conservative English neighbours.
73 and CU all this season.
Bob G4VGO
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