In previous posts, like "Lobbying For Part 15," I've proposed loosening things up a little, where the FCC would allow slightly more power or just a little more antenna length.
In previous posts, like "Lobbying For Part 15," I've proposed loosening things up a little, where the FCC would allow slightly more power or just a little more antenna length.
Tonight I was out in the wet night after the rain thinking about Part 15 radio and wondered how a really tall vertical antenna could be achieved by the average hobbyist. The answer is, it's a limited proposition.
I would be amazed if the every day person could erect a safe and stable 30-foot antenna, so there's your perfect governing factor for an FCC upgrade. FROM NOW ON PART 15 AM STATIONS CAN ERECT VERTICAL ANTENNAS AS HIGH AS THEY WISH BASED ON SAFETY AND LOCAL ORDINANCE.
The Part 15 community would benefit from such a liberating rule by signals reaching outward to 600 feet!
The trouble with this plan is the woman I wish to reach is slightly over 1,000 feet away. She might not even tune in.
Let's give it some more thought.
Carl,
I know we are just wishful thinking here but so what, it is fun. The peak of the roof of my house is about 25 feet up. It would be really easy to get some 1 1/4" mast and extend it up the side of the house with a standoff bracket at the peak and let it self support for another 6 to 10 feet. At the base, the insulator could be a glass bottle. Hams have done this for years.
Even horizontal dipoles would be a vast improvement over the 3 meter sticks. Rain gutters could be used, downspouts, fencing with a good gamma match might even work. Almost anything would perform better than what is allowed now.
I don't know your situation but maybe you could reach the lady 1000 feet away by knocking on her door with a boom box under your arm (and maybe a bottle of wine under the other arm).
Neil
Neil, you've done it with the door to door boom box idea.
"Hello. I'm Carl Blare from up the block and I'm here with door-to-door radio sponsored by wine."
She'd invite me in. Leave the antenna at home.
Nice work!