Goofball_star_dot_etal wrote:

Sorry, but I am having trouble figuring out how to extend a whip
antenna to a length longer than its maximum. Hints?

Stick a saucepan lid on the end (capacitive loading) or a crock clip
with wire attached. The possibilities are endless.

Would that be a steel or an aluminum saucepan lid?

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 22:03:59 -0700, ric wrote:

Goofball_star_dot_etal wrote:

Sorry, but I am having trouble figuring out how to extend a whip
antenna to a length longer than its maximum. Hints?

Stick a saucepan lid on the end (capacitive loading) or a crock clip
with wire attached. The possibilities are endless.

Would that be a steel or an aluminum saucepan lid?

I don't think it matters. All the current is at the bottom end so the
resistance or non linear properties of steel will not have any
significant effect at the top end where the impedance is high. A
half-eaten can of baked beans or even wet cardboard might do. .
Getting a good connection and the right diameter is more of an issue.
I have little idea of the size required but if you have a telescopic
whip, make the "top hat" just large enough to be withinn the range of
adjustment. It may be difficult to notice any diffence without some
form of transmitter or reflected power meter but if you can't hear the
difference then it does not matter.

A preamp/rf amp may well help despite what you may have been told. In
and ideal world,with a good outdoor antenna, the signal to noise is at
these frequencies limited by the "sky" noise (sun etc.). Amplifying
both the signal and noise does not improve the ratio. With an indoor
antenna, however, both will have been attenuated by the fabric of the
buiding and the signal to noise will be determined by the radio front
end. This is unlikely to be up to the standards of a good preamp ie. a
Ham 4 metre preamp although this would probably need to be tweaked.
The potential disadvantage of a preamp is that the higher signal
levels in the mixer etc may lead to greater spurious responses and an
unpleasant background noise between channels (without a squelch
control). On the other hand, driving weak signals to limiting at the
IF should help FM demodulation performance.

Goofball_star_dot_etal wrote:

Stick a saucepan lid on the end (capacitive loading) or a crock clip
with wire attached. The possibilities are endless.

Would that be a steel or an aluminum saucepan lid?

I don't think it matters. All the current is at the bottom end so the
resistance or non linear properties of steel will not have any
significant effect at the top end where the impedance is high. A
half-eaten can of baked beans or even wet cardboard might do. .

Hmmm...all that I have available is a 3/4 eaten can of lentel beans. I
would have to do the math, I suppose.

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 13:36:55 -0700, ric wrote:

Goofball_star_dot_etal wrote:

Stick a saucepan lid on the end (capacitive loading) or a crock clip
with wire attached. The possibilities are endless.

Would that be a steel or an aluminum saucepan lid?

I don't think it matters. All the current is at the bottom end so the
resistance or non linear properties of steel will not have any
significant effect at the top end where the impedance is high. A
half-eaten can of baked beans or even wet cardboard might do. .

Hmmm...all that I have available is a 3/4 eaten can of lentel beans. I
would have to do the math, I suppose.

Go for it, forget the maths.
BTW 4 metres is a little used British only band, I have discovered.
Pity. I did find one preamp but it is not worth the expense on the off
chance it would help. http://www.microwave-modules.com/summary.html

Goofball_star_dot_etal wrote:

Hmmm...all that I have available is a 3/4 eaten can of lentel beans. I
would have to do the math, I suppose.

Go for it, forget the maths.
BTW 4 metres is a little used British only band, I have discovered.
Pity. I did find one preamp but it is not worth the expense on the off
chance it would help. http://www.microwave-modules.com/summary.html

ACK! All those prices in British Pounds. Will the conversion rate to
Euros affect my reception?