In article
,
wrote:

On Jan 22, 5:32 pm, wrote:
On Jan 22, 5:41 pm, wrote:





On Jan 22, 9:37 am, wrote:
You bring up an interesting point Ace - I did get a continuous
signal here and couldn't decide whether it was long path and
short path at the same time, or whether I was actually getting
the moon bounce? Food for thought! John Plimmer, Montagu,
Western Cape Province, South Africa
Terry wrote
John, if you are into building your own stuff you may wish to
consider building a variation of the PA0RDT min-whip that Dallas
Lankford came up with..

http://www.kongsfjord.no/dl/Antennas...0Complementary
%20Push-Pull%20Output%20Active%20Whip%20Antennas%20II.pdf

I live very close, within three miles, to two MW stations that
drive many active antennas, including the original PA0RDT
mini-whip into overload. Dallas's version is bullet proof. Any
IMD products are covered by the natural noise floor.

Terry- Hide quoted text -

Terry, Prof. Dallas is one of our greatest hobby experts but I
think my RF Systems DX1 Pro MkII will outperform his designs. The
DX1 is also bullet proof against close by stations, it has the
highest IP3 point of any antenna on the market. As for the PAORDT
mini-whip, it is a piece of junk that I should take off my listing
= poor pickup and sucks up every bit of noise in the neighbourhood.

As for DIY, if I pick up a soldering iron I will do myself serious
damage and burn the house down = not an option for a 70 ear old
dodo!

John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa South 33
d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW
mods Drake SW8 & ERGO software Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A. Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II,
Datong AD-270 Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof
mini-whiphttp://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx

Yea, I can understand the risk of soldering......

I fell at work back in April of 2006 and manged in less then a second
to wrack my right knee and right elbow. The Workers Compensation
"gatekeeper" MD ingoted my complaints about increasing numbness and
inability to control my right hand. I am right hand dominate. Finally
in August of 2007 he decided he better send me to a hand/elbow
surgeon because I couldn't hold anything in my right hand. After some
attempts as using a brace to relieve the stress to allow the elbow to
heal, the surgeon told me surgery was the only option. So in early
November 2007 I had elbow and arm surgery. The main nerve that
controls the fingers was begin pinched by two damaged muscle sheaths.
I have one nice 4" scar across my arm and a 4" scar along my elbow
over the funny bone. The upshot of all of this is I can't solder
without endangering me, and everyone around me. I desperately needed
a specially wired 3.5mm (1/8") male to male jumper. I managed to get
it done but it was ugly and the lack of control in my right hand made
holding a 700 degree F soldering iron interesting. When my wife got
back from her mom's she resoldered it and forbade me from even
thinking about soldering until and unless I get fine motor control
back!

It is very frustrating as I have building things since I was 9 and
here I can't only not solder, but I can not build the new RF Entry
Bulkhead I want. It would be insanely reckless, even by my standards,
to handle power tools. From what the physical therapy (PT = pain and
torture) team and the surgeon tell me I will likely never regain
enough fine motor control to work with surface mount components and
will have other "continuing issues".

Bummer.

I am very lucky because my wife is very 'crafty' and I have some
friends who have pitched in, often on very short notice, to help me
with my odd antenna needs.


Consider using your left hand to solder. I'm left handed and I feel
comfortable soldering, using a mouse or shooting with either hand. I
usually like using an iron in each hand removing 2 pad surface mount
components for instance.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California