Homebrew or Copycat B&W AP10 Windowsill Antenna
 

Somewhere I recall seeing an article on homebrewing a windowsill
antenna similar to the B&W AP-10. Does anyone have a copy they
could email me, or a link where I can find the information. I was
hospitalized for serious problems and all my ham gear including many
books were donated to the local ham club -- I'm starting again from
scratch after 54 years of hamming, but on a much smaller scale!

Thanks for any assistance in this matter.

Irv VE6BP
Calgary, AB

Homebrew or Copycat B&W AP10 Windowsill Antenna
 

In article ,
Irv Finkleman wrote:

Somewhere I recall seeing an article on homebrewing a windowsill
antenna similar to the B&W AP-10. Does anyone have a copy they
could email me, or a link where I can find the information. I was
hospitalized for serious problems and all my ham gear including many
books were donated to the local ham club -- I'm starting again from
scratch after 54 years of hamming, but on a much smaller scale!

I don't know of a specific article, but

http://www.bwantennas.com/instr/Ap10b.pdf

is the instruction sheet for the final version of the antenna. Page 2
shows a fairly decent physical diagram of the antenna coil
construction.

Basically, the antenna appears to be a telescoping whip, with a large
air-core inductor / loading coil mounted below it. A flying lead is
used to short out some of the turns on the coil, in order to set the
amount of inductance. A variable-length counterpoise wire is used;
both the counterpoise length and the loading-coil fly lead setting
must be adjusted for each band in order to get a good match.

You could probably either use a piece of Airdux inductor stock, if you
can find one at a hamfest / flea market, or wind your own inductor on
some sort of suitable form (perhaps PVC pipe?).

It looks like a fairly standard "small antenna" approach.

Addition of a small LC tuner at the base (homebrew, variable cap +
recycled roller inductor?) might save you some time during setup and
band changes, by reducing the need to fiddle with the counterpoise
length and position to get a usable impedance match.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

Homebrew or Copycat B&W AP10 Windowsill Antenna
 

I used to have a b&w ap-10 and it worked quite well. I tuned it by
adjusting the length of a single radial across my apartment rug. MFJ
makes a window-sill antenna that looks awfully similar:
http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Produc...uctid=MFJ-1622

The user manual is online, and you can probably order the little
bugcatcher-style coil a la carte.

Bob
k5qwg


On Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:44:31 -0700, "Irv Finkleman"
wrote:

Somewhere I recall seeing an article on homebrewing a windowsill
antenna similar to the B&W AP-10. Does anyone have a copy they
could email me, or a link where I can find the information. I was
hospitalized for serious problems and all my ham gear including many
books were donated to the local ham club -- I'm starting again from
scratch after 54 years of hamming, but on a much smaller scale!

Thanks for any assistance in this matter.

Irv VE6BP
Calgary, AB

Homebrew or Copycat B&W AP10 Windowsill Antenna
 

On Feb 15, 9:44*pm, "Irv Finkleman" wrote:
Somewhere I recall seeing an article on homebrewing a windowsill
antenna similar to the B&W AP-10. *Does anyone have a copy they
could email me, or a link where I can find the information. *I was
hospitalized for serious problems and all my ham gear including many
books were donated to the local ham club -- I'm starting again from
scratch after 54 years of hamming, but on a much smaller scale!

Thanks for any assistance in this matter.

Irv VE6BP
Calgary, AB

Shortly after getting my ticket I spent nearly a year in OKC going to
computer school living in a 2 story apartment. To get on the air I use
about 15 ft of EMT conduit and built a little LC tuner of scrounged Cu
tubing and a cap out of a 5 tube AM radio. Picked up a CB VSWR meter
at a yard sale for a tuning indicator. Later picked up an MFJ tuner at
a hamfest, wahoo. Balcony railing was my counterpoise.

Jimmie

Homebrew or Copycat B&W AP10 Windowsill Antenna
 

"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
On Feb 15, 9:44 pm, "Irv Finkleman" wrote:
Somewhere I recall seeing an article on homebrewing a windowsill
antenna similar to the B&W AP-10. Does anyone have a copy they
could email me, or a link where I can find the information. I was
hospitalized for serious problems and all my ham gear including many
books were donated to the local ham club -- I'm starting again from
scratch after 54 years of hamming, but on a much smaller scale!

Thanks for any assistance in this matter.

Irv VE6BP
Calgary, AB

Shortly after getting my ticket I spent nearly a year in OKC going to
computer school living in a 2 story apartment. To get on the air I use
about 15 ft of EMT conduit and built a little LC tuner of scrounged Cu
tubing and a cap out of a 5 tube AM radio. Picked up a CB VSWR meter
at a yard sale for a tuning indicator. Later picked up an MFJ tuner at
a hamfest, wahoo. Balcony railing was my counterpoise.

Jimmie

I spent 26 years in the Navy ('57 to '83) moving from place to
place. Whether onboard ship, in navy Quarters, or after marriage
in apartments and houses, I always managed something similar. Following
retirement I became somewhat of an expert in helping other hams
setting up concealed or low profile stations. I had a marvellous
collection of assorted parts and pieces with which I could easily
throw something together. Two years ago, following a serious
illness, I sold my house and moved into an assisted living facility.
I donated all my ham radio equiment, books, junkbox, and so on
to the local ham club -- a real 50 year old treasure collection
which I wish I had today! I'm well again, or at least well enough
that I'm going back into hamming -- starting from scratch. I'm
really looking forward to being on the air again,
As we say in Calgary, aka Cowtown, Yahoooooooo!

Irv, VE6BP

Homebrew or Copycat B&W AP10 Windowsill Antenna
 

"Irv Finkleman" wrote in message
...
"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
On Feb 15, 9:44 pm, "Irv Finkleman" wrote:
Somewhere I recall seeing an article on homebrewing a windowsill
antenna similar to the B&W AP-10. Does anyone have a copy they
could email me, or a link where I can find the information. I was
hospitalized for serious problems and all my ham gear including many
books were donated to the local ham club -- I'm starting again from
scratch after 54 years of hamming, but on a much smaller scale!

Thanks for any assistance in this matter.

Irv VE6BP
Calgary, AB

Shortly after getting my ticket I spent nearly a year in OKC going to
computer school living in a 2 story apartment. To get on the air I use
about 15 ft of EMT conduit and built a little LC tuner of scrounged Cu
tubing and a cap out of a 5 tube AM radio. Picked up a CB VSWR meter
at a yard sale for a tuning indicator. Later picked up an MFJ tuner at
a hamfest, wahoo. Balcony railing was my counterpoise.

Jimmie

I spent 26 years in the Navy ('57 to '83) moving from place to
place. Whether onboard ship, in navy Quarters, or after marriage
in apartments and houses, I always managed something similar. Following
retirement I became somewhat of an expert in helping other hams
setting up concealed or low profile stations. I had a marvellous
collection of assorted parts and pieces with which I could easily
throw something together. Two years ago, following a serious
illness, I sold my house and moved into an assisted living facility.
I donated all my ham radio equiment, books, junkbox, and so on
to the local ham club -- a real 50 year old treasure collection
which I wish I had today! I'm well again, or at least well enough
that I'm going back into hamming -- starting from scratch. I'm
really looking forward to being on the air again,
As we say in Calgary, aka Cowtown, Yahoooooooo!

Irv, VE6BP
Good for you Irv, and I'm glad you are doing better.
Modest antennas can be fun, particularly when sunspots cooperate!

Wayne
W5GIE