On 10/4/2013 8:48 PM, Irv Finkleman wrote:
I wonder how much difference it would make if I were to
build a loading coil on a piece of 3''x3" wood? It would be
very easy and I could suspend the winding above the wood
form with plastic dowel glued on each corner of the wood.

I could also make a similar coil using PVC pipe. Even in that
case the winding would have a somewhat rectangular form
factor.

It wouldn't be air core considering that it would be over
wood (dry and waterproofed) or PVC pipe.

I do require the structure be relatively strong or I
would wind the coil, put epoxy glue strips along it
to make it like AirDux and the like.

Any comments or suggestions??

Irv VE6BP







Interesting postings. An old friend of mine, Don, K7hsj, and his wife
recently moved to an assisted living center in Bend, Oregon. He was very
concerned about still being able to get on the air. He approached the
management about a wire from their third floor apartment to a pine tree
several hundred feet away. They were very enthusiastic about his
continuing ham operation and agreed to help if they could. Several of
Don't friends from Bend helped get the wire up.

I suggested that since the building was fairly new, they probably used
steel studs to partition the rooms and they all had to be connected to
the electrical ground wire of the building wiring. So he used the screw
in the center plate of an outlet cover as ground.

His 75 meter signal is MUCH louder than when he was at home with a
dipole antenna. He got an auto tuner and works most HF bands, now.

So, to make a long story short, try the electrical outlet ground for
your rig. It may work fine for you, also.

73 and good luck
Paul, KD7HB