Kite Antenna

Flying a Kite Antenna checking into the Pico Net on 3.925 with my Yaseu FT-817 which only runs 5 watts max.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Pico net
• FT-817
• Kite
• kite antenna
• longwire antenna
• longwire
• 5 watts
• QRP
• low power
• 3.925
• FT-817ND
• field antenna
• field day
• kb0kbj
• KB0KBJ
• kbokbj
• KBOKBJ
• Tauno Olson
• Steve Olson
• SDSpike
• sdspike

[N0rthwestRadio]

Curious, what are you doing for Static issues? Meaning static electricity building up in the system which could damage radio, or you. Thanks.

[SDSpike]

@N0rthwestRadio I didn't worry about it. From my experience you need alot of particulate matter in the air and very low humidity such as blowing snow like we had this past winter which really built up bad in the shack here. If you want ot see it check out my video called Static Electricity Discharge. 

[zosinternational]

where is the swr meter?

[SDSpike]

@zosinternational The radio has a built in SWR meter. Or you can just tune it for max power which isn't much being it's only 5 watts max.

[G0KOM]

Hi Steve, nice vid, just wondering what is the little Backpack you are using there, looks perfect size for the 817 and accs

Adrian G0KOM

[SDSpike]

It's a camera bag which is nice becasue it has movable padded partitions. It's a LowePro Slingshot model.

[Barnekkid]

Are there any antenna tuning issues or concerns with a setup like this?

[VK3EGN1]

Good tuner like inductive coupler/ transformer is great for safety related static issues.

Once antenna is 100 m high , or more - you have electric field corona effects.

Vertical antenna is the worst example, creating huge electric field gradient.

You have constant arc on tip of antenna, which affects receiver.

All very high antennas have this problem, not only kite lifted.

Cheers

[kitesurf58phil]

Hi Steve, I like the video. I have done a bit of kite antenna operating myself, using an Alinco DX70TH, running 10W, from various locations in the UK. The beach is by far the best place I have tried. Regarding the static, I didn't think it was a big deal until I got a good whack one Summer evening, while bringing the wire down. I now use a 10 MOhm resistor pack between the antenna wire and the ground spike. You have whet my appetite to get out and do some more.

73, Phil, G0RKF

[pspbarry]

WoW great to see well done Barry M6PEC

[pspbarry]

WoW great to see well done Barry M6PEC

[pspbarry]

That was fun to see great M6PEC Barry

[G0IFI]

Ah, just seen the post above. Sorry.

[G0IFI]

I was just wondering what happens to the inevitable static charge with that antenna, but I guess that's a T match or similar with an inductance from 'hot' side of the antenna to ground. There has to be some kind of DC ground there, or your 817's front end would have gone phewee by now. What an antenna though, fantastic. It needs to be tried here I think. One of those kranker VFO knobs, too!

73 Perry G0IFI

[K0BLR]

what kind of a kite would you reccomend if you were to do it again?

[K0BLR]

Hi there Spike! That is way awsome you were able to do that. do you still try that to this day or would you you do something differently. I have an 817 myself that I am putting in my go kit along with a 897D and 857D with 3 or 7800R's/7900R's. I'd like to try that with my 817 once see if it would work here in central mn.