[Antennas] Portable Antennas and Hotel Operation

2002年10月15日 11:55:39 -0700

Hello all,
I am looking for some advice here. I recently bought an Icom IC-706 at a
local ham fest and took it, a Samlex power supply and some antenna makings
with me on a trip to Hawaii from which I have just returned. I am very
pleased with the rig and power supply but not with what I had for antennas.
I have a home brew 20 meter vertical I built a couple of years ago which
seemed to hear the best of anything I tried but doesn't transmit very well
at all. I put up a 20 meter dipole from my balcony to a couple of palm
trees and did manage to work one VK station on it before the hotel told me
to take it down. I heard quite a bit of activity on 15 and 10 meters but
being totally blind, I couldn't figure out a way to use the little portable
tuner I borrowed from a local friend to tune out the swr on these bands. I
have reached some conclusions from this experience on which I need some
advice.
First, I want to include an auto tuner such as the LDG AT-11 as part of my
portable station so I don't have to worry about reading swr meters and so
on. Next, I want some kind of antenna I can clamp to a balcony railing,
window frame, table or window sill in any kind of hotel room so I can't be
ordered to remove antennas from outside supports. Besides, if I'm on an
upper floor of a high rise hotel, I doubt I want to be hanging out somewhere
tying off antennas since I'm very afraid of heights. <GRIN> My question is
what would you on the list who have done such things recommend for this
antenna? I have been reading reviews of antennas such as the B&W AP-10A,
the MP-1, etc. Which of these might you suggest or do you have other
recommendations for me? I want to keep it simple and very portable since I
would like to put the antenna in a suitcase and avoid awkward questions at
security check points and such.
Thanks much for your advice and I look forward to reading what you all have
to say. 73
Kevin, K7RX :)