This is the 'Jones version' of the
Lawn Chair 6M Halo as viewed through the rear window of the mobile.
Ain't that just the sexiest thing you've ever seen on the
outside of a vehicle?
I read the article:
Six Meters from Your Easy Chair by Dick
Stroud, W9SR in the January, 2002
QST with some interest. Dick described
a 6M Halo antenna that was built from the aluminum frame of a
'generic' lawn chair. It is always a pleasure to peer into the
working mind of another homebrewer and scrounger.
However, I put the article and the idea aside, because I had no
interest in a 6M vertical antenna for this QTH (nor,
for mobile operation, either.) And, that was how the antenna was
'portrayed' in the article. However, later in the Summer of 2002, I
became Very Interested in improving my meager 6M mobile operation.
Heretofore, I had been running 10W out of an ancient IC-551 into a 2M 5/8 wavelength whip --
which 'worked' well as a base-loaded 6M 1/4 wave vertical -- but,
probably radiated like crap. I knew deep in my heart that it was
not 'fair' to the other op to have to try to copy my peanut
whistle.
Harmonic Convergence: It came to pass that one day I
was
A: Pondering a better antenna for
6M mobile.
B: Thinking of a better transceiver for 6M mobile.
C: Feeling that the stock market hadn't really hurt me
that
much.
D: Reading the email copy of the
"AURORA REPEATER ASSOCIATION
SWAPLIST"
There was a used
IC-706
MKII listed for sale. Whoa!, I thought. That'll give me 100W
on 6M -- it'll do mobile Quite Nicely -- and, to boot, I could
dabble in HF mobile. I whipped out my checkbook and became the
proud owner of the newest rig in my collection. (I had been using 2
TS-520's, an
IC-551, and an
IC-251A. I am soooo Last Century.)
While waiting for
UPS to drop off
my new rig, I had time to ponder just exactly how I was going to
'solve' the 6M mobile antenna problem. I looked at several of the
'commercial' 6M halos that are available. They all looked FB, and
the prices were not out of line. But, the Olde Home Brewer and
Scrounger was already feeling guilty for
buying a
transceiver. So, I toyed some with the idea of homebrewing the
antenna. I played mental games with a few ideas, and eventually
circled back to the January, 2002 QST article. Hmmmmmm.... I
wondered if I couldn't crank out something along those lines that
would both: radiate horizontally
and do 85 MPH?
Well, I think I succeeded. Ergo, these web pages. On the following
web pages I hope to explain my thinking, design, material
selection, construction techniques, and (yes) mistakes.
The project web pages are meant to be read in sequence. The next in
sequence, now, is "6M Halo - Project Beginnings" -- found below.
However, if you are returning to re-read a specific section, all of
the other individual pages are linked here. Subsequent pages each
link on to their successor and back to this - the project's initial
page.
6M
Halo - Project Beginnings - The Mount
6M
Halo - Mast Fabrication
6M Halo -
Initial Halo Fabrication
6M
Halo - The Gamma Match
6M
Halo - Tune To Frequency
6M Halo -
Comments - Reflections
6M Halo -
Feedback
W3DHJ Home Page
These web pages about my homebrew construction of a
Six Meter Mobile Halo are dedicated to the
first
Jonesy,
W3DHJ.
(See his story linked off my
W3DHJ home page.)
Nearly all my homebrewing and scrounging skills were taught to me
by my dad.
I'd like to think he'd be proud of this antenna.
