Antenna's

     Your antenna is probably the most important part of your rig.  A ten-thousand dollar radio with an eight hundred dollar mic won't get you anywhere attached to a crappy antenna.   Generally speaking the best way to improve your performance is to improve your antenna.  This is true for all radios from your handie-talkie to your HF rig.  If you want to get the most out of your radio a good antenna is a must.
     Hand-held radios are generally the new hams first purchase.  They are the least expensive and they're very convenient.  The trade off for portability and compact size is that five watts is about all you are going to get out of most.  A base station uhf/vhf is going to require an antenna in the air and an HF rig is going to require an even bigger (read expensive) antenna.
     Enter the wonderful world of home brew antennas.  With basic soldering skills, an swr meter, and a little wire; you can build an antenna for your transceiver for very little money.  When I first upgraded from Technician my buddy (KD5MZE) and I both bought 10 meter radios from Radio Shack and home brewed a couple of 10 meter dipole antennas.  The satisfaction of building our own antennas was well worth the five bucks or so we spent building them.  We talked all over the world on those antennas and I still have mine stashed away somewhere.  You can get very creative with insulating material and the wire you use.  Often you can find items around the house that you can use.  Yeah, gazillion dollar beams will perform better and you may not win any contests; there is still a lot of operating fun to be had with home brew antenna and a few watts.  There is tons of info on the internet on building antennas and I have no designs that you can't find with a casual search for home brew antennas.  It is easy to find a design to fit your need.  While you may never reach a point where you are comfortable building a radio or working on them, home brew antenna's are a great way to get your feet wet building something on your own.  Did I mention how little they cost? :-)  73

The lost art of the "Rag-chewing" net

     One of the greatest things about amateur radio is it's diversity.  There are so many modes of operation and activities to participate in.  There's something for everyone and it never gets old.  If you ever get tired of one mode there's always something new to try.  Many clubs and other organizations hold nets.  These nets can be for anything from response to emergency communications to passing traffic pertinent to local hams.  For years I have missed checking into a good old rag-chewin' net.  It seems at least in my location; the nets have become rather dry and predictable.  Kind of like going to church.  You do it every week and have the whole ritual memorized.  There is seldom anything new and the nets begin to lose their appeal.  Before too long you feel as though you are checking in more out of duty than enjoyment.

     In the past few months it has been my pleasure to participate in a 2 meter net in Kokomo, Indiana.  The net control operator is either KC9DHG or KB9MDP.  It is an old fashioned rag-chewin' net and everybody is welcome.  All of the gentlemen and ladies involved are exemplary operators.  We meet Monday through Saturday at 00:00 UTC.  We pass it around through the net control operator and everyone talks about anything from their days activities to ongoing amateur radio operations to local or news events.  Although I have never met most of these guys as I live in Lafayette, Indiana; I feel as though I know them.  We have retired guys, farmers, a bee keeper, a musician, city and country folks.  It is a great hour or so of fellowship and I find myself looking forward to checking in as often as I can.  Every ham starts out on the 2 meter band and most hams monitor the local repeaters.  If you don't have a rag-chewing net in your area I highly recommend you take the initiative and begin one.  They are a great way for new hams to get plugged in with other operators.  They are also a great place to find an Elmer.  With our frequencies under constant attack it is good to hear traffic on them.  There are too many repeaters that sit idle, seldom used until a weather event or the weekly club net.  Start or participate in a local net and get Radioactive!  Until next time 73.