Adjustable metal tape HF antenna

[Stephens, Al]

Hue (and others),

     I couldn't really say.  Being under field conditions and with a lot
else happening it served to get up and on the air in the fastest time.  I
don't think anyone ever put any meters on it to check SWR or the like - just
set it and load it up and operate.
     The tapes were marked according to meters or frequencies, as I recall,
and once pulled out to the requisite length they were tightened down with a
thumbscrew clamp.  From the design I would say it probably did not add a
lumped inductance, but the part rolled up acted as a single conductor.

    73,  Al  N5AIT

-----Original Message-----
From: Hue Miller [mailto:kargokult at PROAXIS.COM]
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 4:25 AM
To: BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
Subject: Re: Adjustable metal tape HF antenna


----- Original Message -----
From: N5AIT Allan Stephens <MODSTEPH at ACS.EKU.EDU>
To: <BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2001 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: Adjustable metal tape HF antenna


>      Back in my Air Force communications days (mainly '60's)
> we regularly deployed with KWM-2A's for tactical HF capability.
> I was in TAC (Tactical Air Command) at the time and we were
> designed to deploy: when the army would go off into the woods,
> we went along to set up radar and communications for tactical
> air control.
>      The measuring tape antennas were standard issue to go along
> with the KWM-2A's since they were easily deployed, relatively
> foolproof in setting to the right length, and they did the job
> as well as any dipoles.  Beat having to cut separate antennas
> as frequencies changed.

I haven't seen one of these, so i'm just imagining. And wondering:
did the coiled up unused lengths add any unexpected inductive
loading effects, so that the actual required lengths differed
noticeably from the calculated requirement?
Tnx, Hue Miller

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