I’ve been keeping up with my amateur radio activities lately. The big news is that I passed the amateur extra exam at a hamfest in Wichita on Saturday. That’s the highest level of amateur radio licensing available, and only about 17% of hams have it. I passed it with 100% correct, as I did with my other two exams as well. Pretty happy with that.
I’m also getting ready to get a radio installed in my car. My FT-857D, which I’ve been using in the house, is really a mobile. I picked up antennas and cables for that at the Wichita hamfest. My brother, who is great with cars, will probably help me do that. I’m excited about that.
I also think I can get radio going on my bicycle. I need a half-wave vertical antenna to mount on it. Really the only challenge is how to attach that to the bicycle, as there isn’t exactly a thriving antenna mount industry for bicyclists.
AHA – I know this one. Bill Judd, G2BCX made a 2M antenna called the Slim Jim – basically a folded dipole. Can be made out of welding rods, it’s very simple. Put it in a length of plastic pipe with endcaps and lash it to bike frame to come up behind saddle. Old style tradesman’s bike with basket would also work – attach 5/8 magnetic mount to basket
G0EVX otherwise amacater@debian.org Andy Cater
There are flags to make children’s bikes and bike trailers more visible. They are mounted on fiberglass poles. You could make a wire slim jim or j-pole and attach it to the pole. Or use this design, quite popular around here: http://www.kbnorway.com/la2t/documents/345.html
The description is unfortunately in Norwegian, but google translate should be able to help.
73
Jon
Huh. Never thought about a bicycle mount before.
I wonder if you could just make a vertical loop by running insulated wire around the inside of the bicycle frame?