Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 19:49:03 -1000 From: brdall@aol.com (B R Dall) Message-Id: <3stesf$sbv@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Lifting an Antenna In addition to being an avid kite flier, (4 stunt kites, a parafoil, a stratoscoop, a malay, homemade ripstop winged box kite, and a couple more) I am also an amateur radio operator. When ever my friends on the radio see me flying the stratoscoop, they ask about using the kite to lift an antenna or using the kite line as a long-wire antenna. I have no desire to fry my equipment nor myself by flying a kite by using woven copper kite line in a lightning storm, but does anyone have experience using a kite to lift antennas? I've thought about launching a dual-band transceiver in cross-band repeat mode on the kite since there would be no connection to the ground. That amounts to several hundred dollars worth of equipment hanging on a kite string and I don't have the equipment available, and I'd hate to borrow it. A stratoscoop with a weight under it could remain balanced and fly for a very long way. This would also be limited to VHF/UHF, where height is of great advantage, but short antennas work just fine. A halfwave antenna on 80 meters would be something that would be interesting to suspend from a kite line. I've seen pictures once of a shortwave listener who used a kite to lift a long wire which was then connected to a coil near the ground and then connected to a ground rod. The receiver is then placed near the coil (but not physically connected) and the coil and internal "loopstick" antenna in the radio inductively couple for greatly improved reception. The caption mentioned that if lighting struck the antenna wire it would probably burn off the kite string and you would lose the kite but no one would be injured. Still sounds pretty dangerous to me, and doesn't help with transmitting at all. I'm also not fond of losing kites. Like I said, anyone with any information or experience, I'd like to hear about it. For email replies, send to brdall@aol.com please, or post here. good winds, Brian - N0TYC = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 29 Jun 1995 00:12:48 -1000 From: Chuck.van.Eekelen@net-engine.nl (Chuck van Eekelen) Message-Id: Organization: NLnet Subject: Re: Lifting an Antenna brdall@aol.com (B R Dall) wrote: >When ever my friends on the radio see me flying the stratoscoop, they ask >about using the kite to lift an antenna or using the kite line as a >long-wire antenna. >I have no desire to fry my equipment nor myself by flying a kite by using >woven copper kite line in a lightning storm, but does anyone have >experience using a kite to lift antennas? I think there was a guy called Marconi whoo did that. You might wanna check him out :-) Chuck = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 29 Jun 1995 08:59:41 -1000 From: k1paddler@aol.com (K1paddler) Message-Id: <3sut6t$7fj@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: Lifting an Antenna We used a large helium baloon, Edmunds scientific, for a simplex repeater about 7 or 8 years ago. About 125', with fair results. When the wind blew, it dropped to about 75' or so. You can imagine the satisfaction of a simplex.... :( I have used a kite, just for the fun of it, to put a string over a large oak tree for one side of a dipole. A bow and arrow are much more efficient. Good luck Mike ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Michael Sawyer KG5IB + + 3L, Georgetown Law + + Michael.Sawyer@law.georgetown.edu + ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 30 Jun 1995 15:51:12 -1000 From: amirault@laraby.tiac.net (Richard Amirault) Message-Id: Organization: The Internet Access Company Subject: Re: Lifting an Antenna brdall@aol.com (B R Dall) writes: >In addition to being an avid kite flier, (4 stunt kites, a parafoil, a >stratoscoop, a malay, homemade ripstop winged box kite, and a couple more) >I am also an amateur radio operator. So am I. But I have yet to combine the two YET! I have assembled an ATV (Amateur TeleVision) station to lift, but haven't gotten around to it yet! Anyway, there is an article in one of the ARRLs ANTENNA COMPENDIUM books that deals with lifting an antenna by kite/balloon. There are now 4 volumes and I forget which volume contains this article. I did pick up the book at a local hamfest JUST BECAUSE of the article, but I can't locate it right now (sorry) I do remember that not only do you have to worry about lighting induced charges, but that the WIND ITSELF will create quite a static charge on the antenna. Richard in Boston N1JDU amirault@tiac.net = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 30 Jun 1995 15:51:12 -1000 From: amirault@laraby.tiac.net (Richard Amirault) Message-Id: Organization: The Internet Access Company Subject: Re: Lifting an Antenna brdall@aol.com (B R Dall) writes: >In addition to being an avid kite flier, (4 stunt kites, a parafoil, a >stratoscoop, a malay, homemade ripstop winged box kite, and a couple more) >I am also an amateur radio operator. So am I. But I have yet to combine the two YET! I have assembled an ATV (Amateur TeleVision) station to lift, but haven't gotten around to it yet! Anyway, there is an article in one of the ARRLs ANTENNA COMPENDIUM books that deals with lifting an antenna by kite/balloon. There are now 4 volumes and I forget which volume contains this article. I did pick up the book at a local hamfest JUST BECAUSE of the article, but I can't locate it right now (sorry) I do remember that not only do you have to worry about lighting induced charges, but that the WIND ITSELF will create quite a static charge on the antenna. Richard in Boston N1JDU amirault@tiac.net = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =