Off The Random Wire (Week 27) | Portable Shell Beach CM95

Waiting my turn at logging a station in Japan along the coastline in Shell Beach. An amazing day with temperatures peaking in the high 60s domed by blue sky. I wore my Lost Island DX Society tee-shirt on purpose as we chatted with the general public about ham radio.

What if organizations both private and public funded the next step like other companies in California that is, Ham Radio Road Show, and aggressively rather than passively pursue a threefold marketing strategy; 1.) Education, 2.) Science and, 3.) Wireless amateur communications. We enjoyed an amazing response as individuals and couples queried our operation.

Just imagine for example following up with social media tools such as blogging, YouTube video, and/or Twitter. Additionally, each organization funding such a project would have commercial rights to the material for promotional purposes. My thought is ham radio needs to aggressively reach the public not the public reach ham radio.

We are lucky to have Fred, KI6QDH as a center of gravity. His passion for ham radio is an example of can-do leadership. He called the wireless phone yesterday afternoon and quickly organized our portable operation.

Fred, KI6QDH operating portable using a stalwart Kenwood TS440S powered by his truck battery and an AC inverter delivering 13.8 volts to the radio. John, KG6RWF has the passion for home crafting and inspired the budget construction of a 2-element shortened 20m beam.

I love ham radio and this is the reason. My mentor from the days as a novice in Sharon, Pennsylvania was passionate about antennas. His example of leadership planted a dormant spark that is beginning to fire-up in Shell Beach. Odd, isn't it, nearly 30-years later, life seems to work like that sometimes.

John, KG6RWF and Fred, KI6QDH built this antenna system from cobbled bits and pieces with an overall $30 investment. They home crafted and deployed a 2-element shortened 20m beam within a few hours. Fred and John liked the project for its simplicity which leads to more complex antenna projects in the future. We're talking SpiderBeam in the future?

I'm committing to the construction of three for 20, 15, and 10m as a teaching tool. Additionally, we are bouncing the idea of 'how-to' stack and refine this design. I will follow-up with further detail through the year.

One does not want to just stare at the Box. One wants to get in the Box. Antenna systems are at least one pathway to RadioSport success and building rudiment wire beams is a first good step. I think Rick, K6VVA a.k.a. The Locust suggested I get into portable RadioSport operations. I have a gut level feeling that this will happen with a little help from my friends.

Fred, KI6QDH and John, KG6RWF enjoying the Shell Beach vibe while the antenna points toward Japan. We logged Canada and Japan yesterday afternoon running 100-watts peak envelope power whereas effective radiated power is unknown in addition to simple experimentation (eg. listen for S-meter nulls) using KA3DRR Armstrong rotor.

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.