QRP in the Driftless

Antenna repair

Yesterday in the late afternoon I went up to Buckhorn State Park to try an activation. When I started to set up the antenna I saw this:

The bent and partly-cracked top section was hanging by a thread.

When I pulled the top section all the way out followed by the second section it came apart in my hand. Field repairs will be necessary!

I overlapped the two pieces about 3/4″ and applied Gorilla Tape.
Now, time to do the same thing to the next section.
I overlapped them about an inch and a half here.

I’m guessing that the whip is now about 5 inches shorter, we’ll see how that affects the SWR. This procedure used up most of the time I had allotted for operating, so I took a short hike out to the Sand Blow Overlook and then came home.

There is another antenna repair story in the works, but for right now I’ll just say “thank you for visiting driftlessqrp!”

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Comments

One response to “Antenna repair”

  1. B. Perry Avatar
    B. Perry

    Dear diary. I wanted to walk in the woods but i fixed my antenna. I am grading my day. I get a C.

    But if there are other single radio wanderers, they will take solace in this situation- they are not alone in the breakdowns of communication!…I think this is the real purpose and success of this log-in :).