I was finally able to get my taxes done and discovered that I have a few dollars coming back to me. In anticipation of my refund, I have made one or two online purchases. If you know what you are looking for and have the correct size information, it can be a very economical way to buy things. Yesterday I got bit by the size bug.
Last month I purchased a new ham radio capable of talking with people all around the world. Unfortunately the radio is the simplest purchase as there are a number of other accessories also required. The most important accessory is the antenna. While I could buy one, I thought I would try my hand at making a number of different types. I picked up a bunch of wire from Home Depot and have been having fun making dipoles for several different frequency bands. I am experimenting at this point and so my antennas are not that robust. In other words, they keep breaking. In an attempt to create a more permanent antenna, I went online and ordered a few parts.
I have been reading a lot of antenna building instructions and wanted to pick up some insulators. They are used to help hang dipole antennas without having the support structure become part of the antenna. I located some nice dog-bone insulators that looked to be the right size and ordered them from a reputable online store. They arrived yesterday and surprised me with how big they are. The online picture had no reference and so I assumed they were about an inch long. It turns out they are not 1 but 3 inches long. I didn't realize when I ordered them that they would be the size of an actual dog bone.
The insulators were only a dollar each and will work for my project. Furthermore they are very robust and will help me create an antenna that should survive a hurricane. I'm glad I wasn't ordering a shirt as I would have gotten a tent.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment