Tonight, I did something with Amateur Radio that I normally don't do. I served as the Net Controller for the LaSalle Parish ARES/RACES Net, (Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services). The purpose of this net is to provide training for emergency preparedness; as well as provide a basis for the establishment of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service in the event of an emergency. This net is called each Monday night at 19:30hrs local time on the amateur frequency of 147.105 (+ Offset) with a tone of 103.5. I can recall only checking in on a net a few times since I have been a Ham Operator. It was not too popular here where I live. Since I have got back into the hobby, I learned that another Ham had started the planning of this Net and it's launch. I have tried to fill in on this net a few times but it just never worked out. However, tonight I was able to do it and it went pretty good. Knowing that I committed to doing this, it gave me incentive to get out in the Ham Shack and do a little work. The new Power Supply, 2M Radio, and J-Pole are set up.
Below is a picture of what it looks like so far. This is the old desk that I got for Christmas back in 1987 or 88. It's been around for a long time, so I cleaned it up a little and put it in the shack.
I received some tips from a friend of how he waterproofs his connections to the antenna, he used Scotch 33 Electrical Tape, Rubber Splicing Tape, and more Scotch 33. He told me told to use some ScotchKote but there was not available at the local Ace Hardware but they did have some liquid electrical tape, so I tried it out.
Michael Martens, KB9VBR, sells this J-Pole Antenna at a reasonable price, he says that you have to make 5-6 wraps of the coax about 1 ft from the connection, this make the Balun since you have to match the coax to the antenna.
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