Wire antenna lifting for ham radio
john white
rough . LOL .
OK what do I want . I am looking for plans for a kite to lift a long wire
antenna . I have searched the web endlessly this evening and like the look
of the stratoscoop. Now being a radio Ham I have this huge fear of buying
any thing I can build myself therefore I am trying to find plans for a
stratoscoop or similar. I understand that the stratoscoop is an commercially
built kite and there fore the plans are not public so it would have to be
something very similar.
the finished kite has to have certain specifications
1 It must be able to fly unattended for long periods
2 It must be able to lift 100 or 200 feet of light weight wire (Speaker wire
is ideal)
3 It must be a soft kite. (Needs to go in a rucksack as I ride a motor bike
so no spars please)
4 Most important it must fly as near vertical as possible.
I wonder if you know of any plans I can find on the next for such a kite .
This would be my first home construction apart from a Rokoku I built some
years ago which did the job very well .
Thanks a lot for any help you can give .
John G7BWI
Larry Green
john white <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Hqf69.2163$jb4.1...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
We went through this exercise a few weeks ago when a friend of mine (another
ham) was looking into doing just the same thing. He used to use a box kite
but I think we have persuaded him to try a Rok after seeing ours flying
almost directly overhead with absolutely zero ground wind!
I have a 3/4 size Rok that packs up to 4ft long (should fit nicely along
side the seat/tank of a motorcycle, the way I used to carry fishing rods and
guns years ago!). If you have to go with a soft kite then have a look at
some of the plans for kite aerial photography (KAP) rigs (lots of plans for
these on the web). Something along the lines of a parasled, flowform or any
of the many single line foils should lift a wire antenna (just remember not
to use the wire as the kite line hi hi).
If you need links I have lots in my favourites folder just let me know.
73 de Larry VE3YET (formerly G1YET)
BillP
However.... Don't forget the electrostatic potential between sky and earth.
Some horrendous voltages as well as amperage can build up here, and fry a
lot of equipment as well as people!! Make sure you have properly grounded
rods and bypass points to earth along with that wire aloft!!! Be damned
careful, guy!!!
Bill in Phx... expired WB6JRM
(just remember not to use the wire as the kite line hi hi).
>
BillP
that wire! One hell of a jolt could come down that wire and fry a lot of
equipment as well as people! You don't need a storm for it to develop,
either!!
use a good ground rod and lightning bypass, too....
Bill in Phoenix (ex-) WB6JRM
HEIDI EKELØF
Try a "coyne" kite or a "French military" kite as it is also called. Was
used for this purpose. Said to be one of (if not the) kite to lift the most
weight for each square inch. I'ts got rods, but i can easily carry rods on a
bike.
If "no rods" is important try one of the kites used fir areal photography
(taking pix of the ground from a kite in case I did not spell it right..)
Heidi
"john white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> skrev i melding
news:Hqf69.2163$jb4.1...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
Geert DD
than the stratoscoop.
http://members.aol.com/hprinzler1/ff04a_e.htm
Geert.
http://gddweb.org
----------
In artikel <Hqf69.2163$jb4.1...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net>, "john
white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> schreef:
Rncembal
assembly, flexible spars ,packs nicely, good lift. and after you price
materials and your time a good value. Rob
if it doesn't blow,it sucks;fly kites rob cembalest
john white
than I expected . Now where did I put the sewing machine.
Thanks again
JOHN
"john white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Hqf69.2163$jb4.1...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
Dazzz
white <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> Wow Thanks a lot for all your help . I now have loads of information. More
> than I expected . Now where did I put the sewing machine.
> Thanks again
> JOHN
Take a look at http://www.dazzz.dsl.pipex.com/kiteplans/ , for a slew
of different plans some of which have already mentioned, but theres a
few different soft kite plans which may help.
Dazzz
Colin
news:ajd3cn$gnk$1...@reader12.wxs.nl...
> Try the FF04A by Harold Prinzler, a proven design and much more reliable
> than the stratoscoop.
> http://members.aol.com/hprinzler1/ff04a_e.htm
>
> Geert.
> http://gddweb.org
>
have heard they flew at a rather low angle. Am I wrong, or does this
improved design fly higher, or would John prefer a parafoil type of kite?
I'd be interested to find out myself.
Colin
Geert DD
> have heard they flew at a rather low angle. Am I wrong, or does this
> improved design fly higher, or would John prefer a parafoil type of kite?
Most flowforms fly at quite a good angle, not as good as the best parafoils,
but better than the worst parafoils. A flowform will pull less than a same
size parafoil, but is a more stable, more reliable kite, and needs less wind
to fly.
Geert.
http://gddweb.org
whisky
Let us know how you get along with this as I am also
interested in something similar..
Best wishes
Posted from the Rec.Kites Archive at http://www.ikite.com - I Kite, Therefore I Am
john white
tall. I have spent this evening with the wifes sewing machine on the kitchen
table. Apart from a few swear words and a fair bit of wasted rip stop all
is going fine. watch this space for news.Oh yeah now I have learnt to sew
any body wanna wedding dress run up give me a holler.
JOHN
"john white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Hqf69.2163$jb4.1...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
john white
Hi Guys and girls . I flew the new rokoku tonight .Took me a
couple of day to build it Had to learn how to use the sewing machine . The
kite is 190 cms tall and seems to fly very well. The wind was almost nothing
tonight but with the smallest of tugs on the line the kite climbed way up
almost over head. I couldn't carry our any proper test as I was using light
weight line and didn't want to lose the thing. Tomorrow I am off to the kite
shop again to buy some heavier line and then to the garden centre for some
gloves . I will keep you informed of progress. Bt so far all looks good. If
you want the plan for the kite I built you can find it at the address at the
bottom of this message. I have spent less than 25GBP and am very happy with
the results. The most important thing is to make it accurately. And don't
rely on the weave in the rip stop for squareness it is not square use a rule
and mark it your self . I made this error and had to cut my sail smaller to
compensate.
Best of luck JOHN M3VMM
http://www.xs4all.nl/~pdj/rok.htm
"john white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Hqf69.2163$jb4.1...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
CoyoteBoy
the kite itself is above the base station (with the line staked off further
back, and drop the line vertically from it to the gound/base?
JB
"Geert DD" <g.donke...@planet.nl> wrote in message
news:ajfn5j$ap5$1...@reader07.wxs.nl...
Tom Baker
Excellent deal, John. I'd offer to work you, but I'm not sure the propgation
will support it. Have fun!
Tom
N9KLC
West Lafayette, IN
USA
john white
How ever what happens if the wind changes direction. I
can see exactly what you mean but I want the kite to stay airborne all day
and must require as little attention as possible. The antenna doesn't need
to be completely vertical in fact good results can be had on horizontal ones
but in my case the nearer vertical the better .
JOHN
G7BWI/M3VMM
"CoyoteBoy" <j.bu...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:ajulol$sgi$1...@paris.btinternet.com...
rick longhurst
congrats on the success of your rokkoku. When Larry Green told me he
had reccomended the rok, I was pleased. Larry just discovered rokkaku's a
few months ago, and like you, he was impressed with the ease of flight and
the stability it provided.. Good luck with the rest of your tests and keep
us posted.
Rick
http://www.angelfire.com/on/hookedonkites
Kites.....The Natural High
"john white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:UZI89.775$cg3....@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
TonyWard
I,m a SWL with an interest in kites and have several that will do the job.
but want to know what wire to try.
"john white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:lZz89.6267$qe2.2...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
john white
Good lord what a wonderful afternoon I have just had. After
popping to town for some heavy line and a dog stake off to the local common
I went . A little time later the Rok was well and truly airborne. Very very
little wind the trees were not rustling a leaf at times. So I had to pull it
up until it found a bit. Once it had caught the little wind there was it was
nearly over my head. I had to bring it down to adjust the bridles a little
but other wise fine. The lift this kite generates is HUGE I am a little
nervous of holding the thing in higher winds. I am not sure but a couple of
times I think it was thermaling the flight seemed some how different and
very high flight angle .At one point it seemed to be up wind of the stake
and just hanging there until the breeze pushed it back down wind. All in all
I am very very pleased with the results from my first home made kite and
already would suggest this kite to anybody else thinking of lifting antennas
. It is fairly easy to build even for me with no knowledge of sewing or kite
construction save the paper kites built as a child. It is easy to rig and
fairly easy to launch single handed. I will post more regarding the fitting
and lifting of the antenna wire If you guys are interested.
JOHN G7BWI/M3VMM
"john white" <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Hqf69.2163$jb4.1...@newsfep1-win.server.ntli.net...
Richard G Amirault
(snip)
: Very very
: little wind the trees were not rustling a leaf at times. So I had to pull it
: up until it found a bit. Once it had caught the little wind there was it was
: nearly over my head. I had to bring it down to adjust the bridles a little
: but other wise fine. The lift this kite generates is HUGE I am a little
: nervous of holding the thing in higher winds. I am not sure but a couple of
: times I think it was thermaling the flight seemed some how different and
: very high flight angle .At one point it seemed to be up wind of the stake
: and just hanging there until the breeze pushed it back down wind.
Yup, and excellent description of "thermaling" ... and under such
conditions I would not lift anything. BUT, given a reasonable wind your
kite should work out just fine!!
Richard in Boston, MA, USA
Clint Sharp
white <john.whit...@ntlworld.com> writes
>Cor what a nice friendly group.Makes the ham radio one I use look a bit
>rough . LOL .
>OK what do I want . I am looking for plans for a kite to lift a long wire
>antenna . I have searched the web endlessly this evening and like the look
>of the stratoscoop. Now being a radio Ham I have this huge fear of buying
>any thing I can build myself therefore I am trying to find plans for a
>stratoscoop or similar.
radio amateur and has used kites for lifting antennae on a few occasions
(IIRC he wrote a couple of articles for HRT or PW about it). I've always
found him to be a friendly and helpful guy so I'm sure a quick email
would yield some information.
--
Clint Sharp