Kite antennas

[Fansome]

http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/kites-faq/

[Pigmeat]

Didn't you and Marconi use one for your (supposed) first trans-Atlantic broadcast, using a spark gap transmitter powered by a cat and carpet static generator?

I understand there were bald cats running around Newfoundland for years after you two abandoned them. The locals named a Cape after the poor things.

Speaking seriously about such things,wires lofted by kites can build up impressive static charges. Enough send your average pirate to Davy Jones locker. Be careful.

[BoomboxDX]

Fascinating reading.  I'll be pondering over this the next time I take my $3 Walgreen's delta kite down to the ocean to fly it.

[RobRich]

If anyone is planning serious heights, like 100' for more, be careful if using the kite to suspend a long bare wire conductor for a vertical antenna element. Wind can create serious static charging on tall verticals. Might want to put a resistor, crossover diodes, LED light, or similar device at the feedpoint to bleed off excessive static currents.

Some HF antenna enthusiasts have done verticals up to hundreds of feet tall with large kits or weather balloons. At some point, FAA regulations become a consideration (especially over land), so do your research before floating a wire 500' in the air.

[cmradio]

I vaguely remember a magazine article where some VLF researchers in Antarctica were doing this. They were quite successful until a rogue gust sent the kite and antenna *kersnap* into neverland

Peace!

[skeezix]

Kite in Antarctica:
http://www.auroralchorus.com/hooperdv.htm

[herman munster]

Hi, I hear the idea is to use an RF choke to ground to stop the build up of static electricy damaging the fron end of a rx.  A few ideas about Kite antennas are found in the GQRP Sprat newsletter, theres a CD Rom of about 140
Sprat newsletters, also info in the DVD rom of 30 years of QRP Quaterly.


ian.