HF Antenna Project

HAM RADIO # 1

Ham Radio...Changing my antenna system...

A couple of years ago I've decided to replace my faithful antenna (KLM KT 34XA) that was on the air for about 20 years, already showing sign of times and hard use. The important fact that it doesn't cover WARC bands weighted in my decision, as since these bands were allocated to hams I had to work them using very simple wire antenna systems, loosing a lot of DX so far! Also helping, those repeated and never ending problems with the rotator Yaesu 2800 SDX, showing (since the first day!) more and more an erratic behavior, stopping , starting at its own will...rotators are ham's nightmare...

Its difficult and very frustrating for one that has been on the air , without interruption, since 1977, to stay away of Radio without seeing the 'end of the tunnel'...and , worst, hearing other DXers telling this and that about announced DXpeditions, DXnews causing us all time, and so...not easy.

Decision taken, and KLM down, perhaps too early.

As usual, my good friends CT1EEQ (Luis Rodrigues), CT1EGW (Arlindo Ferreira), CT1BGE (Luis Costa) and old 'DX fox', CT1BWW (Marques), helped me since the first day. In the above photo , CT1EEQ and EGW waving good-bye KLM...

At this time I had already another antenna in the garage: the Optibeam OB 13-6...big and expensive, we will see  if its performance is also as spec sheets show...

So, profiting a long and rainy winter (so far ended, crossing my fingers) I start assembling 'the' OB, and immediately I've verified the meaning 'made in Germany', strong, detailed and very well conceived. I should clarify that  all my previous antennas (mostly all kind of Yagi beams) were 'made in USA'. The important parameter - weight - confirms that you cannot have everything in one package...far from that, but time of monobanders are gone.

So several photos of  "OB's " assembling.

In the above photo we can see one can of a miraculous liquid electrical tape (known brand name) , but as every dark cloud has a silver lining...due to tower decisions (later in next episodes :-) ) my antenna has been partially assembled in the terrace, open air, for more than one year (one hot summer and one very rainy winter) , I can now see that the liquid electrical tape is cracked and peeling...and not, yet, getting strong winds..so...

The photo above shows the boom-to-mast-plate, but this one 'home-made', in stainless steel, as the original one (aluminium) seems, in my opinion, not strong enough. Still to decide if I will use mine or Optibeam's plate (much lighter)...but it impresses how one 70 kg antenna+all stress inducted by external factors (wind, etc)  is supported by those (not those showed on pic, because they are quite sturdy) little 4 clamps coming in the package. Still to decide.I know that assembling SS parts with aluminium ones can lead to some kind of electrolytic corrosion, but this situation is common specially when bolts, washers and nuts are SS.

The above photo shows the excellent quality of manufacturing (connection of boom sections). The black 'tape' seen (not provided by Optibeam) is not an ordinary tape, but that one called 'DENSO' tape, normally used to isolate underground piping connections. Literally indestructible, very difficult to remove.

Every connection was carefully sealed with industrial compound (brown colour) and every telescopic connection treated with anti-seize copper compound (best, in my opinion is industrial vaseline! never dries!) Also, in all connections, I've applied , first one layer of self vulcanizing tape then covered by (good) 3M electrical tape.

I'm also nuts about Daschund Teckels , so here it is one cool poster! And amazingly it's TRUE!

My other Mini Cooper, one Austin Cooper MK2 1968 lives almost all year round in a barn in countryside together with other machinery...I've bought it many years ago already 'restored' as one MK2 S replica. Pure naivety...

Nowadays, after having seen several MK2 S's, and read a lot about them (what I've should done in first hand !) ,  and restored one MK1 S, I should agree that apart its good looking and good reliability it's faraway from the original...

I've thought to 'return it ' to its original DNA (Cooper MK2) but the costs were high, and as I already have S bits in it, I've decided to improve and correct some of its unconformities , at least most of them...

So after some recent issues with speedometer and odometer (both stucked) , I took the binnacle and  all instruments off from the dashboard , made some serious reading about similar 'diseases', followed by one complex surgical intervention and transplantation by Doctor M. gold hands (odometer worm and gear were replaced from another donor), both units were ready for more rpm! As above mentioned all articles I've read about this type of  'diseases' and expert's opinions were very skeptical, discouraging interventions by amateurs...so against all odds the repair was sucessful!

Before

After

So I've corrected some of its unconformities, but still faraway from the end, and , as usual, it will be a never ending story ... but all of those historical bits (genuine Restall recliner seat, genuine John Aley rollover bar (back) , etc) will be kept obviously.

Fot the time being I've beggined by the engine bay compartment...and being one MCR (Mini Cooper Register) member, I've exchanged some e-mails with Cooper S MKII Register, Nick Hunter, who helped me with some photos of its unrestored (!) MK2 S which engine bay  was as showed, an authentic time warp machine !

Mine...as it is now and 'under costruction'...

Keep tuned...

Anos 60...meninos da "linha" !

Os Cooper foram, nos anos 60 o carro 'da malta', e esta foto ilustra perfeitamente essa juventude irreverente (segundo os padrões da época), especialmente o dono da 'máquina', de óculos Ray-Ban e luvas de 'dedos cortados' rodeado dum grupo de 'meninos da linha' ;-). Curiosamente trata-se doutro radioamador, o CT4HN, o 'Quim' . As 'transformações' da época' (o tuning...) limitavam-se, na grande maioria dos casos a "isto"...

E com outro artista...

Curiosamente não tirou os tampões - transformação mais comum na época , e que , seguramente, lhe daria mais uns 'cavalitos'...

 

Obrigado Quim!

 

 

       

To my friend CT1BOH, José Carlos Nunes

Apart from my (recent) hobby of restoring Mini Cooper (exclusively sixties) I am Radio Amateur (callsign CT4NH) since 1977... and in this fantastic hobby I've dedicated all my time, from the very first day I should say!, to  the elusive intercontinental contacts (known as 'DX') and especially to Contests. This forced that my ham station was equipped with very large antennas, to participate - with minimal success at international level - in Radio Contests, situation only possible due to the space I had, and the absence of severe restrictions for radio amateurs living (the vast majority) in cities or urban lots. Today it is virtually impossible to erect one suitable and competitive antenna in one of those apartment buildings, without being persecuted and prosecuted !

Some 30 years ago, there were already some constraints, not so severe as nowadays, and by this fact, one very young Jose Carlos Nunes (then a teenager), with callsign CT1BOH, often used my station in various Contests, always competing in telegraphy ('CW') and demonstrating exceptional skills not only in listening/decoding (most important!) as in high speed transmission. In fact his station was located at his parent's apartment - in Lisbon - and he had no possibilities to erect competitive antennas for all amateur bands.

His expertise, his various titles of World Champion in CW (Telegraphy), led other hams around the world, to invite him to participate from their stations on several Contests, which the most prestigious one is CQ World Wide Contest sponsored by the american magazine CQ Amateur Radio, and taking place every year in the last week-end (48 hours) of November. The above photo shows Jose Carlos CT1BOH operating from Madeira Island ham radio station - belonging to Madeira DX Team - and going for another World title on the top category : Single Operator All Band High Power! Just to give an idea about the technical sophistication of these Contest stations below the description of showed lay-out (operating with 2 radios simultaneously), as proof that the Ham radio operator should not only have the skills to transmit and receive/decode at speeds reaching 50 to 55 wpm (words per minute) but also to have a complete control of all the paraphernalia of equipments and antennas ! Well done Jose Carlos ! 


1- Linear / radio1 (manual tuning)
2- Stack match to select beverage to EU, Beverage to USA or both at the same time.
3- Radio 1 (mostly on RUN)
4 - Band Pass Filter to radio 1
5 - Band decoder for automatic antenna switching and logger for radio1
6 - Band display ( from 2khz to 200khz). Mostly Radio 2 (Search&Pounce > S&P)
7 - Radio 2 (mostly S&P for multipliers)
8 - Band pass Filter for radio2
9 - Band decoder for automatic antenna switching and logger for radio2
10 - Logger Win-test SO2R (Single Operator 2 radio) advanced mode
11- 13 coax cables to antennas (2*10, 2*15, 2*20, 2*40, 2*80, 1*160, 2*beverages)
12 - Stack match for antennas 80 m band - EU, USA ou EU+USA
13 - Stack match for antennas 40 m band - EU, USA ou EU+USA
14 - Stack match for antennas 20 m band - EU, USA ou EU+USA
15 - Stack match for antennas 15 m band - EU, USA ou EU+USA
16 - Stack match for antennas 10 m band - EU, USA ou EU+USA
17 - Extreme Isolation headphone inhibiting external noise (linears)
18 - Not visible - Linear to radio2 (automatic)

Awesome!

ANPAC - Associação Nacional Pilotos Automóveis Clássicos

José Mota Freitas (Austin Cooper S MK2)

Este blog apoia a ANPAC
http://www.anpac.pt/quemsomos.htm

Rally do Benfica 1966 - Regresso ao passado!

O encontro que tive esta manhã já vinha a ser agendado desde há quase 4 anos! A ideia inicial era juntar a equipa que participou com o GE-90-01 o Rally do Benfica 1966, isto é o Carlos Edmond Santos - Manuel Coelho da Silva e proporcionar-lhes um 'regresso ao passado'!

Infelizmente o Carlos Edmond Santos já nos deixou , mas tenho mantido contacto assíduo com o seu 'pendura' (termo da época, actualmente 'navegador'...) não só nesse rally como em muitos outros em que brilhantemente participaram,

Decidi finalmente ir ao encontro do Sr. Coelho da Silva.

Um 'jovem' de 78 anos que, ao ver o Cooper, disse de imediato: 'Era verde!'...de facto este Cooper S MK1, como todos os CKDs da época, era 'monotone' verde. Em Março de 1965 o Carlos Santos alterou o livrete para 'verde e outra' e pintou o tejadilho de branco (Old English White).

A alegria do Coelho da Silva foi enorme e pudemos dar umas voltas com ele a 'cantar' umas notas á boa maneira da época , usando os mesmos termos e tudo. E não perdeu 'a mão'!

Ficam aqui algumas fotos que servem de pequeno agradecimento ao Sr. Manuel Coelho da Silva pela sua extraordinária memória que me permitiu reconstituir o historial do carro, nos seus primórdios, a era mais importante.

Na foto acima MCS recorda os momentos em que nas etapas nocturnas substituia o Carlos Santos 'à roda'...

Na foto acima 'homem e máquina'...

Na foto acima , á semelhança daquela que foi tirada pelo famoso fotógrafo Ávila á dupla Carlos Edmond Santos / Manuel Coelho da Silva à porta do Estádio da Luz em 1966, aqui, uma foto tirada junto ao Casino Estoril num local tantas vezes palco de complementares do Rally TAP, Volta a Portugal, etc!

Como ilustre Seccionista do Sector Automóvel  do Sport União Sintrense - que a muitos de nós proporcionou, nos anos 60, belas provas na Base Aérea da Granja do Marquês - o Sr. Manuel Coelho da Silva teve a gentileza de me oferecer uma medalha comemorativa das 3 Horas da Granja do Marquês de 1969 !

Obrigado Sr. Coelho da Silva !

Keith Calver visit to Portugal

Keith Calver is one wellknown person in Mini World! He has been writing technical articles for Mini Magazine and Mini Mania since many years and is considered by many as one the best Mini gurus together with A C Dodd and David Vizard! During the restoring process of my car I've e-mailed him many times and his sugestions were the solution for many , apparently, insoluble problems!

Now I had the pleasure to receive him and his wife Karin in Lisbon during one week, and they loved it! Weather was marvellous - too hot for them! - and obviously Keith had particularly enjoyed Portuguese gastronomy...and beer!

 

Photo above was taken in Manuel's garage with his pride and joy. Keith, as he mentioned, despite being in another 'wave' (he races one 1275 GT, like the one on the right) but sure has much appreciated these imaculate and mint Austin Cooper MK1 1967 and Austin 1275 GT completely original. Photo below inspecting the quality of  M. workmanship...

Manuel didnt lost the oportunity to test Keith's immense knowledge, and ask him to identify one old AEG163 (original Cooper S MK1 head)...' this is one of the first as has the 'boss' inside', he told as he was putting his 'little' fingers inside the ducts...

Also he honoured us with a visit to see the 'subject' of so many e-mails all along these years! He has also, too, helped a lot in the final result, Austin Cooper S MK1 1965:

He promised us to return with his 'needles box' as he considers that only in one good rolling road + 'needles box' will be possible to sort out these little beasts! Being , him and Karin, Port Wine lovers , they will start next visit by Oporto...so keep tuned. Thanks for your visit Karin and Keith!

Works Minis (1960 to 1970) (#1)

I'll try to start here a modest retrospective (one more...) of Works Minis from the 'sixties', trying to describe each of them - I suppose were 71 in total - since the 'first' one YOP663 (August 1959) to SOH878H (January 1970), distributed as follows...: 850 cc (9), 997 cc (11), 1071 cc (1) and 1275 cc (50). I will be adding some curiosities from those I have photographs and other data. I apologize to Works gurus about any innacuracies...

(photo during 2004 Annual MINI COOPER REGISTER Meeting in Beaulieu, UK)

As nowadays, these works cars, speccially those used in 1960's rallies all over the world, by BMC Team , were quite different from those sold to the public...their mods and some unique technical details (those which are known...) have attracted me since I become an MCR member several years ago.
Some of the following photos were took by my good friend Eduardo Perdigao, Works Mini enthusiast, with whom I've learned a lot about of these little cracking and complex machines!

Restauro - Austin Cooper S MKI (# 18)

Quem disser que o restauro está concluído...está errado! De facto um restauro nunca está concluído, e aqui é que reside o interesse. Há sempre pequenos (e grandes!) detalhes que é necessário ir repondo de acordo com a originalidade pretendida.

Deste modo, hoje 'fui-me' ao tubo de chauffage, isto é o tubo que liga o radiador da chauffage (no interior do carro (na consola central suspensa)) à toma de ar localizada no extremo direito da grelha, ao lado da buzina. Conforme se vê na foto o tubo de cima é o correcto do MKII e o de baixo, mais rústico, é o correcto para o MKI. Este tubo, descontinuado, é de tempos a tempos , produzido em pequena escala pelo John Kelly, o 'master' register dos Cooper S MKI do Mini Cooper Register de UK.

O traçado não é pacífico.O posicionamento típico, nos Cooper 'S', do regulador de tensão - localizado atrás do reforço em chapa, triangular, entra em conflito com o traçado do tubo, visto que está práticamente na linha de saída do tubo do guarda-fogo (dificuldaes acrescidas para carros 'wet' = suspensão hydrolastic, devido a que o tubo da chauffage deve passar no arco daquele!) além de que o servo-freio obriga depois a um certo contorcionismo antes de revirar novamente e ligar à toma de ar. Para além destas 'dificuldades' a montagem tem de levar em conta que no atravessamento do guarda-fogo há que fazê-lo passar pelo resguardo de borracha que o protege da chapa, sendo que - em minha opinião - este resguardo não pode ser metido depois.

Deste modo com um pouco de silicone (nada de silicone na ligação resguardo chapa, que se pretende aqui muito seca!) no tubo e com um movimento heilicoidal vai-se fazendo passar o tubo de dentro para fóra, mantendo sempre o resguardo no sítio.

A ligação à toma de ar é feita com a braçadeira correcta, de arame (também vendidas pelo John Kelly , mas possível de ser feita de arame de cabide!!). O site do JK :smallcar@jkne.fsnet.co.uk

Entretanto convém fixar a ponta do tubo à entrada da chauffage no interior do carro, também com as braçadeiras tipo 'JK', fazendo passar os restantes tubos de entrada e saída - de água do radiador e da chauffage do pára-brisas - pelos locais correctos, tal como se mostra na foto abaixo, Conclui-se apertando o regulador de tensão no seu sítio (conforme seja um carro 'dry' ou 'wet') e reposta a blindagem , no interior do carro, que esconde esta parafrenália de tubos.




Claro que um olho clínico dum expert detectará mais 'inconformidades', sendo que a próxima a resolver é a do reforço (em diagonal) da abertura da grelha, que apenas surgiu em Janeiro de 1966 aquando da introdução do radiador de óleo como órgão standard no Cooper S (antes, como já se disse, era opcional), e que deve ser pintado de preto brilhante, se possível à trincha (!) visto que segundo consta, este reforço era pintado da mesma cor do carro e só depois, na linha de montagem, á mão (trincha), um operário pintava-o de preto.Portanto como está, está inconforme...

Até á próxima...