Fara-J - In Depth

[@LifeAtTerminalVelocity]

The FaraJ is awesome sauce. I have taken both the VHF and the UHF into the sky and they both kicked ass.

[@godarklight]

The SWR graph may be more useful if you set it to 1 unit per division. Currently you have 10 SWR per division, which makes the antenna look very flat even though the SWR plots were mostly ok. Also, I did not know you could change the scale of the smith chart, it definitely should be 1.0FS so that the short is on the far left and open is on the far right. At least I learned something new :) In any case, interesting design for an antenna

[@temporarilyoffline]

I learned something also!

[@NovemberOneOscarGrouch]

I've got the Fong in a PVC pipe, which works very well. However, I've been watching the reviews and data on the fara-j and I may have to add that to my POTA bag.

[@temporarilyoffline]

It is the perfect portable antenna!

[@NovemberOneOscarGrouch]

@@temporarilyoffline thanks for spending my money lol

[@ronniet5680]

Thanks Steve, everyone put down the horse fence antenna until they stop making it, now everyone wants one

[@temporarilyoffline]

It doesn't have to be good to be good

[@victorcharlie7491]

2 hands & a j fong, Nice work, tnx Man!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks for watching!

[@LB4FH]

That's some cool designs, and a nice walkthrough on how you do the testing! Would be interesting to see how they are affected by getting wet

[@temporarilyoffline]

Oh I hadn't thought about that - I'd imagine it improves the skin effect and makes it resonant a little lower too. That will be a fun test.

[@stahpit1971]

Thanks for the video

[@temporarilyoffline]

UBet!

[@MikeN2MAK]

Cool! I didn't know one could calibrate for a wider range and then "zoom in" without re-calibrating. Thanks!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Hey Mike!

[@Bill-HRT]

Nice! Been wondering about that antenna for a bit. Thanks. See you soon. 73 de Bill

[@temporarilyoffline]

Looking forward to it

[@RESlusher]

You and your sciency stuff! 😁 Thanks for sharing, Steve!

[@temporarilyoffline]

All different kinds of ways to have fun here!

[@RESlusher]

@@temporarilyoffline Except for FT8. That will be the death of ham radio! LOL!! 😁

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@RESlusher right. I hate that FT8

[@FEPLabsRadio]

That antenna is swank!

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm a fan!

[@DonzLockz]

Nice, I wish it was economical to ship this and some Ed Fong's to VK.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I smell a business opportunity - black market antenna sales!

[@DonzLockz]

@@temporarilyoffline build it and sales will come. Lol

[@temporarilyoffline]

@DonzLockz I can see it now: the DL J-Pole - Gett your down under antennas on the down low!

[@DonzLockz]

@@temporarilyoffline 😆👍

[@ik04]

I use aluminum HVAC tape to build fold up antennas and slot antennas you can stick on anything. Kind of the same idea.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I've seen the same with copper tape too.

[@WECB640]

Tighten Up Archie Bell & The Drells

[@temporarilyoffline]

A very interesting song.

[@BigJohnsHamShack]

The answer to your question would be Ape. Ape would have the laboratory grade equipment to test an antenna. I however am assuming. Enjoyed the video, thank you.

[@temporarilyoffline]

To truly measure an antenna, you need an "anechoic chamber" that is big enough to shove it into and get everything else out of the way so nothing effects it... not for me!

[@RobCanada]

Interesting experiment, where you say the BNC to S0239 is "absolute junk" could you show that on the VNA? I appreciate it's a throwaway comment but could you perhaps do some side by side tests with a high quality version and perhaps a teardown to show the manufacturing differences?

[@temporarilyoffline]

Sometimes I say things just to preempt stupid comments like "that adapter is crap" - yes, a silver amphenol connector is better, but for the prices vs. my use case its not better enough to pay the difference. What I'll say is if you're going to use connectors/adapters in a permanent install where you're hoping to never touch it for 40 years or you're going to put food on your table with it... invest in the good stuff (amphenol). If you're "playing radio" and yammerin on the local repeater, "any" will do just fine. If I ever wind up ordering some good connectors, I'll be sure to do a comparison to my 'Used Junk' collection!

[@RobCanada]

@@temporarilyoffline I made my comment with peace and love. Just being silly. YT is a never ending mistress

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@RobCanada Yeah man, that comment was about you. Just trying to answer the "why I said it" and provide some value to your question. She's a fickle mistress too!

[@timel64]

Make cloth strip out of elastic material. Stretch to change bands. 😂

[@temporarilyoffline]

The next incarnation of the slinky antenna!

[@gliderrider]

I don't know if it is practical, but there is a need for something like this in 6 meters. You just can't find much for that band super portable.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'll let Ben know. Wouldn't be hard to make.

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

Do you know what thee backing cloth is made of? The cut in the Ed Fong is for fine tuning 70CM. There are a couple of good QST articles on teh Ed Fongs. The thickness of the strip conductors probably accounts for the wider bandwidth on the Fara-Js. I wonder if Ham Jazz has done this with foil tape on tarp material. I guess that I'd like to try one for 6m.

[@temporarilyoffline]

No idea yet

[@DreadMakerRoberts]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmbMpZ9nqrx6qrc&pp=ygURRHVjayB0YXBlIGFudGVubmE%3D

[@powind-zi8ik]

Hello sir, I have an ic705 and Xiegu x125b, the nominal maximum output power of x125b is 100w, I think this should be the ssb mode, have you tested the maximum output power of DV/CW/FT8 mode? Regarding the issue of cutting corners raised by some people on the Internet, I asked xiegu, and they claimed that the power amplifier tubes inside are still two rd100s. I look forward to your reply, thank you

[@temporarilyoffline]

Good morning! I tested the 795+XPA here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYCyaIyaepd-hrMsi=ENCQbOSvMXc-L0yy I used RTTY as my test mode

[@powind-zi8ik]

@@temporarilyoffline I watched it, it's a great video. I bought what seems to be the new version of the x125b. Xiegu now recommends that the input should not exceed 2W, but in fact the new version of the x125b can easily output 80-100W with an input of 1W. My question is actually that the rated power of the x125b is 100W, can it be turned on to 100W in all modes (FT8/SSB/CW/DV)? I know it can do it, but will it damage the machine if used like this for a long time? I heard from a ham that only the ssb can be used for a long time at 100W, while ft8 and dv can only be 25W.

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@powind-zi8ik ah. Ok. I personally have used the amp in FT8 mode for a POTA Kilo. Just watch the temperature gauge and back off the power or add cooling if you need to.

[@powind-zi8ik]

@@temporarilyoffline got you.thank you very much

[@bitemykrank1970]

I think the SWR readings your VNA showed are not that fair. I think if the antenna was outside, on a 5m pole and the VNA was calibrated to the end of the feedline coax point, not just itself, the SWR would come down a fair amount, most J-Poles can obtain 1.2:1 or lower if you adjust them carefully enough, I know Ed Fong's one's can get to 1.1, I assume the Fara-J designer achieved better than 1.9:1 SWR when he designed them. I like the idea of one these and an 50foot length of nylon clothesline in a hiking kit, toss it into a tree and your HT will most likely get that repeater you need, if and when you really need it.....these design's shown are all great idea's for a J-Pole antenna

[@temporarilyoffline]

Good catch - that's why I used the ed fong antenna for reference - to help show the effects of being indoors and coax.

[@ShooterReadyStandBy]

It's an antenna! No, it's a belt! Or a sash. You better get on the road or your gonna have to shovel snow😮

[@temporarilyoffline]

Done! I'm in TN already!