Ham Radio Magic "Tarp" Antenna -

[@philhayward8696]

Brilliant Simon, loved it. I really like it when someone - You and others out there - are willing to try something different the unusual even though I can hear all the Shack-Dwelling-Experts saying...."Nah, that will never work...." . As some wise person somewhere in Ham Land said......"one hour in the field trying it out is worth 1000 hours sitting in the shack and theorising about it". Keep thinking outside of the box Simon. Cheers Phil ZL2VTH

[@VE6SFX_HamRadioRookie]

Yes so much so. There are too many people out there willing to say it wont work instead of just trying it.

[@MikeN2MAK]

The first antenna with a low SWR and a high SPF! Brilliant!!

[@russellroberts2228]

Fascinating, clever idea that should help radio amateurs operating from deed-restricted homes. Never underestimate the power of common materials for antennas. Aloha, Russ (KH6JRM).

[@thehamjazz]

G'day Russell, thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment buddy. This antenna has blown my mind to be honest. I had no clue it would work so well and even be resonant hahaha. Cheers buddy and thanks for watching.

[@SteveSinghose]

We had a nice QSO today during your POTA activation on 15. I need to build one. Then we can have a TARP to TARP QSO. :)

[@thehamjazz]

Woohoooo YES!!! TARP TO TARP - I love it. I'm blown away with how well it works buddy. I'm putting out a video later today or tomorrow on the Sunday activation with Doug. Thanks for dropping by buddy. Cheers!

[@JBryant1981]

This is a great idea. I might have to see if I can do something similar with my ENO ProFly XL hammock tarp.

[@tpobrienjr]

Good idea. Leslie Eaton, a ham in Houston, TX, made a "Shower Curtain" beam for 2 meters, by using lead tape (from stained glass work). The tape is adhesive, and worked quite well. She sold kits that included all but the curtain. Great fun. I think it was a 3-element beam.

[@thehamjazz]

Hey buddy, that sounds amazing. I'm going to look that up on KZbin. Sounds like a fabulous idea. Cheers mate and thanks for watching

[@Kinetic79]

Great stuff. You really pump out the ideas over there!

[@thehamjazz]

G'day mate - thanks for your kind words. I'm having a blast playing with 'electricity' and 'will this work or not' hahaha. Thanks for watching mate. Cheers

[@m7trsradio]

Woohoo Simon a tarp antenna. I think you have it all covered 😉😭 Super work. 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽73

[@thehamjazz]

Wooohooo Motters - how are ya buddy!? Thanks so much for your kind words buddy. It's a total blast building these wacky antennas hahaha, and even better when they actually work. Ha! I never thought I'd say it, but I'm actually looking forward to a rainy day when I'm live streaming so I can set this up in the park hahaha. Wooohooo cheers and beers my friend. Thanks for watching

[@m7trsradio]

@@thehamjazz morning mate lol yeah that's brilliant being underneath it when it's raining 😂. Well I guess we never know until we try. Keep smiling mate woohoo.

[@MESA-East-Model-RR]

Simon, this is awesome! Love your creativity! - KC1RVK

[@Dan-56]

Hi Simon ! I’ve used the foil tape by itself as an antenna, but sticking it to the tarp for campsite use is brilliant 😆👍! 73 de Dan WD4DB

[@thehamjazz]

G'day Dan, thanks for your kind words buddy. It's a total blast building these wacky antennas, especially when they work hahaha. I love this antenna mate - and talk about stealth! No vertical whips and long wires, just a tarp and a radio hahaha. Cheers buddy! Thanks for watching

[@DonzLockz]

Woohoo, you need to get this patented, Simon.😄 I can't believe those VSWR values!😮👍🇨🇦🇦🇺

[@thehamjazz]

G'day Don hahahaha, imagine that! "TarpTenna" patent made out of a blue tarp and metal tape - all to the value of $25 hahaha. Wooohooo. She's a beauty mate - I had no clue it would work at all let alone be resonant on 15 meters as a loop and 40 meters as a long wire woohooo. Cheers Don. Thanks for watching buddy.

[@davidgettman4695]

Simon, just a niggeling detail I'm sure you can square away for me Is the tape you used 20 mm wide or more like 2 inches wide. As you handled it, it looks more like 2 inches imperial rather than 3/4 inch imperial. Thanks Buddy! Dave KA7WOF

[@camcurtis2628]

I agree, a b____y good idea, from an Aussie in Canada. 73 Cam VK4FL

[@thehamjazz]

G'day Cam thanks so much mate! So the beauty of the tarp mate, is they are used everywhere! So you could use it for a sun shelter and play DX, whereas us over here much more needed for rain shelter hahaha. Cheers buddy and thanks for leaving a comment. ps. I'll be flying into Melbourne March 11. Cheers mate

[@MrMudsHamRadioRadioTime]

I better buy stock in foil tape and tarps ASAP 😊

[@thehamjazz]

🤣 Wooohooo Muddy Mate! Thanks for everything buddy

[@douggalt]

I'm curious, why the external tuner vs the 7300's internal tuner. Great video.

[@thehamjazz]

Hey there Doug thanks for dropping by and watching. There's a couple of reasons why the external tuner mate - firstly, the internal tuner on the 7300 will only tune an SWR that is 3:1 or lower - unless you run it in emergency mode. The other reason is you really want to put the tuner at the feedpoint so it is tuning the antenna, not the coax which would be the case if you used the internal tuner, if that makes sense? Thanks for watching buddy. Cheers

[@tommcquiggan8402]

Brilliant!! Love stuff like this. Thanks for sharing. How much power did you put through it as a loop (ie not the vertical)?? 73, Tom, M7MCQ

[@thehamjazz]

G'day Tom, thanks for swinging by mate. I put 100W throught the loop mate, absolutely no problems - and that's with the 28AWG cat 5 ethernet cable wire at the feedpoint. Happy building mate! Cheers

[@mikesmithg0rfd356]

thank you

[@thehamjazz]

Thank you Mike for swinging by and leaving a comment and watching the video mate. Cheers !

[@migalito1955]

Cool beans.... How did you connect the wires at the feedpoint? Tape? 73 & de kc2wvb

[@Andrew-yx7sf]

Cool. Now you can also do a 2 or 3 element yagi or better yet a moxon

[@thehamjazz]

Hey Andrew absolutely! You could even not even tape it down per se. So you could interchange it depending on what sort of antenna you want hahaha. Maybe there's another video? hahaha. Oh wow this is so fun. Thanks for watching mate. Cheers

[@14KiloWhisky]

Nice idéa 👍

[@hamradioqrp-k0klb]

Great Job Simon.. WhoDa Thunk it?... well, Simon of course, LOL... Great ideas.. Keep em coming Mate ! !... 73 k0klb

[@thehamjazz]

Kevin buddy! Woohooo - great to chat with you on the phone mate. Ain't this all so much fun? Thanks for everything Kevin my pal - you're an inspiration mate. Cheers!

[@johnrees44..G4EIJ]

Absolutely amazing and so interesting to watch..and true to the ethos of ham radio..Well done Simon..Interested to know, how long was the whip? Thank you..John..73..G4EIJ

[@thehamjazz]

G'day John. Thanks for your kind words mate - I'm actually blown away how well this antenna works, and can't wait for a 'rainy' day to take it to the park and do a POTA activation with the Tarp Antenna hahaha. The whip was about 6 feet mate, for 10 meters. Or roughly 2 meters. Cheers buddy, thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Cheers mate!

[@johnrees44..G4EIJ]

Thanks for that, Simon...I'm six miles up, and half way between Singapore and Perth, enjoying free on board WiFi, courtesy of Singapore Airlines..Me and the XYL gonna spend eight weeks with our Son who lives just north of Perth in your 'Motherland'.. I forgot to say that my first job when I get back to the UK is to sacrifice one of my many tape measures!! It has to be one of the craziest, brilliant ideas ever...before the 'tarpant' that is😂.. Great stuff. Simon..73..John

[@morecambeanglersandtrawler1074]

4pm uk. Good stuff Europe pile ups wooowoooo

[@thehamjazz]

Hahaha, I'll be trying for ya buddy! Wooohoooo

[@morecambeanglersandtrawler1074]

@@thehamjazz I’m on the northwest coast. Morecambe bay pointing west north west.

[@FrankBrickle]

Wonder what you could do with some Faraday fabric of that size? ;-)

[@thehamjazz]

Hey Frank you probably could, but I am not sure what the price is for the faraday? I know that metal tape for a HUGE long roll was only $10 - so pretty unbeatable, and then with the faraday you'd have to tape or 'tie' it somehow? Thanks for watching mate. Cheers!

[@DK5ONV]

Hi Lily 🤗😍

[@thehamjazz]

Come over and meet her one day Uncle Guenter, and we will go and rock the bands and laugh our heads off wooohooo! Imagine that. Holy smokes we would have the greatest time ever! OMG! We gotta do it brother Guenter. You're the best! Cheers and beers my pal

[@GordonHudson]

Could you make a 10m moxon that way?

[@thehamjazz]

Hey buddy - I bet you could..... The beauty of the metal tape is you can just tape and cut where you need to for the folded sides. Give it a shot mate. Sounds like a fun project. Thanks for dropping by Gordon. Cheers mate

[@robertvarner9519]

👍👍👍

[@morecambeanglersandtrawler1074]

If you cut the middle Leave just outer edge for roll up portable woooowoooo

[@mariondanielwd7b]

How much of a gap in tape where you hook up.

[@thehamjazz]

Hey there buddy, there is a 4 inch 100mm gap between the feedpoints, and the ethernet cable lengths I was using are about 2.5ft - Happy building mate. Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment.

[@mariondanielwd7b]

Thanks for the reply I seen your video where you mentioned everything Im still trying to get you on the radio but I think we are too close to each other Ive contacted greg kj6er several times maybe Ill try the PREDator and aim it you way 73 from WD7B

[@mikekeuleman]

That antenna's a little ripper!

[@thehamjazz]

Hey buddy, thanks so much for watching. I had no clue whether it would work, let alone as well as it does wooohooo and it's totally resonant for 15 meters. Thanks for swinging by and leaving a comment mate. Cheers!

[@mikekeuleman]

@@thehamjazz make another and then have an antenna and counterpoise so you can really wreak havoc!

[@MrToymod]

Tarptenna

[@thehamjazz]

Woohoo! What a great name buddy - TarpTenna Love it

[@morecambeanglersandtrawler1074]

vm.tiktok.com/ZGe9kjLRs/. Tiktok

[@martindavies6640]

Gday simon loving your video's mate best 73s from Wales de mw0cnd Martin 😊

[@thehamjazz]

G'day Martin buddy, thanks for your kind words mate. It is a total blast trying things out, and EVEN a BIGGER blast when they actually work hahaha. This antenna has blown me away mate - I had no clue it would work so well. Can't wait to get to the park and really try it out. Maybe a grey line activation hahaha. Compare it to the tape measure. woohooo! Cheers mate