2004 KØS, Kurt N. Sterba Strange Antenna Challenge

KJ4RB's Shop Light Dipole
May 31, 2004

   I had made a contact with Don on 15-meters. I was pushing 100-watts and he was currently working QRP with about 10-watts. During our QSO he decided to hook up a quick-n-dirty Strange Antenna using his shop lights, located inside his basement. One light had bulbs and one did not. After several minutes of my continuing to work other stations and calling CQ I heard this weak station in there, worked them and then Don switched to a third rig with more power and a "normal" antenna.

   We worked one another with a mutual 21 signal report. I was using the chicken wire semi-vertical and he was using the shop light dipole shown here. Weak reports, but we were both using compromised antennas during fading band conditions. One moment you might have 59 copy and then the other station would drop out completely or were just barely able to be heard. This was quite common over the course of the past week, and was due to the existing band conditions.

   I was located in Springfield, MO and Don was in Pink Hill, NC. We were both rather pleased with our ability to communicate, while admittedly we had to work at it and ask for fills along the way. This is a prime example of what you can do using amateur radio should you find yourself in a pinch! I am very pleased with this experiment and wish to again than Don for his help and enthusiasm!

   Don had taken a length of coax, bared the copper shielding and center conductor, and hooked up his shop light fixtures to the coax via alagator clips and a bit of wire. He did scrape a little bare spot on each light fixture so bare metal was exposed for his connection points.

   This was the second time another station got excited enough about the Strange Antenna Challenge to hook up an impromptu antenna as a result of contacting our K0S Special Event Station in Springfield, Missouri. The first such event took place last year when a portable station hooked up to a flag pole existing at a park they were operating from on each coast. It was either from North or South Carolina as I recall. Maybe they have a greater sense of adventure in the Carolina's than the rest of us? Prove this is not true! Hook up your own Strange Antenna and get on the air during the Strange Antenna Challenge next May! (Hint, hint -- I'm so subtle!)