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Ham Radio’s Carolina Windom Education

June 13, 2009
Dan shoots an arrow into a tree to raise a ham radio antenna

Dan shoots an arrow into a tree to raise a ham radio antenna

I attended my first Yo Yo Net annual picnic today and got a nice education on the Carolina Windom antenna for HF ham radio use.  Ultimately it could also be used for shortwave radio listening.  I got interested in the antenna once I spotted a bow and arrow on the picnic table that had a fishing real taped to one portion of the bow.  Of course, I thought, this is going to be used to get that antenna into the trees.  I had heard about the plan on the drive to Oconto, WI from Appleton, WI.

Sure enough.  The arrow (with a blunt tip and weight) was shot up and over branches of the tree.  A stout weedwacker style bright yellow line rolled freely off of the reel.  The weight was enough to allow the arrow to drop back to a height where it could be grabbed.  Eventually the antenna mid-point of the inverted V was hoisted up to the point that the arrow went over the branches of the tree.  I would guess 15 – 20 feet up.  But first more about the Carolina Windom.

This link http://www.radioworks.com/ccwcover.html contains some good information on the Carolina Windom.  It is relatively simplistic design and yet the darn thing radiates on quite a number of bands.  Part of the secret to this antenna is that a large part of the feedline is a radiating element.  I will let you read a bit about the antenna at the link above.  Below I will describe my impressions of the antenna’s performance.

I’ve operated on HF for a few years now.  And I know good signals when I hear them.  This antenna was used with an ICOM HF radio (7 something – no pro I don’t believe) with an MFJ antenna tuner and no amp – and with a 12 volt battery.  This was in a park at a picnic.  If it were not for the lack of neat coils and needed to be untangled the antenna would have gone up in minutes.  It does need SOME height.  A mast attached to the side of a house probably would work like the height used today.

The antenna was tuned to 20 meters.  A contact was made between N9JKX (owner of the Carolina Windom antenna and other gear) and a 6 call (I think it was N6DXO – I am not sure on the first letter).  The 6 call was in San Francisco, CA.  His signal was very loud and clear on our end.  He reported an S9 from us.  That was the first contact.

The sweet thing about this antenna is the number of bands it can operate on and the various configurations you can hang it in.  If you want one antenna that is relatively inexpensive to build, durable and easy to hang and is portable – then consider the Carolina Windom.  I was impressed – I think there may be one in my future at some point…

Stay radio active!

Jon Kreski, AB9NN-9

http://www.HamRadioResources.com

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