Halfpint
Member
OK... I've already tried the `WIKKI' with no luck, can't seem to find anyplace on any of my HDs, and can't get at any of my assorted books that may have (Because we are packing up just about everything we can and not pack up stuff we actually might have a *major* need for in preparation to being able to `get outa Dodge' as quickly as possible when we finally get this place sold and have a new place.) the formula(s) for "cutting" the elements on a discone. All I am looking for is either someone who is willing to post them *or* can `point' a link to a site that they happen to have and have had good `luck' with. (Right now it is at the point here that the only time(s) I seem to be able to get any decent `computer time' are in the very wee hours of the night because both of our children are, seemingly, constantly online for this or that `school project' and since we only have a dialup connection if we get more than 2 people online at the same time off of our LAN things come to almost a screeching halt.) While some may say, "Well? Why not go searching during the wee hours?" Well... Since we are trying to get this place sold and have other things to do on top of that *and* I just also happen to really like, as in really liking a *good* *rare* steak, my sleep I'd like to not be spending all my time up during the wee hours! {VBE GRIN!} Besides... I like to give the experts, and even the experts in their own minds, here a chance to `strut their stuff'. {CHORTLE!}
Now... The `main' reason I am concerned about finding the formula(s) is I suddenly got the `urge' to try and see if I could `rescue' a couple old RS discones I have. (I was poking around in one of our storage buildings and ran across them, basically laying where they had been probably put aside with the apparent initial thought of someday maybe stripping them for parts or even maybe doing something like I am considering doing now.) They both are suffering from the usual malaise of RS discones... broken `cone' elements. And... Unlike the current crop of RS discones happen to have solid, stainless steel?, disc elements to boot! One of them actually also has a vertical element `mod' that I cobbled together out of some centre loaded antenna of some kind! (Must have done that back when I first got my UNIMAT and was playing around with it and was searching for things to do? It's made out of some brass hex stock that I don't recall having. {YIKES!}) Anyway... It occured to me that it would be interesting to see if I could make one of them for use with +/-800MHz trunking reception. I've already come up with some suitable SS `wire' / `round' stock and have cut suitable threads on it. All I need now is to cut the elements to length. (I've already `repaired' one by replacing all the tubular and pressed threaded ends with solid elements and have it in use feeding my teenage daughter's scanners in her room. {VB GRIN!} She has already commented on how much of a difference it is over the RS mag-mount she'd thrown up outside when she'd `commandeered' my `old' PRO-2067s from me after I'd replaced them with PRO-2055s. [I *told* you that your would *notice* the difference, dear! {CHORTLE!} Now!? Are you going to `listen' to your old `befuddled' dad when he tells you something? {VB GRIN!}])
Another reason I'm looking is that I seem to have come up with a `source' of element material for making some `custom' elements for those `Mil-Surp' discones I recently mentioned having found a source of. Around the farm we sometimes have to put up `semi-temp' electric fences to keep some of the animals where we want them and we have these `rod' type steel, just pound them in and install an insulator and then string the wire or tape, `fence posts'. I was sorting through a pile of them separating them according to size and condition and then bundling them to clean up the storage `bin' and realized that just maybe the thinner ones just *might* be the `right size' to fit the fixture on the `Mil-Surp' antennas. Lo and behold! There actually were some that actually did fit! Now... The only `problem' I can foresee is that the longest they come is about 4ft so that does somewhat limit their use to scanner freqs but, what the heck! Now I won't be tempted to hacksaw any of the original elements. I would, however, like to at least make somewhat of an attempt at `cutting' them right. (It would also kinda look `neat?' having bright orange elements atop an OD green mast when I set one up out doing one of my `RF survey's' or `field setups', too. {VB GRIN!})
Now... The `main' reason I am concerned about finding the formula(s) is I suddenly got the `urge' to try and see if I could `rescue' a couple old RS discones I have. (I was poking around in one of our storage buildings and ran across them, basically laying where they had been probably put aside with the apparent initial thought of someday maybe stripping them for parts or even maybe doing something like I am considering doing now.) They both are suffering from the usual malaise of RS discones... broken `cone' elements. And... Unlike the current crop of RS discones happen to have solid, stainless steel?, disc elements to boot! One of them actually also has a vertical element `mod' that I cobbled together out of some centre loaded antenna of some kind! (Must have done that back when I first got my UNIMAT and was playing around with it and was searching for things to do? It's made out of some brass hex stock that I don't recall having. {YIKES!}) Anyway... It occured to me that it would be interesting to see if I could make one of them for use with +/-800MHz trunking reception. I've already come up with some suitable SS `wire' / `round' stock and have cut suitable threads on it. All I need now is to cut the elements to length. (I've already `repaired' one by replacing all the tubular and pressed threaded ends with solid elements and have it in use feeding my teenage daughter's scanners in her room. {VB GRIN!} She has already commented on how much of a difference it is over the RS mag-mount she'd thrown up outside when she'd `commandeered' my `old' PRO-2067s from me after I'd replaced them with PRO-2055s. [I *told* you that your would *notice* the difference, dear! {CHORTLE!} Now!? Are you going to `listen' to your old `befuddled' dad when he tells you something? {VB GRIN!}])
Another reason I'm looking is that I seem to have come up with a `source' of element material for making some `custom' elements for those `Mil-Surp' discones I recently mentioned having found a source of. Around the farm we sometimes have to put up `semi-temp' electric fences to keep some of the animals where we want them and we have these `rod' type steel, just pound them in and install an insulator and then string the wire or tape, `fence posts'. I was sorting through a pile of them separating them according to size and condition and then bundling them to clean up the storage `bin' and realized that just maybe the thinner ones just *might* be the `right size' to fit the fixture on the `Mil-Surp' antennas. Lo and behold! There actually were some that actually did fit! Now... The only `problem' I can foresee is that the longest they come is about 4ft so that does somewhat limit their use to scanner freqs but, what the heck! Now I won't be tempted to hacksaw any of the original elements. I would, however, like to at least make somewhat of an attempt at `cutting' them right. (It would also kinda look `neat?' having bright orange elements atop an OD green mast when I set one up out doing one of my `RF survey's' or `field setups', too. {VB GRIN!})
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