TEST

I just tested this antenna against my G5RV on 40 meters with a signal that was staying solid and the Tak was 3 S units stronger than the G5RV.  The Tak remember is sitting in the kitchen on 2 chairs and the G5RV is outside.

Started on the Taktenna today.  It is pouring down outside so I wont be putting it out today.  So I found out I have no solder today.  Hehehe.  No ones fault but my own.  I am just getting all my tools back just as I am getting all my ham equipment back since I was teaching in China for so long.  So I didnt keep my solder.  I will go out and get some later on.  It is really raining too hard to take a chance on having a accident right now. 

The one thing I did notice is that I needed to use my own saw and knife to get the notches wide enough on a few of the notches where the wire is suppose to go.  87 percent of them were fine and the wire just snapped  right in.  But where the wire did not go in it was a new thrill in finding something to make it just the correct size. 

Got it put together did not have call Steve or email him.  Now this was an all day project for me.  But the only reason it was an all day project is due to the fact it was raining outside and I didnt have anything else to do so I just took my time and had fun with it.  I stopped and made a real good dinner and stuff like that.  If you sat down and just did this antenna I think I could have gotten it done with the instructions sent in around 45 minutes if I would have just took my time.  Even with the ones I had to carve out.  But I am glad I did not even think of building it myself.  I know alot of people on the forums said build one yourself.  But you know what there are alot of people trying to make a go of it in this economy and Steve really does help you when you need it.  So if you have to spend a little extra and prompt a business here in the USA then I say go ahead and do it.  Not many left.  Steve is a awesome business owner and wont let you down.

Just ordered it this morning Steve has been a awesome guy answering all my questions and stuck with me thru the attempt to get a home owners association to let me put this antenna up in the air.  But it comes down to dont ask dont tell just like our military.  So behind the fence it goes. 

Steve was not sure that the 80 would work behind the 6 foot fence so I went with the 40.  I got the antenna today and will be putting it together tomorrow.  I will also be putting the pole up for the antenna tomorrow.  So maybe by monday I will be able to mount the antenna outside.

I got it outside on a pole today it worked pretty good and let me get into the special event station in Las Vegas.  It seems to do better on the bands that it is for so I will still need the Slinky for 80 meters.  I have not put it up permanently yet I wanted to see how it was going to do and didn’t have the time to get the cement poured and all the other things for the pole so the pole is just down in the ground and that is it nothing holding it there but dirt so I don’t want to go any further with it till I have that complete but at least the weather is being a bit better so I can test the antenna.  So far the antenna seems to work as stated on the website.