Low Profile Amateur Radio

17m Yagi - HF9V Vertical - G5RV Inverted Vee

LOW PROFILE OPERATING

Low profile operating not only concerns visible evidence of your station but also how you affect people around you. This includes your neighbors electronics and even you own family?s harmony.

OPERATION  Clean procedures is essential maintaing a low profile. Make sure your transceivers are in good working order, if you receive reports of "splater" or over modulation chances are good that you are creating local interference. Try not to run your speech processor when possible and if you do keep your self well within your ALC limits. When you can turn down your power to the minimum level required for a good contact, you might even try QRP.  Consider your mode of operation, CW has some advantages, contacts with lower power is the norm and in many cases interference potential is less. CW also does not interrupt your family's activities as it is usually used with headphones and a quiet keyer. Often you can carry on with the family while working someone on CW.   Stay away from AM as this is easily picked up by TV's and stereos and can be very intelligible on the devices. On the most part stay away from amplifiers and of course adhere to the new FCC's RF emission regulations.

STATION  Equipment:  Grounding is very important, use the largest wire you can the shortest distance to a good 8 foot ground rod. Ground all your equipment, power supply's, tuners, trancievers, ect. Make sure your power supply's are away from your tranceivers and have ample capacity for your total load. Try to keep your equipment layout as ascetically pleasing as possible, this goes a long way to keeping the family happy. Sometimes it is even a good idea to hide your station in a closet of even a roll top desk or cabinet. On HF a low pass filter is a good idea and may take care of complaints before they happen.

NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS:  This is an area that you must use your best judgement, should you tell your neighbors about your hobby or should you be totally covert? In antenna restricted areas usually the best idea is to keep it to yourself, but if you feel that you would have success with your local association, board, ect. then by all means meet with them and secure official permission for your installation. When you do explain to people what your antennas are for, on HF be sure to mention "short-wave antenna" as this is the case, also if Amateur Radio comes up be sure to explain the benefits of its use in emergency communications. These include Skywarn, ARES, RACES, and emergency communication nets in time of disasters.

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Disclaimer: All information & comments on these pages are my own and do not neccessarly reflect the opinions of Geocities and or my employer or its employees.

© 2002 cholloway14@attbi.com

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