Will It Antenna? Dollar Tree Party Balloons and Floral Wire?
Рет қаралды 29,512
3 жыл бұрынWhat can you find with five minutes in a dollar store to make an antenna? How about mylar party baloons and floral wire? This video took a while to complete, with random windy days and the fact that balloons lose helium over time. Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoy it!
Here are the balloons I found most effective for lift to weight ratio versus costs: amzn.to/2TEmsUP This is a six pack, so its not a bad value. You'll spend way more on helium!
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@robertfrawley 3 жыл бұрын
I used plastic garbage bags and helium tank. Bags dont need to be pressurized and use much less gas and better floating, i did a half wave 160 meter on a field day with tuner. worked great . W9USS
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Great idea.
@Locksnut 3 жыл бұрын
Black plastic may have better results due to sun heating. Now I’m thinking about making hydrogen by hydrolysis 🤔
@2g591 2 жыл бұрын
@@Locksnut You should call it Hindenburg Antenna
@ronwolenski-n8wcr 3 жыл бұрын
Neighbors: "Hon, Josh is out doing it again..."
@wp4rum 3 жыл бұрын
This is so cool! I got my license a few weeks ago. NP4B (from Arecibo, Puerto Rico) happens to be one of the VEs that were volunteering the day of the exam. I sent him the video. After my study group took the exam, we got together to create a simple dipole from materials that we had at our homes. Spare copper pipes, pvc t's, etc. Can't wait to show them this video. Thanks for all the awesome content.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
That’s cool!!
@AmateurRadioUK Жыл бұрын
Good effort Josh. I've never tried a balloon antenna but I've used kite antennas in the past. Videos (and a playlist) on my channel if you are interested. Kite antennas work very well. I use 1/2 wave of wire & feed it with a 49:1 transformer. Worked brilliantly on a SOTA summit!
@Dusty_Ham 3 жыл бұрын
The Will it Antenna series is my favorite! Love the videos.
@colorbugoriginals4457 3 жыл бұрын
Same, already happy when I saw the thumbnail. 🐷📻
@kevinkc3onohelijeepworld953 3 жыл бұрын
Yup in SoCal you need to try a kite. Do a delta kite large wing span and hell yea I would use kite string then add a little drag parachute to hoist the antenna up the string. That’s so awesome I’m surprised that floral wire worked that well isn’t it stainless steel ?? Huh now I want to try kiting a antenna 🤔
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Kite is an upcoming purchase for some beach activations. 👍
@HamRadioDX 3 жыл бұрын
Excellent video Josh, entertaining great edits. Amazing what you can do with a piece of wire and balloons! That conversation on 40m sounded a bit intense though!
@danlong5564 3 жыл бұрын
Josh, You could win the McGiver award at Walmart with these idea's
@ChrisLoew 3 жыл бұрын
I'm too poor to shop at Walmart, have to shop local businesses which sell quality food and goods instead.
@MishaDaBear 3 жыл бұрын
Check out a farm store like Tractor Supply or a CO-OP for electric fencer rope as it is intended to survive cows walking into it!
@johnathanasiou9284 3 жыл бұрын
Awesome job there Josh & stunned at the contacts you're getting from this baloon setup. Appreciate your patience & tenacity & the lengths you went for us. Haha the QSO that guy was on about earlier omg!
@RevWarDrummer 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video! A few of us in my club have the materials and are just trying to find a time to get together to do this as well. Now we know to pick a day (as much as that's possible) with as little wind as possible around here (central NC). Again, thanks for all the effort that went into making the video- I know it wasn't a quick one. 🙂
@KY4BDP-TinyFangorn 3 жыл бұрын
Great video Josh. We did a video as well that was something very similar using Dollar Store balloons and Survivor Cord which has a very thin wire inside. We ultimately created different lengths of Survivor Cord antennas for an antenna kit we can reuse without the need for a tuner. LCARA HAMRadio KY4BDP
@nunucello 3 жыл бұрын
That was awesome 👏🏻
@EasleyDone. Жыл бұрын
Balloons and kites have been used in radio to hoist antennas for almost as long as radio has existed, pretty well known that they work very well when used with skill in the appropriate conditions and {location.}
@TheNoCodeTech 3 жыл бұрын
Wish I had a Dollar Tree. Not the store, an actual tree that grew dollars, daddy needs a new radio! Looks exactly the same as our local store, less the meth heads of course. Great video man, thanks.
@bas6601 3 жыл бұрын
19:20: True Crime ham radio. That might actually get my wife interested in radio stuff.
@johnmcmenamin7692 3 жыл бұрын
Not a bad idea
@BobTheBald2 3 жыл бұрын
You need a kite like Ben Franklin had!
@M0IDW 3 жыл бұрын
Loving the video - makes me wanna go buy some balloons now !
@Pigeon__Man 3 жыл бұрын
I like just watching you play with the radio. It makes me realize what shortcuts I'm not using, that I should be, on my 7300. If you don't already have one, a overview of the FTM-400 would be nice too.
@KI5BEZ 3 жыл бұрын
I have two FTM-400's, great radio!
@Pigeon__Man 3 жыл бұрын
@@KI5BEZ I love mine, but I really need to get into the meat of it.
@lyledal 3 жыл бұрын
To be honest, I would LOVE to see you turn an entire Dollar Tree into an antenna.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Lol!!!
@greglawrencemusic 3 жыл бұрын
Thank You!! - Excellent experiment! -'73
@joecuppko40uh29 3 жыл бұрын
Interesting experiment, weather balloons are the way to go for antenna balloons, good job Josh you win the internet.
@josephgomes8543 3 жыл бұрын
We used to fly box type kites at the beach on Cape Cod. With an offshore wind you could just tie it off and it would 'fly' itself mostly. A perfect case for flying a wire. It gives me thoughts about a few hilltop fields in my area...73, KC1MTM, Joe
@1KenSweeney 3 жыл бұрын
I have tried to put up a 160m EFHW with a trash bag filled with Hydrogen. I had to do this in a park, because of fear of high voltage wires. There was a little to much wind for me too. Next time, I will switch to 18g bare wire. The Home Depot 14g THHN was to heavy.
@alanb76 3 жыл бұрын
Great Video Josh. We did helium balloon lifted (somewhat) verticals on Field Day for a number of years. Difficult, occasionally with spectacular results, some great, some brief, always costly. :) Maybe the 26 meter fiberglass Spiderpole sometime?? de w6akb
@twohandsandaradio 3 жыл бұрын
THIS is cool shit! Will it antenna? Absolutely. Wire, height...there's no rules how to get the height. All these people that dumped $500 on a whip and coil...well their heads just exploded. LOL
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Lol, thanks.
@qbitsday3438 3 жыл бұрын
You Should use double balloon so that it can travel higher and will be stronger.
@johnathanasiou9284 3 жыл бұрын
I always give you a like, Josh but you deserved a triple today for all the effort
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@ahndeux 3 жыл бұрын
It sounds like a great idea right until when the wire hits a power line.
@k9swx 3 жыл бұрын
That was pretty cool! I always wondered if you could do a similar experiment with a drone. The battery life would limit your time on the air but would be neat. Definitely looking forward to the kite experiment.
@randygc3704 3 жыл бұрын
Or supply electrical to the drone motors via the tether? Don't know how/if that would work
@foxman362 3 жыл бұрын
Great idea for hurricane seasons that would be good something like that i would go find copper wire take it off a cable coax.
@DCBpower 2 жыл бұрын
Quad drone with position lock, that's the 🎟️
@sellC1964 3 жыл бұрын
Fun video. I was nervous with a possible "Ben Franklin" moment with the power lines in your back yard.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
The power lines are pretty far away and not in the path of the wind. The camera always makes them look closer than they are.
@sellC1964 3 жыл бұрын
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I was certain you had it factored in. 73's!
@cappaculla 3 жыл бұрын
Josh, if the latex item in question is too big for your nozzle grip it firmly at the bottom and roll it down, and as you rightly mentioned, check the tip to make sure its not over filled...
@wramsey2656 10 ай бұрын
This is realistic given all of the weather, obstacles, and unknowns. o7
@Trondogful 3 жыл бұрын
Edison is one lucky kid!
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@MrGiXxEr 3 жыл бұрын
Next try lifting it with a drone!
@Locksnut 3 жыл бұрын
CA3FJK used drone in his video 👍
@MaryBrownForFreedom 3 жыл бұрын
72 inch balloon only partially inflated, attach a whisper TX in the center of a dipole with one end tied to the balloon the other end free. Let it go and watch the world light up as it goes higher then I suspect it might die out as it goes towards burst height due to angle into the ionosphere. I might be wrong and it may increase all the way up! Name tag and parachute on the TX... maybe pick 80 meters at grayline... Launch out on the edge of nowhere in the desert so no worries about tangling in power lines. Insulated wire in case it does find them!
@GEAUXFRUGAL 3 жыл бұрын
Helium is the smallest molecule of the noble gasses it will burn you or your balloon if you run the gas over something . It's used to test tanks when they need to know for sure its going to work. I use to deliver it. Loaded or empty my truck weighed almost 80K .
@robertfrawley 3 жыл бұрын
I also did it in mountains away from power lines.
@RJWolfeStunts 3 жыл бұрын
I see you got the Sparrows Sphere cylinder lock... when are we gonna get some lock picking videos? :D
@don_n5skt 3 жыл бұрын
This reminds me a lot of what Tom W5KUB does when he does the atmospheric baloon launches. He has launched some with a really long piece of magnet wire to send WSPR beacons out.
@vne2328 3 жыл бұрын
Use a drone with a long rubber-band to attach the drone to the antenna wire. Send it up 'till it's near the top of the wire and let the drone's GPS sort out the rest. Hopefully the RF won't overload the GPS receiver. I've got a drone that can stay aloft for over 45 minutes, but that'd still be a lot less time than when using a balloon or a kite.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
I don’t think they have those kind of drones at the dollar tree.
@MegaChiliMac 3 жыл бұрын
Awesome. And a little surprised you haven't done this already. Would love to see you do a kite. Also, Josh...what's that shoulder bag you have in the Dollar Tree? Looks like a good EDC bag
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
It’s a Zpacks accessory bag.
@donaldsmith3048 3 жыл бұрын
I know that will not work in South Florida. We almost always have wind! That is a good idea but no cigar!
@W1NGO_Wadio 3 жыл бұрын
“These are my everyday balloons”
@fullsaildigital 3 жыл бұрын
Kramer
@1337flite 3 жыл бұрын
Stream of conciousness. That intro music is smooooth. The 72" balloons look like giant whoopee cushions. You're DX commander came with aquarium hose - surely a length of that would make a great helium valve/balloon interface. No one can figure out imperial (or US customary) measurements in their head - any got a couple of hogs' heads of ale? All you need now is a lawn chair, a few more cylinders of He and off you go with LifeAtTerminalVelocity - don't forget your air rifle. I never doubted this would antenna Josh. srsly. Every time I see the PL259 line adapter on a US AH-705 I get peeved. For whatever reason Icom only supplied VK AH-705's with a plain PL-259 which is far less versatile. Hope you're reading this Icom AU. I'll never trust your sales material again. My glass is half empty on this one.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Oh man. The pl-259 on the ah-705 is grand!! Thanks for the comment!
@SaltBayGull 3 жыл бұрын
To help with the imperial measurements, I always use the rhyme “a meter measures 3 foot 3, it’s longer than a yard, you see”. So a yard being 3 feet, 3 feet being 12 inches, and an inch being roughly 2.5 cm, the 36 inch balloon is 3 inches short of a meter, so 100 - (2.5 * 3) about 92.5 centimeters
@jcollins310 3 жыл бұрын
Entertaining video, always enjoy the "will it antenna" videos. Josh were you really up at 3:25am @ 21:49 or is the 705 set to UTC time? Joe W6VIP
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
It was utc. 🤣
@billcosgrave6232 3 жыл бұрын
If you are going to try a kite, try using a "Cody" kite. They are designed for lift. Unfortunately, decent quality Cody's can be very expensive and a handful to launch and hang onto. Don't let your kids handle them or you may have to retrieve them from Hawaii!
@MishaDaBear 3 жыл бұрын
Our club (before I joined) lost a 12 foot diameter weather balloon which was supporting 80 meter tall (160m band) half wave vertical 1 mile west of CYQM airport FN76. The antenna brought with it 50 feet of coax and the ground plain. It failed at the concrete tie down.
@K7DAN 3 жыл бұрын
Trying to fly a balloon with high-voltage powerlines nearby? Maybe not the best idea, Josh.
@technician122 3 жыл бұрын
23:15 wasn't one of Fessenden's original antennas in Newfoundland hoisted up by kites?
@Coyot21 3 жыл бұрын
What about using a similar sized balloon or kite tied off to 2-3 anchor lines? Probably wouldn't be able to do it in your yard, but would they help keep the balloon or kite more stationary? Nice strong fishing line for the anchors?
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Yep that would work.
@grinninggoat5369 2 жыл бұрын
Make a portable bush hydrogen maker.... use dry bleach tablets and aluminum foil. When in the field, add water to the bleach tablet and add foil to bottle of liquid bleach. Chemical reaction makes hydrogen to fill the balloon. Hydrogen also lifts more than helium. Just don't Hindenberg it.
@josephgomes8543 3 жыл бұрын
At 5:32 I see where a kite might be a better choice....helium is kinda frivolous considering it's in a shortage situation....
@mrmicro22 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, better save it for the party balloons.
@timbellenfant5611 3 жыл бұрын
👍👍👍
@Kevinkn6iiw 3 жыл бұрын
Delta kite with a loop antenna tail hmmm
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
🤔
@pinoyrapper6108 2 жыл бұрын
Hey what do you call that adapter that connects the floral wire to icom
@HamRadioCrashCourse 2 жыл бұрын
BNC binding post or BNC break out.
@JDHood 3 жыл бұрын
Maybe try right before , or at, sunrise? Seems to be the time for the least amount of (to possibly zero) wind.
@QXZASX 3 жыл бұрын
I enjoyed the hell out of this video. Thanks brother. -73 KE0WQB
@dwatson4 3 жыл бұрын
With that much wind you should have used a kite with a wire.
@mghumphrey 3 жыл бұрын
What if instead of one wire to the balloon , you had 3 wires, each going to a different position on the ground (forming a triangle). This would help to tether the balloon down and limit the amount of lateral movement.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
It still would depend on the wind. If it’s strong enough or can still lay down the lines.
@doesstuffoutside 3 жыл бұрын
Spent all that money on helium when you could have eaten some MRE's and used hydrogen. The sexiest gas.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Lol
@BLACKHEAT1028 3 жыл бұрын
Now 2 drones for a EFHW, that would be interesting, don’t know how much the operators cost but just throwing darts out there for ideas
@forgetyourlife 3 жыл бұрын
What if it got away and the wire tailing contacted those power lines across the street?
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Something bad.
@christopherblevins1968 3 ай бұрын
Hey Josh, I don't know if you are still monitoring the comments on this 2 year old video, but here's a question...does the gauge of wire make a difference? I have an electrical background (so I understand about "big wire = low ohms), but I don't know diddly about electronics and how gauge effects an antenna.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 ай бұрын
If you’re putting down big power. 1,000 watts or more, than you may need a higher gauge.
@christopherblevins1968 3 ай бұрын
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Gotcha! Thanks
@DK5ONV 3 жыл бұрын
100W can make your dx life way easier...sometimes 😎👍
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Oh for sure.
@michaelpee9471 3 жыл бұрын
kite kite kite!
@kd9kck376 3 жыл бұрын
I tried this with some normal balloons, turns out 3 is not enough to lift my 40m EFHW.
@minicoopertn 3 жыл бұрын
I don't know anything about ham radio but do you think the future will be in internet radio using something like the SpaceX satellites and the home mounted satellite dishes.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Likely no. The upload speed on satellite internet is pretty slow.
@haydenp9774 3 жыл бұрын
Try using a kite properly in an open field will be best
@GUE5TPA55 3 жыл бұрын
Fishing pole put it on a FISHING POLE! so you can reel it in and out
@GUE5TPA55 3 жыл бұрын
kite plus the ballons
@ik04 3 жыл бұрын
Does anyone not have a Prius in your neighborhood?
@barbaramckee3728 2 жыл бұрын
Have you considered using a drone?
@darinhitchings7104 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Josh, was looking for a mechanism to pitch into your channel. Ie financially. Just don't like recurring payment plans. I've now spent 30 min of time to try to find such a mechanism here or on Discord. And I couldn't direct message you either. Pretty silly situation for the both of us ;)
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the comment Darin. May I interest you in a shirt? Www.HamTactical.com? Or if you shop on Amazon check out the stuff I have reviewed there. Www.amazon.com/shop/hamradiocrashcourse
@darinhitchings7104 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, no, I"m kinda not into all things consumerism. Kinda just buy what I need. (And I care less about cost, more about value). If I need something sometime that you are recommending, i"ll try to remember to buy through you. I was going to give you $50 or some such. But I don't like recurring payment plans that prey on human psychology / forgetfulness. I'm in an apartment and therefore HF bands are kinda out of reach. The HOA is nasty... And evidently adding mobile to a hybrid camry (with a moon roof) is not easy to do... unless I want to dismantle everything every time I put on a bike rack. I feel like I owe you something for your service to the community, so I wanted to settle up so to speak ;). But anyway. Thanks your work, I enjoy listening!
@davidbarr832 2 жыл бұрын
I loaded my rain gutter on apartment building which worked good into manual tuner. KJ4ZIW
@changeyourname8320 3 жыл бұрын
75 party balloons, 3d printer, dollar general, and cb radio
@ericp726 3 жыл бұрын
What about hooking up an antenna to a drone and taking it way up?
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Yep. That should work. Putting a bunch of rf down the wire may make the drone freak out though.
@ericp726 3 жыл бұрын
@@HamRadioCrashCourse You would have to have some type of non conducting wire between the antenna and the drone.
@c1neal 3 жыл бұрын
Is that ikea hat hot? Does it have vents?
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Yep. Vented. And there is an interior liner.
@c1neal 3 жыл бұрын
@@HamRadioCrashCourse definitely need one on my next ikea trip.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Good luck. They were limited release. 🙁
@NathanMazanec 3 жыл бұрын
Poor puppy! Maybe the birds think you are encroaching on their space, so they decide to fight back at somebody that will not resist. De K1MAZ
@lyfandeth 3 жыл бұрын
Of course, you realize, that totally voids the warranty on your Icom tuner.(g) Actually, party balloons use about 20% helium for years now. The helium supply is very limited, so the price is incredible. Those pink tanks are also just "balloon" helium.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Re: the warranty. Explain.
@lyfandeth 3 жыл бұрын
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Just joking. Although if you called them, they might be confused about "that guy trying to tune balloons" with that tuner.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Lol.
@brandongotzpowers 3 ай бұрын
Me ganna do this with an SDR radio and a gmrs radio Maby
@GEAUXFRUGAL 3 жыл бұрын
A kite with a helium balloon. It would go much higher.
@robertfrawley 3 жыл бұрын
Don't loose it, it will come down slowly across power wires.
@cgc458 3 жыл бұрын
What I’ve always been told about birds “dive bombing” pets like that is they are trying to pull out bits of fur for their nest.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Oh wow!
@minicoopertn 3 жыл бұрын
If the mama bird has a nest near by they will dive bomb dogs. If a young bird falls out of the nest the mama bird can be very protective.
@owenvinall9970 2 жыл бұрын
Great video hope to try it from VK5 Down under. 73 Vk5kov
@sdaroota 3 жыл бұрын
What about a kite?
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Yes. But maybe not a dollar store kite.
@robertvondarth1730 3 жыл бұрын
Definite MacGyver award, could do without the flatulent music however
@the1spyderryder Жыл бұрын
Use Hydrogen gas it lifts 8% more and costs less than half the price of helium!
@HamRadioCrashCourse Жыл бұрын
💯 and way more fun around flames
@stuart0604 3 жыл бұрын
Pesky kids always trying to take your balloons :)
@chrisjohnson8741 3 жыл бұрын
Do your neighbors know about your ham radio obsession, or do they just assume you're crazy?
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
Yes?
@chrisjohnson8741 3 жыл бұрын
@@HamRadioCrashCourse me too
@lifestylehealthwealthhappiness 3 жыл бұрын
Every time you panned across the power lines I cringed . . . DUDE what are you thinking?! Power lines and floating wires do not mix.
@HamRadioCrashCourse 3 жыл бұрын
There are no power lines anywhere near my backyard. The camera makes him up here closer but they’re quite far off.
@sleeve8651 2 жыл бұрын
How not to...... ? Why not take it to an open field ? Park ? Baseball Diamond ? Why set yourself up for failure ? K.I.S.S. rule is always best ! And to let that Helium escape into the atmosphere in California....? Dude, shouldn't you be going to Prison or something ? Not to mention you may have changed the tenor of any Alien's in the area ! 🛸✨👽✨🪐
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