Introduction

For the past 50 years I have been studying antennas. I did not realize it had been that long until I just wrote this. It was 1960 when I first needed an antenna. I got my amateur radio license in November 1961. Becoming an amateur radio operator probably,more than anything else, took me down the path to going to Virginia Tech and becoming an electronics engineer. I am not exactly sure how I started teaching amateur radio. I think it all started when I began teaching morse code during my lunch half-hour to people who wanted to become "hams". After teaching them the code I just naturally helped them with the theory. After a while I became known as a teacher. Back in the late 70's I taught the Advanced and Extra Class for the Southern Peninsula Amateur Radio Klub (SPARK). I have always wanted to write a book about amateur radio and antennas in terms the average person can understand. It just struck me that maybe I should do a "blog" about antennas. This way it would be published to the web bit by bit. (was that a pun?)

I also am calling this "Don's antenna ramblings", so I can be free to jump around and not feel like I have to follow some set order. Maybe if I get a particular antenna question, I can take time to write it up here. My present radio club is doing classes that I would like to help teach, but I presently live a bit too far away to be able to participate like I would like. This blog may help me feel a little less guilty for not supporting them.

Anytime I teach I really like to have a blackboard. I was teaching code classes for the local Hampton Public Service Group right up till they removed the code requirement. I really liked using the blackboard and giving impromptu lectures about antennas or radio theory. I miss that. Anyway I have successfully rambled on enough for you to get the idea, I like to teach or talk about radio, especially antennas. I am not yet sure how to handle the blackboard issue doing a blog. Maybe I need to do videos and post them somewhere. In the meantime I will just jump in and see where this leads. My old boss used to say the person who does not make any mistakes must not be doing anything. Please remember that when I make my mistakes here.