KURT SPEAKS OUT - Digital PDF Version
Kurt's masterpiece contains 50 of Kurt Sterba's Kolumns from World Radio (1990 to 2006). 140 pages packed with sage advice, unusual antennas, and ham radio myths to avoid. Read, learn, and enjoy.
Included are unusual antennas: CCD, T2FD, OCF, Rattail Ver-Tee, G5RV, ZEPP, Loops and many others. Find out the real truth about antennas and STOP WASTING YOUR TIME and MONEY trying to get the lowest SWR! Download your copy and get educated by one of the experts – Krusty ole Kurt!!
Kurt N Sterba, sometimes known as “Krusty Olde Kurt” or “The Krusty One” and often as “The Masked Avenger”, is fearless in exposing antenna manufacturers who lie or use deceptive numbers to inflate the gain dB’s of their antennas. He also deflates those who use “new scientific breakthroughs” to explain the operation of their products. He pieces through the obfuscation of on-the-air antenna “experts” by explaining antennas, grounds, and feed lines in non-mathematical, simple English. His aim is to see that all understand the real basics of antennas, and are not taken in by the ever-prevalent, fine-sounding ad writers and other purveyors of false information.
Kurt wants you to know that downloading this work of art also entitles you to a free membership in KURTSKLUB, special product discounts, his oh-so-smart newsletter when he gets around to writing it, and more sage advice in his future books. You agree to keep your email box open, your mind free from commercial marketing hoop-la and let Kurt be your guide. Oh yea, spread the word, we need more members who seek true enlightenment like you!
Table of Contents
- THE CRUEL WORLD OF ANTENNAS. 5
- BROADBAND ANTENNAS. 8
- dB, dBi, dBd, ---- WHICH ONE IS RIGHT?. 12
- SMALL LOOPS REVISITED.. 15
- THE TRUTH ABOUT VERTICALS. 18
- GAIN AND FRONT-TO-BACK RATIO.. 21
- A GOOD, CHEAP. SMALL HF ANTENNA.. 24
- ALL ABOUT COAX.. 27
- THE TRUTH ABOUT LOOP ANTENNAS. 30
- 450 OHM LINE IS NOT 450 OHMS. 33
- DIPOLES AND DOUGHNUTS. 36
- THE “J” POLE.. 38
- 18 dB IS A MINOR DIFFERENCE?. 40
- TWO TYPES OF HAMS. 45
- ANTENNA TUNERS. 47
- WHICH SWR IS BETTER.. 50
- THE DOCTOR IS IN.. 52
- THE G5RV ON TWENTY METERS. 55
- KURT IS PREDJUDICED, NOT!57
- KURT REPEATS HIMSELF. 60
- IN WHICH THE MASKED AVENGER STRIKES. 63
- VERTICAL ANTENNAS AND SWR.. 66
- KURT STRIKES BACK.. 68
- THE RESONANT FEED-LINE DIPOLE.. 71
- MORE ABOUT RADIALS. 74
- KURT WRONG?. 76
- KURT’S 160 METER VERTICAL.. 78
- CLARIFICATION.. 80
- COILED CHOKE.. 83
- SHUNT FED VERTICALS. 86
- NEW ANTENNA BOOK.. 89
- LOW BAND – HORIZONTAL LOOP OR VERTICAL.. 91
- WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ZEPP?. 93
- THE T2FD ANTENNA.. 95
- USING A TUNER WITH A MOBILE INSTALLATION.. 97
- RESONANCE.. 99
- TOO COMPLICATED.. 101
- RAI vs M2103
- ANOTHER FANTASTIC ANTENNA.. 106
- RAI vs M2CONTINUED.. 108
- MATH PROBLEM... 110
- DANGER!112
- SWR CHANGE.. 114
- BALUNS – WHAT DO THEY DO?. 118
- CURRENT METER.. 120
- ANTENNA GARBAGE.. 122
- 160 METER VERTICAL.. 124
- OVER AND OVER.. 126
- THE RAT TAIL ANTENNA.. 129
- SWR.. 131
- EFFECT OF GROUND.. 133
- 1:1 or 4:1 BALUN?. 135
- Non-Resonant vs. Resonant Antennas. 137
- My Station Causes RFI – What do I do?. 139
- My Station is a VICTIM of RFI – What do I do?. 140
This version is published by Palomar Engineers, Inc.
A simple ferrite ring filter on the DC power line can help suppress the RFI noise affecting the victim device or keep the DC power cord from acting as an antenna and radiating RFI into other victim devices. This kit is also useful on laptop computer supplies, routers, cable modems, wireless phone charges, etc.
Installation is quick and easy: Just wrap the DC power cord through the center of the ring filter as many times as you can and reinstall. For best results with long DC power lines, use one at the ring filter at the wall wart end (to prevent the wall wart power supply from using the DC line as an antenna) and another at the DC plug end (to prevent the electronics in the powered device from using the DC power cord as an antenna). Typical installation is shown below:
The filter suppresses RFI in from .1-100 MHz. Inside diameter is 3/4 inch/19 mm.
Since most households and office environments have multiple wall warts we offer the Wall Wart RFI Filter kit in bulk quantity packages.
Known RFI Generators include Roku/Sling-TV power adapter - Interference heard in the AM broadcast band and harmonics. Also many ethernet Cable/DSL modems, cell phone chargers, computer power adapters have the same issue: using the AC or DC side of the power supply as a radiating antenna. RFI solution is to use a linear power supply, change adapters or wall wart ferrite filters