I am neither an optimist nor pessimist, but a possibilist.
— Max Lerner (b. 1902), U.S. author, columnist.

I add this also, that natural ability without education has oftener raised man
to glory and virtue than education without natural ability — Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

GENTLEMEN, START YOUR RADIOS!
(Ladies too of course!)
By Jack L. Stone, Publisher

INTRODUCTION
he title of this column was purposely styled as such, borrowed of course from the old auto racetrack "get ready, set, go" alert. However, this time I borrowed it from my own announcement to our antenna-discussion list as "Rita" the third most ferocious hurricane of record was heading right for our Texas, USA coast with a possible landfall target spanning anywhere from south of Corpus Christi, Texas (antenneX HQ) and north to Louisiana (a width of approximately 1,000 km). It was a Category 5, one of the three most intense hurricanes in recorded history with winds near 200 mph while it continued to gain strength from the extremely warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico—Nature's fuel for a hurricane.

Just a few weeks earlier, "Katrina" a similar storm had decimated the nearly 100-mile stretch of Gulf Coast line of Louisiana and Mississippi—an area as large as Great Britain! It flattened Biloxi, MS and essentially wiped it off the map and left the City of New Orleans under water—some parts as much as 25 feet deep as the 20-25-foot high storm surge hit the areas. It was being referred to as the "new Atlantis." Even areas some 35-50 miles or more inland that escaped the floods of the storm surge faced enormous damage from fierce sustained winds exceeding 100 mph and gusting much higher.

This has been an extraordinary hurricane season with a record 18 so far with the appearance of Rita. Rarely, if ever before have the hurricane "names" reached the letter "R" as they are named alphabetically starting over each year. The "hurricane season" is considered to start in June and end with November.

With Biloxi and areas nearby flattened and New Orleans under water, we saw some terrible pictures of the suffering from the aftermath of that horrendous disaster. Now, with Rita appearing to be equally as mean if not more so, it made for some very anxious moments here at antenneX HQ, located only 3-4 miles from the coast of the Corpus Christi Bay. We were working around the clock moving critical content to our Dallas servers, which should offer safety some 450 miles inland from us. Thus, our readers and visitors alike would not notice any disruption of service—except there might not be any answers to emails for a bit, although none of the emails would be lost—just delays until we were again able to access the emails. Indeed, we did have an evacuation plan!

Here are two of email announcements in the heat of the moments we sent to the antenna-discussion list as Rita roared across the Gulf:

The first one on September 20, 2005 included an interesting UPI press reference to the last hurricane to manage a damaging direct hit here some 35 years ago:

To: antenna-discussion list
Subject: Gentlemen, Start Your Radios
Tue 9.20.2005 6:10 PM
A bit off-topic for the list, but it seems another hurricane (Rita) threatens our area here in Corpus Christi.

The last dangerous one that hit here was "Celia" (140kts = 160+mph):
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/Celia/ 

An interesting snippet from that one 35 years ago:

		SEES IT AT ITS WORST
	  Texas Weatherman Keeps Tabs on Celia

      CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (UPI) ---It was approaching 5:30 p.m.
      The little man who looked like Peter Lorre put on his baby-blue
      parka again and stuck his head out the front door of the
      Weather Bureau.  He peered out for only a second, and then
      lurched back inside to escape the stinging rain and high winds.
      The man threw off his coat and sloshed through ankle-deep water
      in a small, darkened room on the second floor.  He aimed his
      weakening flashlight on the only two meteorological devices
      still working in Corpus Christi and then looked up.  "It hit
      140 knots---140 knots," he said.  The watch on Donald A.
      Dunlap's wrist just recorded the most intense moment of
      Hurricane Celia.  The needle on the mechanical wind gauge was
      at 161 miles an hour.  The barometer was at what would be its
      lowest point of the day--28.46.  "Be sure to mention how low
      the barometer went," he said.  "Everybody will be real
      interested in that."  When Hurricane Celia reached its
      destructive heights on the Texas coast Monday, Dunlap was the
      only weatherman still taking readings.  As the winds began to
      build, most of the weathermen huddled around the radar screen
      to watch the progress of the storm.  Dunlap, 52, stayed by his
      barometer.  "Gee whiz," said one meteorologist, if there's
      anybody here who'll know what this hurricane will do it's old
      Dunlap."  Then the power went off, and windows began popping
      out, water started flowing across the floor of the Weather
      Bureau.  Dunlap unscrewed the barometer from its case, and
      walked with the water squishing in his shoes to the windowless
      second floor room.  With the barometer safe, Dunlap donned his
      parka and made frequent dashes down the stairs to get the feel
      of the winds, taking notes in a small book.  Once one of his
      co-workers caught sight of Dunlap in the darkened room and
      called out to the others:  "Hey, Dunlap thinks we're still
      making readings."  Dunlap was eating a sandwich.  His round
      face turned up from his notebook.  "Yes," he said, "I'm making
      a few observations."

{^_-}
Happy trails,
Jack L. Stone

---

Then this one on September 22, 2005 as Rita's wrath continued to point our way.

To: antenna-discussion list
Subject: Rita takes aim near antenneX Texas Location
Thu 9.22.2005 11:41 AM
* * * BREAKING NEWS * * *

Folks:
Just a heads-up to advise our readers & visitors alike, the monster
storm, Hurricane Rita has taken aim at the Gulf Coast of Texas,
including Corpus Christi the HQ of antenneX.

Taking precautions, we have been busy around the clock uploading
critical content to our servers in Dallas, which is well inland by
some 450 miles (apprx 725 km).

We are making you aware of this pending danger as the storm *may*
knock out our power & communications, including the Internet
connections and ability to email for a while -- and could even delay
our publication of the October 1 issue to the extent of the period of
time the facilities are down. If so, this would be the first delay in
the past 8+ years on the Internet.

Not to worry though, you will still be able to reach the antenneX
servers in Dallas for both web content and email service. Thus,
although our offices here in Corpus Christi may be down and not
respond until all clear and power/comm services operate, no emails
will be lost -- 

Also, this list will continue to operate. -30-

Best regards,
List Manager

---

LEAVING TOWN
With Hurricane Katrina fresh on everyone's mind,Texans commenced a mass evacuation, with an estimated 2.7 million jamming the highways and Byways. Officials said the barometric pressure near the eye of the storm was 897 millibars, a lower reading than Hurricane Katrina, which slammed into the Gulf Coast August 29, 2005. Around Houston, the USA's fourth most-populous city, highways were clogged with traffic as residents rushed to leave.

The National Hurricane Center predicted Rita would likely make landfall Saturday in Texas, but anywhere from southwest Louisiana (6-700 miles north of antenneX) to northeast Mexico (200 miles south of antenneX). Rita packed maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The Category 5 hurricane grew more and more turbulent, becoming the third most intense storm in history, the National Hurricane Center said during the storm's progression over the Gulf. It was definitely fingernail biting time!

Only Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 (888 mb), which struck Jamaica and the Yucatan Peninsula, and the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 (892 mb), which hit the Florida Keys, had lower pressures.

RITA MADE HER OWN DECISION
When she entered the Gulf, Rita was located at about Lat. 24 and Corpus Christi is sitting to the WNW at 27.7. Passing just below the Florida Keys, some 1,000 miles away and some 250 miles to the ESE (each degree = 60 NM x 3.7 deg), Corpus Christi was to be included in her target landfall for several days to come. It was taken seriously enough for mandatory evacuation to be proclaimed. Indeed, it was a cliffhanger!

For us in Corpus Christi, it was a lucky outcome. Rita took a turn to the North as had been predicted by those great hurricane computer models. It has been noted within recent years, those computer models have become more and more precise in predicting the landfall even by several days earlier, which is so important for setting evacuation plans into action in a timely fashion.

But it was not so lucky for those in Houston and back once more toward New Orleans where the levies breached again and flooded some of the same areas. Landfall was near Port Arthur, Texas on the Texas/LA State Lines. Once again, untold homes and businesses were destroyed.

Things will be different along the Gulf Coast for years to come. In Louisiana, especially New Orleans, it is a very complex issue where perhaps 200,000 homes and structures will have to be bulldozed. The LA Governor has requested some $250 Billion from the Federal Government to rebuild—but, the tough question is: will it be rebuilt within the same bowl below sea level, knowing that there will be more hurricanes to come. Even this current year season is barely one-half over. The stories about this recent double-whammy of hurricanes on the City of New Orleans are far from over either. Recently as today (September 30, 2005) it is being reported that the levies might have held except for some flaws have been discovered in the decade-old construction. But, that is a story for another time.

HAM HEROES
In the time of such disasters, it is a time when the Hams of radio shine and may be the only form of communications available to assist those stranded and of need. I know of many of our readers who were involved in the activities helping reunite families that were separated and dispersed as evacuees to many other parts of the country for shelter during the tragedies. Many were folks that had just lost everything and didn't know whether parts of their families had survived during the confusion and displacement caused during the storms.

The phones, Internet and power may not work, but resourceful Hams get on the air quickly by throwing up a wire and attaching the "antenna" to a battery-operated rig.

Our Kudos go out to the many Ham Heroes out there helping others through these most difficult times. While their names may not be remembered, their deeds will be remembered for a lifetime by the victims of such disasters. It is a glorious tradition!

Additional Kudos to so many countries that have sent generous support for the stricken areas. Personally, I too appreciate the many well-wishes received from our friends around the globe. Disasters do not discriminate—they can and do happen anywhere.

As I write this, more tropical storm activities are forming just outside the Gulf. Gentlemen, (and Ladies) stand by your radios!

FINDING PATENTS
Although this "Throw!" makes reference to small antennas, the general thrust applies to any antenna in which one may be interested. Most of the small antennas that have emerged with greater or lesser advertising hype in the last decade or two are patented. Advertising provides scant information about how the antennas work (or are theoretically supposed to work), but patent applications provide a wealth of information about the theory of operation. In addition, patent applications provide detailed sketches of the prototype, allowing you to identify the pieces and parts. This information is vital if you wish to construct a test version of the antenna.

Up until the 1990s, if you wanted to read a patent application, you had to visit a patent office in the country in which the patent application was filed. The Internet has changed all of that. You can now obtain for download or for on-line reading virtually any of the successful patent applications that the governments of most European countries have-as well as those in the U.S. You do not even need to begin with a patent number, since there are search engines capable of leading you to the correct materials.

Alois, DJ0TR, recently passed along the following information to the discussion list. Since it is useful to all antenneX readers, I am repeating the contents of his message here. The question he was answering came from another list member: " How do I go about finding\viewing the patent information? I have never looked up patents before." Here is Alois' reply.

After developing antennas in a well-known German electronics company for many years, I am very interested in antenna patents, old and new ones. Later on I built up a big private collection of antenna patents at my home. During more than ten years I spent many hours of my free time and plenty of money in the German Patent Office for collecting the antenna patents.

Nowadays searching for patents is very much easier. Go online! Since five years I am using the German Patent Office (DPMA) online now. You use the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) (http://www.uspto.gov) for US patents (full-text since 1976, full-page images since 1790) and patent applications (published since March 2001). Or the Free Patents Online (http://www.freepatentsonline.com) also for US patents (3930271 to 6938271) and patent applications (20010000001 to 20050188446) and for European patents (EP1200001 to EP1561423). Or you can also use the European Patent Office (http://ep.espacenet.com) for searching worldwide in the languages English, Deutsch [German], and Francais [French].

Instruction for USPTO:
Open the USPTO site, go to "Patents" and left there to "Search." Then open the Patent Index. Go to "Issued Patents" and then to "Quick Search." Then opens the Full Text and Image Database. At "Query" you give in at Term 1: "antenna" and Field 1: "Abstract". At Term 2: "antenex [a company holding a patent under discussion]" and Field 2: "Assignee Name" and click on "Search." The results are 5 patent numbers and the patent titles. The third number here is the mentioned patent no. "5,977,931".

Click on the patent and you see the patent abstract. Then click on "Images" and the first page of the patent can be seen.

But therefore you need a TIFF image to see the patent pages. On the helpline How to Access Patent Full-page Images you will find the free plug-ins, e.g., AlternaTIFF or InternaTIFF for download.

Try to find antenna patents and be successful.
Vy 73 Alois - DJ0TR www.dj0tr.de 

Robert Thorpe, another regular discussion list participant, added the following useful information.

There is also a very useful site called
http://www.pat2pdf.org/
that convert patents into PDF files, so you don't have to wade through a bunch of TIFFs.
It's slow because it's free.

The members of the discussion list have added a number of other useful suggestions and names of software that can enhance your ability to read, store, study, and quote them.

Recent developments in antennas are not the only use for patent explorations. You may be interested in details of some historic antennas. For example, you can find Edmond Bruce's original patent for the diamond—or rhombic—antenna that served so long as the primary point-to-point communications antenna between the U.S and Europe. The history of baluns is contained many numerous patents issued for various forms of that device—even before the term "balun" had been coined. You can also find patents on ideas that the originators never patented, but that companies later patented as their own. If your interests lean toward the weird, the implausible, and the esoteric, you can also find plenty of that among the patents issued by the U.S. and European patent offices.

The resources of the patent offices are important additions to your stock of antenna ideas and their underlying explanations. Equally important are the human resources on the discussion list, from which we have extracted the guiding information about how to tap patent-office potentials. If you are not yet a subscriber to the list, you can easily become one. If nothing else, it makes good reading with your morning coffee!

NEW PATENT SECTION
In the coming month of October, antenneX will open up a new patent section of its own within the open-access Guest Rooms available to one and all. The intent of this new section is to place only those patents of interest to the subjects of material that follow the underlying theme of antenneX-antennas and antenna-related devices, old and new emerging technology.

Patent expert Alois has joined forces with antenneX to help create this new section from his vast collection of patents over the years and has already begun to transfer copies to our website. In fact, Alois sent us one of the oldest US patents for a starter—the Edison Patent of 1891 "Means of Transmitting Signals Electrically." What a way to start! I may have this one enlarged and framed!

Chris Trask, N7ZWY of Tempe, Arizona USA also has kindly contributed many useful pieces of material for the Science Library and has volunteered to add copies from his patent collection to this new section as well. We hope others will contribute as well when they can.

In conjunction with the new Antenna Science Library that contains many Classic as well as newer papers on theory and concepts, this together with the patents makes for a convenient one-stop "watering hole"—which is our endeavor.

This list pertains to those sections with free access now in our new Guest Rooms we have built and fully operating:
• Antenna Science
• Preview Articles
• Software Download
• Antenna Modeling
• From the Shack
• Propagation
• Ham WorkShop
• Stone's Throw!
• Discussion Forums
• Patents (new room under construction)

Get you login all setup now at this URL:
http://www.antennex.com/guests.html

We've really tried to make it easy while still fending off the bad guys, i.e., pirates!

NEW PROGRAMS FOR DOWNLOADS
During the past month, we have added several more programs to the download section in the new Guest Rooms. So, it is a good idea to be registered on the announcement list especially to learn about the free goodies we find and offer like the above.To register on the announcement list, to be notified about more programs and/or articles added to the Guest Rooms, just click here.

The new Antenna Discussion List is a infinite fountain of ideas making it a great "watering hole" for exchange of ideas, questions and answers on a wide range of antenna-related subjects. You will be in good company along with some of the brightest minds available. Were else would you have such free access to this level of expert advice? To participate or just read along on some very interesting subjects each month with 2000+ members from all around the globe, you are welcome to join us:

| To Antenna-Discussion Archive | To Join Discussion List |

You are encouraged to contribute your thoughts on various subjects to a worldwide audience.

AN INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTORS
antenneX thrives on the contributions of antenna experimenters, ranging from the informal home shop construction project to the theoretical investigation of basic antenna, feedline, and propagation phenomena. Over the years, we have published articles on the use of new or newly adapted materials, known antennas adapted to new circumstances, modifications of antenna structures, basic explorations of both common and unusual antennas, antenna modeling exercises, design improvements, antenna matching techniques from both a physical and mathematical perspective, evaluations of mini-antennas and their underlying theory of operation, new and patentable designs, propagation tutorials, and.... The list goes on, since no antenna-related topic is irrelevant to the readers of antenneX.

At the same time, antenneX has experienced continuous growth in its readership—for which we are appreciative. However, all readers can help us do even better. How? By submitting an article every now and then based on your current antenna work that may be useful at any level to other readers.

Among the engineering and researching readers, there are undoubtedly a number of unclassified and non-proprietary findings that antenneX readers would like to know. Among the practical antenna designers, there are ideas, tests, and numerous other practical findings to benefit our readers. Antenna builders very likely have some techniques to share with other readers. Besides the regular articles, we always have the home work shop column for shorter practical ideas and we always have the invited news and editorial column for information about new technologies, future advances, lost old but good ideas, and personal views on the good to bad things that are happening in the world of antennas and propagation.

If you are uncertain about whether your ideas merit an article, please feel free to send an outline to the general editor/publishers at submissions@antennex.com . Do not feel that you must be ready to be a regular submitter to write for antenneX, because we welcome the individual contribution as much as monthly articles. As well, do not believe that the slots in each issue are already spoken for—we shall always make room for a worthy article.

To see details of our writing guidelines, please look at: Writing for antenneX

Subscribe for the Premium Feature Articles! Enjoy these new concepts with our readership: Be sure your subscription is active so you don't miss these new and exciting concepts and more to follow. If you are thinking about subscribing or renewing, save 21% with the 2-year subscription. Just go to this URL and check on the Subscription option of your choice. http://www.antennex.com/signup.htm Keep the issues coming and stay on the leading edge of antenna technology!

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IN THIS ISSUE
This month is our 101st issue online! We again include many fine articles by our great writing team. Now, allow me to introduce this month's line-up of content:

OUR MONTHLY COLUMNS (plus this one you are reading by yours truly):

• From the Shack By Ed Lawrence, WA5SWD
  COIL/BALUN WINDING HELP SPREADSHEETS
  Recently, Ed has been winding and testing air core baluns. The testing is fairly easy since he has access to an HP 8753 Network Analyzer. But, building them is time consuming. He has encountered problems with the mechanical aspects of balun or coil winding on PVC pipe as a form and there are only certain sizes available. One needs to know these sizes if one intends to calculate the inductance. Ed's article contains special EXCEL spreadsheets he compiled to help with such problematical mechanical design of coils or baluns.

• Antenna Modeling By L. B. Cebik, W4RNL
  Calculating Circular Gain
  Most users rely upon the polar plot facilities built into their implementations of NEC for the relevant data and overlook the valuable information in the tabular report. However, the report is an extremely useful tool as well as a source of data. It will always be in basic NEC formulation using phi and theta angles, although some implementations of NEC convert or quasi-convert the angles to azimuth and elevation. A theta angle of zero degrees is the zenith directly overhead, while the phi angle of 90 degrees indicates a heading along the Y-axis.

• Propagation By Marcel H. de Canck, ON5AU
  Propagation Prediction Programs Explained - Part 13
  Numerous readers email Marcel frequently with various questions concerning prediction programs, such as: “What is the meaning of certain input Parameters”, “What impact, good or wrong, has these inputs to the computed output results”, “ How to interpret correctly the various output parameters and/or results”. Many among those readers had questions about “How to use correctly the program VOACAP and VOA-AREA“. This series is planned as a Tutorial and Guide to use the VOACAP packet and a detailed Glossary to the various input and output parameters and terms, also used in various propagation prediction programs.

FEATURE ARTICLES IN THE LIBRARY:

Well, there you have it, folks—thanks for listening and remember, the reading lamp is always on for you in the reading rooms. If I can be of further help, I'm just a Stone's Throw! away.-30-

Best reGARDS, Jack L. Stone, Publisher
jack@antennex.com
October 2005 antenneX Online Issue #102

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Last modified: December 31, 2010