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Click for more detail... Hello folks, My name is Ivan Cook. I live in Tallahassee, Florida and have been an amateur radio operator since 1998. W4FWL is a new call sign as of December, 2006. Many of you knew me as K4SRB, and a few might remember my first call sign: KF4YLN. The FWL in the new call sign stands for “Full Wave Loop” … one of my favorite antennas.
I was born in 1958 in Birmingham, Alabama. I graduated from Vestavia Hills High School (just outside of Birmingham) in 1976. I attended Jacksonville State University in northeast Alabama, and graduated from the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) in 1980. I received a B.A. in the social and behavioral sciences (sociology major / psychology minor) from UAB.
In 1981, I moved to Tallahassee to do graduate work in sociology at Florida State University. I specialized in social psychology and marriage & families. I also gained valuable experience in statistics, research methods, and teaching.
I am proud of my accomplishments in ham radio and electronics. I went from first opening my novice-tech license preparation manual to earning my 20 WPM Extra Class license in 16 months. In June 2003, I completed a program of studies in electronics technology at the Lively Technical Center in Tallahassee. Along the way, I’ve earned a few of the FCC commercial licenses: Marine Radio Operator Permit, General Radiotelephone Operators License - with the Ship Radar Endorsement, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System Operator and Maintainer License, and the General Mobile Radio Service License.
I proudly call the Thomasville, Georgia Amateur Radio Club my second family. This is a great group of diverse, down-to-earth folks who always make you feel welcome. Thomasville is only 30 miles northeast of Tallahassee. Through the Thomasville club, I serve as a volunteer instructor and volunteer examiner for amateur radio licensing. Over the years, I have helped train 18 people for their first ham license and/or upgrade of their license. I have also enjoyed being the Field Day VHF Captain in Thomasville since 2004.
Folks around Tallahassee and Thomasville know that one of my favorite ham radio activities is designing, building, and testing wire or copper tubing antennas. I have successfully built and tested full wave loop antennas for use in the 10 meter, 6 meter, 2 meter, 1.25 meter, and 70 centimeter bands. Other successful antenna projects include omni-directional, horizontally-polarized, turnstile quads for 6 meters and 2 meters, and a waveguide-type antenna for the 23 centimeter band.
In early 2009, I built prototypical two element cubical-quads for 2 meters and for 6 meters. I constructed these antennas from readily-available PVC tubing & fittings, and insulated 14 AWG stranded copper wire. I have found and demonstrated an improved method for matching the feed point impedance of these antennas to standard 50 ohm coaxial antenna cable.
In June of 2009, I successfully built and tested three element cubical quads for 6 meters and for 2 meters. I used these antennas at Field Day this year! The picture above is the 6 meter antenna at Field Day. I borrow from calculations developed by L.B. Cebik, W4RNL, to determine element perimeter and spacing. Structurally, I developed a system whereby element spacing and orientation are easily adjusted, and element perimeter can be adjusted without too much effort.
This autumn, my 2 meter quad cubical was very useful in a fox hunt that was part of the Georgia ARES SET exercise. I was able to deploy the antenna as a mobile/portable and quickly change from a three element to a two element configuration for the appropriate level of signal attenuation.
My interest in antennas all started with dipoles and ground planes. I have also designed, built, and successfully tested field-deployable, temporary, 26' and 34' telescoping antenna masts. I use different sizes of schedule 40 PVC pipe for the mast sections.
I’d love to talk antennas with anyone interested!
Best 73, Ivan
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