This long bank holiday weekend provided an ideal opportunity to try out the recently constructed 70 MHz slim Jim. The antenna is quite easy and cheap to assemble from either 300 Ohm or 450 Ohm ladder line. John M0UKD has detailed the dimensions on his website. Here you can see the antenna on the roach pole, I used the 18m roach pole from Spiderbeam with the antenna elevated to 60ft.
Using the Icom 7100 and 50w I was able to work the following stations.
- G4FKK Martin Carshalton
- G1HEQ Keith Epping
- M0UKD John Rainham
- G0UCH Colin Basildon
- M0KSJ Kevin Chislehurst
- G3VHH John Langley
- G8ORV Frank Southend on Sea
- G4MDB Bob Chelmsford
- M0XXK Kam Bleam Nr Canterbury
The antenna was quite well elevated, and the location was around 100m ASL at Hastingwood near Harlow Essex (JO01BR). Here you see the roach pole with Slim Jim on top.
The tent provided some well needed shelter on Saturday, and thankfully Sunday was much better for alfresco operations.
We did have to stop at various times for liquid refreshment, and being located adjacent to the pub was very convenient.
The Slim Jim performed very well, making a nice light and portable vertical antenna for casual /p operating and ideal for putting on the roach pole.
As you can see, the antenna packs down for easy storage, and its next /p outing will be from Cromer North Norfolk.
73 Dave M0TAZ
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