Kurt N. Sterba writes a monthly column for "World Radio" magazine (www.wr6wr.com) in which he brings less than accurate authors to task, be they over eager manufacturer's claims or educational articles directed to the amateur radio community. Many of his earlier articles have been compiled into a three book series, "Aerials" (published by "World Radio" www.wr6wr.com). To validate some of his claims he used a number of "strange antennas" in various contests over the years. Such common-day items as shopping carts, umbrellas, and aluminum ladders were pressed into service. Reading his collection of articles provided the driving force to recreate and expand upon his challenge to make functioning antennas out of non-antenna items.
We have used a wide range of "things" successfully as antennas over the years: dog kennels (sans puppy), metal folding chairs, painting easels, load locks, chicken wire, fences, pickup trucks, and more common items such as metal ladders and metal tape measures (I keep a pair of metal 100-foot tape measures on hand should I ever need to deploy an emergency antenna following a tornado).
Kurt has written a chapter in "International Antenna Collection 2" describing an experiment you can duplicate which proves a transmatch (antenna tuner) really does tune your non-resonant antenna. This is only one of many topics continually misunderstood by many hams, and it is Kurt's adopted mission to shine the Light of Truth upon such mishaped ideas.
The core idea is quite simple: Assemble make shift antennas using anything except wire and pipe, make multiple contacts with distant stations, and trade a fair amount of information regarding each others antenna and station so the effectiveness of each "strange antenna" may be evaluated.
All hams are encouraged to run their own "satellite" k0s station. Just stay away from "normal" antenna material such as wire and pipes, unless they form a larger structure that is obviously not an antenna. Setting up an entire tent and flying that as a "strange" antenna is one of my favorite examples. This process of discovery holds a number of interesting and redeeming values:
Practical application for the skills learned in "tuning up" all these strange antennas is knowing how to walk into the debris field left behind the wake of a natural disaster such as a tornado or hurricane and making a useful antenna from scrap metal strewn about the county. Especially for those of you in remote areas of the world, you may have the only means of outside communication.
Setting up your own satellite k0s station provides an opportunity to involve your local hams and the local media. The first year I organized this event the press was invited and they published the event in the local news paper. This allows the general public to be exposed to amateur radio and may even bring some inactive hams back into the fold.
Possibly the most important day-in day-out aspect of running your own k0s satellite special event station is it's FUN! Get together with one or two other ham radio buddies and look through one another's garage and attic. You are bound to find a variety of metallic objects that may be pressed into service as a makeshift antenna. Experiment! Play! Have fun, and then let others in your area know what a great time you are having!
This is the formula for an expanding local amateur radio community: Have fun, let others know you are having fun, and invite them to come play radio with you!
Kurt's books can be ordered from "World Radio" if you're interested (www.wr6wr.com). I would also recommend adding "Reflections II" by Walter Maxwell, w2du, to your library. It's a great book if you wish to understand what happens to the RF energy leaving your rig heading to your antenna, or if you wish to better understand antenna tuners. It can be a little, ummm, difficult to digest, but if you keep taking a run at it every year or so it'll become more clear each time.
Use your imagination and most importantly, have fun!