Lesson 2
FIELD-EXPEDIENT ANTENNAS
OBJECTIVE
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to--
Compute the
physical
length
of
antennas
for
various
broadcast
frequencies.
Repair broken antennas.
Fabricate, install, and use field-expedient antennas.
REFERENCES
This lesson is based on FM 24-18, FM 24-1, FM 6-10, and other materials
approved for US Army field artillery instruction; however, development and
progress render the text continually subject to change.
Therefore, base
your examination answers on material presented in this text rather than on
individual or unit experiences.
23. INTRODUCTION.
For short- and medium-range communication, most
communicators have available medium-power, vehicle-mounted, FM radios
equipped with whip antennas.
Low-power FM radios with quarter-wave whip
antennas are available to some communicators who require smaller, portable
radio equipment (forward observers and surveyors). When longer range radio
communication is required, antenna equipment (RC-292 and OE-254) and/or
antenna AT-984A/G are authorized in the TOE and are generally readily
available. This equipment satisfies most communication requirements. But,
in the heat of combat, whip antennas can be broken, and RC-292s and OE-254s
can be destroyed by enemy counterfire. While replacement items may not be
immediately available, the need to communicate will continue. Jump command
posts, split battery operations, and reconnaissance of new position areas
are but a few of the tactical operations which necessitate reallocation of
items of radio equipment and strain the ingenuity of commanders to maintain
adequate communication. Knowledge of how to repair antennas or to fabricate
field-expedient antennas is a necessary part of the knowledge needed by
lieutenants who must communicate under even the most rigorous conditions
imposed by combat.
24. FIELD EXPEDIENTS. Field expedients are active measures that have been
developed by resourceful individuals in the field to overcome problems that
develop under field (tactical) conditions. The primary interest is to get
the job done with improvised methods and materials when standard equipment
is inoperative or not readily available.
Communications personnel should
learn to recognize the need for, and the use of, field expedients in
establishing and maintaining radio communications.
a. Causes of poor communication.
The use of a field expedient to
correct poor radio communication must be preceded by an analysis of the
cause.
If the cause is continual failure of equipment, an aggressive
preventive maintenance program is appropriate.
If the cause is poor
procedure or lack of knowledge
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