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ON THE AIR FROM A WHEELCHAIR
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Ideas to get a wheelchair-bound ham on the air
by Bob Hejl - W2IK
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Being restricted to a wheelchair should never restrict your VHF emergency communications abilities. I've designed and built a fourth generation (thinner than my website VHF antenna) of my telescoping VHF antenna system (see: W2IK Telescoping J pole) which can be mounted to the back of a standard wheelchair yet allows complete mobility and folding of the chair. Telescoped up, your antenna to reaches up to 14 feet so it can be used when a disabled ham deploys outdoors during operations at a parade or marathon. It can also be used when deployed in a gym or church as might be the case during emergency communications is. Collapsed, it allows much better than HT average communications indoors. If you are in a house, simply slip the antenna off the blue telescoping sections, and reinsert the antenna in the lower slot (it is then 5'10") allowing you to go from room to room yet still operate your HT.
This special VHF/UHF antenna was designed and built by Bob Hejl (W2IK). The antenna was originally designed to fit a basic "Jennings-type" wheelchair, so minor adjustments might be needed with another model of chair. Extended it can reach any height all the way up to 14 feet so if deployed outdoors or in a shelter with a high ceiling you'll be able to get out much better than with an HT's whip antenna. The antenna in it's "indoor" slot brings the height down to about 5 feet 10 inches so it will allow you to keep on the air from home and go from room-to-room without a problem. I adapted the lowest height so you can even travel on the VIA buses without any problems. To go to the telescoping mode, all you do is reach behind, slide the antenna out of the slot and slide it into the blue telescoping assembly. The antenna, itself, is a modified design by W2IK of his standard telescoping "J Pole" system: Telescoping J Pole with differences being a smaller diameter, lighter CPVC shell on the antenna and a larger dimension radiating wire in the shell so the antenna has better bandwidth and is easier to tune after construction. I hope that this project encourages others to help hams in wheelchairs to get on the air and become an asset to emergency communications. This antenna can also be used if you wish to plug it into a mobile radio for greater power such as if you are deployed at a shelter which has AC power. Around the house, you can remove the blue telescoping assembly simply by sliding it up and out of it's PVC housing.
The antenna in no way effects the wheelchair's operation. The chair can still fold should transport be needed.
Also see: VHF DEPLOYABLE ANTENNA - By using this antenna, and skipping the part where you attach the shortened blue mast to the lower PVC, you end up with something like shown on this chair.
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If you need additional information please send an email to:
make sure you put "wheelchair antenna"
in the subject line
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