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Re: [TenTec] Zepp

To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Zepp
From: k6jek <k6jek@comcast.net>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 12:40:35 -0700
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
The latest QST has an interesting EDZ beam. It has a discontinuous reflector, 
actually two reflectors, one for each half. William Alsup, N6XMW, modeled it 
with EZNEC. The model predicts 6 dBd. That is pretty wonderful but the antenna 
takes a heck of a lot of space.

A plain old EDZ is dang fine antenna. I ran one on 15M some number of sunspot 
cycles ago. I could work Japan without even turning the transmitter on, 
actually without even entering the shack. It was that good.

Jon

On Sep 15, 2014, at 12:04 PM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX wrote:

> In review of the ARRL Handbook, Ed. 2014, Chapter 21.7, there are clearly two 
> distinct examples of Zepp antennas.  One being 1/2 wavelength and end fed 
> with open wire line and the 2nd being a center fed 1/2 wavelength wire fed 
> with open wire line.
> 
> On page 21.7 we find:  "Another variation, shown in Fig 21.12B, is the end 
> fed Zepp, named for it original application as an antenna deployed from 
> Zeppelin airships.  The feed point impedance of a Zepp is quite high, 
> requiring open wire feedline and impedance matching techniques to deliver 
> power effectively."
> 
> The Extended Double Zepp is described as having an overall length of 1.28 
> wavelengths which equates to 0.64 wavelength on each side of the center 
> insulator and feedpoint.  This antenna is reported to have ~3 dB of gain to 
> its broadside.  The length of the wire antenna is calculated as: 984/f(MHz) x 
> 1.28 = length in feet.  The feed point impedance is ~140 ohms using wire 
> elements.
> 
> I find it interesting to examine the dipole antenna.  By definition it is a 
> wire length being equal to 1/2 the wavelength of the frequency. The name 
> comes from two terms "DI" meaning two and "POLE" meaning electrical terminal 
> having two distinct regions of electrical polarity.  A dipole is resonant 
> when it is electrically 1/2 wavelength so that the current and voltage in the 
> same antenna are exactly 90 degrees our of phase.  The length of a 1/2 wave 
> wire dipole is calculated as: 468/f{MHz} = length in feet.  The feed point 
> impedance of a 1/2 wavelength horizontal dipole varies with height above 
> ground.  The feedpoint impedance will vary from a very low value, 20 to 45 
> ohms over average real earth, when the antenna is less than 0.1 wavelength 
> above ground to near 100 ohms at ~0.34 wavelengths above the ground.  At 
> heights greater than 0.34 wavelength the impedance will typically be 75 ohms 
> +/- 5 ohms.  The nominal 75 ohm value will be found at heights of 1/2, 3/4, 
> and 1 wave
 length above ground.
> 
> 
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marty Hartwell" <mhartwe@gmail.com>
> To: "Ten Tec list" <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Monday, September 15, 2014 10:49 AM
> Subject: [TenTec] Zepp
> 
> 
>> Hi
>> 
>> I was reading the posts concerning the Zeppelin antenna. I did a search on 
>> the web
>> and got some picture drawings showing what I am familiar with. Also someone
>> said it was a trailing wire antenna, which is one I used from a bomber type 
>> in
>> the Navy, which is simply a spool of wire attached to an automatic matching 
>> device
>> and the wire is a random length, to install it we just strung out what we 
>> estimated to
>> be over a 100 feet, no real measurement done. In some cases we were able to 
>> get
>> a type of wire that was reinforced but usually it was just plain old 14 gage 
>> wire we
>> were able to pick up at a hardware store or some such.
>> Yes Zeppelins may have used a trailing wire antenna I know our Blimps during 
>> and after
>> WW2 had them, but the Zepp used on the Zeppelins was supported in each end 
>> of the
>> main straight part of the top and fed with open wire feeder, and the feeder 
>> was whatever
>> it took to reach the tuner/matching device.
>> To the persons saying it is a G5RV antenna, it is not, the G5RV radiator is 
>> of a specific
>> length, and has a fixed length for the 75 Ohm feeder, if I remember right. I 
>> have used
>> a Zepp antenna, but not a G5RV.
>> 
>> Marty kd8bj
>> 
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> 
> 
> 
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