Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

[TowerTalk] Open Feedlines

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Open Feedlines
From: 2@vc.net (2)
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 09:43:18 -0700
>
>Guys,
>
>Reviewing the wireman's "Loss Graph for Matched Transmission Lines" chart,
>and I noticed #12AWG Twin Open Wire, as having the lowest loss by a long
>way.  I guess I have never seen Open Wire as shown on a chart before to
>reinforce just how low the loss really is.
>Being a novice antenna guru, I have a few questions:
>
>How far away from the ground does this stuff need to be?

//   My guess is that it should be >5-times the wire-spacing.   

>What are the drawbacks of using it?
>
It won't work as advertised when fed from an unbalanced tuner with a 1 to 
1 balun at the output.    However, a Balanced L-network antenna tuner is 
not hard to construct.  An article was published in the February, 1990 
*QST*.  The manuscript for the balanced tuner article is available on my 
Web site.    

>I have a remote dipole that this stuff might be just the ticket for a long
>run.  I have always used coax, except for some plastic windowed ladder
>line, which always worked nicely, but according to the chart has more loss
>that the Twin Open Wire.

//   Yea, verily. . .  Homebrewed #12-solid-Cu open wire line has low 
loss - even with over the top SWR, so the antenna it feeds works for 
multiband use.  However, open wire feedline needs to be guyed with 2 
Dacron cords to keep it from flailing around in strong winds.  
>
>My guess is that this is the 6" spaced feedline I have seen before.  I
>would make this and wonder what people use for the spacers, what spacing is
>required, etc.

//   The above article also describes a simple way of constructing 
open-wire feedline using commonly available materials and tools.

good luck, Eric

-  R. L. Measures, 805.386.3734,AG6K, www.vcnet.com/measures.  
end


List Sponsored by AN Wireless:  AN Wireless handles Rohn tower systems,
Trylon Titan towers, coax, hardline and more. Also check out our self
supporting towers up to 96 feet for under $1500!!  http://www.anwireless.com

-----
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>