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Re: [TowerTalk] 80m vertical size calculation

To: "V. Sciucka" <vytenis.sciucka@gmail.com>, <w5prchuck@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 80m vertical size calculation
From: "StellarCAT" <rxdesign@ssvecnet.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2017 16:22:11 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
One should be able to get within say 3% .... 5% tops to start with – right?! 

Measuring the actual frequency of the actual antenna and changing it this much 
will work ... if done properly – in one go. I’ve done it many times with 
tapered elements. Again – you’re not changing or impacting the antenna enough 
for a simple ratio correction to be off by much. I’m not saying that if you 
measure it to be 3468 Khz and you want it to be 3584 Khz that it WILL be at 
3584 ... but it will be close and in the right direction. For most purposes 
good enough. That is all that one needs – right? We’re not looking for 
perfection here. Or at least I am not/was not. 

I totally agree with you Chuck that IF the antenna were widely tapered – if you 
change it substantially either in length or diameter it is going to be off – 
and if that is indeed the case then fine – “maybe” he does it twice. 

As for modeling – yes – you can obviously do that and should do that. But my 
experience has been that modeling generally gets you in the ball park – you 
might still need a small tweak to that. So I’d start with a model ... but 
testing the ACTUAL antenna in situ can’t be beat. It is THE info you needed – 
precise for that antenna in that location. 

What I would do and have done is I would model the antenna as it is to be built 
or is built ... test it ... but here’s where people start to get confused re 
using a model, if they’re not totally familiar with changes like this. So you 
model for a resonance of 3600Khz. You build it precisely to the model and test 
it – its actually at 3540Khz. If you have to have the original design frequency 
now what? Well you go back to the model – you change the tip length to effect 
the DIFFERENCE in frequencies – i.e. you need it to be 60Khz higher – so you go 
back to the model, shorten it to get a new frequency of 3660Khz! This change in 
length is what you would do to the antenna. The same DIFFERENCE that you 
need/saw in the actual antenna. Again: this is not precise – but it will work 
just fine. 

g.

looked at another way: (didn’t know this was going to be controversial :>) ) 
-tapering effectively gives you an average diameter. 
-so his antenna starts at 4” and tapers to 1”. Lets say the average is 2.5”. 
That is more than likely not what the model would come up with but its probably 
close ... 
-a 67’ vertical that is 2.5” in diameter has a resonance of 3.517Mhz roughly 
give or take a couple Khz. 
-if I change the effective diameter by 10% – MUCH more than I believe we’re 
talking change here which is my whole premise, to 2.75” the resonant frequency 
in the model changes – whoops... about 3 Khz! 
-even changing it to 3”, a pretty substantial effective diameter change – moves 
it only ~6Khz.

ok?



From: w5prchuck@gmail.com 
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 3:39 PM
To: StellarCAT ; V. Sciucka 
Cc: Charles Morrison ; towertalk@contesting.com 
Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] 80m vertical size calculation

I agree.  But, what was wanted is a formula where only one adjustment was 
needed. I think that will only work when the entire element is one diameter 
such as a wire.  The ratio will get close, but will probably need at least one 
more “tweak.”

 

Chuck W5PR

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

From: StellarCAT
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 2:24 PM
To: V. Sciucka; Chuck Dietz
Cc: Charles Morrison; towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 80m vertical size calculation

 

these are only starting points! Local conditions - the antenna itself, the 

surroundings, the ground, etc etc will all conspire to move that value up or 

down slightly. KNOWING what your particular antenna is in place - that is 

the perfect starting point.

 

g.

 

 

 

-----Original Message----- 

From: V. Sciucka

Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 2:46 PM

To: Chuck Dietz

Cc: Charles Morrison ; towertalk@contesting.com

Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 80m vertical size calculation

 

I just thought that it might explain why different formulas are used.

Charlie gave me formula which is widely available: 246/f(mhz) =  element

(feet), but I also found https://www.dxengineering.com/

techarticles/verticalantennainfo/dx-engineering-comtek-verti

cals-for-phased-arrays (see p.5) where 234/f(mhz) is used.

 

 

--------------------

Vytenis

 

 

2017-09-13 21:33 GMT+03:00 Chuck Dietz <w5prchuck@gmail.com>:

 

> Maybe I don't understand, but I would think that if you had a tower with

> an aluminum tube "stinger" on top, this might not work because of the

> change in percentage of the various diameters.

>

> Chuck W5PR

>

> On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 1:00 PM Charles Morrison <junkcmp@gmail.com>

> wrote:

>

>> Not length to diameter, It is independent of diameter.

>>

>> It is a simple method to determine a difference of length as a ratio 

>> based

>> on frequency.

>>

>>

>> On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 11:41 AM, V. Sciucka <vytenis.sciucka@gmail.com>

>> wrote:

>>

>> > Thanks Gary K9RX and Charlie N1RR, 2nd question is clear now.

>> > Charlie also gave formula for length 246/f(mhz) =  element (feet) which

>> I

>> > assume includes length to diameter ratio or this ratio is not so much

>> > important.

>> >

>> > --------------------

>> > Vytenis

>> > _______________________________________________

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> > _______________________________________________

>> > TowerTalk mailing list

>> > TowerTalk@contesting.com

>> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

>> >

>> _______________________________________________

>>

>>

>>

>> _______________________________________________

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>>

>

 

 
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