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Re: [TowerTalk] Force 12 EF-240 SWR shift

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Force 12 EF-240 SWR shift
From: john@kk9a.com
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2019 20:34:06 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
A detached hairpin coil or a detached linear loading would raise the resonant frequency.

John KK9A


Charles Morrison N1RR wrote:

Linear loading shorting bar disconnected ?
Hairpin break?


N1RR

On Sun, Sep 15, 2019 at 4:32 PM <w5wz at w5wz.com> wrote:


The SWR minimum on my lowest Force 12 EF-240 has shifted from ~7.16 MHz
down to about 6.7 MHz.  However, the curve appears very similar to
measurements taken and archived in 2015; it's just that it shifted down
in frequency.  Examining the antenna with binoculars from the ground, I
do not see any mechanical damage or oddities.

This is a linear loaded type antenna.  It uses a bead-balun, and has a
coil hairpin across the feed point of the driven element.

These measurements were taken in the shack, with the AA-55 in place of
the transceiver; thus the entire transmit RF path is being tested.  I've
also tested at the base of the tower, such that only 125 feet of LMR400,
a PL-259-barrel-PL259 connect, and the PL-259-SO-239 connection at the
balun are involved.  The results are very similar, so I do not suspect
anything amiss that is not up the tower.

I took a sweep of the antenna today and another identical antenna,
ranging from 6.0 to 8.0 MHz.  That data can be found at:
http://w5wz.com/files/40mSCAN

The purple line is the top antenna in the stack, and the blue line is
the bottom antenna in the stack.  Both are Force 12 EF-240.

Lower in frequency = longer elements.  What could have changed to make
the antenna appear electrically longer?

Any thoughts?

--Scott, W5WZ

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