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Topband: Antenna question

To: <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: Antenna question
From: "Jim Cain" <cainjim@mindspring.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 09:22:01 -0500
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
I am new to this reflector. If a question like mine has been addressed here 
previously, I apologize. I don't find a ready answer in the literature.

For the first time in many years, I find myself living where I have a lot of 
horizontal space. Unfortunately, the only height I have available is a 40-foot 
TV antenna tower. I have put up a centerfed inverted V, 180 feet long, with the 
center at 38 feet and the ends about 15 feet above ground. 450-ohm feeders. 
This is my antenna for all HF bands. I can tune it on 160 although its 
bandwidth without retuning is only about 10 kHz. 

If I add 40 feet to each end of the centerfed, those 40-foot extensions will 
have to be parallel to the ground and about 10 feet above it. This undoubtedly 
will make the antenna easier to tune on 160 but won't help a bit on the other 
bands (and might hurt some of them). 

All I need on 160 is a cloud warmer, so I can give out points on contest 
weekends. With 100 watts, I have no delusions about working much long-haul 
stuff. And I certainly wouldn't want to be an alligator. The current antenna 
seems to hear, and transmit, pretty well on 160, at least compared to what Im 
used to.

Feeding the tower as an inverted L is not an option. Spending money for 
anything except wire is not possible.

I have a feeling that plugging this question into an antenna modeling program 
might smoke the program or the confuser.

So, opinions please: leave the antenna 180 feet long, or add 80 feed to it? 
Reply to me directly and I'll summarize for the reflector. I've been a ham for 
only 43 years and still eager to learn.

Thanks a lot!

Jim Cain, K1TN/9
Indiana
cainjim@mindspring.com

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