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Topband: Vertical SWR Problems

To: <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: Vertical SWR Problems
From: "George & Marijke Guerin" <gmguerin@voyager.net>
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2004 11:17:26 -0500
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Hi All,

Let me address two issues.
Ground effectiveness:
To my ears the team vertical guys were not loud from 3D2XA. I believe Ken's note about only 2 radials is the issue. One needs to have a minimum of 30 radials each about 20 meters/66 feet or longer as a minimum unless one is on a saltwater flat.
Some years ago a crew with a Battle Creek Special in central Oceana area only put out a few radials the first week and had a very poor signal. When they put out the rest of the radials they put out a decent signal and worked the entire North American continent and some Europe on their sunrise.
For what it is worth, 32 radials 1/8 wavelength long is better than 16 radials 1/4 wavelength long, as the larger number of radials handles the near in return currents much better


Base loaded verticals:
As to base loading Titanex verticals, yes the antenna may have a 11 or 12 ohm feed point impedance, with a lot of capacitive reactance, but they supply and/or recommend a large inductor to base load the vertical up to 160 meters. Tapping the loading coil up some number of turns from the bottom/ground end will find a match close to 50 ohms for the coax cable feed line.


73 George K8GG


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