Martin Bluhm wrote:
>However, 6 years ago we moved into a 33ft motor home and
>have been on the road. HF is not a problem, done a few tests; but 160 is
>where I came into ham radio and is my favorite. What I am asking is any
>ideas on an halfway efficient antenna that I can run from the mh.
>
Martin,
The whip on your motor home will have very poor overall efficiency but
here are a few things you might want to look at:
Contact Don KH6DX who has over 100 countries on 160 via his
mobile operation. He always has an excellent signal considering his
mobile setup. Ou can go to www.qrz.com and after entering his call sign
get a nice write up and picture of his setup.
Another consideration with as much horizontal surface
area on top of your 33 foot motor home and assuming a metal roof, could
be a DDRR or Square Loop around the 82 foot perimeter. By using copper
tubing, good support insulators, and a vacuum variable tuning box, a
good efficient low profile antenna can be constructed. You might even
consider using a series of mag mount to support the insulators around
the perimeter as an option of drilling into the MH shell.
Some will call this a cloud warmer but there are times when a high TOA
can hear and work significant DX. There is information on the DDRR in
the ARRL Antenna Handbook. The military did extensive R&D on similar
low profile designs during the era when moving military railroad cars
needing high efficiency low frequency low profile antennas.
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
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