Rip Smith K3XO wrote:
> This year I decided I wanted to improve on it so I assembled an inverted
> L out of some old beam parts. The vertical section is 49 feet and the
> loading wire was adjusted for best SWR. The loading wire slopes down to about
> 15 feet above the ground. For radials........Now for the struggle. I have had
> an difficult time working anything out
> of North America. I hear Europeans pretty well at times but they are not
> hearing me even when I am the only station calling. I call and call they
> call CQ again.
Rip......If you convert you inverted L to a Marconi "T" I would bet
things on 160 will improve dramatically for you. The "L" has most of its
radiation warming the clouds. With a horizontal wire, lets say 100 feet
long and fed with a 50 foot or more drop exactly at the center (50' for
the end) more radiation will be concentrated into a much lower takeoff
angle. Even with a single 50-60 foot center support...you can slope the
top portion down but put the supports as far away as you can to lower
the cancellation effect of the slope....a greater slope than 45 degrees
is to be avoided. It is better to have three or four shorter wires on
the top like an upside down crows foot top loading used for some VLF
antennas to improve efficiency.
Good Luck and see you in the Stew Perry contest.
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
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160 meters is a serious band, it should be treated with respect. - TF4M
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