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[TowerTalk] OCF dipole

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] OCF dipole
From: jimjarvis@comcast.net
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 14:50:27 +0000
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
TT:

Been reading Bill Meeker's OCF dipole saga, and communicating privately with 
him.

Jack Belrose, VE2CV, wrote a series of articles for QST over 10 years ago, 
analysing the OCF dipole, and designing a 'balun' to handle the varying complex 
impedance presented by the off center feed.

In reality, what is needed is an "un-un",  and Sevick's work may prove helpful, 
as well.

For whatever value it may have, I was inspired to try an OCF dipole by Belrose, 
 as a general purpose antenna.   To save time, I used a commercial 
product....the "Carolina Windom", of which I've now had several, in both 160 
and 80m configurations.    Radioworks makes and sells these things, and has 
resolved the matching solution to a satisfactory degree.

As both K4SAV and W8JI observed, an unbalanced antenna will tend to have 
current on the outside of the feedline.   The CW is no exception.   My solution 
is use of  ferrite chokes in the feed system,  on a ground point directly below 
the antenna.   The coax shield is grounded through a bulkhead connector 
fastened to the ground rod.  Clip on ferrites both upstream and downstream of 
this point tamed the common mode problem.   

N2EA
_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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