The HF2V mod for 160 meters is nothing more than longer top loading
wires (which kills 40 meter performance). Look at the manual.
For an HF2V with four 25 ft top loading wires sloping away at a 45
degree angle, 32 radials 50 ft long, expect a gain somewhere around -7
dBi at a take off angle of 25 degrees on 160 meters.
An Alpha Delta DX-A is half sloper (quarter wave sloping wire) and it
uses a loading coil. Half slopers are an alternate way of feeding your
tower as a vertical. The performance can vary from very good to lousy
depending on how the tower is configured. Since the tower is the primary
radiator, it should be treated as such. It's a matter of luck as to how
much ground current is induced at the base of the tower. If depends on
the amount of top loading and height of the attachment point. To
guarantee best performance the tower should have a ground radials system
and the shields of all wires exiting the tower should be connected at
the base where the radials connect. Tower guy wires should be insulated.
The matching network can be tricky. Feedpoint impedance will vary
depending on tower configuration, length of sloper wire, and attachment
point height. Resonant frequency depends on the same parameters, so it
can be a juggling act.
Slopers are a real pain to adjust and make operate efficiently, but if
you succeed it should outperform the HF2V by a significant amount.
In the previous post you said you don't want to shunt feed the tower,
but this post you say that you are already using the Alpha Delta, so
it's close to the same thing. Performance should be about the same too.
Slopers don't produce more than about 2 dB front to back.
Jerry, K4SAV
Stone, Gary R. wrote:
>Greetings,
>
>
>
>First, thanks for the input on my question about using various wire
>antennas for a temporary setup for 80 meters. I am still sorting out
>what to try.
>
>
>
>Now I am specifically seeking input on 2 other options. (both of which
>would be permanent)
>
>
>
>First, I have the Alpha Delta Sloper up and running (Alpha Delta DX-A)
>and it works only marginal on 80 and 160 meters. Now, my question is
>your opinion on the DX-A as compared to Butternut HF-2V?
>
>
>
>So, here is the 2 choices at present I am seeking ideas about
>performance. In both cases I am interested in long haul DX (I am in
>Texas and looking to work zones 23,24, 26 and that area - on 80 meters)
>and I need lots of zones on 160 meters. The two choices:
>
>
>
>** The DX-A mounted at 50 feet on the tower slopping off to a height of
>about 30 feet on the 80 meter leg and to about 15 feet on the 160/80
>leg. (I have worked about 120 dxcc on 80 with this and 61 dxcc on 160
>meters).
>
>
>
>OR
>
>
>
>** The Butternut HF-2V with 160 meters coil - installed on the ground
>with say 32 radials about 50 feet or so each.
>
>
>
>Ideas about suspected performance of the 2 above choices greatly
>appreciated.
>
>
>
>A last side question is about the HF2V. I have read somewhere that
>there is a modification that is generally done to that antenna to boost
>performance on 160 meters. But I think it hurt the performance on 80 or
>40 meters - or both? I would not care about 40 meters as I have a 3
>element beam on 40 meters. But if there is a mod that improves both 80
>and 160 on the HF2V that would be interesting?
>
>
>
>Thanks for your thoughts on this reflector - it has helped me greatly.
>
>
>
>Gary, N5PHT
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>TowerTalk mailing list
>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
>
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|