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Re: [TowerTalk] Fan dipole

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Fan dipole
From: "Roger (K8RI) on TT" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 02:20:16 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I currently have a 2-wire "sloping"fan dipole for 75. The ends are held with a 3' separator made from 1/2" PVC conduit. End spreader @ 90 to 95 feet http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/AntennaSpreader1.htm Feed point and common mode choke. http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/AntennaFeed2.htm

It covers about a third of 75 with both wire being the same length. I plan on adding a third wire equally spaced so the ends will form a triangle. The wires will also be of different lengths to get better frequency coverage.

A 75 meter, sloping, fan dipole is definitely NOT a balanced antenna. I'm building a new choke with 7 cores and 1/8th in spacing between the cores. (Lexan spreaders) I had to add a second choke where the feed line reaches the tower to keep RF out of the shack. With just the one choke at the feed point, at about 1 KW out, all the LEDs in the shack would light. Adding the second choke seemed to tame it as no LEDs light at full power, and I can detect no RF in the shack.

When I had the antenna facing NE, I heard lots of stations in Europe the first night it was up. A few nights later I started working them.

I've use the AV640 mounted on a 24' Al mast. On 40 meters I had very good results. I had equally good results with a half wave, center fed, sloping dipoles to the NE and NW. an a/B comparison would show one better and a short time later the other would win. There were several times at the last sunspot cycle low that 40 was open world wide for 24 hours at a time.

The problem here is a lot 200 X 200 doesn't give a lot of room for multiple antennas with out interaction. I was amazed at how much the sloping dipole over 50 feet away affected the AV640 on 40.

73

Roger  (K8RI)



On 3/26/2015 3:12 PM, LY2KZ wrote:
Hello gentlemen,

I'm considering one antenna for domestic - continental contacts. I'm curious about all pros and cons of this construction and possible pitfalls. That is a fan dipole having three wires. Something like here http://www.hamuniverse.com/multidipole.html One wire is for 7100kHz, another for about 3800kHz and third for 3550kHz. My idea is to have two bands covered in full. Is there anyone who has had experience with fan dipoles? What should I keep in mind before starting to build? Yes, tuning perhaps will not be very simple, but hopefully I will manage.
How far apart wires should be? 10in OK?
Should all center conductor legs go to the same side or vary left - right - left

This will be low hanging antenna 10-15m. For DX contacts there will be another antenna.

Thank you
Vytenis LY5T

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73

Roger (K8RI)


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