Antenna Gurus far and wide:
On my 2nd radio in my contesting setup (And for travel/expedition purposes_I
have a 2nd one just like it), I have a ZS6BKW (like a G5RV_) which will not
work on 15m, but I added a 2nd fan dipole (for 15m) in parallel, attached to
the center of the ZS6BKW and now it works on 15m too. I’d like to add 160m for
my travelling antenna and also to this antenna for my SO2R setup.
This dipole antenna is very roughly about 94’ long and has a 41’ (I think)
450-Ohm twinlead downlead which then attaches directly to coax…..currently I
hold the twinlead/coax connection up off the ground with a rope guy line.
(you’ll see why if you keep reading)
Every so often I get scratching a switchbox design on paper. I am reasonably
sure I could put a few 125’ radials out on my lawn, and make a switchbox to
short the twinlead together, feed the center of the coax to that as one shorted
T-top element (41’ up, 94’ across the top) and then attach the braid to the 3
or 4 (or whatever) ground radials as a counterpoise/gnd system.
I don’t know what the SWR would be…any guesses?
You’d have the leave the switchbox out there on the lawn of course, but I think
with the box and 3 or 4 control wires and 3 or 4 gnd radials (more is better,
obviously) you could make most any big dipole (fed with twinlead) resonate on
160m too, for a 6m-160m antenna that does most bands, right?
I keep saying I am going to do it…maybe this year will be the one !....I have
hesitated, not because of the work of the switchbox or radials, but I worry
about the thing snapping apart in the middle of winter when the nasty weather
tends to keep me inside.
It bounces around in the wind up here A LOT…One end is on a tall Maple tree
and the other end is on a tall slender aluminum mast (currently broken in ½,
rotten ice storm)…..and with the twinlead ALMOST touching the ground, then
going to coax, which is tied up off the ground, I have only broken that
connection once in 5 yrs, when the twinlead froze itself into an icy top layer
of the snow.
However with the twinlead attached to a box sitting on the ground, there would
have to be lots and lots of slack and “spring” in the entire system, so when
the wind blows, or ice and deep snow attaches itself to the twinlead, the whole
thing doesn’t come crashing down. I am brainstorming a couple ideas but am
probably not smart enough to reinvent the wheel. The one thing I have
considered is mounting the box up on a 4 or 5’ tall pipe, above the usual snow
line. I would then tie off the twinlead much as do now with rope and maybe some
kind of bungy to give it some relief during winds. But then I wonder about the
radials…5’ below the box.
Anyone have any ideas? Consider that I live in a cold, snowy, windy,
freezing-rain type climate when you respond.
(currently -6*C and ice pellets as I type…supposed to get a few hours of
freezing rain later if it warms up a titch.
Thanks
Mike VE9AA
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
From: maritimecc@groups.io [mailto:maritimecc@groups.io] On Behalf Of
VE9VIC...Rino
Sent: February 16, 2021 5:28 PM
To: maritimecc@groups.io
Subject: Re: [MCC] ARRL DX CW - who's playin?
[Edited Message Follows]
I will, probably SOAB LP, I like my OCFD for contest, I can use it on all bands
,except 160m ,higher swr is 2.1 on 15 m
73,Rino
VE9VIC
_____
From: maritimecc@groups.io <maritimecc@groups.io> on behalf of Mike Smith VE9AA
<ve9aa@nbnet.nb.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 5:26:04 PM
To: maritimecc@groups.io <maritimecc@groups.io>
Subject: [MCC] ARRL DX CW - who's playin?
A show of hands and share your category if you so desire….who’s playin’ ?
After this storm lets up, I’ll see what remains of antennas, but I’m planning a
parttime
SOAB HP entry, but don’t know yet if unassisted or I’ll try assisted, just to
be different.
(last and only time I did this assisted was 1997, using K1EA’s “CT” and iirc, I
just watched
the spots fly by, using 2m packet & tnc.)
AA
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
--
TS590SG, 100 Watts, off center fed dipole.
73, Rino
VE9VIC
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