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[TowerTalk] Best Vertical?

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Best Vertical?
From: W8JI@contesting.com (Tom Rauch)
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 11:04:13 -0400
Hi Bill,

Your heading for a collision with the "no free lunch" express! 

> Well, it looks like I will be moving to a temporary QTH and renting.
> Yard does not lend itself to a beam so probably will have to put up a
> vertical. Since it is not my property, I can't dig the yard up for
> radials, but could probably lay out a couple on the ground. What is a good
> (best) vertical for 80 through 10 or maybe 40 through 10 that does not
> require a big radial system? 

Efficiency will be low unless you move the entire antenna up away 
from ground at least 1/8 or 1/4 wl, or use a good ground system 
with lots of wire.

Can you put up a small ladderline or twinlead fed dipole? With a 
poor ground system, a vertical anywhere near earth would be pretty 
poor no matter how it is constructed.

Otherwise, pick the tallest vertical you can with either traps or open 
air-insulated stubs for tuning. Avoid antennas that have coaxial 
stubs for tuning (the Gap), they are horribly inefficient. Use as 
much ground system as you can muster, and live with the results.  
 

73, Tom W8JI
w8ji@contesting.com

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