Dave, see comments below...
> 1. I tried adding more 'radials'. Even tried 'elevated radials'. No
luck on either, changed the resonant point.
Same here. I even called GAP and asked for help. While they tried to be
helpful, none of their suggestions worked in my situation. I will give them
an A for effort, however.
> 2. The Antenna works OK on 160, GREAT on 80, good on 40 and OK on
20...your mileage may vary.
In my case it was basically a dummy load on all bands. My little Butternut
HF6V ran circles around it on 40 & 80. I still have the Butternut, the GAP
was peddled shortly after I bought it. Again, YMMV.
> 3. Make sure you install the top 160 meter plug in cap...it will not work
without it!
What I found out from GAP is that they have 2 caps. Apparently they ship
the antenna with a cap that is tuned somewhere around 1850 or 1870. My SWR
was pretty high at 1820. They did send me the other cap to push the tuning
down the band.
> 4. Use appropriate guy ropes. My first Gap crashed because the guy ropes
frooze and it imploded the antenna.
Agreed! In fact, I think I used 3 sets of 3 (@120 degrees) instead of the
2, or was it 4. This thing is a WET NOODLE once you start to raise (or
lower) it. All the weight from that coiled up coax in the top wiggles it
around like crazy. You will want some help when you put it up. On one
occasion when I lowered mine, it got away from us and "crashed" down on the
tophat. Fortunately it happened to hit dead center of one of the aluminum
pieces. It was only mildly bent. Had it smashed in the middle it would
have been ugly.
GL
Kelly - N0VD
-----Original Message-----
>From: Mahlon Haunschild <mahlonhaunschild@cox.net>
>Sent: Jun 29, 2006 7:20 PM
>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Gap Voyager Gotchas...
>
>Well, Dave, lessee here...
>
>1. They're not "radials" in the usual sense of the word; they're an
>active part of the antenna on (possibly) 160 and (definitely) 80.
>Length matters; cut them carefully and ensure that they remain
>insulated. Cutting the wires is how the antenna is tuned for 80. And
>three is all you need; if more were necessary GAP would have said so.
>
>2. Follow the erection instructions carefully, especially lay out the
>guy strings so they don't get snagged. If a guy string gets caught on
>anything on the way up you will probably at least bend the antenna
>before you notice that it's not going up any more. Don't ask me how I
>know this....
>
>3. Don't try to put it up by yourself, at least for the first time.
>
>4. Make sure that the base insulators are intact. Remember... base is
>NOT ground on this antenna.
>
>GL. regards,
>
>Mahlon - K4OQ
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>----------------------
>
>Subject:
>[TowerTalk] Gap Voyager Gotchas....
>From:
>Dave Tipton <dave@lodave.org>
>Date:
>Thu, 29 Jun 2006 10:04:04 -0700 (PDT)
>
>To:
>towertalk@contesting.com
>
>
>I'm planning to put up a Gap Voyager this weekend. Using a tilt over
>bast that will be mounted on the ground and most likely about 10 -20
>Radials/Counterpoises. (It calls for 3, I know better)
>
>
> So, anyone got any big gotchas that I should know about before I attack
this project this weekend?
>
> New Antenna, 100 Feet of RG-213, #12 inulated wire for the radials.
>
>
>
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|