[CQ-Contest] Antenna analyzers

[Barry Jacobson]

Hi Jim, I think what it boils down to is the amount of time and money (and
physical agility to climb ladders) to achieve perfection. Here is an
article from the ARRL itself extolling ladder line dipoles:

http://www.arrl.org/random-length-multiband-dipoles#:~:text=Feed%20the%20dipole%20in%20the,connect%20it%20to%20your%20tuner
.

As far as books go, I agree that study is essential. I bought the ARRL
Intro to Antenna Physics which I think is excellent and plan to read in
detail.

Another solution may be trap dipoles that are resonant on multiple bands.
Don't know how they compare with fan dipoles.

But I have had decent results using my simple ladder line 80m dipole on
many bands. I check signal strength on RBN. Just trying to optimize 10
meters now, and think I will cut off 1/8 wave and see if it tunes. But
first want to try EZNEC, and see if it gives insight, and maybe get an
antenna analyzer if I can afford.

Thanks for writing.

Barry WA2VIU

--
Barry Jacobson
WA2VIU
bdj at alum.mit.edu
@bdj_phd

On Tue, Feb 7, 2023, 5:42 AM Jim Brown <k9yc at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:

> On 2/6/2023 8:14 PM, Barry Jacobson wrote:
> > Hi Ray, these are all very deep and difficult topics.
>
> A serious study of the ARRL Handbook and Antenna Book is where it's at,
> not random stuff on the internet. The fundamentals are there -- most
> chapters in both books begin with teaching fundamentals, and it takes
> STUDY, not a quick read. I'm one of several dozen contributors.
>
> For a lot of reasons, the various all-band antennas fed with ladder line
> is a flawed concept, especially in a world filled with dozens of RF
> noise sources in our own homes and those of our neighbors. The best
> solutions, IF we have room for them, is resonant dipoles (and fan
> dipoles for multiple bands) fed with coax, and with a serious common
> mode choke at each feedpoint to kill noise. See k9yc.com/publish.htm
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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