[RTTY] SO2R Antenna

[Tom Martin]

I must say that my second radio antenna for this year's RTTY RU and BARTG failed miserably.  It was a trapped vertical with 20 radials for 10-20 meters.  My 40 meter Bazooka at 40 feet worked better on 15 meters than the vertical during the RU.  Didn't hear a station on 15 during the BARTG, with either antenna.  The best antenna for the second radio, a few years back, was a Carolina Windom.  Unfortunately, I burnt out the balun on that one.  I repaired it twice but it never preformed as well again.

I have an A3S that I will probably put on the tower at 40 feet.  I have been avoiding this because my slopers interfered with the A3S's rotation, when I had it mounted before on my previous tower.  I would prefer an antenna for the second radio with different polarization than the 4 element StepIR at 72 feet and spaced some distance away to cut down on interaction.  Even with band pass filters and stubs, I had interaction in the past.

With band conditions improving and hopefully a few more spots appearing by next year's contest season, I will get some mults  on 15 meters. 

Ideally, I would put up another tower but the XYL wouldn't go for it.  It was a hard sell to get the one I've got now.  She hasn't complained about the vertical in the side yard but why keep it there if it doesn't work.

The only time I've had a Butternut vertical perform like gangbusters was when I was in Belize.  Of course, the antenna was anchored in a salt water lagoon!  No such luck here in the U. P.!

73,

Tom W8JWN

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