[SCCC] Some fun on 160, with an 80 meter dipole!

[Paul Kube]

> Gang - I recently replaced a burned up balun at the center of my 80 meter
> dipole with a simple feeder spreader.  

Without the balun, I suppose your coax shield is now part of your antenna. Along with some of your house wiring, evidently! Not necessarily anything wrong with that as far as your transmitted signal strength is concerned, though it makes the pattern hard to predict.

> Given where we are and where we are going with sunspots for the next few
> years, I guess it's time to bite the bullet and put up a 160 meter vertical.

Go for it, if you can install a good counterpoise. And a decent low-noise receiving antenna to avoid being an alligator.

73,

Paul K6PO