[SECC] Antenna Question

[Michael Zolno]

Hi Greg,

I only have a dipole here in oak tree, but have researched verticals in the hopes of adding one to my HOA lot. I'd like the 68ft DXe 80m vertical but have no room for the radials to make that perform. A month before FD, a member of local CARS Savannah club Mayes, N1RKA and I took his DXE 43 ft vertical out for a test run. We had very short radials and very few of them. We couldn't talk or hear anyone. By the way, that antenna is very well constructed, is a very robust antenna and will take some power.

Mayes went and added a bunch of radials and a bunch of long radials. On FD we had a fantastic performing vertical. It was a completely different animal, if we heard it, we could work it. So my take is that regardless of what you read, verticals will do best with a lot of radials, and at least 1/4 wl at the lowest frequency. I would buy this antenna for myself, but I wouldn't expect it work on 160.

AD5X has a good write up on the 43 ft vertical on his website and presents empirical data against his home brew 43ft version. Worth reading. I sent it to Mayes as he also has a BTV6 and relates AD5X assessments mirror his Butternuts performance on bands higher than 20m and relate to take of angle IIRC.

I cannot speak to the Gap Challenger DX as I have no experience with it nor can speak to its design. I do like the 43ft vertical very much.

Hope it helps, GL.

73 Mike WH6YH

Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 17, 2016, at 12:00 PM, secc-request at contesting.com wrote:
> 
>    Hi Folks,
> 
>    I seem to constantly be putting up/ fixing broken antenna wires these
> days. I am giving serious consideration to a manufactured vertical
> antenna that might be more reliable and perform as well. 
> 
>    I am currently looking at the GAP Challenger DX ....If you have any
> experience with these antennas or if you would recommend something
> different please shoot me an email. 
> 
>    Also, from time to time I have seen previously owned vertical
> antennas for sale. If someone still has one for sale, I might be
> interested.
> 
>    Thanks and 73s de Greg NM2L
> 
>    Sugar Hill, GA