[SEDXC] K4JRB update

[David L. Thompson]

I finally got a 160 meter antenna up Tuesday.  While I am waiting on a tree
climber (no references
until he works out) to put my MULTEE back up at 80 feet, I put up a short
dipole in a half wave L
position.  A 1977 QST article pointed out that a half wave L was a great
compromise between
a vertical dipole (DX) and a horizontal dipole or inverted V (local).  W4RNL
has done extensive research on this and its on his web page.

Since I don't have room for a full size dipole and no way to get 130 feet
vertical I decided on a short dipole.  My design called for high quality
coils out toward to the ends of the wire segments with a Q of at least 400.
I also wanted the end of the vertical leg to be 20 feet in the air.  My
short dipole went up and the SWR is 1.1 at 1842 with 2:1 SWR being fairly
sharp at 22 Khz above and 19 Khz below.  Any of my tuners will easily let me
use most of the rest of the band.

First contact was EA3VY (he 5/9 me 5/8 with 100 watts).  A local group said
I was loud for 100 watts (the 8877 amp is in waiting!).

My projects I still have to complete include putting the MULTEE back up,
bringing the tower down so I can replace the 2 meter antenna and
re-installing  the capacity hat on the 40 meter beam.  I want to move the 80
meter K8UR dipole 30 feet further away from the 40 meter beam to eliminate
the interaction. (Its a Mor-Gain that also has 40).  I did a trial with a
second Mor-Gain 80/40 about 60 feet away and set for a reflector.  The first
QSO was with GD4PTV and he said I was 59+10 and I broke into one of the
European groups that hang out on 3799 or so and all reports from Europe were
good (59+20 with the EI6).  Again the 8877 amp is in wait.   If I can swing
it I might invest in K4SQR's phasing system.  I want endfire (NE/SW),
broadside and Carotid.  Maybe I ask for too much.

I noticed the tree company brought a lift truck on their last visit.  Maybe
I can use that to fix the 40 meter capacity hat and put the 2 meter antenna
on the top of the mast.  Even with the tower down I would have to climb the
W9IIX ladder mast and with a 33 year old crank up I don't want to have an
accident. Its a two day affair to tilt the tower and if I do that I will
sell the tower and replace it with Rohn 45 or maybe a 90 foot AN tower.

Its hard to get good (not great) antennas on 1/2 acre!!

73 Dave K4JRB (back to logging in the CQ 160 CW logs)