[TenTec] 80 Meter Antenna Suggestion

[Larry Greenberg N5BEA]

 OPTION ONE>>>Your simplest most effective would be 130 ft cut to freq. inverted v (center conducter as high as possible.) (AS close to 45 degree angle as possible) You can buy you won't get much advantage out of reflectors and such at that altitude.(Less than 1\4 wave)  Cut it to freq. and don't use a balun, unless you have a special problem.  For a center insulator buy an inexpensive one or build one out of outdoor (UV resistant) PVC or plexy glass. (a five min. job)Feed it with RG 58, RG 59, or Mini 8 .  There is little difference in performance provided it is cut to freq.  Do not us an antenna tuner. resonate it to the hight part of the band you attend to use.  Have a couple  pairs  of alligator clips with a few inches (2-3-4) or so.  To go to a lower segment of the band simply add the clips to the bottom of the two legs. Resonate and mark the  sections of wire you cut.OPTION TWO>>>I have worked the world back in the 70's with an Argonaut and ground moun
 ted vertical.  This is easier to build than you might think.  For your element you have many options if you can't quite make a quarter wave or a have wave its cool.  Use a convinient length of antenna material such as is available from most ham supplys. Make sure it is least about 13 feet.  Any shorter, everything loads fine, but you might experience freqiencies where it just cannot be heard.   Kind of below and in line with that, mount a piece of loading coil 3 to 5 inches long depending on diamator.  I mounted mine  (About a 13 foot element)  of a round piece of bakelite with the ends machined down.  I set it on top of a glass quart Coke Bottle. There are many ways to support it.  I supported mine with three lengths of water proof twine tied 30% from the top of the element and  the same length as the element. VERY SIMPLE.  It is very easy to build an effective ground mesh system.   Despite confusion.  FIRST build an as large as possible square ( not oblong) "mesh" out of c
 heap  Chiken (coop) wire.  Attach it together  with uninsulated wire and a little solder.  Exactly in the center drive an   eight foot or longer ground rod.  Inside the ground bolt place a piece or two stranded wire or braid csoldered to the chicken wire.  Attach a piece of insulated wire with an alligator clip to the ceter conducter of your coax and your shield under the ground clip.  Take a wheel borrow of soil or better river sand and spread it evenly of the "grid".  The grass will grow as always.  Good for DX  Water it in dry weather.   Take care to insure that the element is also mounted in the center of the grid. Resonate by tapping the coil with the piece  of wire and aligator clip.   Mark your taps with nail polish.  No antenna tuner necessary.  G O O D  F O R  D X ......... Works most any where on HF or VHF. Larry GreenbergN5BEA

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