[TenTec] using amp to load rain gutter

[David Stansell]

  I presently am in a restricted sub-division where a man's castle is not the rule.  I get permission to plant shrubs.  My antenna is the rain gutters.  I have 2 stories and I have the gutters in front connected to the rear with 16 gauge stranded wire and at the high point of the gable, ladder line splitting the loop going to a 4-1 balun just outside the second story window.  there are two 22' down spouts and one 4' down spout.  I use a ten-tec 540 HF rig and have worked into Europe and South America on CW fairly good.  I can hear Crozet Island but can't compete in the pile-up.  
  Would there be a problem if I ran 500 Watts into the antenna?  I know hams have used gutters many times but I am not certain what problems a little power may cause.  I worked the contest but really got beat easily by other stations.  When there was a lull, I would get contest dx here and there.  I realize this is not ten-tec discussion but when I get moved I'll be smoking on a real antenna.  Thanks,  David  W4KA

I found an OMNI VI+ with all filters and a great price.  It should be in my shack soon.  Thanks again to all for your helpful comments.  This is a great pipe line we have.