[TenTec] Ten Tec 229 Tuner on 160M

[Bob Cunnings]

Yes, and if a horizontal doublet isn't practical, try going vertical!
I've been using a 32 ft. vertical doublet (#14 insulated wire), center
fed with 450 ohm ladder line, for years, hidden within a tree. A
balanced-L tuner does the matching. The feedline runs 16 ft. above the
ground, running horizontally from the feedpoint to the eave of the
house, then down to the shack on the 1st floor. All the convenience of
a multi-band doublet, with the characteristics of a vertical dipole
(both the good and the bad).

Bob NW8L



On Dec 7, 2007 10:40 AM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX <RMcGraw at blomand.net> wrote:
> This is one of those topics that gets visited from time to time.  And as
> always, there about as many opinions, ideas, experiences and preferences as
> there are stars in the universe.
>
> Wire, whatever length you have space to string up, fed in the center with
> some balanced feedline direct to the tuner has always proven to be a good
> working general purpose antenna.  Balanced feeds are not near as fussy as
> many will technically profess.  I use both the 300 ohm and 450 ohm material,
> {window line} which I obtain from Press at Wireman.  Whatever balance method
> that exists in your tuner will likely be satisfactory.  Should your tuner
> not provide a balanced output, then add a external balun of your choice.
> I've used a W2FMI 4:1 balun rated at 10KW for my legal limit operation. I've
> also used a Radio Works 1:1 current balun rated at 5 KW for my AM station.
> Both seem to work equally well.  My favorite is "the ugly balun" as
> described on Rich Measures website. http://www.somis.org/bbat.html
>
> I only use coax fed antennas for those that are resonant frequency
> applications.  Case and point, my 75M dipole, length cut to formula, and
> coax fed shows a 1:1 SWR value at about 3950.  It covers some +/-50 KHz
> {3900 - 4000} either side of that frequency with a 1.5:1 SWR or less.  The
> radio and amp are very happy with this configuration and I typically don't
> use the tuner on this antenna for operation in the upper end of the band.
> Now should I decide to do some PSK-31 work down at the low end of the 75M
> band, I switch in the tuner, twiddle a couple of knobs and everything is
> happy and works.
>
> For feeding the balanced lines/antennas the Tentec 238 does a very nice job.
>
> Try it, you'll like it.
>
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
>