[TenTec] Open wire line

Thu Feb 14 06:32:39 EST 2013

I use 600 ohm parallel line from a horizontal loop all the way into the shack to a balance tuner.  A few weeks ago some guys doing work in the yard used plastic cable ties and attached the line to my coax cables in several places plus the metal downspouts on the house.  The line looked like some kind of multiple folded dipole!  I used it that way with little difference in signal reports or tuner setting until I took a walk in the yard one day and saw the line.  Go figure!

Scott K4VWK

-----Original Message-----
>From: Bry Carling <bcarling at cfl.rr.com>
>Sent: Feb 13, 2013 3:31 PM
>To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Open wire line
>
>I worked a guy the other day who was using 300 ohm TV twinlead as a transmitting 
>feedline to a 70 foot long dipole. The feedline was buried underground,
>and it was also running up taoed to a metal mast to the center of the dipole.
>All kinds of things that break the "rules of ladderline and hamdom."
>
>I was astonished at what a great signal this guy had!
>As Chuck Berry sang: "It goes to show you never can tell."
>
>YMMV
>73 de AF4K - Bry
>Sanford, FL
>
>On 12 Feb 2013 at 17:14, Edward Feustel wrote:
>
>> I have used the open wire and open wire antennas that TrueLadderLine
>> supplies. Formerly it was distributed by W7FY. The antenna is
>> supported 
>> by trees at each end.  A rope attached to one end of the antenna
>> goes 
>> over the tree.  A rope over the other tree is attached to a pulley.
>> A 
>> rope attached to the antenna goes through the pulley goes to a hefty
>> counter weight.
>> 
>> I found that the open wire line worked well, but my 210 foot doublet
>> that they had supplied kept breaking at the center insulator. The
>> strain 
>> relief simply was not enough for my doublet and the 125 foot of
>> Dacron 
>> line used to hold the antenna up.
>> 
>> I replaced the horizontal wire with number 10 copperweld and the
>> center 
>> insulator with a ceramic one. A 30 pound plastic canister of cat
>> litter 
>> serves as a counter weight but it is not really heavy enough.
>> 
>> Since I replaced the horizontal parts, I have not had any problems
>> with 
>> winds or ice.
>> 
>> Ed, N5EI
>> 
>> On 2/11/2013 1:16 PM, Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP wrote:
>> > Well I think the "true ladderline" looks pretty big and bulky and
>> ugly and
>> > subject to catching too much wind.
>> >
>> > It's very easy to build your own ladderline if you have the right
>> spreaders.
>> > IMO, the very best there is, and nothing else come even close:
>> > http://www.hfparts.com/eng/products.php
>> >   
>> > You can see where I used the smallest ones in the pictures of my
>> shack in
>> > OKC, here: http://www.dj0ip.de/my-station/oklahoma-2010/
>> > Using the small set as I used here, you get about 450 Ohms.
>> > Longer spreaders can give you 600 Ohms or even more.
>> > Take your pick. They come in several sizes.
>> >
>> > Outside the shack I spaced the spreaders about 1 ft. apart.
>> > Inside the shack I spaced them about 6" apart.
>> >
>> > Although they slip right onto the wires quite easily, they don't
>> slip off.
>> >
>> > Unfortunately I don't think they have a US distributor.
>> > You'll have to order from Germany.
>> >
>> > 73
>> > Rick, DJ0IP
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
>> Andrew
>> > Flessner
>> > Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 7:50 PM
>> > To: tentec at contesting.com
>> > Subject: [TenTec] Open wire line
>> >
>> > When I considered what I could build for a single multiband
>> antenna that
>> > would fit on the apartment roof and reading as many sources of
>> info I could,
>> > including Maxwell, W2DU, I made a 132' doublet fed with 450 ladder
>> line. I
>> > later changed it to open wire with 4" spacing. It works very well
>> on 80-6
>> > meters, tuned with my 238 tuner. I do use a Balun Designs 4:1
>> "tuner balun"
>> > just outside the house with 10 ft of RG-213.
>> >
>> > Here are 3 sources for open wire line, there may be others.  I
>> built the
>> > first because I had most of the parts.
>> >   
>> >   I think the True Ladder Line product probably makes the most
>> sense based on
>> > price/effort, etc.
>> >    
>> >   Andy K9ARM
>> >    
>> >   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKGB6qkXs
>> >    
>> >   http://www.trueladderline.com/
>> >   
>> > http://www.73cnc.com/product_p/ls100.htm
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > TenTec mailing list
>> > TenTec at contesting.com
>> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>> >
>> >
>> 
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>> 
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>
>
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