[TenTec] OCF antennas evolution

[k6jek]

Yes, Tom Schiller, N6BT, founder of Force 12, ran DX using a light bulb followed by a common mode choke so he wasn't cheating using the feed line as the antenna. I believe he later ran a phased array of light bulbs and tested the efficacy of different lightbulbs.

I think he must have had sunspots in his favor.

Jon

PS: The length of a the feed line will matter a lot on how well the tuna does with the 260 doublet.

On Jul 11, 2013, at 9:06 AM, Mike Bryce wrote:

> Gang,
> 
> I'll have to jump in here, too.
> 
> I remember reading in one of the antenna books that some guy, to prove a point, worked DXCC using a light bulb as an antenna. 
> 
> But...
> 
> Several years ago I homebrewed a OCF dipole with a 4:1 balun and stuck it up a tree. I've had nothing be outstanding results without a tuner. I won't cover 30 meters, but what the hey.
> 
> There is currently a large antenna/tower project in the final stages at this qth. One of the antennas I plan on installing is a 260 foot doublet feed with 600 ohm open line feeders
> 
> Now, I wonder how much of a problem my 238 tuner will have with the 600 ohm line instead of the 400 ohm the tuner had been designed for?
> 
> 
> Mike Bryce, WB8VGE
> the heathkit shop
> SunLight energy systems
> J e e p
> o|||||||o
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Jul 11, 2013, at 11:29 AM, Carter wrote:
> 
>> On 7/10/2013 11:33 PM, Michael Tortorella wrote:
>> 
>>> I feel compelled to weigh in here....back in the late '70s I used an
>>> OCFD design from Ham Radio magazine which was pretty straightforward.
>>> It was 135' long, fed with 44' of 300-ohm open wire to a 4:1 balun
>>> and then a run of RG-11 into the shack. It was superb. Never had any
>>> stray current problems. Worked about 150 countries using a Johnson
>>> Navigator, 40 watts input. Would like to reproduce that next time
>>> out. Don't pooh-pooh the OCFD design, be careful and it works well.
>>> 73 Mike W2IY
>> 
>> I smile when I see everybody describing their favorite wire antenna, so let me jump in with my comments (asbestos suit on). <grin>
>> 
>> Mike, not to deny your success nor picking on you or anyone else describing their favorite wire antenna...but with ANY antenna, the RF has to go somewhere.
>> 
>> I'm using a dipole about 130 feet long and maybe 25 feet off the ground fed entirely with ladder line (and a Johnson Matchbox) and worked a LOT of DX  including Indonesia on 80, the VK0IR dxpedition and even North Korea on RTTY with that antenna.
>> 
>> Heck, Kurt N. Sterba wrote in 'World Radio' magazine that he used a SHOPPING CART as an antenna during a DX contest and worked 17 countries! Again, the RF has gotta go somewhere.
>> 
>> Bottom line: DX performance seems more attributable to the Propagation gods rather than what flavor of wire antenna is being used.
>> 
>> 73,
>> Carter   K8VT
>> 
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