[TenTec] OCF antennas evolution

[Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP]

Sounds to me like he was sampling the Napa Valley Produce and just dreamed
all of that up.

On the other hand, if anyone can do that, then it would be Tom!

73
Rick, DJ0IP


-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of k6jek
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 7:08 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OCF antennas evolution

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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> 
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