[TenTec] Antenna help

Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP Rick at DJ0IP.de
Mon Dec 29 18:02:48 EST 2014 

Scott,

If you need any assistance in placing an order with DX-wire, let me know.
I have a business relationship with that company:  it is my biggest
competitor here in Germany! (hi)
But the owner and I are in the same contest club so we're friendly
competitors.
I buy lots of stuff from him that we don't sell.
Peter (the owner) speaks good English.

Contrary to a lot of what you read, snow and ice build-up does not have a
huge impact on performance, it just changes the velocity factor of the
window line and requires you to re-tune your matchbox.  After that it will
work fine - until the snow thaws and you must retune again.

In contests, re-tuning matchboxes due to changing wx is something I try to
avoid.  Therefore I take the time to build my own feedline for home use.
But for portable, it's just so much easier working with the window line.  

73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt am Main)


-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Scott
Harwood
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2014 11:51 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Antenna help


Rick:

Thanks for the info on the open wire spreaders.  My supplier of 600 ohm
parallel line recently passed away and his company has been shut down. I'll
try your www.dx-wire.de site.  The spreaders look very nice.  I totally
concur with your comments on the 450 ohm (or even 300 ohm) twinlead line.
I've found that rain, snow, ice, etc. affect that type of plastic coated
line much more than the 600 ohm line.

73

Scott K4VWK

-----Original Message-----
>From: Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP <Rick at DJ0IP.de>
>Sent: Dec 29, 2014 4:52 PM
>To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec at contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Antenna help
>
>Curron,
>
>As with all similar questions, you will need to give us more 
>information before we answer.
>
>Jim's answer might be right but it might not be.
>It all depends on several factors.
>
>Up front, my opinion of this antenna is, if I could have just one 
>antenna for the rest of my life, this is exactly the antenna I would 
>choose.  IMO, no other antenna covers so many bands in so many 
>directions as well as this antenna.
>
>Scott's article is excellent.  I strongly recommend you download and 
>read it.  Pay particular attention to what he says about antenna 
>tuners.  There is a lot of mis-information floating around about how to 
>match openwire fed antennas.  Without a doubt, a symmetrical tuner is 
>by far the best way to go.
>If you are going to run more than a couple hundred watts, it's the only 
>way to go.
>Otherwise you may find yourself up to your antlers in common-mode-current.
>
>If you use an asymmetrical tuner, it is much better to use a 1:1 balun 
>than a 4:1 balun - even if you have to play with feedline lengths.  
>This assumes you have a fairly decent ATU.  Most auto-tuners won't work
here.
>
>If you must use an asymmetrical tuner and want to run high power AND 
>your matchbox won't get by without a 4:1 balun, then you must insert a 
>1:1 Guanella between the matchbox and the 4:1 balun.  Otherwise you may 
>find yourself up to your antlers in CMC.
>
>450 Ohm windowline (i.e. Wireman) will work and is what I usually use 
>for portable work, but for home use it is better to build your own
openwire.
>Use spreaders that snap in place; something like this: 
> http://www.73cnc.com/product_p/ls250.htm
>
>My favorite (by far) are here:
>http://www.dx-wire.de/lng/en/huehnerleiter-spreizer/?language=en
>They come in 4 different widths.  He will ship to stateside.
>
>I have seen a couple other similar products in the states.
>Don't fool with spreaders where you must thread the wires through the
holes.
>You'll end up as crazy as me.
>
>Curron, here are some questions:
>
>>> What bands do you intend to work with this antenna?  (list them all,
>don't just say other bands)
>>> Will this be your only antenna?  If not, list the others you have or 
>>> plan
>to have.
>>> When working 80m with this antenna, is your main interest DX?  Or do 
>>> you
>wish to rag chew all around the states?
>>> Which antenna tuner were you planning on using (make and model) How 
>>> much power will you be running.
>
>Again, if at all possible, you should use a symmetrical matchbox.  
>There aren't a lot of these on the market.
>I have compiled a fairly comprehensive list on my web, divided into low 
>power and high power matchboxes.
>> www.dj0ip.de/antenna-matchboxes/symmetrical-matchboxes/low-power-atu-
>> s/ 
>> www.dj0ip.de/antenna-matchboxes/symmetrical-matchboxes/high-power-atu
>> -s/
>
>If you can find an old Johnson Viking Matchbox (either the 275w or 
>Kilowatt version), I strongly recommend installing the modification I 
>show on my web
>site:
>www.dj0ip.de/antenna-matchboxes/symmetrical-matchboxes/j-viking-upgrade
>/ This will significantly improve its matching range and provide a 
>better match on several bands.
>
>In summary, if you are looking for an @ss-kicking DX antenna for 80, as 
>Jim said, there are better antennas.
>But if you're looking for a good performing omni-directional antenna on 
>80 that will also work well on all other bands, this one is perfect for 
>the job.
>
>73 - Rick, DJ0IP
>(Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Curron
>Sent: Monday, December 29, 2014 7:51 PM
>To: tentec at contesting.com
>Subject: [TenTec] Antenna help
>
>
>
>Need some help folks... 
>
>I would like to get some input on building an 80 meter sky loop antenna 
>that I will use on 80 and other bands with an antenna tuner. I have 
>some nice tall pine trees to run the corners to and I plan on joining 
>the loop to the house with 450 ohm ladder line. Just under the edge of 
>the house I will install a balun and bring it into the house with low 
>loss coax. Please make any comments or offer any advice you can. I am 
>hoping to learn from your experiences. Some questions I have are:
>
>- What kind of wire should I use for the loop antenna
>
>- What type of rope that will hold up to the UV and time (so much just 
>falls apart these days)
>
>- What balun, 4:1, 1:1 ?
>
>- Is 450 ohm feed ladder line the best to use? This part will be about 
>80 feet long. Will this length be a problem?
>
>- Has anyone ever had any issues using
>delrin for the insulators? Is there a better?
>
>- I am thinking about placing a screen door spring on each corner to 
>allow the trees to sway in the wind. anyone ever tried that. Or should 
>I just counter weight to opposing corners of the loop?
>
>- How's the best way to protect this
>setup from lightning?
>
>Thanks in advance for any help!
>
> 
>
>73
>
>Don kb3drw
>
> 		 	   		  
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