[TenTec] (was The Next Flagship) now fan dipole

Sun May 25 12:46:59 EDT 2014

Bob,

We didn't think about using ladder line, but that is a good idea.  Another possibility would be those "Ladder Snap" spreaders you can buy for home-brew 600 ohm ladder line.  I may have to experiment with one some time soon.

73 - Eric
W9WLW

Sent from my iPad

> On May 24, 2014, at 6:58 PM, "Bob McGraw - K4TAX" <RMcGraw at Blomand.net> wrote:
> 
> I built mine using some 450 ohm window line, the vinyl covered material. Just make it the length for the lowest frequency, 130 ft for 80M and put a center insulator.  Then for one conductor cut it for the lowest frequency for 40M being about 65 ft.  Yes, the velocity factor does have a wee bit of influence.  At the end of the 40M section cut about 6"  of the conductor out leaving the rest for the full length.  Then cut about 6" to 12" off of the same conductor at the end for attaching the end insulator.   In my case I use the special designed insulator suited for clamping the flat vinyl line at the center and the ends.  Leaving the wire in place makes it a wee bit stronger.  In the air it looks like a folded dipole made from window line.
> 
> It can be fed in the center with balanced feed of your choice or with a 1:1 current balun and very low loss coax.
> 
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "R. Eric Sluder - W9WLW" <resluder at yahoo.com>
> To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>; "Bob McGraw - K4TAX" <RMcGraw at Blomand.net>
> Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2014 4:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] The Next Flagship
> 
> 
> KK9V and I came in 1st place for the VE5 section on Field Day back in the very early 90's using that exact antenna Bob.  We operated from a tent with the fan dipole high up in the trees located in Moose Jaw provincial park. What a great time.
> 
> Its a good antenna config, but the wires are seldom straight and it ain't pretty to a non-ham. :-(  I tried to install that same antenna about 3 years later at the QTH and the XYL wasn't keen on its looks.
> 
> Eric
> W9WLW
> 
> On May 24, 2014 4:55:06 PM EDT, Bob McGraw - K4TAX <RMcGraw at Blomand.net> wrote:
> |In practice, a 2 wire dipole works 5 bands.  Cut for 80M, harmonically
> |works
> |on 20M and 10M.  Then add the second wire fed parallel being cut for
> |40M
> |works harmonically on 15M.
> |
> |A better choice, space permitting, cut for 160M will work 40M and 15M
> |and
> |the 2nd wire cut for 80M will work for 20M and 10M.  Here we have 2
> |wires/dipoles fed parallel that work 6 bands.
> |
> |
> |In both cases it is better to cut to the low end of the band and let
> |the
> |tuner make the radio happy.
> |
> |73
> |Bob, K4TAX
> |
> |
> |
> |
> |----- Original Message ----- |From: "Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP" <Rick at DJ0IP.de>
> |To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec at contesting.com>
> |Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 3:57 PM
> |Subject: Re: [TenTec] The Next Flagship
> |
> |
> |> Jim, I can't agree.  Sorry.
> |> You are not on the same page as I am.
> |> You push a resonant antenna, but that's a monoband antenna.
> |> You sell the "all band dipole" much too short.
> |>
> |> YES you are correct about its many nulls on the high bands.  They are
> |> definitely not as bad as you make it out to be.
> |> I've seen your current and past QTH (in Chicago).
> |> You are a lucky man.  Compliments for making best use of the space
> |> available
> |> for an antenna farm - especially in Chicago!
> |>
> |> Many people, possibly most, can have just one single antenna at their
> |QTH.
> |> They will never have what you have or have had in the past.
> |> Many use the non-resonant or openwire fed dipole - the one you say is
> |not
> |> a
> |> good antenna.
> |>
> |> You do it a big injustice to say it is a bad antenna.
> |> Many experts,  including W1ICP (Lew McCoy) and W4RNL (L.B. Cebik)
> |have
> |> said
> |> "if I could only have just one antenna, it would be the openwire fed
> |> dipole."
> |>
> |> My own experience: go to CQWW DX Contest,  "All Time Records" (CW).
> |> Do a search on "DJ0IP".
> |> I'm on the list as an all time record holder (high power assisted) in
> |one
> |> European country, set using this antenna that you claim does not
> |work.  My
> |> record has stood for over 20 years.  You don't set records with
> |antennas
> |> which do not work.
> |>
> |> So yes, there are lots of better mono-band antennas, but I don't know
> |of
> |> any
> |> multiband antenna that works better.
> |> If you do, PLEASE share it with us.  I will gladly be proven wrong in
> |this
> |> case! (hi)
> |>
> |> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> |> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
> |>
> |>
> |> -----Original Message-----
> |> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim
> |Brown
> |> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 6:45 PM
> |> To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'
> |> Subject: Re: [TenTec] The Next Flagship
> |>
> |> On 5/23/2014 3:06 AM, Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP wrote:
> |>> I agree with all of that, but you leave one point out.  "Openwire."
> |>> As you well know, the impedance of an openwire dipole varies from
> |band
> |>> to band and can be all over the map, up to a couple thousand Ohms.
> |>
> |> Rick,
> |>
> |> I didn't leave it out at all -- it's one of the non-resonant antennas
> |I
> |> talked about. This is a lousy antenna, a bad idea. Yes, the Handbook
> |says
> |> it
> |> "works" on all bands. So does a light bulb. That "all band"
> |> dipole has a pattern that varies widely from band to band, with deep
> |nulls
> |> in some directions where there are stations you would like to work.
> |>
> |> The place for antenna match boxes is to make a dipole cut for 80CW
> |work on
> |> the phone band, to load a random long wire that ends in the shack, to
> |> correct for a dipole that isn't quite the right length.
> |>
> |> I'm a big fan of fan dipoles, which are easy to build, which work
> |really
> |> well, and which have very predictable patterns. If you have room for
> |a 20M
> |> dipole, you can hang a 20/15/10 fan. Barry at Hypower Antenna Company
> |
> |> sells
> |> very nice loaded dipoles that also cover 30 and 40 and can fit 80M
> |into
> |> about 100 ft. That was my low band antenna in Chicago. He makes a
> |version
> |> for 160 and 80 with a fan element for 40 that also works very well on
> |30M.
> |>
> |> 73, Jim K9YC
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> -- 
> Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
> 
> 
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