TopBand: Antenna

[Mike Michon]

I have 2 trees 90 feet tall spaced 180 feet apart.  It is time to put up an
antenna for the low bands.  Last year I used an off center fed zepp, about
220 feet long and fed 80 feet from one end up about 80 feet.  The antenna
consistently worked better with the ladder line feed tied together in the
shack,  with the tuner, on 160 meters for both short and long contactse. 
On 80 meters for Dx the vertical configuration was better.  For shorter
stuff on 80 the zepp was better.  So it was some kind of vertical antenna. 
I had 6 radials from 100 to 250 feet long as well as tin roofs of 2 barns
tied in to radials.

I am thinking of an inv. L or a T vertical, but I sure would like to be
able to use  the top part as a zepp or dipole.

 The question is, what was the ladder line tied together?  Was it 2
inverted L's??  And what will I loose doing this over putting up an 80 foot
vertical, or a T type vertical.  I plan on adding 12 more radials before
antenna erection.

Hope someone has some suggestions.  No amplifier, so my experience with the
antenna last year was with 100 watts, and it worked ok in the US/Caribbean.
 No beverage, so never heard EU last season.

The object is a good 160 meter ant., so if I have to give up using the top
of the antenna I will.

The ground here is good according to criteria in Low Band Dx Book.

Mike Michon
AB5XP
Prairieville, La
michon@eatel.net







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