Topband: HF2V and toploading

[kb5njd at netzero.com]

With all of the talk about the HF2V, I thought I would relate my experiences.  I have used mine on 160 for 2 years now with semi-decent results from here in North Texas.  I use 8 toploading wires, each 25 feet long and each somewhere between parallel to ground and 45 degrees.  I use almost 2 miles of radials(about 110, 100ft long radials) and yes, it is ground mounted.

As far as the top loading connection point is concerned, I would much rather connect at the very top, but the instructions explicitly state not to connect the wires any closer that 2 sections from the top which is roughly 6 feet.  The tubing is just too small and would not support the weight except for only the smallest wires.  I have considered re-engineering mine to make it taller AND allow for true "at the top" top loading.  These mods are still in the initial consideration phases.

I have found that my toploading shifts 40 meters resonance down to almost 5 Mhz, so I dont use mine on 40.  I have also found that I have to bypass better than half of the 80m coil to get a match on 80 and 2 or 3 turns on the 160 coil for a match there.

The stock base transformer coil wont work and I found that I had to wind my own... 100 turns, close spaced, on a 1 inch diameter piece of nylon stock worked for me and is a decent compromise for both bands..

This setup works fine on 80 and ok on 160.... My best 160 DX with the antenna was JA and G on the same day/night last fall.  That was with about 500 watts.

I realize that I have creeped off topic here, but with all the talk about the HF2V, I just wanted to give my experiences.  Like Brett said in his email, it really isnt even an over-glorified rubber duck on 160, but it can work *ok*(by my standards) with a few mods.

73,

John KB5NJD