Topband: ~ 1/4 wave 160 doublet

[Graham Mercer - GM4BES]

Hello Jim!


At 03:08 PM 20/10/2003 -1000, you wrote:
KH7M wrote:

>Longest wire I can get up here is my 80/40 meter
>W7FG doublet about 125 feet long;  center fed via
>600 ohm ladder line.  So,  it is about 1/4 wave on
>160 metes.
>
>Using my tuner,  with extra capacity
>switched in at the output capacitor to yield about
>450 pf at the output,  I can reach an indicated
>vswr of about 1.7:1.
>
>However,  it seems to me that feeding a 1/4 wave
>antenna at the center is not the right thing to do!


Well, I've also only been able to erect a simple wire doublet from my QTH.
At first, I was relatively lucky, in that, I had the use of a 125 tower
across the road from my house, to which I eventually [i.e. after almost 25
years of persuasion!] got agreement to run a continuous halyard from an
outrigger at the top of the mast. This gave me the opportunity to run a
sloping full length doublet, o/w feed point at about 50ft, and managed some
good DX on 160, and ALL bands, with just 250w.[This lasted only 4 years,
before my ex-employer (British Telecom) felled the tower!

I lost that facility about 2.5 years ago, and now, JUST like yourself, I've
come down to [near] earth with a BUMP, or so it seems!.

I'm now restricted to an inverted-vee doublet, also cut for 80m, 35ft high
at centre point & o/w feeders, and ends at about 15ft. I have still managed
to get 569 from VK6HD on 160m [this from  SW GM-land], within days of
erecting this antenna. This was no doubt due to Mike's exceptional set of
ears! However, don't despair [ although I've been in this state since losing
my old ant! ]... Things can still happen! .. Hang in there, and if you can
add wire, as suggested by Steve/VK6VZ, then DO it!! [ I worked 2 ZLs on SSB
on 160m from GM with a sloping doublet that had extra wire doubled back
below the top of each leg- 100ft each leg!& 100w ]

Basically, when you are desperate ... [and with a degree of assistance from
prevailing prop. condx) ... You CAN do it!

Stick with it  -  and good luck!

73 to all on the reflector


Graham / GM4BES
Ex[at least for now] 160m Little Pistol!!