Topband: Antenna on small lot

[Bob Tellefsen]

Hello Hal
I'm on the edge of San Francisco Bay, way over on the left edge of things.
The antenna here is a 50-ft top-loaded wire vertical.  The top loading is
a homebrew airwound coil and 5 30-ft top loading wires.  My back yard is
way too small for a ground radial system, so I went overhead with a
counterpoise system.  I have 21 wires, 3 ft apart, stretching from the top
of my back fence to the back edge of the house roof, then laying on the
roof to the front of the house.
It works really well, considering I only run 5w here with a K2.  I'm one
state (RI) away from completing QRP WAS on 160m.  Plus I enjoy working all
the top band cw contests.
A good receiving antenna will make a big difference too.  I'm using a Flag
receiving loop here, with a homebrew preamp.
Hope you will jump in and join the fun.  See you in the contests.
73, Bob N6WG