Topband: Greetings - list newcomer

[James C. Hall, MD]

Hello Topbanders:

I'm new to the list and am interested in improving my antenna situation 
here.  I've merely dinked around with this band until I decided to get 
into the CQ 160 contest last year - and I managed a respectable score.  
I had to rearrange my sleep hours on that one - hi hi.  Anyway, I lack 
AK for 160WAS.  My antenna is a long Carolina Windom by Radio Works.  
I've been slowly collecting parts for shunt feeding my 72' crank up 
tower - I acquired two Russian made vacuum variable capacitors rated at 
10 kV, one 1000 pf and the other 500 pf. I have also acquired a 600 pf 
air variable 5 kV capacitor.  I have W1WCR's book on Beverage antennas 
and have read "DX'ing on the Edge".  So my excitement level is 
increasing ! hi hi (But, nuts ... can't hear any of the good calls on 
the spots tonight)

I hope to use a heavy duty 'tough' rubber box to house the matching 
capacitors.  I have never dealt with vacuum variable caps and have no 
clue how to mount them.  I would love to motorize the control but I 
will start with manual adjustment.  Using 1/4" plexiglass and plywood 
or 2 x 4's, I'm planning on making a mounting shelf in the box.  I 
haven't put out a beverage antenna yet - but I do have the terminating 
resistor.  I would like to have a bi-directional beverage but have 
never dealt with relay boxes, etc.

Would some one point to websites or other ABC information areas that 
would walk me through these things ? What I need is an Elmer !  hi hi  
I'm sure I will have a million questions ... I'll also review the 
archives to this list.

73, Jamie
WB4YDL