Topband: building an INV L...

[Roy Koeppe]

Concerning:

"I've been reading that a 0.25wl isn't necessarily the best length for a
160M inverted-L ... that it's better to make it somewhat longer.  What
is the best length, and why?"


A quarter wave is the most satisfactory (no coincidence that AM BC
stations use it).  Longer pushes the current up out of the vertical
portion of the element. Shorter lowers the radiation resistance,
increasing ground losses. I'd put the radials on the ground and use a
self-resonant quarter wave element.

73,    Roy     K6XK/0