Topband: Antenna Questions

[Chortek, Robert L]

Bill WA4FKI Wrote:

>> My antenna space is quite restricted, only the back part of my lot is
useable, it is about 120 feet long and 60 feet deep. Can someone suggest
a good transmitting antenna...

Bill, I am sure you will get a lot of replies, with many different
options, but here is what I use:

I live on a 12,000 square foot urban lot in the middle of San Jose
California and use a 60 foot vertical made of telescoping aluminum from
Texas Towers. The plans for the vertical are in the Vertical Antenna
Classics Book from ARRL. Mine is base loaded (not the best choice by far
in terms of efficiency) with a coil made of 1/8 inch copper tubing about
8 inches in diameter. The coil itself has low loss, but the base loading
clearly reduces efficiency (top loading with sloping wires would be much
better but I can't swing it at my lot for various reasons).  I wired up
a switch box that adds/removes the base coil and two smaller coils so I
can use it on 30/75/80/160.  Since it is a full 1/4 wave on 75/80 it is
fantastic on that band.  I use about 10 or so elevated radials and have
managed to work 65 different DXCC countries on 160 in the last two years
from a noisy lot in San Jose, California. Not a great total to be sure,
but my point is only that you can work lots of DX on 160 with a 1/8 wave
vertical, even from a small lot in a poor location. If you can swing top
loading with sloping wires it will really perform well on 160, but even
based loaded, I have been having a great time on 160.

Good luck and have fun!

73,

Bob/AA6VB