Topband: Short Vertical Loading Advise

[Gerry Hohn]

I'm using a modified HF2V vertical on 160. I've extended it to 36' and added a loading coil at about 24'. The base loading is the stock Butternut coil/capacitors with several turns shorted out. This year I've added 3 25' sloping loading wires (about 45 degrees) attached at about 22'. I have about 40 30' buried radials and average or better ground conditions.

What I was wondering about is the cancellation effect of these loading wires vs the benefit. Adding these wires has broadened the bandwidth considerably and I've been able to work some DX, usually if I can hear it I can work it if the pileup isn't big.

Any thought would be appreciated.

Gerry VE6LB/VA6XDX
DXCC Field Checker-Southern Alberta
VE/VA6 QSL Bureau Team
(403) 251-0384
ve6lb at telus.net
http://www.qsl.net/ve6lb/