Topband: A Compacted "T" Configuration

[charles Lewis]

I have twice used an uncommon method to shoehorn a "T" with a very short vertical run into a space with short spacing between the available supports.  I have had respectable results both times.  I

In both cases, the most vertical run I could obtain was about 35'.  I created what I call a "folded T", using spreaders at the ends and center to support and stabilize parallel runs of horizontal wires.  

In the present instance, at KY4P, my support trees allow only a 70' span between the spreaders.  I have three wires about that length stretched a few inches apart between the end spreaders.  The vertical wire is attached to the center of the middle horizontal wire.  At each end of the middle wire, there is a jumper to a different one of the outer wires.   To clarify, the pattern these connections at the flattop make is like an extremely squashed "S."  This gives a length of wire from the center connection of the flattop to either end of its folded wire circuit of a little over 105'.  That added to the vertical run is about 140'.   The folding of the flattop seems to have the property of reducing the effective length a bit, as this antenna is resonant around 1920 kHz, significantly higher than one would expect for a length of 140'.  With this new little antenna (with to date just 16 radials about 65' long) I have received good signal reports
 in the past couple of weeks from England and Slovenia.

At S92SS, back in the mid-'90's, I used a "folded T" compressed into even less space.  I had five wires in the flattop to achieve resonance with an even shorter flattop span.  I lived in a house in the town of Sao Tome with a very small, mostly paved lot, so I also had to use elevated radials.  The space was so small that the elevated wires were only 55' long, and only one of those even ran in a straight line.  I tied the elevated radials together and brought them to resonance in common with a single coil.  With this antenna and only about 400 watts, I was able to do fairly well.  Among its feats was what the JA's informed me was the first ever 160 meters QSO between Sao Tome and Japan.

I enjoy the retro look of these antennas.  They look like something from the earliest days of amateur radio.

Even if the solution is not optimum, where there's a will there is usually a way to get on Top Band.


73,
Charles Lewis - KY4P

(ex - A22AA, S92SS, SV0LM, S9SS)

http//picasaweb.google.com/s9ss160m