Topband: 160M inverted L -- my experience to date

[Paul B. Peters]

I have been reading with interest the comments about inverted L antennas for
160m over the past weeks. 
 
A couple of years ago I built my Inverted L for 160m and it appears to work
well from this location. My antenna is suspended on a rope catenary line
between two 140 foot fir trees that are 90 feet a part on my N x S property
line. 
 
The antenna has a 107 foot vertical section and the remaining 24 feet is
horizontal. So it has a fairly large vertical component when compared to it
overall length. I have 2 raised and 14 ground radials that are 136' in
length but given this antenna is literally on my east property line, I only
have radials on the west half of the antenna -- looking at it in plan view.
I have an 8' ground rod that is bonded to the same point as my radials. The
antenna is fed directly with RG-213.  
 
The two raised radials were the first experiment with the antenna and I
never bothered to remove them when I started to add ground radials. I have a
480' beverage for rx and the combination of the two antennas has produced
many EU contacts from the alleged black hole of propagation here is the
Pacific Northwest (aka VE7-land). 
 
If you want to see the SWR plot and some detail photos it's all posted here:
http://www.bcdxc.org/ve7bz_160m_inverted_L_antenna.htm


73 de Paul, VE7BZ