Topband: Topband Tower Antenna With Two meter Vertical

Wayne Rogers n1wr at chesapeake.net
Sun Apr 15 08:49:22 PDT 2012


Maybe a bit off topic, but I'm hoping someone can give me some insight.

I use my 90' tower as a vertical on topband.  It's base is grounded, and I feed it with a gamma match.  Works great.  OK so far.  

I want to put a two meter vertical on the tower which will be used for ARES (packet, continuous 24/7 connected up to the two meter radio.

My concern is protecting the two meter radio when I'm transmitting 1500 watts into the tower on 160 meters.  Would like to hear from anyone who is doing this - will a simple high pass filter at the input to the two meter radio suffice to protect the radio from 160 meter RF?  

Also - on the antenna installation.  Typically the two meter vertical's outer conductor will be grounded to the tower at the base of the two meter antenna.  I could also keep the two meter antenna insulted from the tower for its entire length up to the lightning protector just before it enters the house.  What's the recommended practice?  Ideas?

Thanks, Wayne N1WR  (160 op and also AEC Calvert Co. MD)


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