Topband: Using the K2AV folded counterpoise at VK6VZ

[Bill Cromwell]

On Thu, 2012-08-30 at 12:55 -0400, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:
> Short Version:
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> 
> 2) Let's go visit some small lots.
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> 
> Long version:
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> I think there is a lot about "restricted circumstances" that some either
> don't understand or find hard to identify with.  Your experience is

Right On!

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> 
> Talking of one typical FCP user in Texas, if he extends the FCP wires to
> 1/4 wave either side, on the west he'd have to negotiate with his next TWO
> neighbors to run wire across both back yards.  And as he's on a corner
> boundary lot, the east wire would be across the subdivision boundary
> street, across the boundary park strip, over the fence and into the
> southbound right driving lane of a limited access parkway.  At my place I
> could put up the north extension, but the south extension would be out in
> the service road right of way for US 64 Highway.   Try negotiating
> something with NCDOT.
> 
> To illustrate matters of scale, in the Texas subdivision that I mentioned
> above, according to Google Earth, clearing property for the FCC 430 foot
> diameter circle would require demolishing 23 houses, give or take a couple
> properties.  See  29.58672   -98.52185   Count them yourself.  Reducing
> that to 1/4 wave radials and a 250 foot circle reduces the carnage to a
> mere 14 properties, give or take.   There are places with even higher
> densities, particularly in Europe and Japan.  See the mental disconnect yet?

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> 73, Guy.
> 
> ** http://www.w0uce.net/K2AVantennas.html

Lucky me there is no "HOA" where I live. Mention HOA and everybody says
"huh? No way". I am about 4000 feet from the nearest runway but that is
for small aircraft and the 4000 feet is from my home to the *side* of
runway. The tallest tree on my place is about 40 feet high and I don't
want to go very much past that due to that runway AND to just keep a low
profile.

I can actually work a few stations in North America during contests like
the Stew Perry with my "almost dummy load" antenna. I have very faintly
heard some DX stations too far down in the noise for me to pull them
out. I know they were DX because I could the North American stations
working them.

I retreat to 80 and 40 meters a lot but I am not giving up on 160. I see
160 as the band where I can make the most improvements so that is what I
intend to do. From my postage stamp lot I do NOT expect to be a big gun
- EVER. I am going to start with a K9AY antenna for receive first (I'm
rounding up the materials). If I can actually *hear* the DX then I'll
see what I can do to add the FCP to my TX antenna. If the FCP is a waste
of time as some suggest I will only have lost some time and can reuse
all the materials in other projects. In ant case I can already work some
stations. <heresy> Right now I don't care about working exclusively DX.
Any QSOs at all will do. </heresy> Maybe later I will be more interested
in a paper chase.

73,

Bill  KU8H