Topband: New TX antenna for 80 and 160?

[Buck wh7dx]

Hello,

Your location sounds similar to mine.   I'm on a hill about 200 ft up and about 100-150 yards from ocean.   

I figured I'd throw yet another dipole over the tallest tree behind me.   It's only about 30ft off the ground at the center - right next to the 40 and 80M...   The 160M ends are about 8 ft and 15 ft....

I wasn't sure how the TX would work?  Concerned at first.  My 80M works well.. so I figured - give it a try.   Dipole is cheap.  Sling-Shot.. Wire.. done... 

Turns out - with about 600W it works with grey line or without.   Reached East Coast, Russia, Chile, Caribbean etc.. on 160M.   5000-8000 miles so far.

The problem for me was RX.   I put up a 600ft beverage a few feet off the ground going east and it picks up signals I can't hear on other Radio...  Probably S5 improvement?   You don't NEED the beverage - but it helps big time.

For me, it appears my signal was traveling further than my RX before..   call that "barking dog" or something...  

I use my TS-570 for TX with Dipole and Yaesu 897 with Beverage and use the Array Solutions RF Limiter to protect - keeps it around +40-60db max - not burying the needle.   The beverage is also right next to low dipole for 160ft of the run.  Doesn't seem to matter.  I like have the two radios working the same time and playing with the volume etc.. :-)

I would certainly try the Dipole first.   Your location might be the equivalent of a 150ft tower on flat land not near the ocean.

I figured, if my dipole didn't work.. I'd try the Cushcraft MA160V - good reviews.. low height - not that visible compared to tower - (I can't build a tower).   I don't think I need it though.

Last night I had a quick QSO with N7DD on LSB and he was 59 and I was 57 (3000 miles).   I could hear his contact in Mexico but he couldn't hear me.  We were both using beverages.. very clear.

That was my first real 160M on phone (Told Larry that.. thank you!!).   160 is pretty much all CW... and my Beverage is only a month old if that.  

Have fun..  I'd start cheap and go from there.   Maybe look into chicken wire to help with the ground.   Throw it around the base and just throw a bunch of long wire around where you can.   Water it!  :-))


I posted this on Low Dipole 160M.   Great article.

http://lists.contesting.com/pipermail/topband/2012-November/039732.html


Bryan
WH7DX


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