Topband: Half or Quarter Wave??

[k8gg at voyager.net]

Hi Paul and fellow Topbanders,

The answer IMHO is leave it at
1/4 wavelength.  Adding wire to a 1/2 wl antenna will make a Hi-Z
point at the feed point which your tuner could have problems
matching.  Also you will have more horizontal energy which is fine
for "Near Vertical" communications, but not for DXing where you
want as much of the signal as possible in the vertical wire. 
Similarly a 3/8 wl inverted-L will also warm more clouds than DX
receivers.

As to ground or elevated radials, I agree with one
other reply stating that additional radials from the feedpoint across, not
around, your lot should reduce ground losses and increase transmitted
signal strength.

73 & GL

George  K8GG




> New to the list and new to 160M. I have a
1/4 wave Inverted L that I have 
> finally got the bugs out of and
it seems to be working fine. Vertical leg 
> is 45' and horizontal
run is 86' for a total length of 131'. Have a LDG 
>
Z11Pro auto tuner at base of pine tree that vertical leg runs up. 4:1 
> balun at base of vertical feeding RG-213 coax to shack. I have a
250', 
> three strand Deer fence around the lot that I am using
all three strands 
>  as my radial system. 
> 
> 
> --- Question is should I leave well enough alone or
would I get better 
> results on 160M by extending the horizontal
leg, to 
> 1/2 wavelength length?? 
> 
>
73 and Tnx 
> Paul 
>
_______________________________________________ 
> UR RST IS ...
... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK 
>