Topband: FW: FCP adventures

[Charlie Young]

VE7XF writes: 
 



> Well, I finally got it up. The FCP is a little saggy on the three-legged
> side, (probably due to the weight of those snazzy 6" Johnson ceramic
> insulators that I've been hoarding for just such a project) and with a "T"
> vertical section - 55' up and a three wire S-shaped horizontal top about
> 55' tip-to-tip, suspended between two towers (I have no trees).
> I'm using the Balun Designs transformer.

..........................
 
> Any comments or suggestions from anyone, maybe from Mr. 'AV?

Ralph, I have had up an FCP under  an inverted L for two weeks now for evaluation.  Here we also have two other inverted L antennas over elevated radials  (2 radials with one and 3 radials with the other).  Unfortunately, I had to repair wind damage to the other antennas before comparison could begin.  This work was completed yesterday. 
 
I live on top of a rock cliff, with three feet of dirt above solid rock.  Due to space and driveway considerations, there is no room for a conventional ground radial system on top of my hill.  I have been forced to use compromised systems and until now the radials and antenna feedpoints  have been down over the steeply sloping hillside with the radiator sticking up above the hill.  The FCP is entirely above the hill.  
 
The first thing that was apparent when listening on the antennas was a significant directional effect, because the FCP L and the NE elevated radial L are within about 1/4 wavelength of each other.  To  do valid comparisons, I am going to need to disable each antenna when the other is active, perhaps by opening the antenna with a relay at the feedpoint.  Thus, I am not prepared to discuss relative performance differences between my compromise systems.  
 
I can say without any doubt the FCP L does work.  It appears to receive better to the west/NW than the other two antennas, one which favors the SW and one which favors the NE by placement on the sloping terrain.   I have made a few RBN tests, but without detuning the other antennas can't really say much other than it generates good RBN reports around stateside.  
 
This next comment is for the guy/gal who has limited space.  This may not be the only way to get on 160 in limited space, but it certainly works DX.  With experience one develops a feel for the relative difficulty of breaking pileups and working weak signals.  With my FCP antenna, I easily worked KH2/N2NL on 160 this AM, exchanging 559 reports.  Previously I worked RI1ANF in South Shetlands with one call and the terrain does not favor south for this antenna.   My friend K8RRT worked NH8S, RI1ANF and many EU stations this season with his FCP, which I helped commission.  If K8RRT can hear the DX, he can easily work it.   I have friends who can't work this kind of DX with their marginal systems, or if they do, it is very hard to complete a QSO.  From what I have seen so far, the FCP seems to work DX, in terms of difficulty, roughly on a par with  the compromise elevated radials systems I have been using.   Hopefully I will have the time this fall to try and quantify how the FCP compares with RBN tests.
 
Ralph, my feedpoint exhibits characteristics are similar to yours.  The transformer is also a Balun Designs unit, in fact the first one they built fo K2AV's design.  On an MFJ, my best SWR  is 1.6 with R=65 and X=30.  The radiator is 140' total length, about 10' longer than my other L's  to hit the CW DX portion of the band.  
 
 
73 Charlie (Chas) N8RR 
Charleston, WV