Topband: 80 Meter Inverted L / FCP

[Jim Bennett]

If anyone in this group is not yet on 160 because of limited space, or you are using a crummy antenna on 80 meters, I want to share with you my recent experience using an Inverted L and the K2AV FCP (Folded CounterPoise).

For the past few months I've been participating in the 40 and 80 meter "Fox Hunt": Tuesdays are 40 meter hunts, Thursdays are 80 meter hunts. Each "hunt" has two QRP Foxes calling "CQ Fox" in a 20 KHz segment of the band. The "hounds" try to QSO the Fox, using 5 watts or less. The Fox duty is rotated among several stations around the US. This past week had one of the Foxes located in New Hampshire. For me, this was great, as I'm trying to get 5BWAS and I need NH on 80 meters. Wasn't too optimistic that I'd be able to work this NH Fox cross-country with 5 watts on 80 meters, but I gave it the old college try. Darned if I didn't get him AND have him mention that I had a very strong signal! Not only that, it appears that I was the only hound on the west coast to bag him.

OK - the reason I'm posting this is that my antenna is pretty simple. I live in an area that prohibits outdoor antennas, so my wires are pretty darn stealthy. My 80 meter antenna is an Inverted L - 40 feet up along the trunk of a redwood tree and about 21 feet or so horizontal. NO radials - I'm using an FCP mounted about five feet off the ground.

If you are thinking about building an 80 or 160 meter antenna and have very limited real estate for radials, consider the Inverted L and FCP - it appears to work quite well!!

Jim / W6JHB

Folsom, CA