Topband: location

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi,

I'm dealing with life on a small lot, too. I have a wire up (quarter 
wave on 160) that somewhat wants to work. I can load it through a 
matching network (aka tuner) on 80, 40, etc but it does NOT want to load 
on 160 meters. I can hear quite a bit but TX is woefully inadequate. I 
plan to raise it higher off the ground AND redo the counterpoise. I 
expect I'll have to make some sort of transformer to get it to load 
well, too. There are enough pieces that I am not planning to do anything 
until after I build the impedance measurement bridge and get some idea 
of just where to go. Meanwhile I might whiz up some transformers and 
take a shot in the dark but without knowing where I am I can't really 
know how to get somewhere else. Maybe I'll get lucky. Those counterpoise 
wires - like the antenna wire - cannot run in straight lines because 
there is not enough room (maybe one or two can).

That same antenna used down below 500 kc has pulled in NDB stations from 
as far away as 1225 miles! When I try to pump about 35 watts into it I'm 
lucky if even ONE RBN receiver hears it and the signal is dismal. I only 
get that much when I remove the 'tuner' and feed the antenna direct from 
the Ranger's Pi network. 80 and 40 are good to go with that wire at less 
than 5 watts.

If I get it to work I'll be back with more info. I am getting my own 
ideas of what to try from some of the same articles online that you guys 
have referenced. Trying to adapt to what I have here.

73,

Bill  KU8H


On 09/21/2013 09:31 AM, James Rodenkirch wrote:
>   
>
>
> During the summer of 2011 I came across a website hosted by
> Simone Mannini, IW5EDI, of Firenze, Italy, that featured a “160 meter antenna
> for a small lot.”  The information and
> picture, supplied by Troy Martin, K5CBL, of Madill, Oklahoma, intrigued me. For details on the IW5EDI antenna,
> visit his website at <http://bit.ly/1890Ay0>.
>   Thinking,
> “Why not?,” I assembled the “small lot” antenna, found five 75’ foot wires to
> use as counterpoises/radials, erected the antenna temporarily outside my shack
> and ran the five counterpoise wires along the back patio deck and out on the
> front yard.
>
>
> I connected
> the antenna to my venerable ICOM 735, keyed it up and found the SWR, without a
> tuner, was 1.3:1! It was Miller Time! Cranking
> the power down as low as it could go – and inserting a quickly-assembled 2db
> in-line attenuator – I entered the 2010 CQ WW 160 Meter Contest in the QRP
> category. At the end of the contest, I had garnered 182 QSOs, 37 multipliers
> and 3 (count ’em, THREE) DXCC multipliers.
> There ya go - quick, easy way top get on 160 and have some fun!
>   
> 72, Jim Rodenkirch, K9JWV
>