Topband: What ever happened to the 160 meter "Z" antenna?

[Herbert Schoenbohm]

Rick,  I think it had more to do with getting something out of the shack 
window with the tuner inside.  I also think it had more to getting the 
current maximum at the top of the pole.  The OT's used to tell me they 
just taped a #47 bulb and a small loop of wire at the top and fed some 
power 20 watts or so at night and then trimmed the far end for maximum 
brilliance to try and get the current maximum at the top of the slant 
wire.  With some vertical component and horizontal cancellation I can 
not see how this was a *bad* antenna for beginners on TB.


Herb, KV4FZ
On 2/15/2015 7:53 PM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
> On 2/15/2015 3:15 PM, Herbert Schoenbohm wrote:
>> Many years ago when topbanders were looking for better efficiency and
>> something thart would radiate with limited space lots there was the "Z"
>> which was essentially a way of feeding a 1/2 wave sloper from a tapped
>> coil L/C circuit at the shack end by running the first 1/4 wave of wire
>> close to the ground (were it was claimed to do minimum radiation since
>> it was voltage rather than current fed) and then sloping it upward to a
>> tree or pole with the top portion doubled back horizontal to the ground
>
>> Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
>
> This is a fallacy.  Where you feed the antenna doesn't affect where
> it radiates.  You would get the same results if you fed it as a bent
> dipole at the junction between the first 1/4 wave and the upward
> sloping portion.  Which is to say poor results.
>
> Rick N6RK
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