Topband: Best way to jury rig a quick 160m contest antenna?

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

On Thu, Jun 23, 2016 at 7:00 PM, Mike Waters <mikewate at gmail.com> wrote:

> Good grief! Well, if you're dead-set on using one of those on 160, how
> about a K2AV folded counterpoise inside the building? ;-)
>

Oh, I don't know. Actually the ghastly set of restrictions he's put upon
himself pretty well gloms his chances. One of the advisories on the FCP is
to keep it away from dielectric materials and metallics (conductors). There
are good reasons for that and lots of stories on the issue.

One might try loading the shield or center conductor of one coax against
the shield or conductor of another on the antenna side of any common
ground. There would be quite a few combinations to try and one of them
might actually work a little. A good one tested during the day would sound
more "alive" on the RX.

Talk about 160 meters as a complete and forlorn afterthought.....

Truth be known, if you are starting to think about how to lay out antennas
for a station at a new residence, and you have even a slight incline toward
getting on 160, design what you are going to do about 160 *first*.  160 as
an afterthought is usually a bleak performer when you get around to it
because you can't do right easily because you have to undo so much of what
you did on the upper bands.

Boy Scout's motto for 160 meter station design.

I think we are headed for a splendid solar minimum for the low bands. Time
to plan.

73, Guy K2AV