Topband: low inv-vee

[Kenneth Grimm]

There are antennas and there are better antennas.  We use what we have and
always dream of something better.

73,

Ken - K4XL

On Tue, Mar 27, 2018 at 4:45 PM, Wes Stewart <wes_n7ws at triconet.org> wrote:

> My first 67 entities worked on 160 were with an inverted-vee with apex at
> about 45 feet and the ends about 5 feet high.  Actually a few were with the
> antenna cut for 80 and using a tuner.  I couldn't even run full power
> (500W) with that configuration.
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
>
>
> On 3/27/2018 11:49 AM, Carl Luetzelschwab wrote:
>
>> Pete N4ZR said one option was to "Suspend inverted vees for 80 and 40 from
>> the top of the rocket launcher (right under the tribander)."
>>
>> Gene AD3F commented on low inv-vees:  "From what I've read on Topband and
>> TowerTalk over the years, a low Vee as you're proposing is likely to be a
>> cloud warmer."
>>
>> Yes, a low inv-vee will radiate more energy at the higher elevation
>> angles.
>> But it still radiates energy at the lower elevation angles that are useful
>> for longer distance contacts. For example, a 160-Meter inv-vee at an apex
>> of 45 feet is about 10 dB down (approx 2 S-units) at an elevation angle of
>> 15 degrees compared to a quarter-wave vertical over average ground.
>>
>> For the CQ 160M CW contest in January 2017, I used a 160-Meter inv-vee at
>> 45 feet, with the last third of each end running horizontal and bent 90
>> degrees from the main portion to fit on our property. Yes, it's a
>> compromise antenna, but I worked 44 states (missed ME, ID, NE, AK), 7
>> Canadian provinces and 17 DXCC entities (mostly Carib, Central Amer and
>> South Amer, with some EU and a North Africa). My amp at 800 Watts
>> certainly
>> helped, along with a Shared Apex Loop array for receive.
>>
>> I wasn't first in most pile-ups, but perseverance got the job done most of
>> the time. So don't count out a low inv-vee if you have trouble putting up
>> something better. The inv-vee is relatively easy to erect and it's
>> efficient in terms of not needing a ground system. Of course an 80-Meter
>> inv-vee at 45 feet will be better than a 160-Meter inv-vee at 45 feet, as
>> it's twice as high in terms of wavelengths.
>>
>> Carl K9LA
>> _________________
>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>>
>>
> _________________
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>



-- 
Ken - K4XL
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