Topband: Some experiments with a short beverage, not succeeding very well

[Mark Lunday]

"Beverages just want to work" is what I have heard.

Not having much luck with that here.  I suspect operator/installation error.

I did a lot of reading and I must be doing something wrong.



  *   250 feet of insulated wire strung out in 030 degrees direction toward EU, pretty straight, varying in height from 4 to 6 feet, running through thick brush with no metal objects or artificial elements along the run.
  *   9:1 transformer at feed point with ground rod
  *   300 feet of coax, mix of RG-8, MMR-400 to get to the edge of the woods from the house
  *   No terminating resistor

On bands 160-40, the signals are very weak. I am monitoring WSPR, FT8.   I can hear signals on 160-40 but they are way down compared to dipoles and inverted L on the same bands. Like 20-30 db down. From what I read, I should NOT need an HF pre-amplifier, right?

Signals on 30 and 20 seem to be better and I can copy some DX from EU on FT8.

I will try installing a new ground rod, the old one is 10 years old and perhaps not making a good ground connection at the feedpoint.   The transformer is brand new, so that's not an issue.  The coax has tested out fine.  Soil is central North Carolina clay, a bit dry at this time.

I am guessing performance is poor on 160-40 because of the short length and that it's bi-directional (no terminating resistor), which I am seeing on 30 meters. But I did not think it would be THIS bad on 160-40....

Mark Lunday, WD4ELG
Greensboro, NC  FM06be
wd4elg at arrl.net<mailto:wd4elg at arrl.net>
http://wd4elg.blogspot.com
SKCC #16439  FISTS #17972  QRP ARCI #16497