Topband: 43’ 80 Meter Vertical

[Rick at dj0ip.de]

Bob,

 

WARNING:  DO NOT USE 16 GAUGE FOR THE TOP HAT WIRES.

The top of the pole is very thin and will not support such heavy wire.

The top hat wires carry very little current and all you need is very thin wire (i.e., 26 AWG works perfectly well and that is what Spiderbeam uses in their vertical kits).

You may use THE WIREMAN “CQ-534” or “PolyStealth-26” for this.  

If you absolutely must, then you may also use “PolyStealth-22” but DO NOT USE ANYTHING THICKER!

 

On my private web site you will find instructions (with lengths meters and ft.) for building an Inv.-L similar to what you are trying to do.  The single wire slopes down.

If you add a second wire, the length will need to be shortened slightly.  You’ll have to use trial and error to find the correct length, but the wires are so long, they can be accessed from the ground without lowering the pole.

See:  https://www.dj0ip.de/vertical-antennas/160m-inv-l-on-12m-pole/  

 

BTW, I am the founder of Spiderbeam-US (2008) and have been the Tech Support Manager at Spiderbeam in Germany for the past 10 years.  

 

73 - Rick, DJ0IP

(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)

May the Sunspots be with Us!

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband <topband-bounces+rick=dj0ip.de at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Chortek, Robert L.
Sent: 10 April 2021 22:16
To: TopBand List <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: 43’ 80 Meter Vertical

 

Hoping to get some guidance from the antenna gurus here.

 

I’ve just built a 43’ vertical (14 GA THHN) supported by a Spiderbeam pole.  It’s base loaded and my RigExpert shows total loss, not counting Rrad, of 33 Ohms.  It’s roughly 33 efficient.

 

Can someone tell me if I added two top hat wires 16 GA THHN sloping at 45 degrees “about” how long they would need to be to resonate at 3.545 MHZ.  

 

I want to get “in the ballpark” before I start trimming.

 

Any help would be appreciated!!!!!

 

73 e DX,

 

Bob/AA6VB 

Robert L. Chortek

_________________

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