[TowerTalk] Folded Monopole

[CQK8DO@aol.com]

Larry...
You are going in the right direction... Put down as many radials as you can as
this will do more to enhance your signal on 160 than any other factor, bar
none.... Length is not critical, just get em down... The ground rods are fine
for lightning protection, just be aware that they will add little to your
rf....
Next, folding the driven is good from a matching standpoint... Their are far
less I^2R losses in matching the coax to a moderate impedence than to a very
low impedence...  If the folded wire is not resonant then you will need
inductance at the feed point... 
But, if I were doing your setup I would look at it as just a large mobile
antenna and put my loading coil(s) about half way up, make the antenna
inductive overall and use a cap for the final matching element at the coax...

One of the high end match meters will be invaluable here... Autec, MFJ... and
don't discount a noise bridge.. I still use the heck out of mine...

Cheers  ...  Denny

Denny

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