[TowerTalk] Best wire type antenna for 75m/80m DX coverage

[Bruce Lallathin]

At 01:04 AM 10/20/98 -0400, you wrote:


>In search of a wire antenna that would provide a low swr 80m cw (3520) and
>also 75m (3795) coverage. 
====================================

I put up a regular inverted-vee that was cut for the ssb dx window, 
approximately. Then, on the outside of the end insulators, I added more wire 
and another set of insulators. At the inner set of insulators I added a 
female banana jack to the end of the ssb segment wires. On a short pigtail 
off the inner end of the cw extension wires I added a male banana jack. 

Using this method, I can jumper out the inner insulators to quickly move the 
antenna to the cw end of the band or to the phone segment by unhooking the 
jumpers. I only have to let the ends of the in-vee down and climb up the 
tower about 25' to reach the shorting clips. Usually the change can be made 
in 15 minutes or so. 

Each time I change the setting, usually before a contest on the opposite 
mode, I re-treat the banana jacks with more Permatex "Anti-Seize" to help 
prevent corrosion. 

This method will not give you the instant band change from mode to mode 
without leaving the shack, but for the expense and reliability I think it is 
a decent low tech solution....works for me. hi  

There is a digital picture of this antenna on the Mad River Radio Club web 
page. <www.qsl.net/mrrc> Look under AA8U pictures for the "Backtower.jpg" 
You should be able to see the 80-75M in-vee along with the 10M stacked yagis. 

There are many ways to skin this cat. This method is cheap and easy to live 
with. Have fun.

73,
Bruce


 


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