[TowerTalk] Loading up my rain gutters:-) Follow up

[Dan Evans]

Hi All,

I want to thank everyone for the advice.  Here is where I'm at so far.
I "wired" it up this past weekend.  And it works, although not as well as
I had hoped.  It loads up fine on 10-40, but just will not load on 75
meters.  But that may just be my "cheap" tuner.  I am using an MFJ945D which
may not have quite enough range to get it down to 75 meters.  I've made  a
couple of "test" QSO's on 20, but how efficient it is remains to be seen.
But one
of my favorite sayings is "Any antenna is a whole bunch of db's better than
no antenna"   :-)

The vertical part of my gutters is
probably only 15 feet or so, with about 35 feet along each side.  The
aluminum trim also continues around the house, which creates a big "loop".
I guess what I have is actually a very short vertical, with a real big
"hat".

Also, I have not put out any radials.  I may see if I can hide a single
counter-poise, but I don't think I can get much more than that.  My current
ground is a 6 foot rod that was installed for the dss dish near it:-)

My only other idea was to put up a hamstick or similar mobile antenna.  But
it seems to me like the gutters would have to be better than a mobile
antenna.

73
Dan

Dan Evans N9RLA
2015 S. Jimtown Ln.
Scottsburg, IN 47170
{EM78}
1/2 of the N9RLA /R no budget Rover Team
Check out the Rover Resource Page at:
http://www.qsl.net/n9rla




_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com


--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com