[TowerTalk] Short Beverages & Snakes

[Bill Coleman]

It's summertime, and I'm thinking of improvements to my antennas. In 
particular, I'd like to have a low-noise receiving antenna for 40, 80 and 
maybe 160m. This would likely be used for domestic stations on 40 and 80 
for Sweepstakes, or perhaps Europe on 80 and 160.

My problem is that my lot isn't very big. I could put about 200 feet of 
temporary beverage to the north (for domestic), or about 150 feet of 
beverage to the NE (for europe). This is awfully short of the recommended 
600 or so feet for 160m.

Are shorter beverages effective?

I've also read about people placing beverage wires directly on the 
ground. For temporary antennas, this might work out well for me. Of 
course, to get the desired directions, I'd probably have to run a long 
feedline to the beverage start point, which might result in considerable 
pickup on the feedline itself.

Oh, and a NE beverage would have to pass over the radial field for my 
shunt-fed tower. I understand that, ideally, beverages should be 
separated from your other antennas. How much separation is necessary?

Perhaps my lot is so small it offers too many compromises for effective 
beverage use. Am I better off erecting a flag, pennant or K9AY loop, 
which I could get 60-80 feet away from the radial field?

Any suggestions welcome.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901