[TowerTalk] HF2V (self-standing but not exactly a "tower")

[alan.kaul at att.net]

Howdy, I'm looking for some ideas.  I have a 10 year old HF2V, roof mounted, with 6 elevated 
radials, 2 on 80 and 4 on 40,  No capacity hat loading, and since it is above ground, I am not 
using the coil between radiator and radials...  Every year I adjust the 80M coil so I can peak 
the antenna for either CW or SSB.  This year, however, I have a problem.

I adjust the antenna on 80M by either stretching or compressing the base coil.  Compress it 
and work CW with resonance at approx 3.525 mHz (SWR ~1.3 to 1), stretch it a bit to reduce 
L and slide resonance up to about 3.775 mHz ---- however the SWR dips only to about 2.2 to 1 
at that point.  I've tried reducing the coil by two turns, etc., and the SWR never gets lower 
than 2.2 to 1 UNLESS I compress it  again (adding more L).  Then the SWR drops lower 
(depending upon the resonant frequency -- at 3.6 mHz, for example, it is about 1.8 to 1, but if I 
go down to 3.5 mHz it drops to almost 1.2 to 1.

Anyone have any ideas whhat is going on?  And what I might be able to do to get SSB-
segment SWR back down to better levels?

Any help is appreciated.  Please and thanks, and best 73 de alan

--
Alan Kaul W6RCL LaCanada, CA 91011
e-mail:  w6rcl at amsat.org
http://home.att.net/~alan.kaul/index.html