[TowerTalk] Antenna design questions please

[Gary.Stone@med.va.gov]

Hi,

 

I am thinking of putting up an antenna and would like your input please?  I
am thinking of putting up an inverted vee configuration and then feed it
with 600 ladder line so that it would be tunable on 160 thru 10 meters.   I
am thinking the apex would be at about 70 feet on the tower and the two legs
would be about long enough to allow tuning for 160 meters (about 120 feet or
even a little more on each leg).  I would like to take the 600 ohm feedline
down to the rat pak (PL259) switch box on the tower - mounted at about 5
feet up from the ground.  So, it would have about 65 feet of 600 ohm ladder
line.  From my rat pak to the shack is 50 ohm LMR400.  I would also consider
using twin lead (easy to buy in rural North Texas) but also want to run 600
watt amp if desired.   I am thinking I would need to use a 4-1 balun at the
bottom end of the ladder line and then connect a short coax jumper to the
rat pak. 

 

I now have an alpha delta sloper (DX-A) with the apex at about 60 feet.  I
am hoping to improve my signal on 80 and 160 with the added plus of being
able to load up easily on other bands (hence the ladder line feed line).  

 

Ideas?  And how far do I need to put the feedline away from the tower - is a
couple feet ok?  Thanks in advance for any tips and critique.  

 

Gary, N5PHT