[TowerTalk] G5RV vs 40M dipole

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2015 18:58:16 +0100
From: Steve Hunt <steve at karinya.net>
Cc: Towertalk Reflector <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] G5RV vs 40M dipole

If you use a G5RV, the simplest way to get improved signal strength 
reports is to announce that you are using something else ;)

This from W8JI:

##  A G5RV......up 100 feet is probably a decent ant on 80m.   I don’t get involved with the 
west coast rag chew groups,  but just listen at times.   I note the signal strengths and the folks 
with the G5RVs are always down in strength  from the rest of the folks on the same freq. It varies
from a few db....to several db, but they are always down in strength.   I suspect some of that may be
the configuration they are using.   If a choke balun is not used, or a balun that is not up to the task, the
feed line could easily be radiating like a sieve.   Now you have a vertical ant..with no mating ground radials.

##  I wouldn’t discount the G5RV, but it has to be installed and configured correctly, and that includes any 
choke balun.   A lot of the baluns these folks are using, flat out don’t work on 80m.   And a lot of them don’t
use a balun at all.   On some bands the swr will be way too high, so it has its limitations. 

##  A G5RV would not be my 1st choice, but it is a viable option. 

Jim   VE7RF