[TowerTalk] Beverage Antenna

Mon Feb 2 16:08:27 EST 2015

Chuck, Stan, et al,  Adding a Beverage wire above any of my fences is 
not too tough and I have a choice of the 4 cardinal directions. My 
property is square with 1/2 mile of fence on all  4 sides plus cross 
fences in the middle.  N-S fences are not the best candidates but my 
antenna farm is near an intermediate E-W cross fence so that is the 
likely recipient of the experimental setup. There is a little up hill 
and down dale but nothing radical.

So thanks to all who have been contributing to this thread directly by 
relating opinions or personal experience or indirectly by reference to 
available material on the topic.

I have just a couple questions left unanswered.  Is mounting a Beverage 
antenna above parallel grounded wires (5 strand barbed wire fence with 
steel posts every 15 feet) similar to a beverage mounted low to the 
ground where there is really good conductive ground?  Any thoughts on 
how high to mount the antenna above the top strand of barbed wire? (in 
wave lengths not feet)

I have an open position on a multi-pole remote controlled coax relay so 
I can switch the beverage in and out comparing it to the Hy-Gain 
Hy-Tower multi-band vertical and a 270 ft Carolina Windom.

Patrick    NJ5G

On 2/2/2015 2:21 PM, Chuck Dietz wrote:
> I found that my Beverages at 10 feet high work quite well on 160 and 
> even better on 80.  My BOG efforts - not so good. Even with an 
> amplifier, I think a BOG might not be as good as something like a 
> K9AY.  Just my experience.
>
> Chuck W5PR
>
> On Monday, February 2, 2015, Stan Stockton <wa5rtg at gmail.com 
> <mailto:wa5rtg at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     Patrick,
>
>     I would suggest you try it.  My guess is that it will work better
>     if above the fence than in the midst of the fence, like an above
>     ground beverage probably works better than a BOG. Without any
>     knowledge of what might be the best, I would put it up several
>     feet above the fence and establish a separate ground connection at
>     either end instead of using the fence as a part of either one. 
>     The good thing, if the direction is of value, is that it isn't as
>     visible as one in the clear.
>
>     In 1980 I put up a Beverage a couple feet above a barbed wire
>     fence.  It worked OK, although it was due North so not the most
>     usable direction.  I don't remember having the impression that it
>     was as good as others which were in the clear, however.  Not going
>     for the root beer float - just saying that I still have some
>     memory from 35 years ago :-)
>
>     73...Stan, K5GO
>
>     Sent from my iPad
>
>     > On Feb 2, 2015, at 7:28 AM, Patrick Greenlee
>     <patrick_g at windstream.net <javascript:;>> wrote:
>     >
>     > Jim, I also wonder if a Beverage installed above and parallel to
>     a barbed wire fence will work OK.  For all I know (infinitely
>     close to zero about Beverages prior to this thread) it could help,
>     hinder, or just not matter.
>     >
>     > If having the beverage a foot above other wires in parallel
>     (other strands of barbed wire) will work OK then I can reinstall
>     the top strand of barbed wire with a companion antenna wire (I
>     assume perhaps erroneously that a pair of parallel 11 ga steel
>     wires are not acceptable for the beverage) on electric fence
>     plastic stand-off insulators that snap onto T-posts quite easily.
>     >
>     > A Beverage can be installed as low as on the ground so maybe
>     having a grounded conductor a foot or so below and parallel to the
>     Beverage is not a bad thing.  Any of you EE types or RF gurus care
>     to explain this situation to us?  There is a root-beer float in it
>     for the first to cover the topic well.  (Decisions of the judges
>     is final as to topic coverage.  Judges are myself and any two like
>     minded posters on TT)
>     >
>     > Alternatively we can vote on it.  All acceptable ballots will be
>     marked on a US $5.00 bill and mailed postage paid to: my QSL
>     address on QRZ.com
>     >
>     > Patrick     NJ5G
>     >
>     >
>     >> On 2/2/2015 4:50 AM, Doug Turnbull wrote:
>     >> Dear OMs,
>     >>     Another point to consider is that while 13 feet might be
>     okay for 160M,
>     >> it is too high for 80 and 40 meters.
>     >>                    73 Doug EI2CN
>     >>
>     >> 0.05 = 1/20
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> ## JI claims that max beverage  height should be .05 wavelength.
>     >> That implies 26.86 feet.   492 / 1.832 =  268.55 feet.
>     >> 268.55 /  10 =   26.86 feet.
>     >>
>     >> ##  It would be interesting to know  if you could use an existing
>     >> 6 ft tall fence line and strap a 8-15 ft tall pvc tube  to each
>     >> wooden fence post.   At that height, it would be a bitch to install
>     >> the beverage wire.  An orchard ladder might work.
>     >>
>     >> Jim   VE7RF
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
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