[TowerTalk] OCF Dipole Questions

[Ron Young]

Mike,  it is a dipole. No matter how it is fed it is a dipole. Where you place the OCF point (which end is where) is what is most convenient for coax to shack. 

Yes the antenna might work best flat but just get it up as straight and high as possible. Turn on the radio and have some fun. 

The directional properties of a multi band dipole are complex depending on what band and how high. Again, put it up, open a beer, fire up the rig and have some fun. In very broad terms, on 80 it is s dipole with max radiation broadside, minimum off the ends. If inverted bee it is almost omnidirectional. As you go higher in frequency the broadside lobes start to split and move more toward the ends. On 20 meters it might look like a clover leaf birds eye view. As you get up to 10 meters the lobes pull even more toward the ends of the dipole with lots of sharp lobes off the side. Buy a copy of the ARRL Antenna Book (any year) and learn about antenna smoke and mirrors ;-)

73,

Ron W8RJL
62 years of ham radio fun. 



Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 8, 2016, at 5:13 PM, Mike Ryan <mryan001 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
> 
> A local here is about to put an offset center fed dipole up in the air. I
> think this antenna claims to work 10-80m.  This is most likely going to be
> in the 40-45ft high range at best. A couple of questions came to mind when
> he mentioned that this was going to go up.
> 
> If one end is in a tree, the other off a tower or some other support
> structure such as a tower, WHICH end would be in the tree..the SHORTER
> section or the LONGER section.does it matter?..(should the short end be in
> the tree or the long end?) .again, does it matter?
> 
> The manufacturer had recommended the antenna be installed FLAT and not as an
> inverted vee. At the aforementioned height, should this make a difference?
> 
> At the aforementioned height, will the antenna have broadside properties or
> more unidirectional? 
> 
> Start the flames.thanks for reading in any event.  - Mike
> 
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