[TowerTalk] OCFD: Should I be able to do better?

[Jim Brown]

On 5/27/2021 11:21 AM, Keith Dutson wrote:
>   I have three Buckmaster OCF dipoles.  I run 1500 watts, so use RF chokes (Palomar MC-1-3000) under the antenna balun and inside the shack at the amplifier.  

You have been suckered by two incompetent companies.

This results in the auto tuner (Palstar HF Auto) being able to tune all 
bands to close to 1:1 VSWR, allowing full 1500 watts output.  Great 
results on all bands from 160 to 6 meters.

SWR is NOT a measure of antenna performance. SWR measured in the shack 
is simply an indicator of the transmitter's ability to put power onto 
the feedline.

The shortcoming of antennas like this is their susceptibility to the RF 
noise that surrounds us. These designs may have been fine for 40 years 
ago, when noise levels were FAR lower, but they are terrible for TODAY. 
They may transmit OK, but they don't hear well because of their 
susceptibility to noise. We can't them if we can't hear them!

If you can rig three of these lousy antennas, you can rig resonant 
dipoles fed with coax and choked at the feedpoint, as Jim Lux has 
described.

73, Jim K9YC