Topband: Horizontal Waller Flag
Hi all - I need some help please - I have over the summer been building a rotatable HORIZONTAL Waller Flag (HWF)for 160/80. The dimensions are 26ft boom and the two loops are 16ft*7ft - I am intending to increase the boom to 45 ft with 20ft*10ft as the output on 160 is low - 80m is OK. I have been carrying out experiments with the polar plot by using a medium wave AM station located 65 miles away and all during daytime - The polar plot program I am using is available free and written by Bob G4HFQ G4HFQ Radio Programming Software . I have two main problems - at first, I could not get any directivity at all - the problem was not, as far as I know, to do with phasing - or more importantly getting all the transformers wired correctly. Bearing in mind this is horizontally polarised I did not think that an aluminum stub mast would have any effect - all I have read and I have read everything I can find on the internet - explains that a fiberglass stub mast is a must for vertically polarised - that said I replaced my aluminum stub mast with a short fiberglass pole.. This solved the problem with good directivity and the polar plot was close to that shown in Eznec - (I did model the HWF in Eznec and changing the sub mast from aluminum to no stub mast resulted in a slight change to the front to back but only a small amount). I then did some experiments by leaving the fiberglass stub mast holding the HWF and put up beside it an aluminum pole first connected to the mast/tower and the boom of the HWF and second to the boom and not the tower - the best results were having no connection to the tower - Has anyone got an answer on this part of my question - as I would like to use an aluminum stub mast which will give me an extra 10ft in height. My next and final problem - when I have the tower retracted approx 25ft and the fiberglass stub mast I have good acceptable directivity - If I then raise the tower by 20 feet then the polar plot is and directivity disappears - lower the tower back down and the polar plot returns to normal. I did have a masthead preamp installed I removed this - no difference - I then put ferrites around the rotator cable and a common mode choke at the bottom of the tower thinking that the coax lead which was originally coiled on the floor with the mast down was now acting as a vertical antenna - none of these made any difference. my direct email is d...@g3rcq.com Thanks from Dave g3rcq _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: 160 Receiving antennas
160 receiving antennas - very interested to read all the comments - if anyone is interested I have a Top Beam WF-300 40 foot boom - just the beam up for grabs dave g3rcq _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: G3OQT
Richard G3OQT welcome back - I heard you last week and thought it was a Pirate - where did that 40 years go ?? Dave g3rcq _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Top Beam WF-300
Hi all - I have a WF-300 for sale - d...@g3rcq.com _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Top Beam WF-300
For Sale Top Beam WF-300 Waller Flag email d...@g3rcq.com _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Top Beam WF-300
I have a WF-300 that is surplus to my station Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 182, Issue 20
Sorry to ask but am I allowed to say that I have a Top Beam WF-300 for sale? If not I will not post Dave g3rcq Sent from Mail for Windows 10 From: topband-requ...@contesting.com Sent: 24 February 2018 17:01 To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband Digest, Vol 182, Issue 20 Send Topband mailing list submissions to topband@contesting.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to topband-requ...@contesting.com You can reach the person managing the list at topband-ow...@contesting.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..." Today's Topics: 1. brief opening on topband today (John Randall) 2. Re: CQ WW SSB Contest (Roger Kennedy) 3. No DXwatch cluster for two days now? (terry burge) 4. Re: No DXwatch cluster for two days now? (Guy Olinger K2AV) 5. Re: No DXwatch cluster for two days now? (Hal Dale) 6. Re: No DXwatch cluster for two days now? (Lee. KX4TT) 7. Re: Speaking of Noises... (Jeff Kincaid) 8. Re: 160m DX Activity Night (VK3HJ) 9. Re: No DXwatch cluster for two days now? (Guy Olinger K2AV) 10. Re: brief opening on topband today (John Randall) -- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2018 17:46:56 + (UTC) From: John Randall To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband: brief opening on topband today Message-ID: <605731652.6618180.1519408016...@mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 This afternoon, I had my flex 3k on 1.850 when I saw a trong station a bit lower down on the waterfall display and found it to ne S52AW Karl calling CQ at 16h58z,I answered his call and we had a pleasant ssb qso till he just faded into the noise, the qso lasted about 2 minutes. This coincided with a drop in the K-INDEX, which dropped from 5 to about 2.I also worked RW1F last night just before 22h00z and I am as happy as a pig in mud...hi There is some hope with my antenna system albeit a small one. 73John -- Message: 2 Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2018 18:33:55 - From: "Roger Kennedy" To: Cc: "'George Taft'" Subject: Re: Topband: CQ WW SSB Contest Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Yes I forgot about the contest George ! Well I will be on, trying to pick out the DX stations on SSB, between all the strong Europeans ! (at least my new 160m receive loop makes the EU stations weaker, whereas the DX is as strong or stronger than on my main Antenna) Hope to work some of you on SSB this weekend 73 Roger G3YRO _ From: George Taft [mailto:w8...@yahoo.com] Sent: 23 February 2018 16:55 To: rayn6vr; Kenneth Grimm; Roger Kennedy Cc: topband Subject: Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night Hi All Roger, I wouldn't get too excited abt this weekend QRV. Remember we have the CQWW160 SSB test! Doesn't do much for DX, hi. And Ken, I was listening when you worked UK9AA. Unfortunately, noisy with early Spring QRN and a new Indian Casino in my nearby NE path. Fortunately, I worked Fedor on a quiet nite some time ago. He apparently hears very well. Now if we could get some prop into W8 from the VU and EX actives. 73 George W8UVZ On Thursday, February 22, 2018 11:33 AM, rayn6vr wrote: Ken,Good catch! Heard i u calling uk9aa but never heard him. He's been spotted a lot but it would take some very special /weird condx for us to hear him. Otherwise, checked the band several times but never heard EU last nigjt, 0500 - 0800z, EU SR. Ray,Near Prescott, AZ Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone Original message From: Kenneth Grimm Date: 2/22/18 6:03 AM (GMT-07:00) To: Roger Kennedy Cc: topband Subject: Re: Topband: Wednesday 160m DX Activity Night Thanks for the QSO Roger. If it were not for your exhortation to be on the band on Wednesday evenings, I would have missed a QSO with UK9AA. That's a fairly rare one from this side of the pond. 73, Ken - K4XL On Thu, Feb 22, 2018 at 5:48 AM, Roger Kennedy < ro...@wessexproductions.co.uk> wrote: > Well conditions were strange last night . . . > > Generally poor propagation . . . and high background noise here (even on my > Rx aerial) - apologies if you were one of the stations I heard calling, but > couldn't pull out of the noise. > > However, I did manage to work 16 NA stations in the 2 hours I stayed on, > including across to Texas. > > What was more weird was some of my RBN reports from NA stations (which I > often view when the band's quiet, to check propagation) - several gave me > over 40dB above the noise, one even +48dB ! > > Thanks to everyone who came on (inc several EU stations) . . . > > I shall be on at the weekend, and certainly next Wednesday again. > > 73 Roger G3YRO > > _ > Topband R
Topband: Short Verticals
Hi all - Assuming a standard 1/4 wave vertical is 36 ohms - is there any formula that will calculate the Z if the vertical is short and brought to resonance by top loading wires - I understand the Z will be less - but how much by ? I am trying to use the formula on ON4UN disc to calculate the approx LC ratios for a Lahlum-Lewallen phasing system. Thanks Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 168, Issue 20
Hi all - has anyone compared the SAL-30 to the Yankee Clipper 9 circle array Dave g3rcq From: "topband-requ...@contesting.com" To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, 14 December 2016, 17:00 Subject: Topband Digest, Vol 168, Issue 20 Send Topband mailing list submissions to topband@contesting.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to topband-requ...@contesting.com You can reach the person managing the list at topband-ow...@contesting.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Twist a Flag into a Bowtie? (JC) 2. Re: Bowtie Flags (Mark Connelly) 3. Re: Bowtie Flags (Don Kirk) 4. Bowtie Flags ( K1FZ-Bruce ) 5. Re: Bowtie Flags (wb6r...@mac.com) 6. Re: Bowtie Flags (JC) 7. Re: Bowtie Flags (JC) -- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:51:55 -0500 From: "JC" To: "'Nick Hall-Patch'" Cc: "'topband'" Subject: Re: Topband: Twist a Flag into a Bowtie? Message-ID: <01d25571$fa8807d0$ef981770$@comcast.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi Nick I would say grounded both ends, don't need to be connected to the antenna itself, right. JC -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Nick Hall-Patch Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2016 11:42 AM To: JC Cc: 'topband' Subject: Re: Topband: Twist a Flag into a Bowtie? So, is the ground wire just left "floating", JC? No electrical connection to the antenna itself? Thanks and 73, Nick VE7DXR At 11:23 13-12-16, JC wrote: >Hi Nick > >The wire will reduce loss on the transmission line given a better match >and phase. In practice you can see change on the SWR and front back. If >you have a good ground you probably won't see anything changing. > >Regards >JC > >-Original Message- >From: Nick Hall-Patch [mailto:n...@ieee.org] >Sent: Monday, December 12, 2016 10:59 PM >To: JC >Cc: 'topband' >Subject: Re: Topband: Twist a Flag into a Bowtie? > >What kind of improvement in performance is observed by providing a >better ground, JC? And, where would a ground wire (counterpoise?) be >connected with the DHDL antenna system? > >Thanks and 73, > >Nick >VE7DXR > > > >At 15:38 11-12-16, JC wrote: > >Hi Mike and Don > > > >The DHDL as well as few other antennas, has a hidden component. The > >bottom wire parallel to the ground is a transmission line, actually, > >any antenna parallel to the ground is a transmission line. A > >beverage antenna a is good example. > > > >The ground is the second leg of the transition line, for a K9AY loop > >it is the same, the bottom wire and the ground form a transmission > >line. The transmission line allows the Resistor and the Transformer > >to be moved to the center of the loop. The VE3DO loop is also exactly > >the >same. > > > >The same way, a DHDL antenna uses the ground to phase the two loops, > >if you elevate the DHDL high far from the ground, the patter changes. > >The DHDL is a ground dependent antenna, improving the ground with a > >ground wire bellow the antenna can fix some ground problems. > > > > > >My two cents. > > > >73's > >JC > > > >N4IS > > > >-Original Message- > >From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of > >Don Kirk > >Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2016 10:13 AM > >To: D Michael > >Cc: topband > >Subject: Re: Topband: Twist a Flag into a Bowtie? > > > >Hi Mike, > > > >Funny you should ask that. > > > >A few months ago (September) I was looking at building a smaller size > >DHDL using 4Nec2, and there were a few things I saw that I thought > >needed improvement (I saw things in the full size DHDL that I thought > >needed improvement, it was not limited to the small size DHDL I was > >trying to design). Then I started to play around with the location > >of its termination resistor as well as routing of wires, and wound up > >with what I called the Terminated Bowtie. I built one in my backyard > >but my yard is pretty small and the antenna was too close to existing > >objects (house and chain link > >fence) and I did not realize the S/N improvement that I expected, > >nevertheless based on modeling it looks like a winner (9.5 RDF and > >front to back ratio versus elevation angle very robust). > > > >I have attached the preliminary document I put together a few months > >ago for you and others to view (it might not be perfect, but should > >convey my design / thoughts). I would love someone to build one of > >these out in the open to see if the real life build provides results > >similar to the 4Nec2 modelling I did. > > > >Note: Bringing the feedline away from the antenna properly needs to > >be looked at to minimize distortion
Topband: Waller Loop
This message is aimed at UK dxers - I commissioned Antenna Engineering to build me a Waller Loop - I have used it and its works fine - unfortunately I did not use a rotator man enough and it stuck in one position. I have taken it down and dismantled it - It would need collecting from my QTH and a car roof rack would be adequate - please email me if interested - thanks Dave Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: (no subject)
Pixel BevPro-1 - I understand that this is no longer in production? has anyone used one or wants to sell one, If anyone can tell me the construction of the termination/reflection transformer together with the variable termination unit that goes in the shack then I can build one. thanks Dave g3rcq see http://www.av-iq.co.uk/avcat/images/documents/dataSheet/BevPro-1-Information-for-Web-site1.pdf _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Waller Loop Antenna
Many thanks to everyone who helped in my efforts to get my Waller Loop working correctly. Carlos very kindly sent me an email showing me the effect his tower has on altering the polar plot, his recommendation was detune the tower - this cured his problem - there is a free Polar plotting program available on the net - to answer other questions the transformers were made using the binocular cores as recommended in ON4UN's book, the 9:1 I used 4 and 12 turns, resistors are 560 and 580 ohms and the 1:1 was 4 turns primary and secondary again using a binocular core.Moving onto Eznec - this is very strange as I found a different outcome to my model - I started by downloading the file from Lee's comparison table, this did not have a boom, I added my 26 ft boom and the result was a change for the better in front to back! - I then added my tower into the model and the whole polar diagram fell apart this is different to what Jim found in his Eznec model - so I am not sure, however the final proof to my problem was in my last test. The antenna was mounted above my tower using a fiber glass scaffold pole, I took the complete antenna off the tower and placed it 20 feet up at ground level in one corner of my field - I took no common mode protection because I buried the feed cable 150 feet in to my shack. PERFECT - the antenna worked as it should, good F/B - on 40m beaming into Germany the stations when compared to my 2 phased 4 squares I was seeing I reckon around 20 ish dbs F/B. Its early days and I need to wait for the DX season to start so that I can compare with my beverages, however my immediate feeling is that the loops need to be bigger as there is not enough pick up - I have the low noise pre-amp which helps but at the moment the beverages appear slightly better.Thanks again to everyone who replied. Regards Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Waller Loop
I have built a Waller Loop to the dimension from information on the internet, the loop is vertical and mounted on a tower at 30 foot. My problem is I cannot get any front to back. I have rewound the transformers and made two phasing lines - all show now difference, I checked the 180 degree phase shift with my scope by feeding the AIM 2180 constant signal. All looks good. I then decided to build a second Waller Loop using all non metallic tubing - excellent all works fine and very acceptable front to back. On the second working loop I replaced the support pole with aluminum - no change and still excellent front to back.My only conclusion now is that the two loops are coupled by the 26 foot aluminum boom. I have sufficient size and strength glass fiber pole which I intend fitting in the center of the current boom, this will put a distance of 7 feet between the boom ends and hopefully reduce any coupling. Has anyone had any experience similar to my self and if so what is the answer?My test to prove the front to back was to beam both loops at 300 degrees, the forward gain in the receive path was equal - however the difference when looking at stations of the back was from S7/8 on the no F/B loop to in the noise on the working loop. I am sure, as I am so involved, I am missing something help!! Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Waller Loop
Thanks to everyone that replied - much appreciated. JC - N4IS has confirmed that the braiding should be left floating. Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Twinax
I am in the process of building a Waller Flag - I am going to use Twinax - the Twinax I have purchased has a braiding screen similar to coax. What do I connect if anything the coax type screening to? Do I leave it floating or connect it to one of the inner two wires. Sorry if its a sill question but I have never used Twinax before and the construction details explain that Twinax is the best choice for the phasing and connection to the two loops being the most durable in respect of weather and UV. Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Eznec/ 4sq
For many years I have run 4sq on both 80m and 40m - I currently run an 8 element vertical array for 80m and the centre mast is a top loaded vertical 85 foot vertical. When resonating my 4sq verticals I have always disconnected three and resonated one vertical at a time to the target frequency for example 3.795 - this has worked well and without problem - I have used home made Hybrid and Llewyn phasing networks. I first started using Eznec and modelling to understand how the 8 Element array prior to Tony's article in NCJ and during the development of the 80m version - Tony originally used 40m for his design. Back to the 4 sq this leads me to my dilemma - If I model one element of a 4sq array and resonate it at 3.795 - using SWR to check no problem. I then bring in the other three element and enter sources of 0 degrees 2 elements at -90 and the front element at -180 when I check the resonance of the array the frequency drops far below 3.795. - at this point I would add that I was modelling a reduces height element of 41.5ft with 4 11ft 10inch top loading, could this be caused by the top loading increasing the mutual coupling and lowering the array frequency? The end result is that the achieve an array resonant target of 3.795 I have to resonate the individual element at 4.105. So the first question is WHY Second question - is how do I phase two four squares? do they have to be in line for my preferred direct NW from the UK which gives me in line SE for LP. I am looking to achieve more forward gain than my 8 element array and two shortie type 4 sq's would be a good start. If I can get to the bottom of all this then Shortie 160m 4sq will be possible. If I have stated anything stupid or silly - remember I have been a ham for 51 years experiment experiment and more experiment is how we learn. Thanks to everyone who helps me - from Dave in the UK _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: 2 Direction reversable beverage using coax cable
I have finished the installation of 2 two directional beverage following the design in ON4UN 5th edition chapter 7-89 Fig 7-118 - I cannot get the reflection transformer T3 to give the same gain as the other end of the beverage at T1 - I have put the aim 4170 on the feed point of T1 and obtain 1.2 on one beverage and 1.3 on the other - playing around with the turns ratio I can improve on these readings. When I look at the return signal being sent back along the coax the SWR is almost perfect the band noise are approximately 50% of the other direction. I have remade all the transformers using different cores and built 2 controllers - the only thing I have not changed is the coax and of course the ground. The other test I have not tried is to put a receiver at the reflection transformer end see what the output is before its send back along the coax. I have also reversed the windings of the reflection transformer. I am using 2873000202 cores - the reflection transformer is 3 turns and 7 turns which show around 120uh and 820uh depending on the core the coax is 75 ohm. Dave RCQ All good topband ops know fine whiskey is a daylight beverage. _ Topband Reflector
Topband: Voltage along coax feeder
Could anyone please point me in the direction of a circuit to feed +12 -12 and AC along the feeder to my beverages to switch 3 relays - thanks all from Dave in the UK All good topband ops know fine whiskey is a daylight beverage. _ Topband Reflector
Topband: RDF
How do I calculate RDF – I am currently modelling the Shared Apex Loop antenna recently described in QEX and QST , Not to be confused with the following months article on phased K9AY’s - I have an 8 direction antenna up and running and now wish to add 8 more elements to the array. I will then have three shared apex loops in anyone of 8 directions. I have using Eznec modelled the array and the optimum spacing is around 50 feet and the phase delays 0 100 200 appear to give good F/B and F to side – this leaves me to the original RDF question – in Eznec the Average Gain is calculated – now is the same average gain that the RDF formula needs? It does appear to coincide with figures quoted in the original article for a single array rising to 12.1 db for the three in line array. However if I use the same method and model my 8 Element full size 80m array then the results are not as expected when I try and calculate RDF. Dave g3rcq _ Topband Reflector
Topband: DXE 8 Verticals
I have used both the Hi-Z and the DXE 8 circle - maybe I am missing something but gain is one thing and signal to noise is another! Does changing the links in the DXE amp improve the signal to noise? if its just gain then that can be achieve many other ways. ___ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
