Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation?

Actually Gary, if you added the weight to the front of the arrow as I describe, it drops right through all the branches no problem, but has accuracy. Trust me, I know. I have missed a shot or 2, cleared many trees, and it still drops right to the ground. Without the weight, I used to lose

Re: Topband: 2 el parasitic array / LC matching

Maybe some ideas here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eVklkZtlJW93JIJ9oDqbCyl-Jkik6YEX/view?usp=sharing I explain how you can add a parasitic to a shunt fed tower, and a method is described that allows for

Re: Topband: Inverted L redux

Hi Pete, Unless you're planning more than 30 radials eventually, there's no reason to install radials longer than the 50-60 feet you're already using. This is one of several classic references on the topic. See see Figure 3 and the 160 meter column in Table X:

Re: Topband: Inverted L redux

Add more short (50 - 60 foot) radials, IMHO. Some 45 years ago I worked as a wireless operator in fixed service on 60m band (my call has been 4NC24L) and we used L antennas. At my surprise, ground was just 3' of galvanized pipe knocked into the ground. At company's electrician workshop I got heap

Re: Topband: Inverted L redux

Four 50-60 footers. See: https://www.antennasbyn6lf.com/files/antenna_ground_system_experiment_4.pdf for my rational. Wes  N7WS On 9/2/2019 12:08 PM, N4ZR wrote: More as an experiment and a thought-provoker than anything else, I've started adding 50-60-foot, on-the-ground radials to my

Topband: Inverted L redux

The bandwidth of the SWR is a clue to how poor the ground system is. As you add radials the bandwidth will get narrower and the SWR is likely to change. At present it all looks like a big dummy load. When you think you have added enough radials double it again and measure parameters again. 73

Re: Topband: Inverted L redux

On 9/2/2019 12:08 PM, N4ZR wrote: More as an experiment and a thought-provoker than anything else, I've started adding 50-60-foot, on-the-ground radials to my 135-foot inverted L.  In the latest incarnation I'm up to 4 radials.  On my ancient MFJ-259B the lowest SWR is 1.3:1 at 1825 KHz,

Re: Topband: Inverted L redux

Pete, Traditional wisdom is, if you have the choice of short or long radials, more shorter ones are preferred over a few long ones. However, 50 60 foot radials are not considered long for 160 meters. I have found that 50 to 60 radials will do a great job. At least 30 is a good starting

Topband: 2 el parasitic array / LC matching

Hi, I have an idea to add parasitic reflector for 80m band into a 27m tall vertical, which I use in the winter for 80/160m. Did anyone try something like this? I mean, an array where "driven element" is phisycally out of band / non resonant and works with LC network only... Any chance for

Re: Topband: Hairpin match to inverted L?

I did and it was easy and worked well. I could not find much info (Internet found one picture and not much in handbooks for a hairpin on 160). I "WAGed" it and took #10 solid wire and wrapped 12 turns around a 3" form and shunted it across the feed point. I dialed in the match by spreading

Re: Topband: Hairpin match to inverted L?

When I did my Inverted L with the elevated radials, I think the impedance was about 38 ohms. I decided to wind a 1.5:1 Unun based on Cecil's book on a K Mix. That brought it nicely in line to about 55 ohms if I remember correctly. That was about 2 years ago. Balun Designs also has them for sale

Re: Topband: inverted l

If you have a properly constructed typical inverted L, i.e. 50 or 60 foot vertical and similar length horizontal, AND a good ground system serving as the other half of the antenna, your feedpoint Z will be 10 to 20 ohms. The reason you need a matching network is that most coax (this assumes you