Thanks again everyone. I've read all your suggestions and advise and although I won't be able to make some of the more difficult (or impossible at my site) changes there are a few things I'm willing to try.
I read the w0btu.com webpage and I'm not really that far off from that setup. Minus that tuning network. I'll order some FT240-31 ferrites to make the feedline choke. Looks easy enough. I have my elevated radials (135' long) at about 10' above ground now, like the website describes. The feedpoint is a little bit higher than that. The website does not say (or I didn't see it) how high the feedpoint should be. Is 10'-12' okay? I can easily move that higher and then the radials would slope downward from the connection point. Also, my total wire length is not 155', it is more like 135'. I'll add 20' of length while waiting for the ferrites to arrive. If this makes a huge difference I'll be shocked and pleased. It works so poorly now compared to the 43' version that except for my desire not to have this thing beat me it really doesn't seem worth the effort. Last night I was easily coast to coast from Seattle. East coast stations on PSK reporter were hearing me well. I was heard in the Faulklands and in JA with the 43' antenna. With the 100' version I was barely making it to Colorado! I'm looking closely at a couple of BCB filters to help clean up my receive situation too. I'd like to be able to use my antenna analyzer to get some usable data. I'm just frustrated that this thing stinks so badly and the 43' model that I frankly threw together in about a day just for the ARRL 160 CW contest has worked 45 states and some DX in almost no time but the 100' has worked essentially nothing at all. It looks more impressive though. Ugh! I will keep providing updates and listen to any advise provided. Until I wad the thing up into a ball... 73, Todd - NR7RR _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector