Geoff/W5OMR wrote:
Yeah... I screwed up and connected the SWR bridge output to an antenna
connection on the tuner, instead of the RF input connector (DOH!)
(me and my dumb-ass! I wish hard living didn't come so easy to me!)
I told you about my latest blonde moment (with apologies to all blonds!)
privately. Unlike you, I'm not going to disclose it to the list ;>)
Still mysterious as to why the feed line (disconnected from the tuner)
and loop showed to be 'open', instead of closed, like it did this
morning. (*shrug*)
Either another brain-fart, or an intermittent connection. If it were me,
I'd hope it was the former.
So, I'll continue with plans to build the open wire feed-line.. I'm just
not as pressed for time now as I was, prior to reviving the antenna system.
I'm gonna go with either 1/8" or 1/16" plexi-glass, drill holes 1/4" in
from the 4 1/2 plexi strips and 'v' a notch with a triangle-shaped small
wood file.
I'd use at 1/8", or maybe even 1/4", Geoff. For the work you're going to
put into it, you want it to last. I don't think 1/6" would hold up well
to the elements and stresses involved.
The wire I'll be using is 14ga stranded, insulated copper clad steel.
Great! The feedlines for both my wire antennas are the W7FG stuff others
have mentioned. I like it; it's worked well, but if I had the time to
roll my own I'd make something more robust, as you are doing.
Due to the size of the coax hole (through the wall, near the ceiling of
the shack) that the 450 ohm ladder line barely fits through now, I'll
leave about 5' feet of that on the tuner, and connect the 4" wide
feed-line outside. There'll be a slight impedance bump, but nothing
drastic or critical below 30Mc (I never get above 7.3Mc, anyway)
The feedline for my cellar shack does exactly that - "window line" to
the cellar window, and the aforementioned W7FG line from the cellar
window up to the feedpoint. The tuner sucks up any difference. There is
no -practical- reason not to do it.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
I'd like to extend an invitation to all AM'ers; look for activity on
the bands late Wednesday evening. I'll be either at the bottom of 3700
(up to 3.725 - wherever there's a clear hole) or up around 3.880~90
operating while my traditional turkey smoking process is taking place,
over night. If there's too many in any one particular round table, find
a clear frequency and call CQ AM! With a cold front draping across the
nation and dropping the temperatures in Texas (at least) down some 30+
degrees, long distance conditions -should- be favorable.
See you tonite (Tuesday) hopefully - just got the rig tuned up on 3716
(There was an AM QSO on 3710). Also will try to get on tomorrow
(Wednesday) nite as well.
73,
-Larry/NE1S
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