Hi Jim,
When it comes to 160-meters, you must first assess just what, exactly, you want
to accomplish on the band...
Do you want to work just your Stateside buddies...? If so, a half-wave dipole /
inverted "V" at 80' will be MORE than up to the task. Feed it with open wire
line, coax, whatever...
Do you just wanna work DX on the band...? Then delve into the various antenna
handbooks to learn how to shunt feed that tower as a vertical. Eighty feet of
"physical tower height" translates to some 120' of "electrical tower height"
when fed the proper way (remember to add lotsa ground radials).
Do you wanna work both domestic AND DX stations, both, on Topband...? Then
string up an inverted "L" alongside your tower. The "mix" of both horizontal
and vertical wire will be a good compromise in the matter of working both
near-in, and far-away, stations...but again, be prepared to lay down some
radial wires for it to work effectively.
Radial wires are a whole 'nother topic, for sure...
Anyway, that's my $0.02 worth...and I've been on the band, off & on, almost
from the time I first got licensed some 38 years ago.
~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
************************************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Miller WB5OXQ in Waco
To: Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 11:28 PM
Subject: [AMRadio] 160 meter antenna
I always wanted to try am on 160 but like most do not have enough room for a
full size antenna, so,
I am considering building a 160 meter antenna at our clubhouse because there
is a 80' tower there and over an acre of land to spread out a 1/2 wave dipole.
Question is;
1 Is a 1/2 wave wire dipole the best antenna for the band considering there
is room for it.
2 Is 80' high enough for the center of the inverted V?
3 How high do the ends need to be off of the ground?
4 Should I feed it with coax or ladder line to the 10' level (or other) then
a balun to coax to the tuner (coax is the only acceptable line into the shack)?
The shack is a metal building 30X60' and directly below the tower. There is
no way to get ladder line to the operating position since all cables have to
run through a 3" conduit for at least 30'.
The tower is a free standing commercial tower made of 4 20' sections bolted
together with a 2 meter and a 440mhz antenna at the top, all ham antennas.
Thanks for any advice. Jim wb5oxq
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