Wanted to thank you all for your help so far and taking the time to reply.
I’m working this weekend and this week looks rainy but I’ll try to move the tuner out there since it’s battery powered and give it a try. I like the idea behind this and with only 100 watts keeping losses down to minimum makes perfect sense. Rick as far as the balun goes unfortunately terms get interchanged - DX refers to it as a 1:1 but it’s a choke that mounts on the antenna base to keep the cable feeding the antenna from becoming another radial - at least that’s the theory behind it. I’ve run it both ways - with and without - and it was the same result. If you think adding one going up the wall would be a good idea I’m happy to build one and do that as well. I definitely don’t want rf coming in the house and so far I have not seen any issues. Also, I am running the tuner because 80 on both antennas is pretty narrow banded being coil loaded. Jimmy I spent the summer laying down about 1000 feet of radials for the vertical in as much of a 360 degree pattern as I could. It’s pretty narrow banded on 80 being coil loaded so that’s why I run the tuner, but on the rest of the bands I could probably get away without it based on my swr’s. I’ll also try and get some pictures of my setup posted on Sunday after work. - Chad > On Oct 16, 2020, at 11:20 PM, Rick Hiller <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hey Chad, > > I have read thru all of your notes and the responses. Looks like you got > alot of help, so I will limit my comments. > > Not sure why you have a 1:1 Balun at the feed point of the 6BTV. If > anything it should be an unun, but just running coax directly to the vertical > is an OK move. I would however place a choke of some sort in the feedline > right where it runs up the wall on the outside of your house. This will > eliminate any antenna currents flowing on the LMR that runs parallel to the > radials. This current could cause problems in the shack if left un-choked. > As a secondary precaution, placing a choke on the feedline right where it > enters the shack is another good practise, just incase some common mode > current is generated on the feedline as it runs thru the attic, etc. > > If you have tuned your vertical with your MFJ 269 then why do you have a > tuner in your shack? You should run without the tuner -- tuner in bypass > mode.. Same comment on the 80 meter Inv V. If tuned to 3910, why the tuner? > Unless you are running more than 100 KHz from the sweet spot. You should > be doing well into the Rag Chew net with your INV V at the height you have > it.. > > Reconfirm that your antennas are tuned to the freqs you want. Lowest SWR > reading as close to the antenna feedpoint as you can. Then make sure your > transmission line is providing the maximum power out from your xcvr. > > I hope you have a separate SWR power meter at your station, so you can see > just how much power the xcvr is putting out. This is pretty critical to be > able to see this. > > I read that it seems that both antennas are having a problem of some type. > As Jeff suggests, testing your transmission lines for maximum power transfer > to the antennas is a good step to take and provide you with a bit of > confidence in your installation. There are a few ways to do this with dummy > loads and watt meters being switched around. > > Keep us all posted on your testing and system checkout. You'll get there > for sure. > > GL and 73....Rick -- W5RH > > > > Virus-free. www.avast.com > >> On Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 6:56 PM Chad Kitzmann via BVARC <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> I’ve been a Ham since 2017 and have an 857d. Running a multi fan dipole >> from 2017 until I had to cut the tree down it was in in 2019 I had dismal >> contacts with anyone on 80, 40, and 20. >> Covid gave me some time to be at home and I setup a Hustler 6BT and have it >> tuned with my MFJ 269c. I know it’s a solar minimum but I’ve made very few >> contact. I can hardly reach the Texas Traffic Net and I try each day. I >> might get a check in 2 times a month. I have yet to be able to check into >> the 3.910 Wednesday net. I can hear everyone but no one can hear me. >> >> I recently built an 40/80 meter coil dipole that is an inverted v that’s 18 >> feet at the center and 6 feet at the ends - nobody hears me with 100 watts - >> even the 3.910 net. >> >> Is 100 watts just too little these days? Should I be looking to buy an amp. >> It seems people with higher power are the only only people who get heard. >> It’s very discouraging. I can hear them - just can work them. :( >> >> - Chad >> >> ________________________________________________ >> Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club >> >> BVARC mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org > > > -- > Rick Hiller > e-mail: [email protected] > Cell: 832-474-3713 > Physical: 9031 Troulon Drive > Houston, TX 77036
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