So, Mirko brings up an interesting point. I can run out far more than 35' horizontally. Should I make the wire a lot longer in that dimension? I was working with the 130' (approx) total length I'd read about using for the 43' vertical's top loading wire. I know, I should be modeling this myself. :-(
But if adding extra wire in the horizontal might help then that would be an easy modification. Any opinions? Thanks, Todd - NR7RR On Tue, Dec 18, 2018 at 11:22 AM S57AD <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello Todd, > > my experiences were pretty limited, but I would suggest you about 150' of > wire (to 100' height, the rest horizontally), with air variable capacitor > in series with the wire to cancel inductive reactance. Some 500 - 800 pF > would be OK, It will tune antenna nicely without any need for external > tuners and such a stuff. Beware that inverted L is noisy antenna and you > will need receiving one (ones). And do not expect huge EU pile-ups with > your 100W, HI > > 73, Mirko, S57AD > > V V pon., 17. dec. 2018 ob 21:55 je oseba Todd Goins <[email protected]> > napisala: > >> Hello, >> >> Yes, I'm a 160m newbie but have been licensed and active since 1990. I >> have >> CW/Phone experience on HF but I'm just getting my feet wet on 160m. I >> participated in the ARRL 160 CW contest and had a great time. I will also >> be particiapating in the Stew and the CQ contests in January. I'd like >> some opinions or thoughs on making my modest antenna a little better. I >> have worked and confirmed 40 states in a couple of weeks on CW and FT-8 >> but >> the DX (both hearing and transmitting to by PSK Reporter stats) has been >> elusive. >> >> So, here's my setup. I made an inverted L using a DX Engineering 43' >> vertical and I attached a 90' horizontal wire (that slopes up a little) to >> the top. I have a radial field of 60-70 radials with varying lengths from >> 125' to around 40' with the overall average being about 60' in length. I >> have a remote tuner at the base of the vertical. Also, I'm only running >> 100 >> watts, so that may be an issue. Furthest I've completed and confirmed a >> QSO >> is South Africa but nothing to Europe. I am in the Seattle, WA area. >> Overall, I guess I'm happy it works at all but I'm ready for some ideas on >> improvement. >> >> My situation/question is this: I could, with minimal effort, attach a >> vertical wire to a tree limb at about 100' height right over the existing >> radial field. That would then replace the DX Engineering vertical and I >> would run a horizontal capacitance hat wire from the top of the 100' tall >> wire. My plan would be to use the existing radial field, disconnect the >> current vertical and connect the new wire to the tuner/radial field >> instead. >> >> Would you wise and experienced Topbanders expect any performance increase >> from the increased vertical length or should I just stick with what I >> have >> now? Also, if I do this, what length of wire would be recommended for the >> top horizontal section? >> >> Any ideas or thoughts would be great. Be gentle... >> >> 73, >> Todd - NR7RR >> _________________ >> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband >> Reflector >> > > > -- > Mirko S57AD > _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
