Hi Jim, I live in a deed restricted area so I keep things to a bare minimum and that’s why I don’t top load (or center load) my 68 foot vertical wire that hangs straight down from a massive Sycamore tree. I’ve considered turning it into an inverted L for TX efficiency but too many trees make it a very difficult proposition. After getting DXCC on 160 meters and way more running 100 watts I really just play around except I do take 160 meter contests pretty serious.
Also my base loaded 68 foot vertical makes it perfect for use on 80 meters as I run DC over coax to control relays at the base to bypass most of the loading coil (I actually use part of the loading coil as an L matching network on both 80 and 160 meters). I would love to be as loud as my good friend Mike (W9RE) on 160 meters but that’s impossible based on his amazing antenna farm so I just sit back and take a beating from him in 160 meter contests when we both run 100 watts:), plus my receiver dynamic range is not adequate as my main transceiver (TS-180s) is now over 45 years old so I’m definitely at a big disadvantage. 73, Don wd8dsb On Sun, Apr 20, 2025 at 3:59 PM Jim Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > On 4/20/2025 11:55 AM, Don Kirk wrote: > > my > > 68 foot base loaded vertical for TX > > Hi Don, > > Does your QTH allow you some form of top loading? It can improve TX > efficiency by a few dB if you can pull it off. > > 73, Jim K9YC > > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
