[AMRadio] new antenna and matchbox a bust.

[EdwMullin at aol.com]

Quote: Brett, N2DTS
"Well, I only have about 95 feet between the trees max.
If I was to  dangle ends, I would have to shorten the antenna
out past the branches, say 7  feet each side, then do 
the dangle, which really would not work.
To much  dangle..." 

First, Nice QSO Sunday night. 
 
Second,  my antenna is a full 80m dipole supported at 75ft by two  pinetrees 
that are <50ft apart, that means that there is a LOT of Dangle  there(around 
35 ft or so I think). I just pulled the support lines over the  trees, and the 
ends of the dipole actually drape over the top and down the back  of each 
tree. Its insulated #12AWG stranded wire, fed with cheap brown  300 ohm twin lead, 
that drops down to a choke balun inside the attic (15  turns at 4.5 inch 
diameter).  This is definitely NOT an optimal  setup.  BUT I do get out, and I've 
been heard as pretty far off on AM, and  work the North East with No Problems. 
(I run a Valiant at about 120watts  output).  I can load it up on any band 
except 160, using my el-cheapo  MFJunk tuner. (160 causes quite a light show)... 
 The biggest problem I  have with it is that the pines are always dropping 
branches after storms and  sometimes they pull down the antenna or part of it 
with them. 
 
SO if there is a significant vertical portion to your dipole, don't sweat  
it.  It will just add some vertical polarization, and change the pattern,  but 
using trees will skew that anyway.