[AMRadio] Vertical antennas

[Rich Jones]

I went from a 20 acre farm to a mobile home park, double-wide (a nice park with restrictions of course).  I use a 75 meter ham stick, grounded to a 3/4 in. copper pipe in the ground.  The whole array is up 4 ft and I use a 16 ft aluminum flag pole and 20 feet of copper wire as a counter-poise.  I love CW but use this set-up forAM and SSB net contacts as far away at night as 1000 miles.  A pair of 6146's in a old TS-520 and also using a Ten Tec 238 "L" match tuner to fine tunethe whole set-up.  From two towers and a beverage to a hamstick, I still make contacts.  Also, you are right about the novice days, I once had a QSOwith a JA on 15 meters with a light bulb for an antenna in CW mode, running 15 watts.  For the upper bands a 9ft high Sigma 5.  Enjoy the hobby, I still do.  73 de Rich K8UV in SE Michigan.