[Antennas] My W3EDP

[Joe Falcone]

Thanks Charles:

This is what I did last night: As you recall I had a W3EDP of 85' radiator
and a 17 foot counterpoise that I had laid in the opposite direction of the
radiator.  I quickly cut out about five or six pieces of cardboard that I
used for spreaders and made the counterpoise into a balanced line with the
antenna inside the house, maybe about 8 or 9 feet of the counterpoise was
used.  I had to just lay the rest down. As a result of doing just that, I
then could tune the antenna  a lot better and made a good contact to N.C.
(from Michigan).

So, I will replace the first 17' of the 85 foot antenna with regular window
line.

I now understand how the balanced line, with its high impedance, acts as a
terminal to the remaining 66' it is hooked up to.  So, I think I will get my
40 meters antenna working.

I tuned it down to about 2.5 to one.  I figured what I did was shorten the
85 radiator feet down to about 75 feet by making my  counterpoise into
"balanced line." This allowed it to  tune better. My tuner is a Yaesu FC-301
which is a pretty heavy duty tuner for what I am using, a barefoot FT-101.

My signal report was that my tone was rough and I think it is because of
feedback in the shack.  Do you have any hints how to get rid of feedback
outside the window?

I really like your balun.  I plan on getting it, and then I would be able to
run the balance line outside the window.  But in the meantime, is there a
choke that I could developed with the balanced line to keep RF out of the
shack?

For my coax systems, I wrap about ten turns of coax around a plastic gallon
jug (from window cleaner for a car, those jugs are round).  that chokes out
the RF.  But, can you do something like that for the balanced line?

Joe.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Greene" <W1CG@QSL.net>
To: "Joe Falcone" <joefalcone@chartermi.net>
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 5:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Antennas] My W3EDP


> At 06:44 AM 5/23/2002 -0400, you wrote:
> >So, if I use a piece of window line (balanced line) 17' long and then
hook
> >the "hot" end  to the 66' antenna and just let the other remain unhooked
I
> >would be using a 1/4 way end fed zep?  I guess so, huh?  OK, I'll try
that
> >as it makes a lot of sense of course.  Thanks, Joe.
>
> Yes, you have it.  Check the exact length of antenna wire and feed line
> using the formulas in ARRL publications or other.  This antenna should
also
> work on even harmonics: 20 meters and 10 meters, but not as precisely as
on
> 40 because of the end effects on the wire.  Use a balun built in to your
> antenna tuner, or a balun external to your antenna tuner.  A ordinary 1:1
> balun should work fine, as the feed impedance is low.  For the general
> W3EDP a 4:1 current balun works best.  I have used a 2KW Radio Works,
kinda
> pricey, but good for 1500 watts.  For 100 watts or less, an inexpensive HB
> kit is available.  See http://www.njqrp.org/balun/index.html designed by
> yours truly.
>
>
>
> 73, Chas, W1CG
>