[ARC5] antennas

[Mike Hanz]

On 8/11/2012 8:30 AM, Alan Morriss wrote:
> hello , i have been operating equipment designed for short wires into a standard 50 ohm load for years. generally speaking the standard antenna loading network will work but if necessary a 150pf capacitor in the antenna lead will do the trick.  i do not think the ARC5 will be any exception , and will find out when i get it all going. alan G4GEN

No, it won't be any different, Alan.  It all boils down to an 
individual's concept of pursuit of perfection versus good 'nuff, and 
that varies with all of us.  You can skate by with just a series 
capacitor - many have done so since 1945 - but it won't be as good as 
you could do.  If you simply want to get a signal out, fine.  The 
problem is the low power output of the transmitter - you need a little 
bit more careful matching to get every possible watt of RF into the 
radiating element.  Then too, though it isn't necessarily an indication 
of perfect matching,  there is a certain satisfaction in seeing the 
command set RF current meter finally budge off the left peg more than a 
quarter of an inch.  To each his own, but I'll be surprised if the 
antenna current meter in your rig will look like this one in one of 
AB5S' rigs, which is using a 9:1 unun and 200pf series capacitor in this 
particular case: http://aafradio.org/sidebar/Stinson_RF_Ammeter.jpg

73,
Mike  KC4TOS