[Elecraft] Re: [Icom] Opinions re: HF Verticals?

Mon Oct 14 20:11:01 2002

Well I broke down and ordered a Force 12 Sigma GT5 (no-trap/no radial
vertical dipole) today.

Since I have no horizontal space for a dipole I've been investigating
verticals for a while. The thing that has put me off (aside from the need to
plant radials) is that for virtually every vertical manufacturer it seems
1/2 of owners love em and the other 1/2 can't get rid of them fast enough.

Except for Force 12... I haven't heard one person say anything (really)
negative about Force 12 antennas. And apparently they can't keep the Sigma 5
in stock (backordered 3-4 weeks).

And here's a very interesting new antenna from Force 12 just now available,
a 16' 40-10 vertical dipole:

 http://force12inc.com/sigma40XKinfo-001.htm

Not bad for $249...

Mike - AD5IU

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Rohre" <[email protected]>
To: "Doug Person" <[email protected]>; "elecraft"
<[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2002 2:04 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Re: [Icom] Opinions re: HF Verticals?

> I have had all type of antennas, even some most hams only dream about.
> (Rhombic, Vee beam 10 waves on 10m, 400 foot long wire, dipoles, quarter
> wave vertical, trap verticals like Cushcraft, Butternut, etc.)
>
> Now I have the Gap Titan for some 7 or 8 years.  Best performing vertical
> over the R7, R5, Butternut, and some horizontal antennas.  It is equal to
my
> best dipole, and excels on DX.  It has NO traps, only aluminum stubs so
the
> parallel lines act as traps but without coil loss, or lumped capacitance.
> The only compromise stub is the 80m capacitor loaded one.  It is an
adequate
> performer on that band.
>
> If you could get the aluminum and insulators, sure you could build your
own
> Titan, but your labor must be worth something.  Much easier to get the
kit.
> Aluminum tubing in many sizes is harder to come by these days.
>
> No one antenna is always the best, so I have a combination.  One of the
best
> all around performers for me have been very large horizontal loops, put up
> no more than 20 feet high!  With one 849 feet around, we worked Indonesia
at
> QRP phone last Field Day.  IDEZ antennas I developed are also excellent
> performers, but require a transmatch as does the large loops for all band
> use.
> (Inverted vee Double Extended Zepps).  We use open wire feeders for those
> big wires.
> 72, Stuart K5KVH
>
>
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