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

[kc4kgu@ENTERZONE.NET]

On Mon, 14 Oct 2002, Hank Kohl wrote:

> The Sigma5 is 20-17-15-12-10M with relay control to change bands.
> A friend of mine used a couple of these on his last trip to the Pacific and 
> said they performed great.
> Not bad for $349 and very portable.
> 
> 73    Hank    K8DD


I just looked at the site and it looks "interesting" except for the fact
that they claim 2:1VSWR over an adjustable 320Khz segment of 20m.  Am I
just anal retentive of are there others out there that consider any
supposedly resonant antenna that presents a 2:1 VSWR as a NON-RESONANT
antenna?

If I want 2:1, I can switch in most any of my antennas, on nearly any band
and get very close to 2:1 with no tuner.  When it comes to resonant
antennas, I want to see 1.2:1 or better and will spend quite a bit of time
looking for as close to 1.0:1 when putting up an antenna.

My 75m antenna is 1.01:1 at 3.875 (one of my ragchew favs) and the 160m
loop is 1.03:1 at 1.898.

I consider an antenna that requires a tuner to operate at its design
frequnency with less than 1.5:1 to be a compromise at best.  When the fit
hits the shan and I need to get on the air in an emergency, I don't want
to be twiddling with a tuner and I also don't want to risk blowing up the
amplifier.

Maybe I just think differently.  To me, the transmatch, in the grand
scheme of things, is another potential point of failure when you're
DEPENDING on your communications equipment for emergency comm.

For ragchew, no problem.  Twist some knobs, press the tune button, do
whatever it takes.

73 de John - KC4KGU
K2/100 #2490