[Elecraft] How to ring up 10 db worth of miscellaneous losses in a vertical installation.

[Guy Olinger, K2AV]

Start with a properly functioning Hygain 14AVQ.

Take it down and disassemble it to move it.

Lose some of the stainless screws it was assembled with.

On the new site, clean the aluminum parts with ammonia solution. Do
not rinse. Get some in the traps.

Reassemble 14AVQ. Do not use Noalox or any such materials at the
joints.
Replace missing screws and hardware with regular steel.

Drive an iron pipe into the ground to support it. Do not install
radials.

Make sure the iron pipe is in the far corner of the back yard, only
three feet from the two four foot high metal mesh fences that form the
corner.

Attach coax. Overtighten and break the female coax connector.

Overcome problem by stripping coax for a foot, and fastening the
copper center conductor to the vertical portion with yet another steel
screw, fastened into a newly drilled hole.

Attach the shield to the iron pipe by loosening one of the U-bolts and
slipping the shield between U-bolt and pipe and retightening.

Do not tape or goop anything.

Allow time to fully weather, oxidize, and corrode. Note that the SWR
has gone to 1:1, so it must be working.

Compare new Windom to vertical with field strength gizmo borrowed from
radio club member.

Have radio club member key the transmitter on alternate antennas and
holler out the window while you use the field strength gizmo down the
street a way. Note that the Windom produces something over four times
the voltage as the vertical.

Take down the vertical and blame it on Hygain.

Recall with irony after some years that the rig was tuned up on the
vertical for the tests, NOT the Windom, and the readings could have
been even better on the Windom if it had been retuned.

(Sigh)

You can say whatever you want about whatever genius did what formula,
and quote the bible. But...

If you don't take care of the details, don't know how the RF and
ground works, you can really ring up the dB's.

73, Guy.
K2AV