[Elecraft] K3 Multi-Band antenna thoughts

[Bill Strong]

Mike,

I have been using the 130' Cobra Ultralite Senior Multiband doublet style
antenna by < http://www.k1jek.com > for several years. I currently use it
with my K2/100 and KAT100. The antenna comes with 100' of twinlead which I
attach to a DX Engineering 10KW 4:1 balun (DXE-BAL-200-H11_C) at my window
with a short run of RG 213/U coax to the K2/100 and KAT100 Autotuner. I
tried using the Elecraft balun but it get very hot at 100W. The DX
Engineering balun never gets even warm.

The KAT100 indicates SWR match of 1:1 on most frequencies 160-10m with a
maximum of 1.3:1 to 1.5:1 toward a band edge or two. My antenna is only 25'
above ground suspended from and strung through pine trees. I routinely
operate at 50W  on all bands and have no trouble being heard.

I have also used this arrangement with approximately 30' of the twin lead
inside the house where I brought it in through an soffit board and looped it
across the rafters to a closet ceiling, then down to the floor and under the
closet door across my study along a wall over a wood floor to my desk. I did
all of this passing through only wood and sheetrock and trying to maintain a
distance of at least a foot from any other wiring. I did not worry about
proximity to nails. The twin lead attached to the DXE Balun sitting on my
desk with a 24" piece of coax to the K2. This worked extremely well with the
lowest SWR's across the bands. I just rolled up the twin lead and left it in
the closet when I was not using the antenna. I also detached the twin lead
at the point of entry at the soffit when not in use and just left it rolled
up at the base of the tree.

My Ultralite survived the 130 mph winds of Katrina to a point. It was
anchored at the center and ends to pine trees. It got a severe whipping. It
was finally downed by a huge pine tree falling across it. It did not tear
the antenna apart other than pulling loose at one of the end insulators. It
still worked after I reattached the end connection. I cannot say enough good
about this antenna. It is the K2 of radio antennas. You can put it up and
literally forget about it. It is one tough customer.



-----
Bill Strong
WA5KPE
Hattiesburg, MS
K2/100  #4454
KAT100
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