[Elecraft] 43 Ft Verticals

[WILLIS COOKE]

This is a very interesting thread.  One thing that I have not seen and I have tried to read all the responses is that 43 ft is very near 5/8 wavelength for 20 meters.  Twenty meters is the band of choice for DX these days.  Remember the 5/8 wave mag mount vertical that was so popular when every one was on 2 meter repeaters.  Well, the 43 ft vertical is the equivalent antenna for 20 meters.  The high lobe is just beginning to form and the low angle lobe is at the maximum.  It is easy to null out the reactance by adding enough coil to make it 3/4 wave.  It is also about 1/3 wave on 40 meters which gives a little higher impedance and a little lower radiation angle than the 32 ft 1/4 wave.  On 80 it will not do quite as well as a Hightower, but it does not cost as much and does not need the concrete to install, but 80 meter DX antennas are comparatively hard to erect and the 43 ft will not be shabby.  On 160, the guys with the 128 ft tall insulated towers
will beat you badly, but most of us can't swing that.  The inverted L crowd who can make a 60 foot vertical leg will beat you, but you will beat the low dipoles, Windoms and other compromise antennas when working DX.  On 17 meters and above the high angle lobe will take some of your power, but 15, 12 and 10 are not too good these days anyway and when they get good you will not need much power.

Russ, K0LUW has been tearing us up with his 43 ft Zero-Five in the SKCC sprints, winning several.  Orrin, K9KEJ with his booming professional radio voice and Zero-Five has been commanding the lower part of the 20 meter SSB band for some time.  Now DX Engineering, MFJ and HyGain (MFJ) have joined in the offering.  I don't have one and plan to keep my 3 element SteppIR with 30/40 at 67 feet, but I am convinced that the 43 ft vertical is a great way to go for many stations.

Willis 'Cookie' Cooke
K5EWJ


--- On Sun, 3/15/09, James Apple <wb1dog at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: James Apple <wb1dog at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Elecraft] 43' Vertical and the K2 tuner
> To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Sunday, March 15, 2009, 6:26 AM
> After the ice storm of 2009, I'm looking for an new
> antenna.  I've
> been considering the 43' verticals by DXE,HyGain and
> MFJ.  But I'm not
> sure if my K2 tuner will have the range needed.  The DXE
> site has a
> warning about internal tuners.  Anyone using a K2 and a
> 43' vertical ?
> how's it play ?
>
> Thanks in Advance
>
> - Jim (WB1DOG)
> ______________________