[Elecraft] K2 + ATU + Loop antenna in the attic

[Alan D. Wilcox]

Don,
The fan antenna was a lashup in the attic in hopes of having another 
antenna, hopefully to use with the K2 upstairs in the office. If it 
worked out, great; if not, no big deal. The attic isn't easy to get into 
(no pull-down), and not a lot of room to stumble around up there.

The final solution was to switch my 130' Carolina Windom between the K2 
and K3. See bottom of   
http://wilcoxengineering.com/projects/amateur-projects/39-fan-dipole  . 
The coax relay didn't make good contact, so I replaced it with a big 24 
vdc 4PDT junk relay in a metal box: the extra contacts give solid 
connections AND ground the unused feed to either the K2 or K3. BTW, only 
one rig is ever physically connected to the coax unless it's powered up 
and being used.

With the storms ripping around today, both the K2 and K3 are safely 
disconnected!

Cheers, Alan

Alan D. Wilcox, W3DVX (K2-5373, K3-40)
570-321-1516
http://WilcoxEngineering.com
http://eBookEditor.net
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/28062?ref=awilcox
Williamsport, PA 17701

On 4/15/11 7:29 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>  Alan,
>
> Sorry to hear about your lack of success with the fan dipoles.  I have 
> three of them - one for 80 and 40, another for 30, 17 and 12m, and yet 
> another for 20, 15, and 10.  They work very well.
>
> My "secrets" - space the wires for each band away from one another - 
> my 80 and 40 antennas are at right angles to each other, so there is 
> little of any interaction.  The other two have the wires spaced about 
> 1 foot apart using CPVC pipe with holes drilled in them (wires through 
> the holes) to maintain the spacing.  PVC would work too, but is heavier).
>
> The antennas do interact, so plan ahead, you will have to do some "cut 
> and try" pruning.  Tune the lowest band or resonance first, and then 
> the next band higher in frequency.  Trying it the other "way 'round" 
> is an exercise in futility (been there, done that, and have the scars).
>
> I usually consider 3 bands on one feedline the limit of my patience, 
> but this last weekend I helped a friend construct an antenna with 4 
> wires - 80, 40, 20, and 10 meters.  It was a bit of a pain to tune, 
> but it worked out well.  Cut the wires at least 10% long and prune as 
> required.
>
> One other point - do not use separate wires for bands that are close 
> to the 3rd harmonic of another band - in other words, for HF, do not 
> put a 30 meter radiator on a feedline that contains an 80 meter wire, 
> and do not put a 15 meter wire on a feedline that also has a 40 meter 
> wire.  The lower band antenna may be usable on the 3rd harmonic 
> (likely with a tuner), but trying to combine those two wires will 
> result in even more frustration.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 4/15/2011 6:15 PM, Alan D. Wilcox wrote:
>> FWIW, see my fan antenna at
>> http://wilcoxengineering.com/projects/amateur-projects/39-fan-dipole
>> A bright idea that didn't work out so well!
>>
>> Cheers, Alan
>>
>> Alan D. Wilcox, W3DVX (K2-5373, K3-40)
>>
>