[Elecraft] [OT] hy tower 53' vertical info

[David Bunte]

Mike -

Everything Don says is true... but since the Hy-Tower is designed for 80,
40, 20 15, & 10 meters, you should not need a tuner on those bands (I did
not), but 60, 30, 17 & 12 will very likely need one.

Dave
K9FN

On Thu, Apr 5, 2012 at 6:56 PM, Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com> wrote:

> Mike,
>
> I did not see any on-list responses to your question.
>
> You are a ragchewer, and that usually means you will be working locals
> as well as distant stations (1 to 1500 miles), so you may not want a
> vertical antenna at all.
>
> A vertical antenna (any of them) typically have a low angle radiation
> pattern, so for close-in contacts you may have difficulty with a
> vertical - a dipole is much better.  You may find the vertical better
> than a dipole for contacts greater than 400 miles away on 60 or 40
> meters, and for those greater than 800 miles on 20 and up.
>
> To obtain good efficiency with a vertical antenna, you will need an
> extensive radial field - I would recommend 64 buried radials each about
> the same length as the radiating element.  Also for good efficiency, you
> should use a remote antenna tuner at the base of the antenna, or you
> could feed it with open wire line properly supported and put the tuner
> in the shack.  The efficiency of an untuned vertical depends on a good
> set of radials in the ground.  Those who believe a vertical antenna does
> not require much horizontal space are quite mistaken unless the vertical
> element is an electrical half wave at the frequency of interest -
> verticals require good radial systems.
>
> Here in the North Carolina Piedmont, the soil conductivity is not great,
> so any verticals that I put up will either use elevated radials (should
> be resonant if I feed with coax) or I must put down a LOT of buried
> radials for efficiency.
>
> There is no "magic" about the 43 foot vertical (or any other
> non-resonant length).  Look at it as half of the W3RNL (L B Cebik - SK)
> favorite backyard antennas - the 88 foot dipole.  That length was chosen
> because it was an OK length for 80 meters, and did not break up into
> lobes up through 20 meters.  A 44 (or 43) foot vertical with 43 or 44
> foot radials will be similar, only the horizontal and vertical planes
> will be reversed. - it will work on 80 meters (and 160 with proper
> loading) even though with reduced efficiency, and will not have high
> angle lobes on 20 meters and below.  If you want to work 40 meters
> through 10 meters with low angle radiation, then cut the length to 22 feet.
>
> Bottom line, you probably will not have good results with your 1 to 1500
> mile goal with a vertical antenna of any kind, you will be much better
> off with one or more horizontal dipole antennas.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 4/5/2012 10:23 AM, Mike Rodgers wrote:
> > Anyone have one of these. I've got a chance to get one for a song.
> > I'm interested in how they work  from
> > 1-1500 miles stateside
> > I'm not opposed to dx but I'm a ragchewer mostly on 6-20&60.
> >
> > Can contact direct and maybe better since it's off topic.
> >
> > 73
> > Mike R
> >
> > Play me some fiddle, but no stinkin' violin!
> >
> > Amateur/Ham Radio KE5GBC
> > HF&  Echolink mobile
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