[Elecraft] OT: G5RV's antenna

[Don Wilhelm]

Ken,

I will agree with all until I got to the end of your post - "classic zepp"
The original (and classic)  Zepp antenna was a 1/2 wave wire fed through 
a 1/4 wave transmission line connected to the end that was trailed 
behind lighter-than-air aircraft (Zepplin).  If you look at the J-pole, 
and turn it horizontally, you will see exactly the same thing - a 1/4 
wave transmission line with one side connected to a 1/2 wavelength radiator.

I am not sure how the "Zepp" term became associated with any kind of 
center fed dipoles, but it has in ham circles, and I find it confusing - 
there is the Center Fed Zepp (2 halfwaves in phase) antenna, and then 
there is the Extended Center Fed Zepp (5/8 wavelength each side of 
center), and then there is the "classic Zepp" that is the antenna 
designed for trailing the aircraft.  So we must be careful to explain 
which kind of Zepp antenna we are referring to when we write "Zepp"  
There is a lot of difference.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/9/2012 9:53 PM, Ken G Kopp wrote:
> I have Varney's (G5RV) original article.  The antenna was designed
> for -only- 20M .  Since then it's taken on the proverbial "life of it's
> own" and become somewhat of a "cult" antenna, as is the case with
> the "Carolina Windom".
>
> Why would one start with a perfectly good balanced-line fed Zepp,
> cobble a piece of "special-length" coax onto the end of that balanced
> line so that the antenna becomes something else, and then have to
> use an antenna tuner to make the thing work?
>
> Since the antenna requires a tuner, why not connect the balanced line
> to a balanced tuner ... or one with a balun ... and enjoy all the virtues
> of a classic Zepp?
>
> 73!
>
> Ken Kopp - K0PP
> ElecraftCovers at gmail.com
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