[Elecraft] OT: G5RV's and variants

[Ken G Kopp]

It's already been pointed out that the original article
by G5RV indicated that the antenna was for 20M only.
I have the original article in my files.

I've always wondered why builders of the antenna
simply don't make an open-wire fed Zepp and stop there.
Why add a "magic" length of coax ... without any kind
of impedance matching ... to what would otherwise be
a Zepp?  Yes, the length of the coax portion of the
feeder acts as an impedance transformer ... on 20M.
On other bands, all bets are off. (:-)

The antenna requires an antenna tuner to operate on
bands other than 20M.  Many tuners contain a balun
so one has the option of either coax or balanced line
feeders.  Why not avoid the coax-to-balanced line splice
with it's almost certain mismatch losses and connect the
balanced line portion of the G5RV's feeder directly to the
tuner?  If the tuner as no internal balun, one can be made
or purchased.

I once knew a local who actually coiled the coax portion
of his G5RV's feed "system" behind his desk and then
connected it to his tuner.  The end of the balanced portion
was within inches of his tuner's balanced line connections.

The G5RV certainly qualifies as a "cult" antenna.

73!

Ken Kopp - K0PP