[Elecraft] cobweb antenna

[rckchp at comcast.net]

Hello Bill, 



I have no intent to denigrate the design and functionality of the "Cobweb" style antenna but......... 



Several years ago I was inclined to acquire the G3TPW commercial version of the "CobWebb" antenna, I found the website ( www.g3tpw.co.u  ) and sent an email asking how to order, method of payment & shipping charges, etc. Got no response......I thought maybe there was some problem with the 1st email attempt so I sent another.....still no response. So I sent an inquiry via regular mail, including a self addressed (with postage) return envelope......no reply whatsoever....... 



So I can't comment on how well the G3TPW version functions......but in consideration of my above described  experience, maybe you should limit your effort to a homebrew version. 



Also, later I had good results with the homebrew version of the Buddipole, built from free instructions on W3FF's homepage ( https://sites.google.com/site/w3ffhomepage/  ). But back then I was doing more portable ops and since the commercial version is more sturdy I decided to get one......saw one being offered on ebay so I bid and won the auction. Eventually I lost one small bit and needed a replacement part so I contacted W3FF and got very fast response....even though I hadn't purchased direct from them. 



So I've decided customer service is just as important as functionality when deciding which products to acquire. Just my opinion............... 



Rich  K2CPE 

K2 #1102 







----- Original Message -----


From: "Bill Blomgren" <billblom at nc.rr.com> 
To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 10:27:22 PM 
Subject: [Elecraft] cobweb antenna 


I'm still in the "pre-purchase" stage.. but I'm sort of thinking that the K3 
is where I'm going to end up.. Possibly with the preamp...and then there is 
the big problem: what to make it to the air with..... 

The idea of starting off with the buddipole system is out there - and very 
possible... 

I've also been reading up on the plusses and minuses of many of the 
alternatives that may be possible in an apartment life... 

One is the magnetic loop - which is a tad pricey with the vac. variable --   
lots of copper, and the need to tune the thing every time you change 
frequency - and not just antenna tuner stuff - as in changing the cap on the 
antenna itself. It is a very high q (and thus voltage and current) 
critter...Rube Golberg figured out how to do that.. motors with long screw 
drives into a sealed box with the cap inside..with very high voltages 
there... and thus requiring altitude for safety.. 

I came across a nifty square thing called a cobweb, which is more or less 
semi-flat over 4-5 bands... is very light..and can be made of pvc pipe or 
possibly fiber glass because it just has 5 wires in a big square.. One 
antenna to cover 20 17 15, 12 and 10 meters sounds interesting.. One of the 
designs even works on 6, but has higher losses... (That may be the baluns 
they use for a 4-1 impedance match and to go unbalanced... 

Has anyone tried one of these critters, and if so, is the Elecraft happy 
with it? 


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