[Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?

[K8JHR]

Lots of guys have good results with OCF dipoles all over the world.

I run a weekly nationwide net for a Brand X radio model using a 40-6 
meter OCF dipole.   I am the loud signal and I hear all and they all 
hear me.  Of course it helps I am in the Midwest, but still, I run 700 
watts into it and NO CMC or other problems.  I can run more power, but 
don't because that is enough to get the job done.   Power is not an 
issue on my OCF dipole.

Best advice I ever received on OCF Dipoles comes from a guy who tested 
several OCF dipoles for common mode noise, and then found the right type 
of balun/choke to use.   IT DOES make a difference how you build and 
deploy it.   If you run the feed line closer to one side than the other, 
you get CMC.   If you use the wrong balun, you get CMC.

See here:  http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/

Using a proper DUAL Core balun - where the transformer is wound on a 
separate toroid from the choke wound on another toriod - it works fine 
and you have no CMC noise issue.

Stop by my shack and have a listen.  CMC "can" be a problem if you allow 
it to be, but not if you pay attention to what you are doing.  Again, 
don't believe me... stop by the shack or join my net some Wed evening 
and see.   (We don't care what brand rig you own - its is ham radio and 
it is all good)

Just MY take.  This antenna works better than the AlphaDelta and home 
brew fan dipoles I used to use... (although I cannot explain why the 
others did not work as well, they should have...but who knows what they 
were coupling with in my crowded little lot.)

Happy days.
--------------------- K8JHR  ----------------------



On 7/5/2014 12:50 PM, Dave wrote:
> I tried a 40M OCFD for a while. I gave up on it and went back to a
> centre fed dipole instead.
>
> >