[Elecraft] Rick & antennas...

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

Off-center fed dipoles are a compromise at best.  They will never be
any better than a simple half wave dipole for the current band and a
multi-band fan or trapped fan dipole generally provides a better match
without complex and failure prone matching networks.

A well designed multi-band fan or fan of trapped dipoles is easy for
the user to build and erect for much less $$ than the Buckmaster.  The
only "benefit" of commercial OCF antennas is that they separate the
inexperienced and unsophisticated from their cash.

I've run 100W and wire antennas for more than 15 years ... in that time
I've tried both OCF vs. tapped inverted Vs vs. multi-band fan antennas
vs. G5RV type antennas.  The multi-band fan is more efficient and less
noisy quieter than any of the OCF or G5RV type antennas.

For simple antennas, K9YC is correct ... use a multi-band fan for 80,
40 and 30 meters and the largest Cushcraft R-series vertical you can
afford/install *on the roof* for [40/30]/20/17/15/12/10/6.  When you
get some experience and are ready to spend real money, install a tower
and a good yagi (or yagis) for 20-6 meters.

My dipoles and verticals have been enough to place 2nd worldwide in
the low power/simple antenna class of CQ's DX Marathon for the last
several years ... plus land me on the DXCC Honor Roll both CW and Mixed
as well as rack up more than 2500 countries on DXCC Challenge.

73,

   ... Joe, W4TV


On 12/9/2015 6:06 PM, Tom Fitzgerald via Elecraft wrote:
> "The Buckmaster never wins compared to inverted vees though, but it
> DOES tune up on multiple bands.  It and the Elecraft tuner get along
> fine, so it serves its purpose (which is NOT high performance)."
>
> Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa????????? The Buckmaster is recommended to be
> installed as an inverted V. That's sweet that the E Tuner gets along
> with it but I have the 3,000w version and run full legal limit on all
> bands (where allowed) that it operates on without the need to use my
> tuner. Not high performance eh? Funny stuff. I suggest anyone
> considering this fine antenna consult the  eHam reviews of it by
> people who actually own the antenna & have experience with it.
> Comparing a beam antenna to a wire is sort of ridiculous IMO for what
> should be more than obvious reasons. Lotsa haters out there as
> usual.
>
> kd0bcf
>
>
>
> "Das war ein Vorspiel nur, dort wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt
> man auch am Ende Menschen." ("That was but a prelude; where they burn
> books, they will ultimately burn people also.") Heinrich Heine, 1821
>
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