[Elecraft] Antenna Analyzer

[Bob McGraw K4TAX]

I find that Jim's thoughts and findings are similar to mine. SWR is 
really not a good indication of how well an antenna works. One of my 
coax lines has a 1:1 SWR from 160M through 6M.  It doesn't receive well 
nor transmit well.  It' has a dummy load on the distant end.

Along the same line, I have a home brew variable L network consisting of 
a tapped inductor, about 24 taps, and a 500 pf variable capacitor.  I 
find it will match about anything that is hung on one end.  If it 
doesn't match, simply turn it around and most likely a suitable match 
will be found.  In all cases, my random wire is not a resonant antenna 
but a length of wire tossed over a tree limb.   With this, the SWR 
indication on the radio is all that's needed.

73

Bob, K4TAX



On 12/1/2017 1:09 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 12/1/2017 4:49 AM, w5sum at comcast.net wrote:
>> But it struck me that it might be nice to add a small antenna 
>> analyzer to my kit.
>
> Why must every perceived problem be resolved by buying something? All 
> Elecraft rigs, including the KX2, have an indicator for SWR that the 
> rig sees. Resonance can be clearly seen by moving up and down the band 
> to find it.
>
> SWR is NOT an indicator of how well an antenna works, and antennas 
> don't necessarily have to be resonant to work well! That depends on 
> how we use the fundamentals of how antennas work. Especially when 
> using improvised wire antennas with little or no feedline, the only 
> thing that matters beyond the fundamental properties of the antenna is 
> whether the rig can match it.
>
> I'd be far more likely to drag along more "stuff" with which to rig 
> improvised antennas in whatever surroundings I find myself, and to 
> study the ARRL Handbook and Antenna Book to understand those 
> fundamentals.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
>
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