[GCARC] Club site 80-160M trap dipole

Sun Nov 8 21:35:25 EST 2020

To clarify, I meant to say at 125ft height, the 160 dipole is less than a quarter wave high. By comparison, an 80m dipole at that height is a half-wavelength and works extremely well for dx.

73 Darrell AB2E

> On 11/08/2020 9:32 PM Agustin Neron Properties LLC <ab2e at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
>  
> Vinnie,
> Back in the early 2000s, there used to be a 160m ladder line dipole, over 200ft long strung from the fixed club tower out to a tree on the incoming access road to the site.
> That was a real killer antenna and with a tuner gave superior results on 160, 80, and 40. I used to work all the 160 tests in those years. In theory, it was probably too low for 160, but it did work well.
> A dipole is tough for dx on 160, even at 125 ft it is less than a quarter-wave. Another great antenna would be an inverted L.... only 1/4wave of insulated THHN copper wire (about 132ft on 160), feedpoint 5ft or more off the ground, go up the fixed tower with a standoff, then out horizontal the balance of the 132ft. Run 4 insulated #12 THHN wire radials (use the same wire to make the L element), out at the bottom. These could be rolled up when not in use, or in the summer when the grass needs cutting. I have 115 countries confirmed on 160 with my inverted L.
> 
> I think adding traps and some wire to the 80 dipole will work OK for close in skywave stuff less than 500 miles out, but not very well for DX.
> 
> Another easy idea, shunt feed the fixed tower as a vertical, the shunt wire runs up the side about 12-18inches out (the distance is adjusted for lowest SWR). It's been over 20 yrs since I had one at my old QTH, but as I recall, you have to bond the wire to the tower at the base and the point near the top of the tower. You use whatever height is available. You should have a 10kw variable capacitor in a weather proof box at the feedpoint of the wire, and you could use the same 4 radials for the inverted-L. The huge capacitor makes for a perfect SWR match. These often show up at hamfests real cheap. 
> 
> So adding to the dipole sounds great. HyPower Antennas up in Bethlehem makes the high power traps very reasonable,and helps design them based on the length of your existing dipole.
> 73 and all the best,
> Darrell AB2E
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW - 2020
> 
> Call: AB2E
> Operator(s): AB2E
> Station: AB2E
> 
> Class: SO Unlimited HP
> QTH: SNJ
> Operating Time (hrs): 8
> 
> Summary:
>  Band  QSOs
> ------------
>   160:    0
>    80:  377
>    40:   81
>    20:   37
>    15:   10
>    10:    0
> ------------
> Total:  505  Sections = 83  Total Score = 83,830
> 
> Club: Frankford Radio Club
> 
> Comments:
> 
> Rig: FTDX-9000D/Acom 2000A
> Antennas: all wires
> 160m Interted L @95ft
> 80m dipole @ 90ft
> 40m dipole @ 90ft
> 20m delta loop @ 65ft
> 15m10m homebrew fan dipole @ 60ft
> 
> Wow, wish I had time to put in a full effort this weekend!
> Only wound up with 8 hours, but they were very productive.
> 80m was king, where I feel very loud. Constant 100/hr rate there Sat night and
> again last hour on Sunday. Missed NT for the sweep (VY1JA Jay thanks for being
> there all those years for YU !) It's going to be difficult for the sweep from
> now on, especially on CW !
> 
> 
> 73 & CU in SS SSB, and CQWW CW in a couple week!
> Darrell AB2E
> 
> 
> Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
> 
> 73 and all the best,
> Darrell AB2E
> 
> 73 Darrell AB2E
> 
> > On 11/08/2020 8:53 PM Vinnie Sallustio <yankees_1996 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > 
> >  
> > Is there any way the current 80M dipole can be turned into a 80-160M trap dipole? 160M is that elusive band for many people because of space constraints. I don't use the clubhouse, but would bring my rig over there to get on 160M. It's the only band I cannot get on at home. We seem to have the space for one. Why don't we utilize it?
> > 
> > Vinnie N4NYY
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