[Lowfer] LF Vertical Antennas problem...

[k2ors at comcast.net]

Hello the list,

    I have in the past used my 160 meter dipole as a vertical "T" by tying the feeders together and using a tapped loading coil to resonate and match the antenna. I could get a perfect 50 ohm match in this manner and it radiated quite well - Hartmut copied my transmission running around 100 watts. I have also used the same setup on 500kHz with a different loading coil successfully.

   Now I find that I cannot resonate the antenna - I can't eliminate the reactance no matter what the setting of the tap or the coil. The best I can do is an swr of 1.7:1 and at least 40 ohms of reactance. I have tried changing coils and still the problem persists.  If I do transmit this way, my signal seems to be down at least 10dB below what it was when the antenna resonated properly. Any ideas?

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73 Warren K2ORS/WD2XGJ/WD2XSH/23/WE2XEB/2
FN42hi
http://www.w4dex.com/wd2xgj.htm