[Lowfer] Fenceline longwire

[Steve Ratzlaff]

Hi J.B.,
And just imagine how even stronger the signals may be if you can elevate the
wire even farther away from the fence. At least that was my experience. Once
I got the wire 8-10 feet above the fence, signals improved significantly 
compared to within a foot or two of the fence.
(I'm using a 1600 foot E/W unterminated wire with standard matching
transformer, with the transformer and ground rod on the west end.) It hears 
just as well to
the west (termed "over the shoulder" reception by John Bryant) as to the 
east for LF reception. It has a roughly 120 degree pattern off both 
ends--this is still a short antenna for LF compared to standard Beverage 
several-wavelength antennas. On the east end I get good reception from 
Canadian Maritime beacons down to Brazil in South America; on the west end I 
get the Pacific from New Zealand to China. (Heard my first Chinese NDB a 
couple months ago.) I have a 400' N/S elevated longwire to fill in the rest 
of the pattern--and it even shows directionality at LF, even though it's 
very short, relatively speaking.
73,
Steve
NE Oregon

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J. B. Weazle McCreath" <weazle at hurontel.on.ca>
To: <rsgb_lf_group at blacksheep.org>
Cc: <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 6:52 AM
Subject: [Lowfer] Fenceline longwire


> Hello LFers & Lowfers,
>
> I've been testing a 1200 foot end fed longwire mounted on
> an existing fence-line and coupled to the receiver with a
> 3:1 turns ratio isolation transformer.  The antenna is 3
> feet off the ground, with the far end left un-terminated.
> The "ground" for the cold end of the antenna winding is
> a stainless steel screwnail driven into the trunk of a
> cedar tree at ground level.
>
> The antenna is aligned 50/230 degrees true, which from my
> QTH favours Europe/UK off the front and the mid-west U.S.
> off the back.  Listening to ATC frequencies from Gander
> and Shanwick in the 2500 to 3000 kHz. range, the longwire
> is several S units stronger and MUCH quieter than my 80 M
> inverted V.
>
> On 500 kHz. I've been able to copy the XGR transmissions
> with better signal strength than off my PA0RDT mini-whip
> or untuned delta loop.  The same holds true for listening
> around the broadcast LW & MW bands or NDB chasing.
> The greatest advantage is that signals are well above the
> noise on the longwire.
>
> Thinking outside the box can sometimes yield a surprising
> result, if that's the only option you've got!
>
> 73, J.B., VE3EAR - VE3WZL
> Solar and wind powered
> Lowfer " EAR"  188.830
> EN93dr
>
> http://www.hurontel.on.ca/~weazle
>
>
>
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