[Lowfer] Medfer Antenna.

[ToddRoberts2001 at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/29/2009 9:28:25 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
pulsarxp at embarqmail.com writes:

I appreciate the comments.  If I installed the antenna at my aluminum  rain 
gutters which are around 17 foot off the ground and then ran a ground  wire 
from the tranmitter to the rain gutters, would my ground length be the  
couple inches between the transmitter and the gutters or would I have to  
include the length of the gutters in my calculation?  (The gutters are  not 
grounded).  If the gutter length would be included maybe I should  do as 
described below. (Use a tall TV mast and ground it at it's  base).   If I 
understand correctly, getting the antenna up in the  air is better then 
down 
on the ground everything else being equal.  I  have a choice of ground 
mounting with radials or mounting it up at the  gutter area of the house.

Lee, w0vt
 
______________________________________________________
 
I will repeat my former posting :
 
Any antenna that is mounted above ground level with leads
going back  down to ground probably would not pass
inspection. Likewise any antenna with  a top hat of some sort
would not pass.
 
The 10 ft. antenna limit includes any feedline from the 
transmitter so  the transmitter should be located itself
directly next to the  antenna.

A Medfer antenna mounted high on a metal pole is trying to
skirt the regulations. A metal pole is acting as a ground
lead to the ground below, as a metal pole by itself
could not act as a ground. The same applies to ungrounded/
grounded rain gutters.
 
If you are trying to follow the intent of the regulations then
the Medfer antenna should be ground mounted with the transmitter
and base loading coil located directly next to the antenna
base and a short copper strap going from the transmitter ground
point to a ground radial system with wires sitting directly
on top of the ground or buried a few inches below it.
 
The vertical antenna could be a copper pipe 10 feet long or 
even a fat stovepipe. I didn't notice much difference going
to a fat stovepipe as far as range goes so I stuck with a 
pipe about 1-1/4 inches diameter. Use the best material 
you can find for a base insulator. The antenna should be 
as much in the clear as possible away from trees and bushes.
The loading coil should be as high-Q and low-loss as 
possible.
 
73 Todd WD4NGG