[Lowfer] sloper ant

[Ralph W5JGV]

> While experimenting with a sloper 50 ft antenna, I checked cap to
> ground best I could and came up with about 150 pf. I had to add a
> variable cap on top side of loading coil(4.1uh) to get it to
> resonate. I wonder if I added two more wires parallel to the
> sloper if it will increase cap of antenna, will try this
> afternoon. ant will look like pitchfork or trident.Any one else try this?


Yes, adding more wires will increase the capacity of the antenna to ground.
You do not want to add a fixed cap across the loading coil as that reduces
the radiated signal.  You want as much RF current in the top load wires as
possible.  Using several parallel wires for the top load / sloper is an old
practice that works well.  The wires should be spaced several feet apart for
maximum capacitance.

Running a ground wire / counterpoise wire directly under the top load wires
also helps to reduce the ground resistance.  I had remarkably good results
with my 8 foot tall base loaded vertical antenna using a single horizontal
loading wire about 10 feet off the ground and 200 feet long. The loading
coil was #14 PVC house wire.

73,

Ralph  W5JGV - WD2XSH/7