[Lowfer] New antenna work continues, need more length in top hat

[Andy - KU4XR]

Hi everyone:

If the WX cooperates, it should be slightly cooler on Sat, so I 
stopped by the DEPOT on the way home from work tonite and bought
some items to hopefully make a tilt over base for the mast of
the lowFER antenna. So I'll spend a good part of the day 
constructing that.

I do have a question that I would like comments on pertaining to
lengthening the top hat. Most of you have seen the pics of the
new Top Hat. But for info. it is 5 feet on each crossarm. The mast 
will be 40 feet in height, so I still have 4 extra feet that I can
add to the Top Hat, and it certainly is needed. Will this approach
benefit, or not?? I can add a 4 foot wire to each cross arm, and 
let it drop at a 45 degree angle towards the mast. I won't connect 
it to the mast, just tie it off in some way. This will give the
total length of 49 feet tip to tip, but the question is, will 
adding the extra wire in that way help ?? hurt ?? have no effect ??
I don't think that folding it up above the Top Hat would help at
all. OR-- What if I ran the extra wire underneath each cross arm,
spaced about 1 inch below it, but not connect it to the mast.
I tried making a 10 foot section of PVC pipe stand out straight,
that didn't work very well. But the 5 foot sections are sturdy.
So how can I add the extra 4 feet to the Top Hat in a way that 
will benefit the antenna?? If I'm bay-ing at the moon, let me know
I certainly will appreciate any info you're willing to offer.
I hope to have this thing up within a couple of weeks.

73 all, and have a blessed weekend:



Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr - Friendsville, TN. USA
LOWfer Beacon " XR " @ 185.29875 KHz ( QRSS-60 )

*** Temporarily OFF, while constructing a new antenna ***

Coordinates:  N:  35º 43' 54" - W:  84º 3' 16"
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