[Milsurplus] The MF Antenna You Might Already Have.

[David Stinson]

If you have a dipole or inverted-V antenna that's in
the relative clear (trees and towers and junk in the near field 
are real killers for LF-MF),  you might already have a workable
MF antenna.  Split the feedline just above the ground.
Tie both conductors together.  Now you've got either
a "T"-type or "Unbrella" type vertical.  If it's in the clear,
25-30 feet will work.  Higher is better, of course.
Now go get enough chicken wire to lay an "X" on the ground 
centered on the vertical element.  Ground it there
and, if you're feeling froggy, at all the ends.
You can make "yard staples" by bending cheap
wire coat hangers into small "U" shapes 
and pushing them into the ground to hold the wire down.  
I used rocks in Nevada; they were free and plentiful ;-).
It's a little trouble getting it to lay flat, but once
you get the chicken-wire stapled-down, 
you'll be very glad you did the work.
Your ground losses will drop significantly
and your signal will improve a lot.

If you have a cramped suburban lot or too many
trees (like me), you might want to consider a loop.
Some of the 500 KC guys have done yoeman 
work on this.

73 Dave AB5S