[SMCARA] Counterpoise Question

[William S Merritt]

Be suspicious of such low SWR across such a wide portion of the 
spectrum.   I don't recall your antenna arrangement.  There may be some 
other losses or factors in your setup.

Even a good dipole or 1/4 wave vertical will cover a small portion 
(50-100hz) of 80m and maybe half of the 40m band with an SWR of 3:1 or 
less.  The 10m band may only have  1/2-1/3 coverage.

One normally does NOT want counterpoises or radials to be arranged in 
loops due to hysteresis losses and potential harmonics problems.   
Radials should normally point directly away from the feedpoint whenever 
possible (That is why they aren't called "Zigzags").  :)

Give it a try and see how it does!   73,  Bill, KB4QAA

Here is a link to Lulu.com for Edmund Laporte's 1952, Radio Antenna 
Engineering book, a classic.  Available for free download or high 
quality paperback.
http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/edmund-laport/radio-antenna-engineering/ebook/product-17560294.html

Rudy Severns, N6LF has published excellent work with practical demos of 
radial systems.  Fairly easy reading, and fascinating.
http://www.antennasbyn6lf.com/design_of_radial_ground_systems/







On 10/2/2014 5:42 PM, Bill Jones wrote:
> Well, hooked up the dog fence or one half of it anyways for an approximate
> run of 200 feet along with my 77 foot end-fed. Retook readings at the
> feedpoint and the changes from the first time was amazing. from 3Mhz to
> 51MHZ I am running at or below 5 to 1. 40 Meters seems to run the highest
> at 5 or slightly less. Rest run at or below 3 for the most part. Will
> finish running to shack hopefully this weekend. Real results will come when
> I can fire this puppy up and listen and receive for a while.
>
> 73
> Bill
>
> On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 12:22 PM, jpsmith <jpsmith at md.metrocast.net> wrote:
>
>> You can make an antenna out of most anything; you will need a good tuner.
>> They all work and you will still be able to work the world on a hundred
>> watts. My favorite is 125ft of 16g wire fed with a coax and strung by
>> bungee cords 30 feet up in the trees.  Don't worry so much. Jim (N3NV)
>>
>>
>> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 4G LTE via Verizon Wireless.
>>
>> -------- Original message --------
>> From: Bill Jones
>> Date:10/02/2014 11:17 AM (GMT-05:00)
>> To: smcara at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: [SMCARA] Counterpoise Question
>>
>> Was reading thru some Web entries about counterpoises (tacked to grass,
>> buried, etc) and one person asked the question about the invisible fence. I
>> was wondering if anybody had ever used one for their counterpoise? I do not
>> use mine anymore and I have it looped around my back yard and part of the
>> front yard. I know its broken at one spot so would not be a complete loop
>> but should not matter if my thinking is right and you are just laying out a
>> number of runs like a radials for a Vertical Antenna. Any thoughts and
>> would the fence be enough of a counterpoise to use? I am figuring around a
>> 350 feet in a loop. But broken in one spot for sure so say 2 125 foot
>> counterpoises? Thanks!
>>
>> Bill
>> KC3DEZ
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-- 
Bill Merritt
KB4QAA/3