[SOC] RFTB Weekend

[Bill Cunningham K4KSR]

On May 17, 2009, at 18:52 PM, Chris Kantarjiev wrote:

> What I want to know, Bill, is what you're using for antennas! Power  
> out
> is only part of the story...
>
A better question might be what the other guy is using for antennas.

This started with simple 40/20 dipole at about 22 ft, with a 15/20  
dipole at right angles.  This progressed to two 40m Windoms, one fed  
at 30 ft on the original axis and a second Windom at right angles, fed  
at 25 ft.  Ends tend to be around 21 ft.  The Windoms produce a  
cloverleaf pattern on 20m, and it finally dawned on me that rotating a  
cloverleafe 90º was not as effective as rotating one of the Windoms  
45º.   Further, the trees may give you a choice over which way to run  
the longer leg.  I eventually settled on what I call "north  
domininant."   The 45º crossing produced a gap to NNW and SSE that I  
cover with a trapped dipole up a mighty 22 ft.  The 80m antenna is an  
inverted vee up 50 ft and aimed perpendicular to the East Coast.  No  
good for most DX, but the pattern matches the US nicely.  Then added  
80m extension to the trapped dipole with last 12 ft of each leg bent  
down to fit the space.  The Windoms and Inv Vee are fed with about 100  
ft of RG-6 and the trapped dipole with about 150 ft of RG-6.

There is absolutely nothing remarkable about these antennas except  
they are completely invisible from off our property (nasty CC&R).   
They are all located in a densely wooded area officially designated as  
a protected nontidal wetlands.  Standing water for small area only in  
spring.  Coax from woods to house is buried and enters crawl space  
where there is a remote relay for antenna selection.  It's possible to  
create higher or grander antenna schemes, but the restrictions on  
cutting trees in the protected area make this very difficult.  I'm  
pretty lucky to have this modest antenna farm, totally hidden.   It's  
better to have luck than skill.
72,
Bill C
K4KSR