KA4ZDR ANTENNA PARTY

UP DATE ON FAN DIPOLE

It has been harder than anticipated to get the antenna tuned... especially the 10 meter wires. I can lower the antenna and raise it back and the resonant frequency changes. Much less trying to cut it. I finally gave up and removed that part. I replaced it with a wire J-Poll connected to the same balun. It now works rather well. Of course, its orientation is vertical but I like it since it makes DXing better since the waves travel lower to the earth and can go further before bouncing off of the ionosphere. 

An additional problem is the balun itself; I managed to break it. I did not notice when the cable got stuck under the downspout. I pulled the supporting rope so hard that the acrylic jar broke. I will need to replace it when I can get the money.

FAN DIPOLE FOR 80, 40, 20, AND 10 METER BANDS

I have two antenna, both dipoles.  One is a 20 meters with a 50 ohm RG-8u cable feedline. It works great from the top to bottom of the band. The other antenna is cut for 80 meters with a ladder line feedline. It is extremely narrow. Nevertheless, I can use it on 40 and 10 meters with my tuner. 

The problem is with the ladderline. The only way to feed it into the shack is to feed it through (or at least the easiest) is to pass it through the same holes that have an iron pipe and over the metal support of drop ceilings. I understand that this is not good. I am too poor to get more cable. The solution, use one feedline. Enter Google Search. There are a lot of interesting options out there.  

1. QSL.net has a lot of information on dipoles, including a Multiband Dipole with a single coax feedline. It does not have building details. What it does have is some key information. Interference between the dipoles is possible if the wires are too close together. 

2. Hamuniverse.com describes a multiband fan dipole with seems interesting. The quote a study by the Stanford Research Institute that says the at the connection point the dipole wires should be at least 5 1/2 inches apart and at the far end and least 38 inches . In a 3 dipole antenna, the figures would be:

• 75 meters: 0.96 time 468/MHz (for @3.85 this would be 121ft 6in total length)

• 40 meters (can be used on 15m as well): Exactly 468/MHz (for @7.20 this would be 65ft)

• 20 meters: 1.01 times 468/MHz (for @14.225 this would be 32ft 11in) 

I would like to include 10m as well so these numbers might need to be adjusted. 

• I can find only one discription of such a configuration built by VE2XIP. However, with my limited space, a already need to let the ends of the 80 meter antenna hang. The horizontal length is probably a half of the overall length. 

• I found another design at MOPZT.com that does not have the 80 meter antenna. What it does show is the 40 meter dipole folded back on itself making the over all length just a little longer that the 20 meter band. 

I will have to play around and combine some good ideas of each source. I will start by cutting lengths of wire to the following dimentions

75 Meters - 61.5ft x 2 (start with current antenna)
40 Meters - 33.5ft x 2
20 Meters - 17ft x 2 (start with current antenna)
10 Meters - 9ft x 2

Supplies:
1:1 balun
16 ft PVC or pacers

THE DRAKE TR-4 IS BACK

After what seems like a year, my TR-4 is home and working. I have made several contacts on 80m and 20m. However, I can't get any power out on 10m. I am not sure what is wrong. Today, the band conditions were excellent. I heard Guatemala, Germany, and Bermuda but contacted none of them. Even a man in Texas did not hear me. The S meter needle does not move very much either. The power needle on my tuner goes to 300 W when I am tuning (of CW setting) but when I change to SSB, it does not deflect when I speak. I need to talk with Paul and see if he has any ideas.

OMNI-D

My Drake TR4 is still not working correctly. For the last several weak, I have been using a borrowed radio. Wade KJ4WS, has let me use his extra Ten-Tec Omni-D. With a borrowed power supply from Jerry N4EO, I am finally back on the HF air. I have a Dipole cut for 40m that I can tune for 80/75m and an Inverted V for 20m. I have not yet had any luck on 10m but still listening. I would love to have a 5 band vertical but until I get my own Drake working, I can't justify spending any funds of an antenna not made of simple wire.

MY RETURN

Until 4 years ago, I still was not able to have a station in Columbia, TN. I did decide to get back into it during the fall of 2008. I started by joining the local club... Maury Amateur Radio Club. Then I purchased an Alinco 2 meter HT. I do not recommend it. Within just a few months, the 3 batteries I purchased would no longer hold a charge. At about $60 each, I could have afforded a second hand desktop!

2013-08-24

Several more Brazil QSOs on 10 meters! The where having a contest called CVA  (Concurso Verde e Amarelo: Green and Yellow Contest... the Brazilian colors) I am puzzled about something: They were obviously having a hard time hearing my 8 watts since that asked me to repeat my call many times. However, they all gave me a 59 signal report. For you who do not know what that means: "5" is for readability (1-5 so perfect) and "9" for signal strength (1-9 so super strong)!! I am not sure how valid the RS reports can be if people are not honest. I have to admit that I rarely give the right report. I just do not want to hurt people's feelings, I guess. Here is what the system is supposed to be:

R = READABILITY
1-- Unreadable
2-- Barely readable, occasionally words distinguishable
3-- Readable with considerable difficulty
4-- Readable with practically no difficulty
5-- Perfectly readable

S = SIGNAL STRENGHT
1-- Faint signal, barely perceptible
2-- Very weak signal
3-- Weak signal
4-- Fair signal
5-- Fairly good signal
6-- Good signal
7-- Moderately strong signal
8-- Strong signal
9-- Extremely strong signal

T = TONE (Only used with CW)
1-- Sixty cycle a.c. or less, very rough and broad
2-- Very rough a.c., very hash and broad
3-- Rough a.c. tone, rectified but not filtered
4-- Rough note, some trace of filtering
5-- Filtered rectified a.c. but strongly rippled-modulated
6-- Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation
7-- Near pure tone, slight trace of modulation
8-- Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation
9-- Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation of any kind

Source: List produced by N4UJW