What bands work on the N9SAB Off-Center-Fed Dipole?
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- Опубликовано: 4 сен 2023
- I tested the N9SAB 40-6m off-center-fed dipole (OCFD) during a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation at Harriet Hollister Spencer State Park (K-8623) in the Finger Lakes of New York. I was able to make contacts on 9 different bands with the antenna and the ICOM 7300 (with the emergency tuner on some). I also use the NanoVNA and ICOM 7300 to show what the SWR is across all the bands and which bands the internal 3:1 tuner is able and unable to tune. This video was not sponsored and I am not an affiliate. All equipment used was purchased by myself.
This antenna and more from Tim N9SAB are available for purchase at the links below:
www.etsy.com/shop/HamRadioAnt...
www.ebay.com/str/n9sab
Check out my 1 Watt POTA activation with the antenna • Can the N9SAB OCFD ant...
Really love your video thank you so much you made up my mind😊
I'm glad it helped! I was so happy with it that I bought an 80m OCFD from N9SAB too. That's a big one but works great on the low bands. I just need enough space at a park to set it up, LOL.
Very cool antenna ❤️👍
Yes, it is!
Hey now, a 6M POTA contact! Fantastic! That OCFD did a fine job.
You bet! Even though it was local, I’ll take it. I’m just glad someone was listen on 6m.
Very nicely documented Mike. Thanks a lot!
Thanks, I’m glad you liked it and hope it’s helpful to others who might be curious about an OCF dipole antenna.
I have an off center dipole antenna. A friend made it and gave it to me. It has a 4:1 unun (matching transformer) with 88 feet on one side and 44 feet on the other. I know it's a little short and needs 2 more feet on the 88 feet end and 1 foot on the 44 feet end to bring down the SWR. It's not so high that my internal tuner will take care of it. I just like my antennae to be resonate. Cheers & 73 from K9POW in eastern TN
I'm really becoming a fan of the OCFD. While mine is only 40-6, I'd love an 80m one someday. Thanks for watching!
Nice video! And you found a warm body on 6M as well! Enjoying POTA as a hunter, hope to activate soon. BTW, love the Finger Lakes as well! 73, Mike K3CXG
Thanks! The FLX are beautiful and there’s no shortage of parks for POTA either. Looking forward to getting you P2P when you start activating!
I worked an 80-6 ocf strung about 12' high for Parks on the Air here in TX some years back. Obviously I was working NCIS on the lower bands, which is what I wanted to help me work other state Parks in the area. I was blown away by the performance.
Awesome! I used this one with a smaller mast a few times, about 15 feet up, and it still worked great.
Excellent video.. great view there.. Congrats on the award….
Thanks, Ken! I’m told that it was used as a spot for Field Day in the past.
Looks like you have a lot of fun sometime doing POTA thanks for the video
You bet! But like in the video, I use POTA as an opportunity to try new and different things. It really is a great way to have fun and learn.
@MikeN2MAK I activated a park on Sunday did 11 park to park but I don't have a laptop with me to upload the contacts so I will just have to wait until I get a laptop to do any pota
@@jamesknotts1546 POTA allows you to manually input you log contacts after an activation. That's probably super easy if you don't have a lot, like a dozen or two. You could log on paper and then type them in on the POTA website. Another alternative is the HAMRS app. It's made for POTA, SOTA and other portable activities. It's free to download on a computer (Linux, Windows and Mac) but they charge a small fee for the mobile app on iOS and Android. That's what I use.
@MikeN2MAK I have the hamrs app but when I go to my logs on the pota app it says that my resolution is to small and to turn my phone sideways but it doesn't change
@@jamesknotts1546 I’m not sure what to tell you there. I haven’t experienced it before. I hope you get it sorted out.
Nice looking view and great video. I was watching you call CQ and the only thing that that came to mind "i'm Gumby Da...mit" 73
LOL! Thanks for watching!!
Great video de W2CSI
Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!
Hello. I just activated this park on Sunday. I used the picnic bench across the way and the big tree :) from where you set up. I’m going to email you, if that’s ok, I am a new ham and have been learning everything through RUclips videos but there’s tons of questions I would love to ask you. I am a member of RaRa too (we met briefly I think) and SIARC. Good video please keep them coming. 73
It's a awesome park to play radio, isn't it?! I got the email and will get back to you soon too. I'm always happy to try and help--that's a big reason why I started this RUclips channel. Thanks for watching too!
Just a few clarifications here: ANY OCFD will need an UnUn (usually 9:1 for feed point ~20%) AND a remote tuner. The radio tuner merely keeps the radio happy, but DOES NOT improve power transfer to a poorly-matched OCFD without a tuner at the feed point (with 450 ohm ladder line from the tuner on the ground to the feed point). Sure, you can make contacts by pumping 100W out of the radio with half or more being swallowed back by the radio's tuner. Why not use a little ATU-100 with internal battery at the feed point? Then ALL your power will go into that OCFD. K7RAW-The Antenna Whisperer
That certainly is not the case for me and the 2 OCFD that I have (80-6m and 40-6m, both from N9SAB). 1) A tuner is NOT required for the ones I have. They work fine on the harmonics without one, i.e. 40, 20, 10 and 6 meters. I've used a tuner for the other bands. While it's not as efficient, it's simply to see what can be done or for the convenience of making a quick contact on a different band. 2) The OCFD I used in this video is rated for 50W SSB, so I don't use more than that (unless it's an accident). However, I have another video where I did a 1 Watt activation with this antenna--the same day. I've done several QRP activations with an OCFD. 3) Antenna efficiency is rarely a primary concern for me. I have half-wave dipoles I've made that I can use if I'm concerned about getting as much power out. But for what I do, portable ops like POTA and SOTA (I have not radio station at my QTH), there are more important factors, like the size/weight, options for deployment/setup, and bands. In some videos I did with an 80m OCFD this winter, I worked multiple modes (RTTY, SSB AM and FT8) and multiple bands. It's nice not having to go out in the cold to change or readjust antennas for a different band. This antenna is a great fit for me and my style, but it might not be for others, and that's fine. All antennas are a compromise. 4) All that said, a tuner at the feed point is something I'm interested in someday. The ICOM tuners for the 7300 and 705 are pricey, but LDG makes one that is more reasonable. But I'm more interested in that for EFRW verticals and slopers. I have the mAT 705+ and an LDG LDG AT-1000ProII for now, which is plenty, but also more to setup and carry for portable ops.
I have one. Haven't gotten around to using it yet
I sat on mine for a little bit before I got around to it too. I’m sure you’ll like it and have plenty of success with it!
I'd like one, but the SWR seems a tad high. Is that expected?
The SWR was around 1.3 or lower on 40m, 20m. 10m and 6m. Those are the bands the antenna is designed for (like an EFHW for 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m). With a good tuner, you can get it on the other bands (12m, 15m, 17m, 30m, 60m) like I did. It won't be as efficient on the WARC bands, but it does work. Personally, I think it is a great multi-band option for 40, 20 and 10 meters.
I'm working on cutting an off-center-fed dipole with a total length for 1/2 40 meter band wavelength and the positive lead 1/2 30 meter band wavelength for cw, digital, and voice operations. Not sure if it'll work.
Let me know how it goes! I’m still new to the OCF dipole but I’m becoming a huge fan of it. Good luck with the build and thanks for watching!
I hear ya. My previous longer run on the negative wire at 33'5" before I cut the overall length to 1/2 40 meter wavelength actually tuned up on 30 and 80 of all things, but not 40. LOL I guess someone might want that.
Anyway, lovely location you have there. We've driven through the area a few times on cross-country trips, once during sunset when it was intermittently raining. It was amazing, like being inside of a sunset with the whole sky in cloudy purple and orange patches.
Thanks for sharing the video. I subbed and I'll try to remember to let you know how it goes. 73
This is definitely one of my favorite spots, including in the winter. Thanks for the sub too!!
Other than the FT8 great video.
Thanks for watching! I wanted to do a digital mode (FT8) to see if there were any noticeable issues with RFI, since I've heard some say that can be a problem with OCFD antennas. Plus I thought it'd be a good way to show the antenna works across the bands, whether down in CW/digital or up in the phone portions. So far, so good with this antenna though!
Oh what fun.....Congratulations....
Thanks! I had fun experimenting during this activation and all the others to get the 10+ bands at 10 parks.