I setup my OCFD Inerted V antenna using a 'messenger line' between the trees & hung the antenna balun on the line. That allows the antenna to automatically center itself along the line & takes tress off the antenna wire. The messenger line run over a high limb/trunk in each tree & down the back of each trunk to a rope cleat. I use 800 lb paracord & using this method allows the raising & lowering of the antenna with ease.
Thanks for the video Dave going to be taking my general in October and the dipole will probably be my first HF antenna. I find all your videos very informative but I rarely comment. Keep up the great work of helping out the ham radio world. 73
Great advice. Was just having this discussion with someone using 22awg on a 40m dipole. It's been up in the ARIZONA sun for 8 years. Only issue he has had is the vinyl cover is peeling off in a few areas. Does not affect the operation of the antenna.
Great video. Not sure about bungees at -40 F. Building a G5RV this weekend and leaning towards weights still, but only because of the cold. Bungees turn rock hard at sub zero temps. 73 KL1PJ North Pole, AK.
Dave et al, I would suggest a good source for UV resistant rope are marine supply stores particularly where sailboats are common. You can also find them with different resistance to stretch. One more thing on boats you worry about chafe, where the rope rubs against another surface, Where your rope goes around the tree chafe protection will greatly extend its life. Common chafe protection are old pieces of hose, sometimes old demin pants legs. A problem of course is placing it where you need it particularly if you are going over a branch beyond the reach of your ladder and that is common but it can be done.
Questions about loaded antennas...again. I think I understood from a previous video that loaded antennas do not particularly radiate from the coil. Please elaborate if you will. For mobile application it's Said that top loaded antennas work best on (newer) semi trucks. In one instance I was using a center loaded coil (not above roof line) behind the cab, in front of trailer, and it seemed to work better than any setup I've used before. 😀thank you.
ALL my HF antennas (20, 40, 80 meters) are #14 household THHN wire on a 1/4 acre city lot (the 80M was a challenge). I have a couple of pecan trees and various other trees for supports. Every once in a while a branch will fall and separate a wire. Other than that I leave enough slack in the wires to begin with to compensate for tension and such. Two or three feet of vertical height doesn't affect propagation. Hell they're ALL less than 1/2 a wave up (except for the 20) and work just fine (I don't have a tuner connected). I learned a while ago that pretty doesn't equal effective. Resonance is my pretty.
One doesn't need a balun at the feed point of a dipole. (The impedance is about 73 ohm, also depending on height). You do need a common mode choke at the feed point. No choke is bad practice. Use polyester rope, (UV resistant) also called Dracon, parallel with the antenna wire, a distance above the dipole. This will support the CMC and the coax cable in the middle.
I love use screen door springs. As far as wire, I like spending a little more money (and don't have to fidgit with it) and use copper clad steel wire. Poly Stealth #13 will take hundreds of pounds of breaking strength and it is UV resistant and the jacket is very abrasion resistant.
Great videos. My question concerning a dipole is if I install all the wire at 30 ft but have 1/2 of the wire pointing North/South and 1/2 of the wire pointing East/West (basically a 90 degree bend) will this work effectively?
Dave I use ceramic telephone things and then I hang mine so when the trees move I put a rope there the ceramic thing I put the rope and then tie a brick on them. I guess I go to extremes.
Mine was thrown up in a hurry. Using string and paracord. It was gonna be temporary, But its.been there for years. I keep looking to see if its still up. And it us..
May I be the first to suggest either copperclad steel or kevlar core braided wire as Chamelon uses, or, as the lady said, if you just stroke it, it will stay up. (Sorry Dave!)
Audio sounds clear and no longer in a closet. Nice!
The audio sounds better today, Dave! Thanks!
I setup my OCFD Inerted V antenna using a 'messenger line' between the trees & hung the antenna balun on the line. That allows the antenna to automatically center itself along the line & takes tress off the antenna wire. The messenger line run over a high limb/trunk in each tree & down the back of each trunk to a rope cleat. I use 800 lb paracord & using this method allows the raising & lowering of the antenna with ease.
I have long screen door springs on each end of my G5RV. They work really well. LOVE your videos. Keep up the GREAT work.
Thanks for the video Dave going to be taking my general in October and the dipole will probably be my first HF antenna. I find all your videos very informative but I rarely comment. Keep up the great work of helping out the ham radio world. 73
Great advice. Was just having this discussion with someone using 22awg on a 40m dipole. It's been up in the ARIZONA sun for 8 years. Only issue he has had is the vinyl cover is peeling off in a few areas. Does not affect the operation of the antenna.
A little slack in the line never hurts - especially during hurricane season.
It must be a lot of work to make these videos. Thank you for this hard work!
73 de N2NLQ
Thanks!
Thank you for your financial support of this channel! It is greatly appreciated! 73, Dave, KE0OG.
Great video. Not sure about bungees at -40 F. Building a G5RV this weekend and leaning towards weights still, but only because of the cold. Bungees turn rock hard at sub zero temps. 73 KL1PJ North Pole, AK.
Dave et al, I would suggest a good source for UV resistant rope are marine supply stores particularly where sailboats are common. You can also find them with different resistance to stretch. One more thing on boats you worry about chafe, where the rope rubs against another surface, Where your rope goes around the tree chafe protection will greatly extend its life. Common chafe protection are old pieces of hose, sometimes old demin pants legs. A problem of course is placing it where you need it particularly if you are going over a branch beyond the reach of your ladder and that is common but it can be done.
I have yet to get into HF, but I appreciate your explanation. I had yet to consider most of the issues you mention!
Questions about loaded antennas...again. I think I understood from a previous video that loaded antennas do not particularly radiate from the coil. Please elaborate if you will. For mobile application it's Said that top loaded antennas work best on (newer) semi trucks. In one instance I was using a center loaded coil (not above roof line) behind the cab, in front of trailer, and it seemed to work better than any setup I've used before. 😀thank you.
Thanks for the video Dave! Always good stuff!
ALL my HF antennas (20, 40, 80 meters) are #14 household THHN wire on a 1/4 acre city lot (the 80M was a challenge). I have a couple of pecan trees and various other trees for supports. Every once in a while a branch will fall and separate a wire. Other than that I leave enough slack in the wires to begin with to compensate for tension and such. Two or three feet of vertical height doesn't affect propagation. Hell they're ALL less than 1/2 a wave up (except for the 20) and work just fine (I don't have a tuner connected). I learned a while ago that pretty doesn't equal effective. Resonance is my pretty.
Thanks for this video. I’ve already had to put my ZS6BKW back up twice this year. I’m going to find some bungee cord and give it a try.
Could you use electric fence wire if you are worried about the copper breaking?
I currently have a dipole for 40m up using electric fence wire. It works great so far, though I do need to get it higher up than it is.
@@ValentinLucero Thanks for the info.
One doesn't need a balun at the feed point of a dipole. (The impedance is about 73 ohm, also depending on height). You do need a common mode choke at the feed point. No choke is bad practice. Use polyester rope, (UV resistant) also called Dracon, parallel with the antenna wire, a distance above the dipole. This will support the CMC and the coax cable in the middle.
I love use screen door springs. As far as wire, I like spending a little more money (and don't have to fidgit with it) and use copper clad steel wire. Poly Stealth #13 will take hundreds of pounds of breaking strength and it is UV resistant and the jacket is very abrasion resistant.
Great videos. My question concerning a dipole is if I install all the wire at 30 ft but have 1/2 of the wire pointing North/South and 1/2 of the wire pointing East/West (basically a 90 degree bend) will this work effectively?
use flagpole rope and fasten the wire underneath so you can't stretch the wire
Dave I use ceramic telephone things and then I hang mine so when the trees move I put a rope there the ceramic thing I put the rope and then tie a brick on them. I guess I go to extremes.
Mine was thrown up in a hurry. Using string and paracord. It was gonna be temporary, But its.been there for years. I keep looking to see if its still up. And it us..
I never thought of what you are doing.
With the ceramic thing and a rope going threw it with a brick tied to the rope and then when the trees move . when the trees move it does not matter.
I use pullers and counter wight
May I be the first to suggest either copperclad steel or kevlar core braided wire as Chamelon uses, or, as the lady said, if you just stroke it, it will stay up.
(Sorry Dave!)
Hello Dave, de WQ1I
Hey Dave, send me an amplifier.