Andrew Atkinson
www.g4cwx.com
Email: andrew_atkinson @ hotmail.com
Email: andrew_atkinson @ hotmail.com
Aerials
The main station aerial was, for many years, the redoubtable G5RV. When the weather turned nasty last winter I decided to try something different. Following conversations with Bob (G3OOU), I decided to try a modification of one of his designs. Essentially a wire dipole, it had the major benefit of fitting within my existing footprint. To say that I was astounded with the performance increase is an understatement. I had only to set up a WSPR session for 24 hours to see the results of both transmitted and received signals. It was a truly astonishing outcome, despite the fact that I had used less than perfect components for its construction. The drawing below gives you an idea of what it should look like.
16.5’
33’
33’
16.5’
300 ohm ribbon feeder
As you can see, each of the top sections is 33 feet long and the two downward sections are 16.5 feet long. The dipole is connected directly to a length of 300 ohm ribbon feeder which then goes off to the shack to feed an LDG AT100 Pro auto tuner. The length of the feeder is immaterial and there is no need to add a balun.
The Active Antenna
Des (M0AYF) was the inspiration for this lovely addition to the garden. I decided to make mine from a length of plumber’s central heating copper pipe with plastic drainage pipe as the four spreaders. It is incredibly efficient and also quite directional - a feature which I have put to good use in the detection of unwanted local signal sources. It was easy to make and, with the electronics safely secured against the elements in a plastic box, is fed with DC by the aerial cable.
Des (M0AYF) was the inspiration for this lovely addition to the garden. I decided to make mine from a length of plumber’s central heating copper pipe with plastic drainage pipe as the four spreaders. It is incredibly efficient and also quite directional - a feature which I have put to good use in the detection of unwanted local signal sources. It was easy to make and, with the electronics safely secured against the elements in a plastic box, is fed with DC by the aerial cable.
The VHF Antenna
Despite several attempts at constructing a home made aerial for VHF, I finally threw in the towel and purchased a commercial design from Sandpiper. There is nothing terribly special about it, just a standard colinear which sits on a pole at the gable end of the house. Being situated in a valley, I consider DX to be a contact with any station beyond about a mile radius of the house !
Despite several attempts at constructing a home made aerial for VHF, I finally threw in the towel and purchased a commercial design from Sandpiper. There is nothing terribly special about it, just a standard colinear which sits on a pole at the gable end of the house. Being situated in a valley, I consider DX to be a contact with any station beyond about a mile radius of the house !