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[SECC] Wire Beam Ideas

Subject: [SECC] Wire Beam Ideas
From: aa4lr at arrl.net (Bill Coleman)
Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 21:26:46 -0400
On Oct 1, 2006, at 11:05 AM, <ku8e at bellsouth.net>  
<ku8e at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> I am trying to improve my signal on 20/15/10 meters. I can't put up  
> a tower/yagi in the location I am in now so I am stuck with trying  
> some type of wire beam. Anyone have any ideas ?

What kind of supports do you have?

K4OGG did quite well with monoband yagis suspended by ropes up in the  
trees. These were tied off toward Europe for DX contests.

> I was thinking about a 2 el quad fixed to EU or maybe a 3 el  
> inverted Vee
> beam - probably on 20 meters.

A Quad or Delta array might be easy to set up. I used a delta loop in  
my attic for 10 and 15m before I got the tower up. If you have trees,  
you only need one support for the top of a Delta loop. Use the 1005/f  
formula to compute the length of wire in feet. I made a gamma match  
for my loops that worked pretty well. My match arms were orignally  
10% of the loop length. That turned out to be way too long and I cut  
more than half of it off. 5% would be a good place to start.

For the DE or Reflector, go 3-5% shorter / longer (respectively). Two  
elements is probably enough. Optimal spacing will give you 6-7 dB gain

> I had a lazy H in Ohio and thinking of cutting one for 15 meters  
> and fix it SE/NW. This would work good for the
> west contest and Carribean on 20-10 meters- with a tuner. I have  
> about 50-60 feet trees to work with...

You might consider the K4OGG trick. Otherwise, you have plenty of  
supports to work with.


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901


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