By popular demand, I have figured out how to show you some pictures of the
"beast" as one guy called it.
Here is the link to a view of the whole antenna, looking NE to EU no less...
http://www.photocountry.com/users/5604/Full8040_tn.jpg
Here is a view of the station op (Ford-N0FP) helping the beast to the ground
to whack about 12" off the top. Note the well casing acting as a boom to
support the weight of the antenna. At 45 degrees, the weight of the casing
starts pulling the antenna up. I have to give it a tug with the pickup to
get it down the rest of the way. All guys are attached throughout the
process.
http://www.photocountry.com/users/5604/Tipping_tn.jpg
Here is a view of the antenna near ground. I leave tension on it (raised
about a foot off the ground) to keep the guys tensioned and hold it up a bit
off the ground to work on it.
http://www.photocountry.com/users/5604/Down_tn.jpg
Here is a closeup of the bottom. Note the large hinge holding the well
casing and a second hinge holding the vertical. You can also see the cattle
grid I used around the feedpoint to wire the 40 meter spreaders together.
They are 1/4" rods, 16 feet long and panels 54" wide. All welded together.
An 8' ground rod is also welded to the panels (not shown). Washers were
welded 18" away from vertical and spread 8" apart on both sides to attach
the sleeve wires.
http://www.photocountry.com/users/5604/Boomshot_tn.jpg
Another view of feedpoint.
http://www.photocountry.com/users/5604/Feedpoint_tn.jpg
Here is a closup of the fiberglass spreaders I use to support the sleeve
wires. Note that the HDPE (the black stuff) is adjustable from 24" down. I
left it at 18", which is where the modeling predicted the optimum to be
(optimum being the same feedpoint impedance on 80 and 40). A makeshift
un-un is also visible. I intend to redo it and make a neater installation
but just had to get it on the air to try it.
http://www.photocountry.com/users/5604/Spreader_tn.jpg
Many thanks to the gang around here to get it going. KC0JFY, KC0HST, W6RLY,
W0OPW, et al...
Resonates at 3.585 and 7.1 with lots of band width. 4 mHz is still < 2.9:1.
7.3 is 1.9:1
Ford-N0FP
ford@cmgate.com
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