Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2015 13:08:36 -0600
From: Richard Thorne <rthorne@rthorne.net>
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 40 meter beam question
I installed an M2 40MLLDD four element yagi at 130' over the summer.
Absolute fantastic antenna, full band below 2.0:1 swr.
Rich - N5ZC
On 11/6/2015 12:55 PM, john nistico wrote:
> I have picked the pair of 107ft crank up towers to be installed at the new
> qth now for the antennas. I am currently using a force 12 620/340 and a force
> 12 515/510 I love the antennas except the 40. It is very narrow banded and
> seeing as I do phone RTTY and CW I wonder if anyone can suggest something
> better?
>
> John J. Nistico
> 911 Electric Inc.
> 516.325-8993
## The M2 40MLLDD doesnt work on 20m, so lets discount that for the time
being..and the 40MLLDD may well resonate on 15M.
The easiest fix for the F12 620 / 340 is to add a DPST relay + 2 small coils
in a nema box.... at the 40M DE feedpoint. We are only talking about
a 3-4 turn coil in each leg..on a 1.5 inch ID. The 40M DE is then
re-tweaked, tips shortened, so it resonates up in the phone band, say 7200 or
7250, etc. With
relay activated, coils are shorted out..and it resonates in the phone band.
De-energize the relay, and coils are now in the circuit, and DE resonance
drops down
lower in freq, to cw + rtty. You could also use a DPDT relay. Then you
can select the default to be phone portion..with relay de-energized.
## I added a nema box to my f12 340N, DE only. Consists of 4 x SPDT
gigavac G2 relays..and two coils. Each coil is made from 1 inch wide silver
plated strap,
and wound flat, like a 10M linear amp tank coil. Like 4-5 turns per coil
Coils are 1.5 inch ID. Strap coils have zip for C between turns. Again, DE
is tuned for the upper portion of 40M.
With the 4 x SPDT vac relays, I can then get a total of 4 segments across the
40M band. IE: flat swr across the entire band. 1st set of relays is tapped
at 1/3 along each coil. 2nd set of relays is used to short out the remaining
2/3 of each coil. Then you end up with a combo of 0/3, 1/3, 2/3, 3/3 4
segments in all.
## 2 x vac relays and 2 x coils can be used... to achieve just two
segments..which is probably plenty good enough for a lot of applications.
The DE is easy to get to on the
340N, right next to the bottom of the mast. Ditto with balun + hairpin.
Again, the DE tips have to be tweaked to resonate up high in the top of the 40m
band.
## Id get that all sorted out before you install the 620 /340 on the new
crank up. I used vac relays since I wanted 100% reliability. IF you can
find a good DPST or DPDT vac relay,
then you only require one relay to get 2 segments. IF SPDT relays are used,
then 2 of em are required to get the same 2 segments. Flat strap coils are
easy to wind, and everything done
with machine screws, etc. Zero loss in the strap coils, and the vac relays
will handle a ton of current on 40m band.
## F12 made 40m relay + coil switched nema boxes.... and I have then for both
80 + 40m. But the mech DPST 30A relays used, like P+B and deltrol, always
ended up with int
contacts..pita. The gigavac ham G2 relays can be bought with machine screw
terminations...perfect for strap. And also 12 vdc or 26.5 vdc coils. I also
silver plated the strap coils
with the cool-amp glop..made by the cool-amp company in Ore. Hairpin is made
from .25 or .375 inch OD silver plated copper tubing. then the heavy duty
balun and 393 teflon /silver coax.
Ok, now you can stuff 10 kw into it, right across the 40m band. swr is
flat..and nothing can blow up. 100% reliable contacts in the vac relays.
Jim VE7RF
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