[LCC] 80 meter antenna recommendations?

[Steve Lott]

Mark,

The previous url I sent to you and the group is a bit to complex maybe

here is the exact antenna I built..............

http://www.hamuniverse.com/sturba.html

Only issue is I need to get on the low bands with it more often
as a bonus the antenna ref in this url
works great on 6 meters !

Mine is hung between two 50 foot towers
which are in a North and South line
The bottom of the array is aprx 4 feet off the ground

cheers!

steve
KG5VK


On Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 4:54 PM, Mark, K5ER <k5er at arrl.net> wrote:
> Okay, now its my turn to ask the group. HFTA doesn't model these
> combinations, and I'm not good enough with EZNEC to trust I get them built
> right within that software. I plan to review info from the antenna book, as
> well as Low Band DXing, but there is collectively A LOT of knowledge within
> this club, so I'd like to tap into that, too.
>
> I need to replace my 80 meter antenna, and am considering three options:
> #1. go back up with a flat top dipole (actually, center always seems
> slightly below ends) height abt 55 feet
> #2. replace with inverted vee - feedpoint can be about 75-80 feet
> #3. ground mounted vertical - feed point at 6" above ground, one #12 thhn
> conductor running up in an oak tree, one ground rod and (maybe) only one
> radial.*
>
>  *The #3 antenna started out from the NCJ article last year "an easy
> inverted-L for 160. They showed with only ONE radial, it should give close
> to a 50 ohm match, not needing a tuner or inductor/capacitor tuning at base.
> Since there are FAR more contacts on 80, as compared to 160, I could convert
> this inv-L to a vertical by simply cutting off the excess (leave it about
> 67' long). My issue here is I buried hardline from shack to feedpoint (about
> 260 feet), but did not realize I had used 75 ohm hardline for the last 120
> feet of the run. I may have a mis-match to deal with at the feedpoint, so I
> would need to address that. On the radial issue, I only have abt 30 feet of
> yard in one direction, and the septic field lines are in the other, so a
> complete set of radials is out of the question. I might be able to get 4-8,
> MAX, but only if my wife goes somewhere for a weekend this winter and I get
> them stapled in without getting caught.
>
> Everything I have seen on other reflectors compares flat tops and inv-vee's
> at the same height. I have read that a inv-vee is better for DX, but also
> read that at the same height an inv-vee is 1/2 to 1 db down from a flat-top.
> Because of tree location, in my case, the inv-vee feedpoint would be higher,
> (20-25') than I could get a flat-top.
>
> My standard reply when someone ask me about antenna is "who do you want to
> talk to?" Although I enjoy SWEEPS, I haven't worked it from home is several
> years. I do not regularly participate in 80 meter traffic nets, (though it
> would be nice to be able to check in during emergency situation). I DO like
> the NAQP contests in January and July. I have recently become more
> interested in DX, and should have 4 band DXCC within a month or two, but I
> am only 1/2 way there on 80, so I guess my primary focus will be DX, but
> without giving up "some" domestic. There is a chance I could get away with
> EITHER #1 or #2, and still do #3 as well.
>
> What would YOU put up, and why?
>
> Thanks and 73,
> Mark, K5ER
>
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