Bob wrote:

Here's the scenario:

I'm looking for a portable HF vertical suitable for 'rented cottage'
installations. So it must be easily mountable on either the ground, or
perhaps bolted to 3 or 4 ten foot sections of chain-link fence rail.
(makes a nice temporary guyed mast) It must be easy to put up and take
down and put on a roof rack of a minivan.

I would prefer to not need ground radials, although if I use guy wire
instead of rope it might work, but not needing ground radials is the
preferred solution.

There's usually a heavy canopy of trees overhanging most of the
locations, so rotating even the smallest of beams is not an option.

Anyone have experience on this one?

Thanks!
B.


Well the 30 or 40 feet of chain link fence rail is a reasonable start on
a low level counterpoise/ground. I guess the question would be, what
frequency(ies) are you looking at? Lowwr in frequency, I'd mount at one
end. Higher than 30m or so, I would think about putting the vertical in
centered on the rail.

And you could place it centered and then hang a few wires off the end to
extend coverage as low as needed.

If it's a temporary or portable antenna, you have to work with what you
have. BTDT.

tom
K0TAR