RadioBanter - View Single Post - Shortwave Listener (SWL) Newbee Question - Is My Dipole Antenna Set-Up Right ?

Telamon · September 22nd 06, 11:23 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave

In article .com,
wrote:

* Windom Antenna -vice- Dipole Antenna An alternate Shortwave
Listening (SWL) Antenna design that could be rigged in the same
space would be a Windom Antenna (Off-Center-Fed-Dipole) of 70 Foot
Tip-to-Tip with a Short-Arm of 27 Feet {8.7MHz} with a Long-Arm of
43 Feet {5.4 MHz}; and Tip-to-Tip of 70 Feet {6.7 MHz}. The Windom
Antenna would give you a little better broadband Characteristics
then the Dipole Antenna.

I just put together a spread sheet and played with different
combinations of long leg and short leg lengths and I am missing
coverage with this dipole. I did find the 43 ft and the 27 ft combo
you suggested to be best and easiest for me to do. I did not mention
that the attic is L shaped. I used the 35' each leg thinking a
balance dipole meant the legs were of equal length. I can add upto
another 7' extension to the end of the revised 43' leg in the future.
I popped my knee last night while in the attic and will have to wait
several weeks for it to heal and strengthen before I do too much
attic crawling. Getting old sucks Adding the extra 7' will add
some coverage mainly in the 60m band.

Thanks for the advice.

Generally, the bigger the antenna the better it will work at a lower
frequency. Generally, the antenna will work well at the frequency it is
cut for (resonant at) and higher. There are a few exceptions to this
like when you are at two times the design frequency the antenna will
work poorly so when you cut the antenna for a certain frequency choose
a value that does not cause an even harmonic to fall on a higher
international band.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California