On Feb 23, 6:48*am, Cecil Moore wrote:
wrote:
Yep... The only way to get a helical wound stick to really
work well is to have a decent length stinger on it.

One thing stands out loud and clear from the 75m
mobile shootout results. The longer the straight
high current bottom section under the loading coil,
the greater the radiated signal. The best 75m
mobile antennas that I have ever seen were not
center-loaded. They were top loaded.

One was my entry which was a CB whip with a
horizontal top loading coil and capacity hat at
the top which equaled the top-rated bugcatchers
and screwdrivers and bested all the others.

The other was a 10 foot long, 2 inch diameter
copper pipe with a loading coil and top hat
on top out in El Paso. I forget who entered it.
--
73, Cecil *http://www.w5dxp.com

That's why I carry an extra lower mast section.
Really helps the efficiency.
And the good part is adding more lower mast
below the coil does not change the resonant
frequency near as much as adding more stinger
above the coil. So in my case, I have my 10 ft
plastic bugcatcher, which is center loaded when
driving. But when I'm parked, I can add the extra
3 ft mast and get a pretty good boost.
And the resonant frequency hasn't changed too
much, and I can basically use the same coil taps,
and stinger lengths.
Or at least for the lower bands.
If you added three feet above the coil, the
resonant frequency would be way off from where
you started. Maybe not in the same band any more..

I wish I had one even taller.. I'd like to find a 5-6
foot lower mast. I think the Hustler bunch sells
one that tall.
Course.. Knowing me, I'd end up using both of them
coupled together if the antenna mount would stand
up to it. :/
Just the setup I have now with 8 ft under the coil
works pretty well. Some peoples whole antenna
is about that long.. :/
I use a 5 ft stinger whip on 80/40..
Various shorter ones for the higher bands when
the coil is bypassed.