On 9/28/2011 6:03 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
Mythology went out with the Greeks and the Romans. Modern antenna
design requires newer beliefs and religions. Apparently, your
practices within the Cult of 50 ohms has failed to bring about the
desired miraculous DX. You might want to petition the radio gods for
a review of your design before you discard the cult completely.
However, there are alternative religions.

Well, I've come to a few conclusions.
1. Dipoles with a 1:1 balun work very well.
2. See #1. However, the trees and other things they are attached to
are hard to rotate.
3. Vertical antennas load nicely. So do Bird Termalines. And they
radiate about the same.
4. See #3. If I had room for a bunch of radials to make the vertical
work properly, I'd have room for a real antenna.
5. Yagis do nicely. _IF_ you have the tower and rotor to put them on.
6. A 102' doublet with open wire feed line and a tuner works amazing
well and considering the cost difference is flat out outstanding.

#4. Having moved to a small rural town in central Texas, I have
a lot of room now living on 1/2 an acre.

I already had a used 40' tower and was given the tuner as a bribe to
try the 102' doublet. And I had a 500' spool of #14 THHN house wire
to play with.

Isn't half the fun of all this seeing what works well for you?

Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi

--
"Everything from Crackers to Coffins"