Bob D. wrote:

I'm contemplating a Yaesu TF-857D with the FC-40 antenna tuner as a base
rig. I'd like to cover as many HF bands as possible with a simple wire
antenna. I'm on a small lot with an 80' tower. So anything I put up is
going to slope!

I've never used an antenna tuner before. I believe the FC-40 is weather
proof and meant for remote use.

If I slope a random wire and end-feed it, should the tuner go up on the
tower or stay on the ground? (In other words, which end should I feed?)
How should I ground the FC-40?

Anything better than a random wire that is still simple and covers
all/most of the HF bands?


Hello,

By the way, there is also the OCFD (Off Cetered Fed Dipole) covering from 80
up to 10 + eventually WARCs or the Levy, but with the Levy you'll need a
specific Levy tuner... But it can be easily homebrewed.

And the antenna is one of the last part of the radio equipment we can afford
experimenting with, without spending much money (nor time).

73 de F8BOE Olivier ...-.-

Bob D. wrote:
I'm contemplating a Yaesu TF-857D with the FC-40 antenna tuner as a base
rig. I'd like to cover as many HF bands as possible with a simple wire
antenna. I'm on a small lot with an 80' tower. So anything I put up is going
to slope!

I've never used an antenna tuner before. I believe the FC-40 is weather
proof and meant for remote use.

If I slope a random wire and end-feed it, should the tuner go up on the
tower or stay on the ground? (In other words, which end should I feed?) How
should I ground the FC-40?

Anything better than a random wire that is still simple and covers all/most
of the HF bands?

Take a look at the 88 Ft center fed Dipole. 80--10 Meters with pretty
good results. You can find out more at
http://www.cebik.com/edz/88.html
Of course you'll need a good Antenna Tuner also.

Good luck
73 Dave kc1di

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:54:09 -0400, "Bob D."
wrote:

I'm contemplating a Yaesu TF-857D with the FC-40 antenna tuner as a base
rig. I'd like to cover as many HF bands as possible with a simple wire
antenna. I'm on a small lot with an 80' tower. So anything I put up is going
to slope!

I've never used an antenna tuner before. I believe the FC-40 is weather
proof and meant for remote use.

If I slope a random wire and end-feed it, should the tuner go up on the
tower or stay on the ground? (In other words, which end should I feed?) How
should I ground the FC-40?

Anything better than a random wire that is still simple and covers all/most
of the HF bands?

I have been tinkering with an SGC-237 Tuner and I have concluded:
A tuner will match most anything.
A tuner does not change the antenna system, it only matches it.
An antenna still works best at its resonant frequency. (best is in
the eye of the beholder!)
If you use a vertical radiator against ground, the ground system is
still as important as the radiator.
Evaluating the configuration is mainly guesswork.
You can save yourself a lot of time and effort by modeling a given
configuration with EZNEC.
Your antenna begins at the connection to the tuner.

John Ferrell W8CCW
"Life is easier if you learn to
plow around the stumps"

John Ferrell wrote:
An antenna still works best at its resonant frequency. (best is in
the eye of the beholder!)

"Works best" needs a definition. An Extended Double Zepp
is not resonant but "works better" than a resonant dipole
by about 3 dB broadside.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Cecil Moore writes:

John Ferrell wrote:
An antenna still works best at its resonant frequency. (best is in
the eye of the beholder!)

"Works best" needs a definition. An Extended Double Zepp
is not resonant but "works better" than a resonant dipole
by about 3 dB broadside.

Once it's up, you can't rotate it. Whether the gain and the nulls are
a net advantage or not depends on the application.

73
LA4RT Jon

LA4RT Jon Kåre Hellan wrote:
Once it's up, you can't rotate it.

I have a 10m rotatable EDZ about which I wrote a
magazine article entitled, "Who Needs A Beam?".
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Cecil Moore writes:

LA4RT Jon KÃ¥re Hellan wrote:
Once it's up, you can't rotate it.

I have a 10m rotatable EDZ about which I wrote a
magazine article entitled, "Who Needs A Beam?".

*Blush*

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:54:09 -0400, "Bob D."
wrote:

I'm contemplating a Yaesu TF-857D with the FC-40 antenna tuner as a base
rig. I'd like to cover as many HF bands as possible with a simple wire
antenna. I'm on a small lot with an 80' tower. So anything I put up is going
to slope!

I've never used an antenna tuner before. I believe the FC-40 is weather
proof and meant for remote use.

If I slope a random wire and end-feed it, should the tuner go up on the
tower or stay on the ground? (In other words, which end should I feed?) How
should I ground the FC-40?

Anything better than a random wire that is still simple and covers all/most
of the HF bands?


What if he goes near the top, places the tuner there, one side to the
tower, the other side to an 80 foot wire sloped out as far as he can
go to the edge of his property, and as high as possible.?


--
73 for now
Buck, N4PGW
www.lumpuckeroo.com

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:54:09 -0400, "Bob D."
wrote:

I'm contemplating a Yaesu TF-857D with the FC-40 antenna tuner as a base
rig. I'd like to cover as many HF bands as possible with a simple wire
antenna. I'm on a small lot with an 80' tower. So anything I put up is going
to slope!

I've never used an antenna tuner before. I believe the FC-40 is weather
proof and meant for remote use.

If I slope a random wire and end-feed it, should the tuner go up on the
tower or stay on the ground? (In other words, which end should I feed?) How
should I ground the FC-40?

Anything better than a random wire that is still simple and covers all/most
of the HF bands?

A simple end fed wire is complicated by the fact that it will need a
good ground system.

A sloping dipole, or an inverted V dipole coming off your 80 foot
tower, will need no ground system, though. So the dipole might be
easier.

bob
k5qwg