Dipole advice?
 

Hi
I got myself an old Alpha Delta DX CC now, it is old, very green. coils look
green also.

I want to rewind those coils or even rewire the entire thing.

This is the 82ft no trap 80 through 10 dipole. Also includes 12, 17 and 30.

Any advice from the group? I see the coils are using a much thinner wire,
new ones look nice and copper, this one is very green.

What size wire can those coils be? Can I just continue the copper length for
the 80m leg and instead of separate copper winding just use the same copper
and wind it around that winding core?

With the coil is the critical factor its length or number of coils?

Any advice from the group is greatly appreciated

73s









82' No Trap 80 thru 10 Dipole.And it is great ALL bands. This includes 12,
17, and 30.

Dipole advice?
 

On 10/26/2012 6:22 PM, Tom wrote:
Hi
I got myself an old Alpha Delta DX CC now, it is old, very green. coils
look green also.

I want to rewind those coils or even rewire the entire thing.

This is the 82ft no trap 80 through 10 dipole. Also includes 12, 17 and 30.

Any advice from the group? I see the coils are using a much thinner
wire, new ones look nice and copper, this one is very green.

What size wire can those coils be? Can I just continue the copper length
for the 80m leg and instead of separate copper winding just use the same
copper and wind it around that winding core?

With the coil is the critical factor its length or number of coils?

Any advice from the group is greatly appreciated

73s









82' No Trap 80 thru 10 Dipole.And it is great ALL bands. This includes
12, 17, and 30.


There are a lot of variables here. Most of which I do not understand. I
have enough experience to know that the number of turns in the coils is
most important and the diameter of the coil is important. If you use the
larger wire for the coils it will likely take a large coil form. You can
certainly use the same wire for the whole antenna. I am just thinking
that if they used thinner wire for the coils, you will not be able to
get enough turns on the form to get the same inductance.

If I were in your place, I would use some insulated stranded #14 house
wire for the whole thing. I would also buy some pvc pipe to allow the
same number of coil turns (and same diameter). If it worked fine before
you started this project, copying it wire length for wire length and
turn for turn would be my plan.

Michael

Dipole advice?
 

Hi,
Yes you are very correct. The entire system apparently is working condition
so why not just leave it alone. That is ok.

But it is 16 years in the air and very green, coils are green. When looking
at the photos online the new ones while exactly the same design are
beautiful copper with a clear protective wrap around those coils. Mine
doesn't have that wrap and those coils are very green. The coils are smaller
diameter wire, looking like the transformer wire with that sholack on it but
then there are soldered connections back to the larger diameter bare copper
green wire running to the insulators.

I would have to make another core if I were to wind the same new copper wire
right from the center feed point to the ends of each leg. That would be
basically the only difference other than instead of bare copper wire (new
stuff) I have a big coil of solid copper wire with a jacket, I think it is
16ga. I was hoping to simply replace the exisiting bare green copper wire
and the green coils with new copper wire with the jacket.

So do you think the changing of the coil wire diameter but keeping the same
number of wraps is the way to go? Or because the new copper wire has the
jacket, this will change the number of wraps if I measure the length of the
old coil wire.

Lot of hardware in good shape on this old antenna, I just want to change all
the copper.

Thanks for the advice,

73s




"Boomer" wrote in message
...
On 10/26/2012 6:22 PM, Tom wrote:
Hi
I got myself an old Alpha Delta DX CC now, it is old, very green. coils
look green also.

I want to rewind those coils or even rewire the entire thing.

This is the 82ft no trap 80 through 10 dipole. Also includes 12, 17 and
30.

Any advice from the group? I see the coils are using a much thinner
wire, new ones look nice and copper, this one is very green.

What size wire can those coils be? Can I just continue the copper length
for the 80m leg and instead of separate copper winding just use the same
copper and wind it around that winding core?

With the coil is the critical factor its length or number of coils?

Any advice from the group is greatly appreciated

73s









82' No Trap 80 thru 10 Dipole.And it is great ALL bands. This includes
12, 17, and 30.


There are a lot of variables here. Most of which I do not understand. I
have enough experience to know that the number of turns in the coils is
most important and the diameter of the coil is important. If you use the
larger wire for the coils it will likely take a large coil form. You can
certainly use the same wire for the whole antenna. I am just thinking that
if they used thinner wire for the coils, you will not be able to get
enough turns on the form to get the same inductance.

If I were in your place, I would use some insulated stranded #14 house
wire for the whole thing. I would also buy some pvc pipe to allow the same
number of coil turns (and same diameter). If it worked fine before you
started this project, copying it wire length for wire length and turn for
turn would be my plan.

Michael

Throw it away.

Make a dipole for the longest frequency you desire to operate on.

Formula is 33 / 66

Make the one leg 33% of the length of the frequency and make the other side so that when combined to the first leg equals 66% of the total length for the dipole.

A true Dipole is a half wavelength at the center cut frequency.

I use the term dipole loosely - because it is a non terminated antenna that has two sides...

It will then be resonant somewhere on all frequencies above the center cut frequency as long as the Q of the coil is high.
Don't use a low Q coil balun...

Throw it away.

Make a dipole for the longest frequency you desire to operate on.

Formula is 33 / 66

Make the one leg 33% of the length of the frequency and make the other side so that when combined to the first leg equals 66% of the total length for the dipole.

I use the term dipole antenna loosly - because a true dipole antenna is only one half of the wavelength at the resonant frequency...

It will then be resonant somewhere on all frequencies above the center cut frequency as long as the Q of the coil is high.
Don't use a low Q coil balun...

Dipole advice?
 

Thanks Channel Jumper,
but not sure which frequency I would most operate on. So with the tuner I
have I want suitable access to as many as possible. I think rebuilding the
DX CC is ok for what I want to achieve.

Do you know what is the critical points regarding those coils? I found out
the copper wire coil I have is 12ga and solid, 300meters of it, it has a
nylon jacket with a plastic layer around that. Regular industrial stuff.
So regarding those coils, could I simply replace that thinner transformer
wire with windings of the same 12ga solid in jacket that will comprise of
the rest of the dipole? Is it length of that coil's copper (badly oxidized)
that is critical or is it coil turns? The present diameter of those coils is
much smaller than the 12ga, so should I make new coils with that thinner
transformer wire and make two solder connections there or can I simply weave
the 12ga in its place? What would you recommend in this situation because I
want to rebuild this good dipole with new copper.

Thanks

73s




"Channel Jumper" wrote in message
...

Throw it away.

Make a dipole for the longest frequency you desire to operate on.

Formula is 33 / 66

Make the one leg 33% of the length of the frequency and make the other
side so that when combined to the first leg equals 66% of the total
length for the dipole.

A true Dipole is a half wavelength at the center cut frequency.

I use the term dipole loosely - because it is a non terminated antenna
that has two sides...

It will then be resonant somewhere on all frequencies above the center
cut frequency as long as the Q of the coil is high.
Don't use a low Q coil balun...




--
Channel Jumper

I'm not sure if this will be helpful or wanted.

But your dipole antenna needs to be resonant - 1/2 wavelength on the lowest frequency you desire to operate on.
Because most amateur radio frequencies are multiples of other frequencies - 10 / 20 / 60 / 80 / 160
Some wavelengths will work with one antenna - as long as you do not try to tune up on a non resonant frequency.

This is the problem with the G5RV
The ladder line is the matching network and it only works on 20 meters.
When you try to tune it up on 10 or 40 - it tries to damage the tuner - arcing and heating.

At the same time, some will not be feasable - even with the tuner - such as 12 / 15 / 17 / 30 / 60

It does no good to transmit if you cannot hear.

[quote='Tom[_8_];797940']Thanks Channel Jumper,
but not sure which frequency I would most operate on. So with the tuner I
have I want suitable access to as many as possible. I think rebuilding the
DX CC is ok for what I want to achieve.



Thanks

73s

Dipole advice?
 

On Sunday, October 28, 2012 6:18:58 PM UTC-5, Channel Jumper wrote:
But your dipole antenna needs to be resonant - 1/2 wavelength on the
lowest frequency you desire to operate on.

Like the G5RV that you dislike, if one removed the feedline from a 1/2WL resonant center-fed dipole, it is no longer resonant. Resonance implies a low resistive feedpoint impedance. The G5RV antenna system has a low resistive impedance looking into the series matching section on 75m, 40m, and 20m (also on 12m).

3/2WL dipole + 1/2WL feedline = resonance on 20m

3/4WL dipole + 1/4WL feedline = resonance on 40m

3/8WL dipole + 1/8WL feedline = resonance on 75m.

The (G5RV) ladder line is the matching network and it only works on 20 meters.

Here's technical proof that it also works on 75m and 40m.

http://www.w5dxp.com/G5RV.HTM

The Smith Chart SWR arc indicates how series section transformers really work. The G5RV is a reasonably good antenna on 75m, 40m, 20m, and 12m. Not so good on 15m and not good at all on 30m, 17m, and 10m. A ZS6BKW is a better choice to obtain 17m and 10m but one loses 75m.

The G5RV antenna system is what it is. It is neither a gift from Heaven nor a design straight from Hell.
--
73, Cecil, w5dxp.com

Dipole advice?
 

I made the G5RV and I am receiving a lot of RF in the shack. I also have
installed infloor heating in many parts of the house and while trying to
tune, I trip the GFI thermostats, I believe that is coming from the G5RV.
Channel Jumper mentioned that before that it was a dirty transmitting
antenna. Now I am learning and installing ferrite rods (wrapping feeds from
my power supply aound the 3/8" x 6" Ferrite Rods. I am going to wrap about 5
rotations and tape them up. Seems practically all I can do. Which is better?
The ferrite bars to be wrapped around, at the ends of the feeds from power
supply or the RF chokes that simply clamp onto the cable, two halves coming
together? Any tips there are helpful.

Also, I landed an old Alpha Delta DX CC, now this was in the air for about
16 years and is very green. I want to rewire this antenna in hopes it
performs best. My question is about those coils. Do I have to find the
transformer wire which is smaller guage than the 12 ga wire I have to wind
those coils? Or can I simply replace those green tranformer wire coils with
the 12ga copper wire that I am using to replace all the legs of this fan
dipole? I am just basically duplicating the dipole's engineering, but not
the coils. I am wondering about those coils, do they need to have that
shalac tranformer smaller guage wire with two soldered connections or can it
be wound by the 12 ga copper wire and not have those two soldered
connections. One wire for the entier leg and have it wound around that coil
core.

What is the critical point here? The length of the wire or number of wraps
on the 1-1/4" tubing they used? Or are they the same anyway? Would 50 coils
of 12ga be the same length as what looks like 22ga? Same distance?

Thanks for the great discussions

73s






"W5DXP" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, October 28, 2012 6:18:58 PM UTC-5, Channel Jumper wrote:
But your dipole antenna needs to be resonant - 1/2 wavelength on the
lowest frequency you desire to operate on.

Like the G5RV that you dislike, if one removed the feedline from a 1/2WL
resonant center-fed dipole, it is no longer resonant. Resonance implies a
low resistive feedpoint impedance. The G5RV antenna system has a low
resistive impedance looking into the series matching section on 75m, 40m,
and 20m (also on 12m).

3/2WL dipole + 1/2WL feedline = resonance on 20m

3/4WL dipole + 1/4WL feedline = resonance on 40m

3/8WL dipole + 1/8WL feedline = resonance on 75m.

The (G5RV) ladder line is the matching network and it only works on 20
meters.

Here's technical proof that it also works on 75m and 40m.

http://www.w5dxp.com/G5RV.HTM

The Smith Chart SWR arc indicates how series section transformers really
work. The G5RV is a reasonably good antenna on 75m, 40m, 20m, and 12m. Not
so good on 15m and not good at all on 30m, 17m, and 10m. A ZS6BKW is a
better choice to obtain 17m and 10m but one loses 75m.

The G5RV antenna system is what it is. It is neither a gift from Heaven nor
a design straight from Hell.
--
73, Cecil, w5dxp.com

Dipole advice?
 

On Monday, October 29, 2012 10:44:24 AM UTC-5, Tom wrote:
I made the G5RV and I am receiving a lot of RF in the shack.

Do you have a husky 1:1 choke balun at the twinlead/coax junction? Are you limiting your operation to 80m, 40m, 20m, and 12m? Is your G5RV high enough and far away enough from the shack to avoid radiated RF overload? Is your G5RV twinlead at least a few inches away from anything conductive? Is your G5RV dipole section horizontal?

If you answered "no" to any of those questions, we might have a clue as to what is the problem.
--
73, Cecil, w5dxp.com

Dipole advice?
 

On 10/29/2012 7:14 AM, W5DXP wrote:
On Sunday, October 28, 2012 6:18:58 PM UTC-5, Channel Jumper wrote:
But your dipole antenna needs to be resonant - 1/2 wavelength on the
lowest frequency you desire to operate on.

Like the G5RV that you dislike, if one removed the feedline from a 1/2WL resonant center-fed dipole, it is no longer resonant. Resonance implies a low resistive feedpoint impedance. The G5RV antenna system has a low resistive impedance looking into the series matching section on 75m, 40m, and 20m (also on 12m).

3/2WL dipole + 1/2WL feedline = resonance on 20m

3/4WL dipole + 1/4WL feedline = resonance on 40m

3/8WL dipole + 1/8WL feedline = resonance on 75m.

The (G5RV) ladder line is the matching network and it only works on 20 meters.

Here's technical proof that it also works on 75m and 40m.

http://www.w5dxp.com/G5RV.HTM

The Smith Chart SWR arc indicates how series section transformers really work. The G5RV is a reasonably good antenna on 75m, 40m, 20m, and 12m. Not so good on 15m and not good at all on 30m, 17m, and 10m. A ZS6BKW is a better choice to obtain 17m and 10m but one loses 75m.

The G5RV antenna system is what it is. It is neither a gift from Heaven nor a design straight from Hell.
--
73, Cecil, w5dxp.com


Unfortunately that is not proof. Proof is when you compare a tuned
dipole on say 75 and a 102 foot G5RV side by side with a switch to a
simple 1/2 wave dipole. Actual testing like this is required.
Mathematics and graphs are simply that, mathematics and graphs. Those
little plots assume that there are no other variables that have not been
considered or even discovered.

Every time I hear a poor signal breaking into our conversation on 75,
and I ask what is their antenna? You guessed it, a G5RV. I always ask
during any qso what antenna they are using and at what power.

No, it is not a design from hell. It is just a poor excuse for a
multi-band antenna. A trapped multi-band dipole will work better from my
experience and I don't like trapped multi-band antennas. The only
antennas that sound weaker on 75 than the G5RV are the random wire
antennas and a vertical using about 4 or 5 buried ground radials. So,
the G5RV is a step up from those horrible antennas.

The G5RV is only gotten popular because it is cheap to buy and easy to
erect. Performance is very difficult for most ham operators to ascertain
because they have nothing with which to compare their G5RV. Many hams
will give someone who is weak a 5/9 reading just to be congenial. They
are not doing the other operators any favours doing this. I always give
my peak s meter readings. This is certainly not a great standard, but is
honest on my part.

So, Cecil, I think you need to erect a simple 75 meter dipole and a coax
switch. See what the other guys says about your two different s meter
readings on 75 meters. This must be done at different time of the day
and night a often. Keep a log of the results.

Michael

Dipole advice?
 

On Monday, October 29, 2012 1:48:16 PM UTC-5, Boomer wrote:
So, Cecil, I think you need to erect a simple 75 meter dipole and a coax
switch. See what the other guys says about your two different s meter
readings on 75 meters.

No need for me to do that, Michael, since Tom, W8JI, has already done it and reported the results. He had an A/B switch between a 1/2WL 75m dipole and a G5RV at the same height. He ran two tests:

1. He told the truth about which antenna he was using for the QSO. Most of the hams on the other end of the QSOs agreed that the 1/2WL dipole was superior.

2. He lied about which antenna was which. Most of the hams on the other end of the QSOs agreed that the 1/2WL dipole was superior. But since W8JI lied, they were really agreeing that the G5RV was superior. Were you one of those hams?:)
--
73, Cecil, w5dxp.com

Dipole advice?
 

On 10/29/2012 2:13 PM, W5DXP wrote:
On Monday, October 29, 2012 1:48:16 PM UTC-5, Boomer wrote:
So, Cecil, I think you need to erect a simple 75 meter dipole and a coax
switch. See what the other guys says about your two different s meter
readings on 75 meters.

No need for me to do that, Michael, since Tom, W8JI, has already done it and reported the results. He had an A/B switch between a 1/2WL 75m dipole and a G5RV at the same height. He ran two tests:

1. He told the truth about which antenna he was using for the QSO. Most of the hams on the other end of the QSOs agreed that the 1/2WL dipole was superior.

2. He lied about which antenna was which. Most of the hams on the other end of the QSOs agreed that the 1/2WL dipole was superior. But since W8JI lied, they were really agreeing that the G5RV was superior. Were you one of those hams?:)
--
73, Cecil, w5dxp.com


No Cecil, I was not. I also would have given my s meter readings
regardless of what I thought it should be. It is important to me to give
my fellow hams as much good data on their antenna work as possible. I
also agree that the hams that are asked about which antenna is sounds
better should not know which antenna they are rating. I have a friend
who has an inverted V dipole at 200 feet and a double bazooka as an
inverted V at 75 feet. He is 100 miles away and the lower antenna is
always the biggest signal. This does not make sense to me, but that is
what is actually happening. The angle of both antennas are the same. We
always need to measure actual performance and not paper performance.

I still think you should do this yourself. Just ABing the receiver is an
important test. G5RVs have a reputation that I cannot personally confirm
of being noisy. I do know for certain that some antennas produce more
noise than others.

My loop does a wonderful job of nulling out the noise from my
neighbour's homes and local industry.

Michael

Dipole advice?
 

On Monday, October 29, 2012 2:45:22 PM UTC-5, Boomer wrote:
I still think you should do this yourself. Just ABing the receiver is an
important test. G5RVs have a reputation that I cannot personally confirm
of being noisy. I do know for certain that some antennas produce more
noise than others.

I've spent many years experimenting with G5RVs including field strength measurements vs a dipole and a vertical. When someone has a problem with a G5RV on 75m, it is invariably because good engineering practice was not used in that particular design and installation. An inverted-V at 15 feet with no choke/balun and twinlead taped to a conductive pole and/or laying on the ground is certainly not going to work very well. With both antennas properly designed and installed, it is difficult to tell the difference at resonance on 75m. However, the G5RV is fairly non-functional on 30m, 17m, 15m, and 10m. 17m and 10m are necessities for me and that's why I don't use one. I bought a G5RV in the late 80's expecting it to live up to its all-HF band advertising and I was disappointed. That's when I went to my no-tuner all-HF-band 130' dipole.

http://www.w5dxp.com/notuner.htm

Like any dipole where the two dipole elements are DC isolated from each other, the G5RV is susceptible to precipitation static. An RF choke across the conductors will solve that problem.

Dipole advice?
 

On 10/30/2012 8:23 AM, W5DXP wrote:
On Monday, October 29, 2012 2:45:22 PM UTC-5, Boomer wrote:
I still think you should do this yourself. Just ABing the receiver is an
important test. G5RVs have a reputation that I cannot personally confirm
of being noisy. I do know for certain that some antennas produce more
noise than others.

I've spent many years experimenting with G5RVs including field strength measurements vs a dipole and a vertical. When someone has a problem with a G5RV on 75m, it is invariably because good engineering practice was not used in that particular design and installation. An inverted-V at 15 feet with no choke/balun and twinlead taped to a conductive pole and/or laying on the ground is certainly not going to work very well. With both antennas properly designed and installed, it is difficult to tell the difference at resonance on 75m. However, the G5RV is fairly non-functional on 30m, 17m, 15m, and 10m. 17m and 10m are necessities for me and that's why I don't use one. I bought a G5RV in the late 80's expecting it to live up to its all-HF band advertising and I was disappointed. That's when I went to my no-tuner all-HF-band 130' dipole.

http://www.w5dxp.com/notuner.htm

Like any dipole where the two dipole elements are DC isolated from each other, the G5RV is susceptible to precipitation static. An RF choke across the conductors will solve that problem.


Maybe those who chose a G5RV to buy something cheap and easy also then
erect it poorly. I have seen a G5RV erected in my town here. It looks
awful. It works just as well. I talked to another ham a few days ago on
40 meters. His G5RV was mounted at 10 feet. Some guys actually wind
their window line into a coil.

I also saw another antenna in town. It was supposedly a 75 meter zepp.
It had 6 feet of window line and then a 60 of wire wound around a single
tree. I am always amazed at the lack of planning and engineering that go
into some antenna installations.

These guys will never have a good signal and probably never know why.
Most will not ask for help because they already know that their antenna
is great. I don't know why some hams will have their self-esteem tied up
in their rigs and antennas. I mostly use an Icom 751A and I know it is
not the best rig in the world. It is old and needs repair once in a
while. My 75 meter loop at 35 feet of height is not the best antenna in
the world, but it is the best I can do for height given my trees and
property. However, I listened to someone who knew more about antennas
than myself and he convinced me to change my window line feed to open
wire. I got a huge benefit in performance. It does not make sense to me
that a plastic dialectric is so much worse than air. Maybe it is the
change from 450 ohms to 600. But boy did that antenna start working better.

Michael

Dipole advice?
 

"Boomer" napisal w wiadomosci
...


My 75 meter loop at 35 feet of height is not the best antenna in the
world, but it is the best I can do for height given my trees and property.
However, I listened to someone who knew more about antennas than myself
and he convinced me to change my window line feed to open wire. I got a
huge benefit in performance. It does not make sense to me that a plastic
dialectric is so much worse than air. Maybe it is the change from 450 ohms
to 600. But boy did that antenna start working better.

The both halves of your antenna work in each cycle as the radiator and next
as the counterpoise.
For the counterpoise the bare wire is better than the insulated.
S*

Dipole advice?
 

Szczepan Bialek wrote:

"Boomer" napisal w wiadomosci
...


My 75 meter loop at 35 feet of height is not the best antenna in the
world, but it is the best I can do for height given my trees and property.
However, I listened to someone who knew more about antennas than myself
and he convinced me to change my window line feed to open wire. I got a
huge benefit in performance. It does not make sense to me that a plastic
dialectric is so much worse than air. Maybe it is the change from 450 ohms
to 600. But boy did that antenna start working better.

The both halves of your antenna work in each cycle as the radiator and next
as the counterpoise.

Nope.

For the counterpoise the bare wire is better than the insulated.

Wrong again.

Do you wear slip on shoes?

Dipole advice?
 

Hi,
I am blessed to have the DX-CC land in my lap, but used and soon will need
rewiring. Any advice on those coils? Can they just be re-coiled with the
same wire all along? I have a large coil of solid copper wire that is 12g
with the plastic jacket with a uv thin sholack. What are the recemmendations
for the coil turns and lengths of that coil wire?

or am I better off replacing those coils with exactly the same size
enammeled copper wire with two solder joints? Same as the manufacture does.
Would they just do it this way to speed up the process? Make it easier for
mass production?

If I were to wire that top leg all same wire including the coils, is that
preferred? Any ideas as to the specs for doing it that way if you guys think
that is electrically more logical? Or not?

Thanks

73s







"Boomer" wrote in message
...
On 10/30/2012 8:23 AM, W5DXP wrote:
On Monday, October 29, 2012 2:45:22 PM UTC-5, Boomer wrote:
I still think you should do this yourself. Just ABing the receiver is an
important test. G5RVs have a reputation that I cannot personally confirm
of being noisy. I do know for certain that some antennas produce more
noise than others.

I've spent many years experimenting with G5RVs including field strength
measurements vs a dipole and a vertical. When someone has a problem with
a G5RV on 75m, it is invariably because good engineering practice was not
used in that particular design and installation. An inverted-V at 15 feet
with no choke/balun and twinlead taped to a conductive pole and/or laying
on the ground is certainly not going to work very well. With both
antennas properly designed and installed, it is difficult to tell the
difference at resonance on 75m. However, the G5RV is fairly
non-functional on 30m, 17m, 15m, and 10m. 17m and 10m are necessities for
me and that's why I don't use one. I bought a G5RV in the late 80's
expecting it to live up to its all-HF band advertising and I was
disappointed. That's when I went to my no-tuner all-HF-band 130' dipole.

http://www.w5dxp.com/notuner.htm

Like any dipole where the two dipole elements are DC isolated from each
other, the G5RV is susceptible to precipitation static. An RF choke
across the conductors will solve that problem.


Maybe those who chose a G5RV to buy something cheap and easy also then
erect it poorly. I have seen a G5RV erected in my town here. It looks
awful. It works just as well. I talked to another ham a few days ago on 40
meters. His G5RV was mounted at 10 feet. Some guys actually wind their
window line into a coil.

I also saw another antenna in town. It was supposedly a 75 meter zepp. It
had 6 feet of window line and then a 60 of wire wound around a single
tree. I am always amazed at the lack of planning and engineering that go
into some antenna installations.

These guys will never have a good signal and probably never know why. Most
will not ask for help because they already know that their antenna is
great. I don't know why some hams will have their self-esteem tied up in
their rigs and antennas. I mostly use an Icom 751A and I know it is not
the best rig in the world. It is old and needs repair once in a while. My
75 meter loop at 35 feet of height is not the best antenna in the world,
but it is the best I can do for height given my trees and property.
However, I listened to someone who knew more about antennas than myself
and he convinced me to change my window line feed to open wire. I got a
huge benefit in performance. It does not make sense to me that a plastic
dialectric is so much worse than air. Maybe it is the change from 450 ohms
to 600. But boy did that antenna start working better.

Michael

Dipole advice?
 

On Thursday, November 1, 2012 6:00:36 PM UTC-5, Tom wrote:
Hi,

I am blessed to have the DX-CC land in my lap, but used and soon will need

rewiring. Any advice on those coils? Can they just be re-coiled with the

same wire all along? I have a large coil of solid copper wire that is 12g

with the plastic jacket with a uv thin sholack. What are the recemmendations

for the coil turns and lengths of that coil wire?



or am I better off replacing those coils with exactly the same size

enammeled copper wire with two solder joints? Same as the manufacture does.

Would they just do it this way to speed up the process? Make it easier for

mass production?



If I were to wire that top leg all same wire including the coils, is that

preferred? Any ideas as to the specs for doing it that way if you guys think

that is electrically more logical? Or not?



Thanks



73s









If it still works, I see no real need to rewire. The green
coating is not going to hurt anything, unless it's so severe
the wire is rotting away. Or if the coating causes a short
between windings for some reason. If not, I would just use
it as is.
But if you really feel compelled to rewire it, I would use
the same exact gauge solid wire that was originally used.
That way you can use the same forms with no design changes.