It would be quite
simple to weld up some angle-iron to make a mount for this, and keep
the
feed point low to the ground, so I can have a longer whip (higher
efficiency! Yay!) on top of the load coil.....................

I'd ground that angle iron as well as possible. Myself, I tried angle
iron
one time, and it didn't work too well. I did run an extra grounding
strap to
body/frame. But it wasn't enough...I think the problem was from a lack
of
metal area directly underneath the antenna. That seems to be fairly
critical.
When I moved it from that angle iron support behind the back window,
and moved
to the side toolbox, the low band performance was much better. The top
of that
utility bed toolbox is a pretty good platform, and is a few inches
wide, and
naturally, pretty well grounded. Maybe use real wide angle iron??
I think you will find the bandwidth to be fairly narrow. And swaying of
the
antenna vs body of the truck will vary the SWR a lot at that low freq.
If it's
rigid, or guyed some way, it will be more stable. Should be plenty
enough for
SSB bandwidth, but for multiple freq's, I'd add extra taps on the coil,
to allow
you to move around. I have three or four 80m taps on my coil...
BTW, I was thinking about coil length vs wire size, and I may have been
a bit
off. An 80m coil of insulated 14 gauge would probably be about a
foot...
But 16 or 18 gauge would probably be a bit shorter. About wire size...
In the past I had made coils using larger dia wire thinking it really
mattered..
It does make a slight improvement, but I'd say slight...Hardly worth
the extra
weight...I made one using thick 14 gauge, and I can't tell a heck of a
lot of
difference compared to 16 or even 18 gauge. I think my present coil is
16 gauge
wire. That antenna is *light*. About like a fishing rod and reel. Using
thick
wire will make the coil much heavier, and then you have to worry about
it overly
swaying, unless guyed. So I don't use overly thick wire anymore. If I
make a 160
antenna, it will probably be 16 gauge...Maybe even 18...
If you mount the antenna low, it does increase ground loss, but I think
getting
the coil that much higher from the base *should* override the increased
ground
loss. Or as good as I can calculate anyway...I've never actually
mounted one
real low yet to compare..I do have hitches...Maybe I could try an
experimental
antenna on my bumper/bumper hitch...Would give me about a 3 ft longer
base under
the coil, compared to it's current mount on the toolbox.
Yea, vertload is pretty handy...I think probably the "Reg" program I
use the most
out of his vast collection. But I've been running these "plastic
bugcatchers" for
years...Since about 1990 I guess...I like the light weight. I've got a
"real"
80 m bugcatccher coil, and just that coil alone probably weighs 5 times
the total
weight of that 10 ft antenna I have. It's heavy and requires heavy
hardware to
support it. But heavy hardware doesn't "talk" any better than light
hardware..:/
MK

"SideBand" wrote in message
m...
Anyone out there know of any decent solution to getting 160M working in
a mobile? The application is a semi-truck. I've got the Iron Horses for
75, 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but I'd like to work something out for 160
meters that will work on the truck.

I know I'm going to take an efficiency hit, but you're doing that for
everything except 10M on a Semi anyway.. Just so I can get a signal out
there to be heard, in the off chance.

ANY suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

73 de AI8W, Chris
=============================

For design and performance of a 160 meter band vertical antenna, download
program HELICAL3 from website below. There are other loaded vertical
programs..

Use 1.5" or 2" diameter plastic pipe, with helical winding of thick enamel
insulated wire, mounted on vehicle roof, as tall as possible, stayed, with
short, top caapacitance tuning rod.

Range on 160m with a few hundred watts = 100 miles at noon on groundwave.

1700 miles on very quiet, wiinter nights at midnight via F-layer.
----
.................................................. ..........
Regards from Reg, G4FGQ
For Free Radio Design Software go to
http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp
.................................................. ..........

Reg Edwards wrote:

"SideBand" wrote in message
m...

Anyone out there know of any decent solution to getting 160M working in
a mobile? The application is a semi-truck. I've got the Iron Horses for
75, 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but I'd like to work something out for 160
meters that will work on the truck.

I know I'm going to take an efficiency hit, but you're doing that for
everything except 10M on a Semi anyway.. Just so I can get a signal out
there to be heard, in the off chance.

ANY suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

73 de AI8W, Chris

=============================

For design and performance of a 160 meter band vertical antenna, download
program HELICAL3 from website below. There are other loaded vertical
programs..

Use 1.5" or 2" diameter plastic pipe, with helical winding of thick enamel
insulated wire, mounted on vehicle roof, as tall as possible, stayed, with
short, top caapacitance tuning rod.

Range on 160m with a few hundred watts = 100 miles at noon on groundwave.

1700 miles on very quiet, wiinter nights at midnight via F-layer.
----
.................................................. .........
Regards from Reg, G4FGQ
For Free Radio Design Software go to
http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp
.................................................. .........


Chris's problem is that he has to keep the tip of the antenna below
about 13.5 feet from the ground to be legal with the various DOT's.

Dave WD9BDZ

"David G. Nagel" wrote in message
...
Reg Edwards wrote:

"SideBand" wrote in message
m...

Anyone out there know of any decent solution to getting 160M working in
a mobile? The application is a semi-truck. I've got the Iron Horses for
75, 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but I'd like to work something out for 160
meters that will work on the truck.

I know I'm going to take an efficiency hit, but you're doing that for
everything except 10M on a Semi anyway.. Just so I can get a signal out
there to be heard, in the off chance.

ANY suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

73 de AI8W, Chris

=============================

For design and performance of a 160 meter band vertical antenna, download
program HELICAL3 from website below. There are other loaded vertical
programs..

Use 1.5" or 2" diameter plastic pipe, with helical winding of thick
enamel
insulated wire, mounted on vehicle roof, as tall as possible, stayed,
with
short, top caapacitance tuning rod.

Range on 160m with a few hundred watts = 100 miles at noon on
groundwave.

1700 miles on very quiet, wiinter nights at midnight via F-layer.
----
.................................................. .........
Regards from Reg, G4FGQ
For Free Radio Design Software go to
http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp
.................................................. .........


Chris's problem is that he has to keep the tip of the antenna below about
13.5 feet from the ground to be legal with the various DOT's.

Dave WD9BDZ

Chris
Must the antenna also only mount on the tractor?
I just thought of a multi-turn loop, corners as far forward and back,
wide as possible, above the cab.
Use a tuner and balanced feed.
73
H.

H. Adam Stevens, NQ5H wrote:
"David G. Nagel" wrote in message
...

Reg Edwards wrote:


"SideBand" wrote in message
.com...


Anyone out there know of any decent solution to getting 160M working in
a mobile? The application is a semi-truck. I've got the Iron Horses for
75, 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but I'd like to work something out for 160
meters that will work on the truck.

I know I'm going to take an efficiency hit, but you're doing that for
everything except 10M on a Semi anyway.. Just so I can get a signal out
there to be heard, in the off chance.

ANY suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

73 de AI8W, Chris

=============================

For design and performance of a 160 meter band vertical antenna, download
program HELICAL3 from website below. There are other loaded vertical
programs..

Use 1.5" or 2" diameter plastic pipe, with helical winding of thick
enamel
insulated wire, mounted on vehicle roof, as tall as possible, stayed,
with
short, top caapacitance tuning rod.

Range on 160m with a few hundred watts = 100 miles at noon on
groundwave.

1700 miles on very quiet, wiinter nights at midnight via F-layer.
----
............................................... ............
Regards from Reg, G4FGQ
For Free Radio Design Software go to
http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp
............................................... ............



Chris's problem is that he has to keep the tip of the antenna below about
13.5 feet from the ground to be legal with the various DOT's.

Dave WD9BDZ


Chris
Must the antenna also only mount on the tractor?
I just thought of a multi-turn loop, corners as far forward and back,
wide as possible, above the cab.
Use a tuner and balanced feed.
73
H.


That's an idea, but most balanced tuners I know of are manual only, and
it's hard enough keeping a 70-foot long, 80,000 lb vehicle on the road
without trying to tune, too..

Thanks for the idea.

de AI8W, Chris

"SideBand" wrote in message
m...
H. Adam Stevens, NQ5H wrote:
"David G. Nagel" wrote in message
...

Reg Edwards wrote:


"SideBand" wrote in message
y.com...


Anyone out there know of any decent solution to getting 160M working in
a mobile? The application is a semi-truck. I've got the Iron Horses for
75, 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but I'd like to work something out for 160
meters that will work on the truck.

I know I'm going to take an efficiency hit, but you're doing that for
everything except 10M on a Semi anyway.. Just so I can get a signal out
there to be heard, in the off chance.

ANY suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

73 de AI8W, Chris

=============================

For design and performance of a 160 meter band vertical antenna,
download
program HELICAL3 from website below. There are other loaded vertical
programs..

Use 1.5" or 2" diameter plastic pipe, with helical winding of thick
enamel
insulated wire, mounted on vehicle roof, as tall as possible, stayed,
with
short, top caapacitance tuning rod.

Range on 160m with a few hundred watts = 100 miles at noon on
groundwave.

1700 miles on very quiet, wiinter nights at midnight via F-layer.
----
.............................................. .............
Regards from Reg, G4FGQ
For Free Radio Design Software go to
http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp
.............................................. .............



Chris's problem is that he has to keep the tip of the antenna below about
13.5 feet from the ground to be legal with the various DOT's.

Dave WD9BDZ


Chris
Must the antenna also only mount on the tractor?
I just thought of a multi-turn loop, corners as far forward and back,
wide as possible, above the cab.
Use a tuner and balanced feed.
73
H.


That's an idea, but most balanced tuners I know of are manual only, and
it's hard enough keeping a 70-foot long, 80,000 lb vehicle on the road
without trying to tune, too..

Thanks for the idea.

de AI8W, Chris
You don't have to use a balanced tuner.
Terminate the loop into the truck body.
What auto tuners cover 160?
I never checked.
73 es gud luck
de NQ5H

http://moonrakerukltd.com/amateur/mobile_w.htm

7 feet/160 METRE HELICAL WHIP WITH 3/8 BASE, BANDWIDTH (15 kHz) £49.95

wrote:
http://moonrakerukltd.com/amateur/mobile_w.htm

7 feet/160 METRE HELICAL WHIP WITH 3/8 BASE, BANDWIDTH (15 kHz) £49.95



EEK! That's about $90.00 USD.. give or take...

Was hoping to build something...

de AI8W, Chris

Reg Edwards wrote:
"SideBand" wrote in message
m...

Anyone out there know of any decent solution to getting 160M working in
a mobile? The application is a semi-truck. I've got the Iron Horses for
75, 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but I'd like to work something out for 160
meters that will work on the truck.

I know I'm going to take an efficiency hit, but you're doing that for
everything except 10M on a Semi anyway.. Just so I can get a signal out
there to be heard, in the off chance.

ANY suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

73 de AI8W, Chris

=============================

For design and performance of a 160 meter band vertical antenna, download
program HELICAL3 from website below. There are other loaded vertical
programs..

Use 1.5" or 2" diameter plastic pipe, with helical winding of thick enamel
insulated wire, mounted on vehicle roof, as tall as possible, stayed, with
short, top caapacitance tuning rod.

Range on 160m with a few hundred watts = 100 miles at noon on groundwave.

1700 miles on very quiet, wiinter nights at midnight via F-layer.
----
.................................................. .........
Regards from Reg, G4FGQ
For Free Radio Design Software go to
http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp
.................................................. .........


Reg:

Thanks for this.. it'll help allot..

Question, though.. What should I put down for "earth electrode loss
resistance"? I'll be using the truck's body as the ground plane.

I'd just thought about doing this with a 2 foot (or so) 2 inch PVC pipe
with end caps, feed point at the one end of the PVC, and a 102" whip out
the other end. Now that I know this program exists, it's easier to think
about! Since the SS whips are tapered, what would be a good guess for
the diameter of it? Average it to 3mm? Or will it make that much of a
difference?

Thanks

de AI8W, Chris

SideBand wrote:
Reg Edwards wrote:

"SideBand" wrote in message
m...

Anyone out there know of any decent solution to getting 160M working in
a mobile? The application is a semi-truck. I've got the Iron Horses for
75, 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but I'd like to work something out for 160
meters that will work on the truck.

I know I'm going to take an efficiency hit, but you're doing that for
everything except 10M on a Semi anyway.. Just so I can get a signal out
there to be heard, in the off chance.

ANY suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

73 de AI8W, Chris


=============================

For design and performance of a 160 meter band vertical antenna, download
program HELICAL3 from website below. There are other loaded vertical
programs..

Use 1.5" or 2" diameter plastic pipe, with helical winding of thick
enamel
insulated wire, mounted on vehicle roof, as tall as possible, stayed,
with
short, top caapacitance tuning rod.

Range on 160m with a few hundred watts = 100 miles at noon on
groundwave.

1700 miles on very quiet, wiinter nights at midnight via F-layer.
----
.................................................. .........
Regards from Reg, G4FGQ
For Free Radio Design Software go to
http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp
.................................................. .........


Reg:

Thanks for this.. it'll help allot..

Question, though.. What should I put down for "earth electrode loss
resistance"? I'll be using the truck's body as the ground plane.

I'd just thought about doing this with a 2 foot (or so) 2 inch PVC pipe
with end caps, feed point at the one end of the PVC, and a 102" whip out
the other end. Now that I know this program exists, it's easier to think
about! Since the SS whips are tapered, what would be a good guess for
the diameter of it? Average it to 3mm? Or will it make that much of a
difference?

Thanks

de AI8W, Chris

I know.. bad form to reply to your own post...

Got something here I think will work...

Resonant at 1.903
h=.61
d=510 (around 2", plus the insulation thickness.)
n=28
w=3
l=2.49
r=3
e=5 ohms

Makes for a 4.6kHz bandwidth (not wide, but I knew that going into
this...) with an efficiency of 2.4 %.. 16.2dB down from "ideal", and
50ohms (or close) with a 4.1uF cap.

Of course, this is assuming that the whip doesn't have to be
perpendicular to the centerline of the coil. If it can be parallel to
the coil (perpendicular to the winds), then this might work... I hope.

I'm gonna play with it some more, and see what I can dig up.. Maybe a
larger coil form will give a wider bandwidth?

de AI8W, Chris