Dan wrote:
Thanks so much for all the feedback. If I could ask another question,
which antenna configuration do you think I will have the most success
with, the dipole in the attic or the trimmed Radio Shack CB antenna?

Where is the CB antenna, and what do you have it stuck to? How long is it?

Chances are pretty good that the CB antenna is a serious comprimise. I
think you'll probably find the attic dipole a better performer.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

Dan

Doug Smith W9WI wrote in message ...
Dan wrote:
Thanks so much for all the feedback. If I could ask another question,
which antenna configuration do you think I will have the most success
with, the dipole in the attic or the trimmed Radio Shack CB antenna?

Where is the CB antenna, and what do you have it stuck to? How long is it?

Chances are pretty good that the CB antenna is a serious comprimise. I
think you'll probably find the attic dipole a better performer.

Dan wrote:
The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

OK, definitely the dipole should be a better performer.

The loading coil is necessary to provide a reasonable SWR match, but it
doesn't contribute to the efficiency of the antenna. A full
quarter-wave antenna would be roughly 9 feet in length, and would be
close to the dipole in performance.

Also with the CB antenna, the ground system is part of the antenna. Any
losses in the ground are essentially a resistor in series with the
antenna. For your ground to be reasonably efficient, the antenna would
have to be stuck to a rather large piece of metal. (a car would be a
comprimise; I doubt it's practical for you to have anything nearly that
large in your radio roomgrin...)

The *real* test is how strong do you hear the repeater on the two
antennas. (unless, of course, it pins the meter with both in which case
it's hard to tell!)
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

Dan wrote:
The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

OK, definitely the dipole should be a better performer.

The loading coil is necessary to provide a reasonable SWR match, but it
doesn't contribute to the efficiency of the antenna. A full
quarter-wave antenna would be roughly 9 feet in length, and would be
close to the dipole in performance.

Also with the CB antenna, the ground system is part of the antenna. Any
losses in the ground are essentially a resistor in series with the
antenna. For your ground to be reasonably efficient, the antenna would
have to be stuck to a rather large piece of metal. (a car would be a
comprimise; I doubt it's practical for you to have anything nearly that
large in your radio roomgrin...)

The *real* test is how strong do you hear the repeater on the two
antennas. (unless, of course, it pins the meter with both in which case
it's hard to tell!)
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

"Dan" wrote in message
om...
The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

Dan

Dan,

If you can afford an outside antenna, try an I-Max 2000. For about $70.00.
This antenna can't be beat on 10 Meters.
I have 80 confirmed countries using this setup. Good luck.

KC2HBS

"Dan" wrote in message
om...
The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

Dan

Dan,

If you can afford an outside antenna, try an I-Max 2000. For about $70.00.
This antenna can't be beat on 10 Meters.
I have 80 confirmed countries using this setup. Good luck.

KC2HBS

I'll submit my two cents because I live on the other side of the
Metroplex from you. Nobody has mentioned when 10 MIGHT be open. Your
best chances of working any stations would be in the late morning to
mid/late afternoon. The band will die at your sunset. Best propogation
is most likely in a north-south direction, so string your dipole so that
is comes as close as possible to being stretched east-west and being
broadside to the north-south path. Because you have a radio, if memory
serves, puts out only 25 watts (?) your best bet is to work on the
antenna a bit-perhaps lengthen it to a resonant point near a full wave
length to improve both the receive and transmit capacity of your radio.

Gary
AB5RM


Dan wrote:
The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

Dan

Doug Smith W9WI wrote in message ...

Dan wrote:

Thanks so much for all the feedback. If I could ask another question,
which antenna configuration do you think I will have the most success
with, the dipole in the attic or the trimmed Radio Shack CB antenna?

Where is the CB antenna, and what do you have it stuck to? How long is it?

Chances are pretty good that the CB antenna is a serious comprimise. I
think you'll probably find the attic dipole a better performer.

I'll submit my two cents because I live on the other side of the
Metroplex from you. Nobody has mentioned when 10 MIGHT be open. Your
best chances of working any stations would be in the late morning to
mid/late afternoon. The band will die at your sunset. Best propogation
is most likely in a north-south direction, so string your dipole so that
is comes as close as possible to being stretched east-west and being
broadside to the north-south path. Because you have a radio, if memory
serves, puts out only 25 watts (?) your best bet is to work on the
antenna a bit-perhaps lengthen it to a resonant point near a full wave
length to improve both the receive and transmit capacity of your radio.

Gary
AB5RM


Dan wrote:
The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

Dan

Doug Smith W9WI wrote in message ...

Dan wrote:

Thanks so much for all the feedback. If I could ask another question,
which antenna configuration do you think I will have the most success
with, the dipole in the attic or the trimmed Radio Shack CB antenna?

Where is the CB antenna, and what do you have it stuck to? How long is it?

Chances are pretty good that the CB antenna is a serious comprimise. I
think you'll probably find the attic dipole a better performer.

The CB/Ham antenna is tuned to 28.4Mhz and is sitting next to a
window. It is 35" or so in height with a loading coil.. Not sure how
much wire is in the loading coil.. Another post I found says 18 turns.

Dan

Doug Smith W9WI wrote in message ...
Dan wrote:
Thanks so much for all the feedback. If I could ask another question,
which antenna configuration do you think I will have the most success
with, the dipole in the attic or the trimmed Radio Shack CB antenna?

Where is the CB antenna, and what do you have it stuck to? How long is it?

Chances are pretty good that the CB antenna is a serious comprimise. I
think you'll probably find the attic dipole a better performer.