In article ,
"DJ" wrote:

If I use a Budwig Dipole Center Insulator
(http://www.k1cra.com/images/products/original/299.jpg) for my random
length long wire antenna, should the length of the wire coming off each side
of the center insulator be equal?

My yard will allow me to have one side of the insulator about 200 feet long
and the other side only about 50 feet. Should I even mess with the center
insulator and just go with a random length of wire?

I am just running this into a DX398 for occasional shortwave listening.
Thanks.

For the antenna to fit the definition of a dipole the two sides need to
be equal but for receiving they don't have to be equal. One side can be
longer than the other and work well. A small portable radio is not
designed to handle that large an antenna the size of 50 / 200 feet long
so you might try 25 / 50 foot long antenna.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California