Alternative to the Mc/kay Dymek 100D active antenna
 

After a several month search for the diagram
of the McKay Dymec 100D active antenna I found
a friend had just completed the AMRAD active
antenna discribed in the September 2001 issue
of QST.
Is is a very good antenna.
In a side by side test last night, the AMRAD
stomped the 100D badly.
The AMRAD had no intermod and was much quiter.
I found this link to address some aspects not
covered in QST.
http://www.amrad.org/projects/lf/actant/index.htm
The antenna can be optimised for LF or for ~50KHz
to over 30MHz. Gain does decreas a little with
increasing frequency, but at 27.035, the highest
frequency we could find a repeatable singal,
the AMRAD was still much better then the
100D.
Terry

wrote in message
oups.com...

Is is a very good antenna. In a side by side test last night, the AMRAD
stomped the 100D badly.

I'm really inspired to hear this comparison. I had this gut feeling that it
would be a go getter. I'm about half way through constructing the AMRAD
active but have put the project on hold to finish some other projects (honey
do's). Actually, we moved several years ago and haven't really set up a
bench to work on such projects and got ran out of the kitchen. :( I'll get
back on the project when I get some benches built.

What kind of whip did your friend use? One of the whips that the AMRAD bunch
used in the QST article was a 108 inch steel whip. I have both a 108 inch
steel and a 108 in fiberglass plus a 48 in Fire Stick available. Rob Mills ~
Tulsa

PS, have schematic for DA-5

HE used a older RAdio Shack stainless stell ~108" qhip.
Uncut CB antenna from 20 years ago.
When I build mine I am going with fibre glass to eleminate
"percipitation static". I have blown NE2 neon up from the static
that extra dry snow will pruduce. We don't get too much of that
in Kentucky, but why take chances with a FET antenna.
Terry

wrote in message
oups.com...
..
When I build mine I am going with fibre glass to eleminate
"percipitation static".

That's the way I'm leaning, the 108 in fiberglass.

but why take chances with a FET antenna.

Tell me, I've had my RX320 since 1999 and no problems. The night before
last, wasn't minding my biz while changing antennas, knocked out the front
end. :(
RM~

Ouch!
I have been thinking about springing for some
good antenna surge protectors.
I have had very good success with Polyphaser
protectors. I installed a GPS system , with an
external antenna. The site took a direct hit about
2 months after installation. And while the antenna
and coax were toast, the GPS receiver and associated
PC where unfazed.

Terry

wrote in message
oups.com...

Ouch!

This little blunder was my own making, I failed to discharge myself or the
antenna before making the connection and didn't turn the radio off. Just
stupid from the get/go. RM~