Return-Path: Received: from rly-mh12.mx.aol.com (rly-mh12.mail.aol.com [172.21.166.148]) by air-mh08.mail.aol.com (v121_r4.6) with ESMTP id MAILINMH083-625493988d216f; Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:02:42 -0500 Received: from post.thorcom.com (post.thorcom.com [193.82.116.20]) by rly-mh12.mx.aol.com (v121_r4.4) with ESMTP id MAILRELAYINMH128-625493988d216f; Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:02:29 -0500 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1L8gsM-0005pF-8u for rs_out_1@blacksheep.org; Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:02:10 +0000 Received: from [193.82.116.32] (helo=relay1.thorcom.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1L8gsL-0005p6-TI for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:02:09 +0000 Received: from smarthost2.mail.uk.easynet.net ([212.135.6.12]) by relay1.thorcom.net with esmtp (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1L8gsL-0005q7-8A for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:02:09 +0000 Received: from bb-87-82-7-53.ukonline.co.uk ([87.82.7.53] helo=[192.168.0.2]) by smarthost2.mail.uk.easynet.net with esmtp (Exim 4.66) (envelope-from ) id 1L8gsD-000AQu-3b for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:02:01 +0000 Message-ID: <49398AC0.60604@ukonline.co.uk> Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:10:40 +0000 From: Peter Dodd User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.18 (Windows/20081105) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org References: In-Reply-To: X-Karma: -140: lashback.ubl=-140.0 X-Spam-Score: 0.0 (/) X-Spam-Report: autolearn=disabled,none Subject: Re: LF: E field active antennas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.63 (2004-01-11) on post.thorcom.com X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=5.0 tests=none autolearn=no version=2.63 X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: owner-rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rs_out_1@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false X-AOL-IP: 193.82.116.20 X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version) Hi Andy, The simplest broadband antenna might be the T2FD (Terminated Tilted Folded Dipole) designed by W3HH. This antenna is essentially a folded dipole with a terminating resistor in the opposite conductor to the fed one. This antenna sacrifices some efficiency for bandwidth, which can be compensated for with receiver gain if necessary. The actual size of the antenna and the terminating resistor value depends on the actual band coverage required. I can send details direct if this antenna is a possibility. Regards Peter, G3LDO > Having just had to make an active antenna for HF (for gainful > employment-type work, not Am. radio purposes. The commercially made > one we've ordered is on five weeks delivery and it was needed before > yesterday) I was wondering about a helical element. > > As the thing had to be resonably lightweight, I made the antenna > element from copper tape on 15mm plastic water pipe rather than use a > solid copper tube. Just for a bit of novelty I wound the tape in a > helix, but then started wondering if doing that would make any > difference to performance. Normally, helically winding an antenna > (rubber duck type at V/UHF) only serves to distribute loading > inductance into a short antenna to make it resonate - unlikely to > change improve the loss terms at all. But I did wonder if the added > extra inductance, or increased conductor length (not element length - > that is 1.2m) would change the performance significantly from a > straight tube. > > Does anyone have any ideas - food for thought if nothing else? The > base amplifier is one I've used several times before for V/LF up to HF > based around a J310 source follower running at 20mA with bootstrapped > input followed by a 2N5109 emiter follower at Ic = 80mA. I may have > published it way-back-when in the amateur press in the 73kHz days. > Not the best design judging by some of those published in more recent > years, but did mean all the components were to hand for an instant > job. > > Andy G4JNT > www.scrbg.org/g4jnt > > > >