Return-Path: Received: from rly-db01.mx.aol.com (rly-db01.mail.aol.com [172.19.130.76]) by air-db10.mail.aol.com (v123.4) with ESMTP id MAILINDB102-aa64a1929081aa; Sun, 24 May 2009 07:01:41 -0400 Received: from post.thorcom.com (post.thorcom.com [193.82.116.20]) by rly-db01.mx.aol.com (v123.4) with ESMTP id MAILRELAYINDB014-aa64a1929081aa; Sun, 24 May 2009 07:01:31 -0400 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1M8BRs-0007SW-Oq for rs_out_1@blacksheep.org; Sun, 24 May 2009 12:01:00 +0100 Received: from [83.244.159.144] (helo=relay3.thorcom.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1M8BRs-0007SN-6c for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Sun, 24 May 2009 12:01:00 +0100 Received: from ttsmtp-1.cpwnetworks.com ([62.24.128.242] helo=ttsmtp.cpwnetworks.com) by relay3.thorcom.net with esmtp (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1M8BRp-0006Tc-RU for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Sun, 24 May 2009 12:01:00 +0100 X-Path: TalkTalk-smtp X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Filtered: true X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Result: ArsEABDGGEpZ8+0p/2dsb2JhbACEVMtFhAsF Received: from unknown (HELO mal769a60aa920) ([89.243.237.41]) by ttsmtp.cpwnetworks.com with SMTP; 24 May 2009 11:59:30 +0100 Message-ID: <001a01c9dc5e$b6bbb040$0301a8c0@mal769a60aa920> From: "mal hamilton" To: References: <4A181EEC.5050600@btconnect.com> <9670125E608A4D63AE541048B2177A02@JimPC> Date: Sun, 24 May 2009 11:59:29 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 X-Spam-Score: 0.0 (/) X-Spam-Report: autolearn=disabled,none Subject: LF: Re: Re: First Portable Trip Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original 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 Jim I did not say an inv L virtually lying on the ground as in Richards case(1 METRE ABOVE GROUND), this is more like a beverage antenna. I did say as much vertical as possible and let the so called horizontal taper towards earth. The far end as high as possible tied via insulator to a bush or stake, say a few metres above ground. Depending on the vert height you might not get much horizontal out before its too low, so it needs a sensible approach. Use the loading coil to resonate and match the TX. Mal/g3kev ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Moritz" To: Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2009 11:12 AM Subject: LF: Re: First Portable Trip > Dear Richard, LF Group, > > >> Not a great success. Tried a 200ft inverted L with 7m vertical section >> fed >> against 3 radials each between 50 and 100ft long. The final 100ft was >> very >> low - within 1 metre of the ground. >> > (Mal seems to have started something here - I have always thought of an > inverted L as having a roughly horizontal span, rather than being a > sloping > wire!) To get the maximum effective height, radiation resistance and > therefore efficiency, the important dimension of the antenna is height - > essentially the average height of all the wire making up the antenna. The > long section at very low height is therefore counterproductive - it will > reduce the effective height, and also increase the loss resistance. So it > would be better to eliminate the last 100ft or more, and increase the > inductance of the loading coil. If it is necessary to have that overall > length to reach an available fixing point or something, use non-conducting > string. Also, with a single span of wire and a single mast, you will > probably get greater average height if you support the wire in the middle > in > an inverted-V shape. > > I am not sure about the radials - there is a similar length of wire in the > radials as there is in the antenna itself, so you could expect a > significant > RF voltage between the radials and the actual ground, which would not help > matching or losses. Longer radials, more of them, or ground rods would > probably be a good idea. > >> Did not succeeded in tuning aerial up in link configuration. Tried >> tapping >> the feeder at various points on the main coil but this reduced the Q >> dramatically > > The tapped loading coil type of antenna tuner with the TX connected to a > low-impedance tap is one of those devices that looks appealingly simple, > but > isn't! The impedance match depends on the inductance of the complete > loading > coil, the inductance of the tapped section and the mutual inductance > between > the tapped section and the rest of the coil. These in turn depend on the > shape, size and winding pitch of the coil as well as the number of turns. > I > made a spreadsheet that would calculate the impedance match for a tapped > loading coil (downloadable from http://www.wireless.org.uk/features.htm), > but suffice it to say that there are limits to the range of resistance > that > can be matched with a particular coil geometry. By "link configuration" I > assume you mean the loading coil has a low impedance link winding over it, > connected to the TX. This is similar to the tapped coil, but adds further > variables into the mix, due to the different size and pitch of the link > coil. I have not done the calculations for the link case, which will be > similar to the tapped coil, but generally the mutual inductance will be > less, which will reduce the maximum resistance that can be matched. What > all > this means is that it is quite possible that your coil has the correct > inductance, but at the same time it is impossible to match the antenna > resistance using it. This is likely if the antenna loss resistance is > high; > you need a "short, fat" loading coil (large diameter with fine winding > pitch) to match a high resistance. I prefer to use a seperate loading coil > and matching transformer; resistance and reactance are then almost > independent of each other, and you only have to worry about the inductance > of the coil and the turns ratio of the transformer. > >> Band was still noisy even on relatively remote hilltop with horrible >> "line-timebase" type burble drifting across band. > > This is a problem most of us have had - several portable expeditions have > put out big signals, but not been able to receive much. I have spent much > more time trying to get good reception than setting up TX antennas, and > often it is not possible to get good transmission and reception with the > same antenna. There is always a temptation to try to get QRV as soon as > possible, but a bit of reconnaisance with a receiver first is always a > good > idea. > > Hope to hear you /P soon, > > Cheers, Jim Moritz > 73 de M0BMU > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: 270.12.37/2130 - Release Date: 05/23/09 07:00:00