LF: 500m drums of coax?

[G0MRF@aol.com]

> >Are you making a coax dipole for 136?
> >
> >73
> >John Rabson G3PAI

I've always wondered about dipoles / loops at 136k?
A 'dipole' just lying on rocky ground where the water table is many metres below the surface could be quite effective. The angle of radiation would be poor but the efficiency may not be as bad as first suppossed. One advantage of a big antenna on the ground is that it can't fall down and, for the local planning committe, it's less than 9 feet high.

Some time ago I tried to simulate this by making a dipole for 21MHz and had a number of QSOs through it while gradually lowering it's height and retrimming as I went. I managed to work Romania were I sent "Ant dipole  5cm agl".  I have no idea what the Romanian though of this madness and he didn't stay around long to find out.
Incidentally, at about 2 inches off the ground the antenna was resonant at about 20% less than it's normal 'free space length'. Never did find a big field to try it on 136k.

73

David  G0MRF