1/4 Wave GP Help

[Riverman]

But still not at resonance, but getting closer

 

[WECSOG]

Nothing weird here.

View attachment 34754

Whoa... what's that burnt spot in the yard behind it? Is that where the aliens landed, just before they zapped your antenna and changed its material properties?

 

[Riverman]

Whoa... what's that burnt spot in the yard behind it? Is that where the aliens landed, just before they zapped your antenna and changed its material properties?

Water leak. Plumber had just repaired it the day before.
At least I think he was the plumber.

 

[Riverman]

Hey man, you're reading my mind. That was fast work. That coil probably got you closer to were Homer first suggested...as the possible fix he suggested.

You might be able to get the match near perfect if you raise the antenna a bit to allow for some more radial angle, even with only 1 radial, slanted down at the correct angle. You can also play with the length of each element from 102"/108" inches too.

The slanted down radial is what helps improve the match the most in this case. You may have to go higher to keep the radial above the ground a little however.

Raised the antenna 6’ higher. Radial now at 45 degrees. SWR went up! From 1.12 to 1.4!
The only difference is it is now on a metal pole rather than a wooden one.

 

[Slowmover]

Plumbers, hmmm. Thoughts about backyard digs and double backflow valves in the sewer pipe.

That’s right, not one, but two.

A neighborhood in Dallas not far from mine a dozen years back had literal toilet explosions when a city contractor pressurized the wrong set of pipes. We’re talking sewage that blows through the ceiling and into the attic. Raw sewage.

Answer: Two (count them) TWO backflow valves in the event one gets stuck open.

“One” just ain’t lucky, R-man.

Can’t sue the city. Insurance didn’t cover for some folks.

I’d burn the sunuvabitch down before I moved back in to it. There’s no “fix” to remedy the extent of that problem.

Two.

If it’s in your backyard, it’s two.
Stack the deck on the astral plane.

.

 

[WECSOG]

Raised the antenna 6’ higher. Radial now at 45 degrees. SWR went up! From 1.12 to 1.4!
The only difference is it is now on a metal pole rather than a wooden one.

That metal pole probably makes the difference, as it is now part of the antenna. I would try it and see how well it works. I wouldn't worry too much about a 1.4:1 swr. A perfect dipole would be about 1.5:1 in a 50 ohm system, anyway. Making it an inverted V brings it close to 50 ohms, and the sloping radial made it kinda like an inverted V that fell over. Adding the metal pole in line with the radiator might have pushed it closer to 70 ohms again.
Those are my thoughts on it anyway.

 

[HomerBB]

@WECSOG
I tend to agree.

 

[Riverman]

 

[Riverman]

Want a good DIY ground plane? Go to Home Depot, buy a Simpson BC ZMax 4” Post Cap, take it home, bend and drill on it, add a U bolt for attaching to a mast, some stud mounts, a 102” steel whip and two 4’ (or longer) Firestik (or other brand) mobile antennas. Remember not to use the nylon spacer with the two radials. That's it!