11 meter Extended Double Zepp

[Boat Anchor 63]

antenna building is quite gratifying

I love building wire antenna's except I don't stay with one for a long period of time.
This 11m extended double zepp I will because it has a good radiation pattern and stands out like a search light amongst candle's to go along with being able to keep up with a 3 element vertical beam in a 360 degree radius. Usually after a week I built something else without giving it a chance.
Now that skywave propagation conditions are coming back (solar cycle 25) I'm going to see how good it really performs. Just this past weekend I was hearing Hawaii/Australia/Alabama/Tennessee/Florida but wasn't able to make any qso's due to not being able to raise it due to the high winds in my area. Hopefully in the near future I will but I was able to listen on 80m/40m/20m with know problem.

 

[xm49north7]

Have a zepp up in the yard, still testing but so far not super impressed, It has not beat the diamond yet. Will know more by tomorrow. It models great in software, but so far it is not pulling it's weight on the air.

 

[Boat Anchor 63]

Have a zepp up in the yard, still testing but so far not super impressed, It has not beat the diamond yet. Will know more by tomorrow. It models great in software, but so far it is not pulling it's weight on the air.

Never tried building the Bisquare due to wanting a 360 degree radiation pattern but I will take a look at it for maybe a future project. How good is it compared to the extended double zepp for groundwave/skywave propagation conditions?

 

[xm49north7]

Not a bisquare, an omni diamond, designed it myself, best antenna I have used so far. Have tested them down to 40 cm width, have great swr, with 4:1 balun, I have built 3 of these hung them in many locations even low to the ground, they have worked better than anything so far, I have built or bought 5/8 , 1/4 wave, 1.2 wave, moxon, jpole, inverted v, quads, delta loops, dipoles, l dipoles. Currently running one diamond horizontal, and one diamond vertical and one is for portable and testing.

 

[Boat Anchor 63]

Not a bisquare, an omni diamond, designed it myself, best antenna I have used so far. Have tested them down to 40 cm width, have great swr, with 4:1 balun, I have built 3 of these hung them in many locations even low to the ground, they have worked better than anything so far, I have built or bought 5/8 , 1/4 wave, 1.2 wave, moxon, jpole, inverted v, quads, delta loops, dipoles, l dipoles. Currently running one diamond horizontal, and one diamond vertical and one is for portable and testing. View attachment 36736 View attachment 36737

It's a awesome looking antenna but I decided to stay with my extended double zepp dipole antenna for the time being to see how good it performs due it having a 6.4db gain.
In the past I didn't give this antenna a chance due to listening to what the other's on the circuit said and went and built something else. By staying with this one hopefully I will see a difference in skywave propagation conditions.

 

[Boat Anchor 63]

Not a bisquare, an omni diamond, designed it myself, best antenna I have used so far. Have tested them down to 40 cm width, have great swr, with 4:1 balun, I have built 3 of these hung them in many locations even low to the ground, they have worked better than anything so far, I have built or bought 5/8 , 1/4 wave, 1.2 wave, moxon, jpole, inverted v, quads, delta loops, dipoles, l dipoles. Currently running one diamond horizontal, and one diamond vertical and one is for portable and testing. View attachment 36736 View attachment 36737

The extended double zepp dipole antenna I'm using is 1.25 wavelength vertical wire antenna which has a 3db gain over a regular dipole.
This antenna doubles the power that's put into which is keeping me from wanting to build anything else at the moment. Maybe in the near future I might decide to move on to something else but as for now I'm staying with this one.

 

[xm49north7]

Got the zepp working well, no complaints it gets out and has great receive. It is back on the shop wall for now. I have some other projects to complete. Making open wire line, to get a vertical diamond up 80 feet in my oak tree.

 

[Boat Anchor 63]

Got the zepp working well, no complaints it gets out and has great receive. It is back on the shop wall for now. I have some other projects to complete. Making open wire line, to get a vertical diamond up 80 feet in my oak tree.

I'm talking on my EDZ now but due to the high winds in my area I can't raise it up so I put the bottom wire at a 45 degree downward angle and at 15' off the ground I still have qso's 20-70 miles away. Looking forward to when I get a good day without any wind so I can fully extend it.

 

[Boat Anchor 63]

...but seriously folks.
I went right past the EDZ and to a 80m OCFD that just so happens to have a soft spot in it's black heart for 11m.
Then again I had 140' ft between trees and bigger is better , right?

Sometimes bigger isn't better but in my case I have to wait until the winds in my area die down before I can raise it back up. My extended double zepp is the cats meow of vertical dipoles.
Hopefully I will get a chance to see it's power again.

 

[500kpot]

I had considered building this antenna but chose another instead due to space restrictions.

This attachment may or may not be useful to you. I hope it is, thou.

 

[Boat Anchor 63]

I had considered building this antenna but chose another instead due to space restrictions.

This attachment may or may not be useful to you. I hope it is, thou.

Any antenna is helpful if I decide to build it.
Due to living in a wind infested area I try to build big wire antenna's but not able to keep them up for a long period of time because of it and when a good day comes my way I extend it and get on the circuit.
There are alot of smaller wire antenna's around that I can build and eventually will when I decide which one I want to pursue. As of now I'm working on my own design which is vertical wire dipole.
So far with my computer modeling it's looking very promising with 8.0 db gain. More modeling has to be done before I take it for another test drive.
VSWR at Center Frequency:
27.185MHz < under 1.1.1
VSWR over Bandwidth:
25.000MHz to 30.000MHz < 1.1.5
Radiation Pattern: 0' Optimum Gain
If everything goes well I might decide to take it out for another test drive next week. Will stay in touch.

 

[binrat]

63.
No pictures, never built.

 

[xm49north7]

I had considered building this antenna but chose another instead due to space restrictions.

This attachment may or may not be useful to you. I hope it is, thou.

Hey thanks for the pdf, very interesting stuff. This is what I like about antenna building, always more to learn, have a edz up vertical at 75 feet to the top, still trying to get her tuned on open line, as it is about 140 feet of feeder, have had it working, but it is not getting out like it should. My bad I am sure. Learning lots on this one. Hoping today to make some headway on the tune. Some trial and error here as all I have is swr meter. I know I need to by an antenna analyzer.......

 

[oldtymer]

Not a bisquare, an omni diamond, designed it myself, best antenna I have used so far. Have tested them down to 40 cm width, have great swr, with 4:1 balun, I have built 3 of these hung them in many locations even low to the ground, they have worked better than anything so far, I have built or bought 5/8 , 1/4 wave, 1.2 wave, moxon, jpole, inverted v, quads, delta loops, dipoles, l dipoles. Currently running one diamond horizontal, and one diamond vertical and one is for portable and testing. View attachment 36736 View attachment 36737

Good for you on building your own antennas.
Your "design" is actually a full wave loop for 11mtrs, just not in a square or delta pattern

 

[Boat Anchor 63]

63.
No pictures, never built.

63.
No pictures, never built.

Binrat I will post a outside picture after I finish with the modeling. I don't like to rush my work.