END FED ANTENNA/L QUESTION

[doctor]

I have an end fed antenna which I have added 24 feet to it, it is one of those end fed 6-80 24 feet in length, with the additional wire I have it running vertical and have 3 feet left over so I just ran it back up on opposite of the fiber glass pole, swr 1.5 to 1, or the question is..should I just take the extra 3 feet and wrap it in a circular configuration ..which is better
tnx
DOCTOR/795

 

[W5LZ]

I don't think it would make a lot of difference one way or the other. But, try it and see.
- 'Doc

 

[KC9Q]

Are you stating that the antenna is now 48 ft long and the SWR is 1.5:1? You have 3 ft overage and you want to make that last 3 ft a circular end?

If it is working, I'd leave it alone. If it ain't broke why fix it. On the other hand, that circular area at the end would act like a capacitive hat if I understand your construction. If so it would have the effect of shorting the length some.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

6m-80m? You must be using an antenna tuner are you? If so, run any length you want too. No need to coil any extra up. Either stretch it out or cut it off whichever fits the bill better. You could always leave it too. That's the thing about using an antenna tuner, things are much less critical.

 

[Robb]

Or - wrap it back over itself and not cut anything and save that decision for another day?

 

[doctor]

ANTENNA

I stretched it out this am and about the same, the next step was just wrap the last 3 feet like a coil on the mast<fiberglass>, and presto or ?, I got the SWR down to 1.3..close enough , and yes using an antenna tuner, tunes from 10 to 80 now, just an experiment.
Thanks for the answers...have a good one
DOCTOR/795

 

[M0GVZ]

Personally I'd go all out if using an antenna coupler (not tuner) such as a SGC230/Icom AH4 etc and make it as long as you can, making the vertical section as high as you can. I run a 75ft long inverted L (25ft vertical, 50ft horizontal with 300ft of radials) and it has won me five CQ-WW certificates including a first in world in class.

 

[Mudfoot]

Inverted L's are my favorite, always worked well.

 

[northern35s]

Or - wrap it back over itself and not cut anything and save that decision for another day?

If the last 3 feet is folded back over itself then it will effectively shorten the total length of the antenna by 6 feet

The reason for this is straight forward, the current flowing along that extra 3 feet will be in the opposite direction to the current flowing in the antenna, these opposing currents will cancel each other out, effectively turning the last three feet of antenna into a balanced line.

I wouldn't coil the wire either, this would create an inductor at the top of the antenna, this again isn't a good idea, if we add anything to the top of a short antenna it should be capacitance, I'd say cut the extra 3 feet off and add a massive capacitance hat instead