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HF Rig and antennas.

Grogan

W9WDX Amateur Radio Club Member
Oct 1, 2011
1,139
358
93
Southern New Jersey
Well Today I bought a new laptop Intel core i3 500 gb drive DVD and 6 meg of ram and all the latest ports. This one is going to be a real PC as I will be the olny one to use it. Was most likely going to buy the Icom 7200 for ease of use and all the features I like. Was trying to decide on an antenna? Hustler 6BTV comes to mind with a ground mount and radial field. Looking at connecting the rig to the computer Any suguestions on software for rig control and digital modes, or other antennas for the new rig.
 

Give FLDIGI a look for the software, it's got a learning curve but after it is set up it is nice. Free!

Rig control can be done to a point with the digital software but for full control you will want to look at DXLab - free.

Antennas? Well, depends on your budget, space available, and what you want to do (local, DX). Wire loops are good, not too pricey if you have the wire laying around.
 
I am checking on freeware and software now. Also reading on a windom antennas, wire antennas and also vertical with ground fields. Not sure what to do first. If I put up a vertical without the ground field for the winter mow the grass short and maby thatch etc I am shore the grass will cover it in the spring very quick I know because my lawn eats a garden hose up pretty quick.... LOL The windom at 35 ft or so with a balun wil work 80 to 6 meters without a tuner. I will still get a tuner I guess. Thanks!
 
FWIW
A tuner is a nice thingy to have handy. They help 'fix' impedance mismatches that can be aggravating. A better way of saying that is that they don't 'fix' anything, but they can certainly make things usable. They sort of make up for 'goofs', mistakes, etc. Tuners do introduce some losses. They generally contribute less loss than not using one and putting up with a mismatch. They don't do 'miracles', but some times it can seem like they do. Sort of like 'WD-40' or 'ducktape' of the radio world, you know?
- 'Doc
 
... The windom at 35 ft or so with a balun wil work 80 to 6 meters without a tuner. I will still get a tuner I guess. Thanks!


well, good luck with that.


even with a tuner, I wouldn't consider an 80 - 6 meter antenna.

a fan di-pole will be MUCH better,..... or put up a doublet , cut for the lowest freq you will use, and then use a tuner for the higher bands.

YMMV
 
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well, good luck with that.


even with a tuner, I wouldn't consider an 80 - 6 meter antenna.

a fan di-pole will be MUCH better,..... or put up a doublet , cut for the lowest freq you will use, and then use a tuner for the higher bands.

YMMV

was looking at that antenna to work all bands, and with a balun It is supposed to work good but there are so many antennas what should I put up either a vertical or wire and what one??? and combo with a tuner ? now I see a 43 ft vert that's looks good. at this point I don't want a beam or rotor.Maby wire or vert.
 
That 35 feet, was that antenna length or antenna height? If it's height then you may have a workable antenna. If it's only 35 feet long, and a 'windom' (actually an off center fed doublet, 'OCF'), don't expect much usefulness below about 20 meters. On 80 and 40 meters it would be very 'iffy'. A 'windom' or OCF antenna is typically a 1/2 wave length at the lowest frequency of use.
It's just lots easier to 'shrink' a 'too long' antenna with a tuner rather than 'stretching' a 'too short' antenna with a tuner. It can certainly be done, but that'd have to be one 'big' tuner and you'd have to be satisfied with a really less than optimum performance. Some of us have to do that because we just don't have the room to put up something closer to 'right' for some particular band.
There are lots of possibilities, keep looking for what's 'best' for you and your situation.
- 'Doc
 
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was looking at that antenna to work all bands, and with a balun It is supposed to work good but there are so many antennas what should I put up either a vertical or wire and what one??? and combo with a tuner ? now I see a 43 ft vert that's looks good. at this point I don't want a beam or rotor.Maby wire or vert.

well, a 43 foot antenna isn't resonant in any Amateur band (except perhaps 60 meters... which, BTW, is a fun band when you follow the GREY-LINE @ sunset/sunrise).

two of the 43 footers come to mind, a fiberglass one (force 12?) and a metal tubing one (MFJ) both will work with a tuner PROVIDED you use enough ground radials.

it would really help if you can provide some more info,... when do you operate/. day or nite, both?
what bands will you really use? 6-80 sounds good, but most people tend to have a particular band they favor.
is size an issue, how about price, ect?
 
How much real estate are you working with? That will help narrow down some of the wire choices. There are quite a few well made verticals if you want to go that route.

Have you looked at any of the antennas from GAP? I haven't used these personally but have talked to a few people that like them: GAP Antenna Products, Inc.
 

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