Some days are like that...

[W5LZ]

The club had a 'work day' yesterday! A couple of projects were planned, and we actually got one or two accomplished. Sort of...
We have access to a 200 foot tower and have a couple of VHF/UHF antennas on it, wanted to add an HF antenna. Since 'we' are located in the basement, running the feed lines is sort of complicated. We figured since we were going to run one feed line, we ought'a just run two for the **** of it, you never know when you might need another one. Got that part done. Also removed several runs of "no idea what that stuff is/was for", that's fun!
Had a G5RV sort of laying around, didn't know exactly what frequency(s) were going to be used, so figured, 'why not?'. Checked things with an analyzer, see what was going on. Nothing was going on, it wasn't even "sort of" usable anywhere. What's with that? 'That' turned out to be a shorted connector. Un-did some of that feed line running, fixed connector, re-ran feed line (lot's of fun).
Had to make room for the HF radio, so removed an un-used repeater, rearranged some duplexer 'cans', ran the @#$ coax through some 'loops' to get it out of the way, grounded, then un-grounded the radio (made the meter lights in the power supply turn on/off?). Turned on the HF radio, no volume even at full AF gain? What's with that? But it would 'tune'! Most everyone with an HF radio was at the 'work day' so couldn't get a contact to see what it sounded like. Rats! Oh well, later.
Swept, tidied up sort of, finished the coffee and left.
Never got the @#$ computer tracking done, gotta be that stinking @#$ computer, right? Oh well.
Took a look at that G5RV as was leaving. Well... that explains why the @#$ radio wasn't hearing much. Won't describe the shape that @#$ thing was strung up. Needless to say that wasn't done quite 'right'. Oh well, something to do next 'work day'.
We're associated with the local EOC, weather watching etc. Oooooo, you should see the 'junk' room! Dang! Look what I found in there! Jeez, what's that? (Wonder if I could hide that under my coat till I get out'a here? ... Naa, forget it.)
Just one'a them days...
- 'Doc

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I'll bet you loved every minute of it too didn't you? I've had days like that. At first it seemed frustrating but at the end of the day it was all good and fun.

 

[W5LZ]

Of course I had fun!
Got to brag, lie, tell a bunch of "back in the old days" stories, laugh at a few of the pranks pulled, and generally enjoy how all them 'other' people didn't know squat. Still didn't get that @#$ computer thingy going! RATS!
I think there's probably 8 or 9 different systems on that tower. Still think if we just loaded the tower we could have a hell'ov'a coverage on HF. Not too sure we'd survive the yelling about interference to those other services, but...
- 'Doc

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

That would have made a nice tower to load on 160m if you had some radials. Back in '86 when we moved the CFAB 1450 AM site myself and the other engineer on staff at the time loaded up the new 160 foot tower which was a full 1/4 wave on 1450 KHz. The tower was series fed as it was sitting on a rather large ceramic base insulator. We had the advantage of 120 radials and a wonderfull dykeland field near salt water.Our 100 watts created big pileups into Europe on 80 and 160m. After that tower went hot we did the same thing at the decommissioned former site with it's little 96 foot vertical with a six foot "bicycle wheel" top loading hat. It worked quite well too but not as good as the 160 footer.

 

[Kamikaze]

Screw that G5RV stuff and put up a double extended zepp for the lowest band ya wanna use. Feed it with a good balanced remote tuner iffin ya can't use open wire line.

 

[W5LZ]

Kamikaze,
My sentiments about the G5RV are about the same, but that's what was available at the time. The parallel feed line idea is what I have suggested, but the problem is running that feed line how it would have to be run. All things considered, the feed line will be coax. The frequencies to be used will be between 160 and 80 meters. That's pretty well going to be sort of different for some of our people, they are mostly VHF hams, if that makes sense. Letting them find out for them selves typically works 'best', sort of. Oh well, what else is new?
- 'Doc

 

[Kamikaze]

Your heart is in the right place Doc. Next maybe you can get the RF in the right place too : )

Can you build a matching network to stick at the feedpoint?

Russian vacuum relays are cheap these days.

I've been in on a number of projects involving clubs and other hams. My current policy is to not get involved unless I get to do the final approval of a design. It really stinks to do a bunch of work and then have the whole station run like it has a NASCAR restrictor plate due to someone's lack of skills.

 

[W5LZ]

One of the problems is that those frequencies are not grouped in the same ranges, they are distributed over several 'bands'. This involves a 'government' agency so keeping it 'simple' is a very good idea! I honestly think a 'fan' dipole system would probably be the best bet, maybe. A matching device at the roof level, or the feed point of 'one' antenna is certainly a possibility, but that complicates that 'simple' thingy. This isn't for super long distance communications, more than VHF/UHF though. So, I don't think it's going to be all that big'a problem, just different from what's commonly been done by the people involved in it.
Another one of the 'problems' is getting around some of the commonly believed 'myths' you find with antennas, ooooo that's fun all by it's self! I think that's one of the good things that happened the other day... 'miracle antennas', etc.
- 'Doc