Beam: 6 - 20M

A 3 element SteppIR up 10.5m. This is rotated by a Hy-Gain HamIV via two thrust bearings. Thanks to Petr OK1FRG for the photo.

 

Vertical: 160 - 30m

We moved to another home in late April 2009 and I have a temporary 10m vertical at the moment... this is the verticalI had at our last home. It was a fabulous performer and I'm sorely missing it!

20.6m (67-foot) vertical and SGC SG-230 coupler, for all other bands. I have a number of ground radials, up to 40m long and numerous others 12 - 20m long, snaking around the yard, under paths and buried in the lawn, with a few extending in neighbours yards (with their permission of course!). Thanks to Petr OK1FRG for the photo.

The antenna consists of 4x 5m lengths of aluminium tube, clamped together with MIK hose clamps. The lowest section is 44.5m ODwith 1.7mm walls, then 38mm OD with 3mm walls, next issection 32mm OD with 3mm wall then 19mm OD with 1.4mm walls and 1.5m of 15mm OD to finish. The aerial is held up with 2mm Spectra braid, rated at 180kg. It has high UV resistance so should last many, many years. There is a pulley and lanyard at the 18m mark so I can hoist up other wires in the future.

The base support of the aerial, consists of a 150 x 75mm wooden post, ground-treated, bolted to a handy garden pergola. The post is 4.5m high, long enough for an extension ladder to be leaned against for working on the antenna. The photo above was taken by Petr OK1FRG and shows Linda (XYL), Scott (youngest son) and me.

In addition to the heavy duty Mikolan clamps at each join, there is a safety hose clamp immediately above the three lowest joins to stop the pole slipping when adjusting and pinching your hand!

The lower section has a 4m PVC pipe to prevent RF harming anyone (mainly the cat!), with glavanised saddles and long screws holding the pole against the post.

I have wound a large loading coil for 160m operation. So far, have worked G, GD, GI, GW, GM, ZP, KP5 & YS amongst others since adding the coil. The coil is 25 turns of 4mm solid copper wire on a 160m air former with 10mm spacings. I am tapping the coil 14 turns from the top so have plenty more wire if a future move involves a shorter antenna (and that's something that is likely to happen when we move house next).

 

6M YU7EF Antenna

Construction

 

The Quad: (no longer in use)

Construction