Multi-wire broadband dipole ?

Status
Not open for further replies.

merlin

Active Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
3,127
Location
DN32su
I know this antenna has a particular name, but darned if I can recall it. (an age thing)
Anybody ?
73s
 

Attachments

  • Dipole 1.jpg
    Dipole 1.jpg
    65.9 KB · Views: 39

jwt873

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Messages
1,694
Location
Woodlands, Manitoba
A fan dipole consists of different length dipoles, cut for different frequencies fed at a common point.

An antenna with multiple conductors of the same length fed like that is known as a T antenna. They are often used for VLF and MF frequencies. This is actually a vertical antenna with a great big capacity hat. T-antenna - Wikipedia Republished // WIKI 2
 
Last edited:

dlwtrunked

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
2,381
I know this antenna has a particular name, but darned if I can recall it. (an age thing)
Anybody ?
73s

For what you are interested, you should also googlethe similar "cage dipole". It may be what you actually want for your purpose.
 

majoco

Stirrer
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Messages
4,315
Location
New Zealand
jwt873 has got it right - that's a typical "T" antenna with a capacity hat for LF antennas - except that the vertical radiator usually dropped straight down to a matching unit fed from the remote transmitter via coax cable. Works best with a wet marshy ground plane.

A "fan dipole" has a coax fed centre feed point with an Unun and a choke at the top with quarter wave dipole elements for each of the required bands. Two methods I have seen - one has spreaders from the longest element to the end of the progressively shorter elements which hang underneath - the other supports the shortest element on a long piece of rope and the longer elements are tied to the rope with insulators and allowed to dangle below the one above.

I'm not convinced that it's 'broadband' - more 'multi-band'.
 

prcguy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
16,501
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
I agree, its a T3FD using usually a 9 or 12:1 balun and a 600 to 800 ohm terminating resistor. It is truly a broad band antenna that should not need a tuner on any HF frequency. I have several similar T2FDs here.

If you look at the closeup of the antenna you can see the balun at the feed and one of the insulators bridged with a resistor.

Update: I believe the one pictured in post #1 is made by Bushcomm. http://www.bushcomm.com.au/manuals/Bushcomm Product Catalogue.pdf

That appears to be a T3FD (terminted folded dipole)
 
Last edited:

merlin

Active Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
3,127
Location
DN32su
Fan dipole isn't what I was looking for. The antenna 'IS' the T3FD and hams in the past had an unofficial pet name for it. Even an article in QST, 'how to make a ????? antenna". Just can't recall.
Yea, back in the 70s, I made and used one in inverted V fashion. The short version copy of a friends.
Have to call them BROADBAND down to 1.7 Mhz. 50Mhz, lots of lobes, 146, lobes everywhere.
The long version good down to 250 Khz.
A variant 2 wire around the edge of a roof makes it hidden, sort of strange rhombic but gain toward the terminator.
 
Last edited:

merlin

Active Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
3,127
Location
DN32su
You can make most of the antennas on that site with just some wire and various baluns. Except for the Outbacker mobile antenna.
I was considering Barret's HF broadband vertical mobile, and recall the T3FD used a 16:1 balun and 1000 ohm terminator, the rest is wire and insulators.
 

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,644
Location
Bowie, Md.
I think that T3FD is also known as a broadband butterfly HF dipole- at least the description you gave is quite similar...


Mike
 

prcguy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
16,501
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
That's a different antenna, more like a terminated loop. A T2FD and T3FD are "traveling wave" antennas and a loop is a loop but the one shown above and a terminating resistor to help absorb reflections and improve VSWR over a large frequency range. The B&W ACS broad band end fed V, which is basically the same as the BBTD above but in a triangle shape instead of a square. Barker & Williamson - ACS broadband end fed vee HF antenna page

I have a new in box A&W ACS that I plan on testing on my next desert camp out.

I think that T3FD is also known as a broadband butterfly HF dipole- at least the description you gave is quite similar...


Mike
 

popnokick

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
2,871
Location
Northeast PA
The BBTD "HOA friendly" antenna looks a lot like a Rhombic in a smaller version than normal size Rhombic.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top