inverted V or multi band doublet

[ka4bzz]

Hello.... This is my first post in the group... Let me give my situation... I have been basically off the air since moving to my new QTH 30 years ago.... Had 2 friends become silent keys in 6 weeks (W4EX and KE4RX) use to chase DX with these guys... Anyway after their deaths and a very unfortunate straight line wind incident in which I lost 20' of tower just above the 40'guy wire (bolts pulled through the tower leg and bent over 180 degrees and destroyed my A-4 Cushcraft , I sort of lost intrest ...

Back to my original question.... I am now 73 and I am going to get back on.... I had separate 80 and 40 meter inverted V's up..... but since my beam died, I have nothing for 20,15, and 10.... I run an old TEN-TEC Omni-D Series C station w/ a Clipperton - L (4-572 B's).... and an old D-104 mic..... no warc bands..... so which is going to do the best for me.... will probably operate phone mostly........ any suggestions would be appreciated..... will work on 160m for another post............. Thanks Joe bzz (ka4bzz) -.-

 

[Golay]

Interesting question. I myself would go with the doublet since it's horizontal.

 

[prcguy]

Do you want phone or CW parts of the band? How much horizontal space do you have for a wire antenna?

 

[WA8ZTZ]

20-15-10 meter fan dipole perhaps, or maybe a G5RV Jr., just about any wire antenna should work for you as these bands
are hot right now as we reach peak of cycle 25.

 

[ka4bzz]

Do you want phone or CW parts of the band? How much horizontal space do you have for a wire antenna?

mostly phone.... loved to chase DX back in the day.... sort of like hunting and the desired contact is the prey.... it is how do I get myself noticed in the pileup ..... that double zulu really helps that is why I kept it all these years...... as far as space, I had planned on putting the center insulator on a rope pulley suspended at the center from what is left of my tower. 3 good bottom sections and a top section were not killed from that straight line wind..... the wind ruined two...... Have plenty of room for a doublet but the ends would be sloped down to secure the end where the 80m antenna is secured so ends would be about 20' plus

 

[prcguy]

My favorite wire antenna if you have the space is a MyAntennas 80m offset center fed dipole which for me works all bands 80 through 10m except 60m and without a tuner! Its 133ft long and the coax connection is about 25ft from one end. The modified version tunes perfect in the 3.8-4MHz phone band where the non modified version tunes down around 3.5-3.7MHz so get the 75m modded version. I just connect my 1.2kW solid state amp and start talking, no tuner in my setup.

Other brands of OCFDs do not get all the bands due to a different tap point on the 4:1 balun and the balun used on the MyAntennas is superior to most other brands.

 

[ka4bzz]

mostly phone.... loved to chase DX back in the day.... sort of like hunting and the desired contact is the prey.... it is how do I get myself noticed in the pileup ..... that double zulu really helps that is why I kept it all these years...... as far as space, I had planned on putting the center insulator on a rope pulley suspended at the center from what is left of my tower. 3 good bottom sections and a top section were not killed from that straight line wind..... the wind ruined two...... Have plenty of room for a doublet but the ends would be sloped down to secure the end where the 80m antenna is secured so ends would be about 20' plus

My favorite wire antenna if you have the space is a MyAntennas 80m offset center fed dipole which for me works all bands 80 through 10m except 60m and without a tuner! Its 133ft long and the coax connection is about 25ft from one end. The modified version tunes perfect in the 3.8-4MHz phone band where the non modified version tunes down around 3.5-3.7MHz so get the 75m modded version. I just connect my 1.2kW solid state amp and start talking, no tuner in my setup.

Other brands of OCFDs do not get all the bands due to a different tap point on the 4:1 balun and the balun used on the MyAntennas is superior to most other brands.

Wow.... that covers a lot ..... 133 feet.... not too long.... how directional is it and how high to the feed point...... Have a story about erecting a 160m 1/2 wave dipole that one leg was around that long.... what is the SWR ie like 1.1.to one to 2.5 or what?

s

 

[prcguy]

Wow.... that covers a lot ..... 133 feet.... not too long.... how directional is it and how high to the feed point...... Have a story about erecting a 160m 1/2 wave dipole that one leg was around that long.... what is the SWR ie like 1.1.to one to 2.5 or what?

s

It seems omni directional on 80 and 40 then higher bands will have more gain lobes and nulls as you go higher up just like any multiband antenna. SWR is under 2:1 on all bands except 60m. Mine is about 30ft up horizontal.