• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

Shortened Dipole

Singularity35

DU7DVE
Jan 16, 2014
425
90
138
Small City, Philippines
After 4 attempts trying to build one, I finally gave up and had somebody make one for me.

My problem with the full sized one was that I had to tie one leg to a neighbor's tree and everytime the wind blows kind of hard(often), I worry about the tree branch breaking and bringing down my mast with it.

This one at 44 feet total length, fits on my roof in an inverted V configuration with a 100 degree angle. I expected it to have quite reduced performance but I was actually surprised at how well it does.

If this was facebook, I'd add a feeling happy emoticon....:D

12197290_929028460514488_1971342181_o.jpg
12193451_410192259178663_5236900250144755587_n.jpg
 

A lot of wires in that second pic, some are probably guy wires. I do see a VHF/UHF beam. Your mast looks good. What all are you running?
 
Nice setup, I can see your inverted V dipole hanging from a stand off bracket.

I would imagine with the typhoons that come through your area you secured that tower good or do you bring it down?
 
Thanks, I lowered the apex around 6 feet from the standoff because I needed to open up the angle a bit. With the balun up near the standoff, all I could manage was around a 60 degree v angle and that didn't do too well. As it is, the apex is probably around 20 feet high with an v angle of around 100 degrees.

If a medium strength typhoon hit me, it would knock my tower down in no time. I have been lucky so far to have dodged the bullet. That's just a 30 foot tower on top of my roof so it was easy enough to put it up. Just some guying(anchored at 4 points) every ten feet. We do get strong gusts that come on suddenly and last for anywhere from 10-30 minutes and trees or tree branches getting knocked down are pretty common during those bouts.
 
Nice contact!

Can you work 10-15 meters on your station?

If so, keep listening if your up early mornings your time because Japan is opening up in the late afternoon for us in the western U.S. and maybe we will get that extra hop to your country and make a QSO!
 
Last edited:
I run a commercial loaded dipole (Alpha Delta DX-CC) and it works better than most people give it credit for. Keep in mind that it's only coil loaded on 80 meters, but it does work quite well for what it is there. I've also used the buddipole system quite a bit, which also uses loading coils, and have had a lot of fun with them.

My current project is putting up a 160m sloper antenna that uses a loading coil. I hope to have the install completed during the winter and report my results...stay tuned!
 
I run a commercial loaded dipole (Alpha Delta DX-CC) and it works better than most people give it credit for. Keep in mind that it's only coil loaded on 80 meters, but it does work quite well for what it is there. I've also used the buddipole system quite a bit, which also uses loading coils, and have had a lot of fun with them.

My current project is putting up a 160m sloper antenna that uses a loading coil. I hope to have the install completed during the winter and report my results...stay tuned!

That should be interesting. :)
 
After 4 attempts trying to build one, I finally gave up and had somebody make one for me.

My problem with the full sized one was that I had to tie one leg to a neighbor's tree and everytime the wind blows kind of hard(often), I worry about the tree branch breaking and bringing down my mast with it.

You're going to hate me now. All you had to do was not tie it to the tree branch and instead fix a pulley to the branch, feed the rope/chord through that and stick a plastic soda bottle on the end which you fill with water/pebbles/sand etc as required to give the tension you wanted. As the wind blows it would allow the tree branch to move in relation to the dipole but still keep the tension without putting any more stress on the mast. I supported one end of my inverted L like that for years. The mast never moved, even in 70MPH plus gusts of wind. All that happend was the bottle went up and down as the wind blew.
 
You're going to hate me now. All you had to do was not tie it to the tree branch and instead fix a pulley to the branch, feed the rope/chord through that and stick a plastic soda bottle on the end which you fill with water/pebbles/sand etc as required to give the tension you wanted. As the wind blows it would allow the tree branch to move in relation to the dipole but still keep the tension without putting any more stress on the mast. I supported one end of my inverted L like that for years. The mast never moved, even in 70MPH plus gusts of wind. All that happend was the bottle went up and down as the wind blew.

Hehe yeh, I had a tensioner actually. My problem was if the branch broke and fell to the ground maybe 30 feet below. Or even if the tree fell down. This tree is a soft wood tree and is known for falling in the wind. Thanks anyway. :)
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • dxBot:
    Tucker442 has left the room.
  • @ BJ radionut:
    LIVE 10:00 AM EST :cool:
  • @ Charles Edwards:
    I'm looking for factory settings 1 through 59 for a AT 5555 n2 or AT500 M2 I only wrote down half the values feel like a idiot I need help will be appreciated