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g5rv dipole

N

novakor

Active Member
Apr 5, 2005
1,729
3
48
Reno,Nevada
Hey All,i would like to know what you think of the g5rv dipole.
I know that this type of antenna would require an antenna tuner.I am looking at upgrading to general real soon and would like something simple to get on HF. Radio to be used is a yaesu FT100D @ 100 watts. For the price $50.99 would this be a good choice to get started?
73,Stu
 

Some people love them while others hate them.The G5RV will not provide a good match without a tuner.Given the choice I would go with a dipole cut for 80m and fed with open wire or ladder line.You will still need a tuner but the efficiency will be better than the G5RV and it will be easier to tune for any of the bands where the G5RV can be real tricky on some bands.It is at it's best on 20m.Check out the link below.


Louis Varney G5RV
 
QRN said:
Some people love them while others hate them.The G5RV will not provide a good match without a tuner.Given the choice I would go with a dipole cut for 80m and fed with open wire or ladder line.You will still need a tuner but the efficiency will be better than the G5RV and it will be easier to tune for any of the bands where the G5RV can be real tricky on some bands.It is at it's best on 20m.Check out the link below.


Louis Varney G5RV
Click to expand...

LISTEN to QRN, folks, he's right on the money! You'll LOVE your G5RV or you will HATE it. So happens I hated mine. Drove my Yaesu tuner crazy (and me, too). So I put up an 80 Meter dipole, fed it with ladder line and got good results. Tuner became contented. For 17 Meters up, I use an A99 cut for 10 Meters with an LDG tuner.

73

CWM
 
They radiate poorly in all directions :roll: . Seriously, get antennas that are resonant on the bands you want to use. Then if you ever get an amp you have to upgrade that tuner.
73
Ed
 
What kind of space do you have? If you're in the city and space for a full size 80 m dipole is a problem, take a look at the Alpha Delta DX-CC. It's dipoles cut for 10,20,40, with load coils for 80. I can tune 17, and 12 no problem. Many people that have said on the air on 75m to me that those antennas were garbage were surprised to find out that I was using one. It's not as good as using a full size 80m dipole, but if space is a problem, they do work.
 
Is'nt it funny how one mans garbage is another mans gold? Most of the "garbage" antennas were erected improperly and that is why they won't work.The G5RV is a compromise antenna to start off with and although not garbage it certainly is not a pileup buster and it does have tuning problems on certain bands like the WARC bands.Anything up in the air will work to some degree and you will always be able to work someone somewhere. I just put up an inverted L that is 33 feet high and goes out 72 feet from the tower.Everybody told me 33 feet up and 33 feet out is the proper way to do it on 80m.The feedpoint impedance is over 230 ohms but it tunes well and is not so dependant on ground radials as much as "the proper way". It puts out a great signal regionally for local nets out to a couple hundred miles and I worked the Czech Republic and Niger Africa with it on 80m the day after I put it up so I'm happy.Bottom line is get something up and if you already have a tuner try a simple wire antenna and save your money for bigger and better toys.Eventually you WILL want a yagi for 10m-20m. ;)
 
Hey All thanks for your replies and help.OK let me explain a little more.I already have 4 antennas up and would like too use multiband dipole,bands that i'm most interested in are 80,40,20,17,10 with 80m being optional. From the farthest point from roof to backyard is about 65ft.
Moleculo i have also looked at the Alpha Delta line of dipoles along with Van Gordons and Carolina Windom all offering multiband dipoles.I'm not really sure which route to take?
Or should i get dipole resonant to the band that i'm wanting to use as suggested by fasteddy? And how exactly does this work?Would i be able to use other bands with tuner?
Like i said i'm running out of room for antenna space so a "do it all" dipole for the above mentioned bands is what i need to get started for now.
73,Stu
 
Stu, I hope you took my post with the sarcasism I intended. If you take the time and set your G5RV up as per the directions, and pay close attention to details, (feedline must run perpindicular for the exact amout of feet, it is part of the antenna), height above ground, the angle if the legs, you will have a decent antenna for all bands. Anytime you have a compromise you get just that, compromises. I have resonant antennas for all the HF bands except 20 and 160. 10 meter vertical, 12, 15,& 17 rotatable dipoles, quarter wave ground mounted vertical for 40, and a wire dipole for 75. I have a wire dipole for 20 just haven't figured out where to put it :shock:, but I will find some room some where. I have yet to purchase an antenna, to me, 90% of the fun is building them.
73
Ed-
 
QRN said:
Hey Jerry,what model of LDG tuner do you use and how do you like it? I have been looking at the little remote unit they have.SGC is too rich for me.
Click to expand...


The Tuner I use is the LDG Pro100 autotuner. I am not all *that* crazy about tuners, but frankly, I have been satisified with it. It was less than $200, compact, compliments the 706 quite well in the shack and, so far tunes all the HF bands I want. With a couple of exceptions. Tt does not "tune" 160 on my 80 Meter dipole, nor does it tune 6 Meters, but then I don't expect it to! I do have a couple of other antennas for that--even a 6M dipole (V) up on the tower that I can switch to if need be (if I weren't lazy I could put it on one of the shack coax switches). The LDG PRO-200, an updated version, costs only $249--pretty cheap for an all band tuner. I like it mostly because it 'remembers' the frequencies you have previously (100 frequencies or more), and tunes almost instantly when you return. Just by saying the first word and ZIP! It's matched--often without a sound!

I also have an old Heath SA 2040 tuner if I want to run heath-I mean "heat" :D-. The LDG "replaced" the Heath because I work so many HF frequencies (FEMA, CAP, ham) I just got tired of twirling dials all the time to load up. So I went with the LDG. I LIKE it! ;)

73

Rover
 
Fasteddy i wasn't sure where you were going with that,OK really you got me :LOL: Anyway i think i might have it narrowed down too either a G5RV or Carolina Windom 1080. Thanks for all your help.
73,Stu
 
Crawlingtoy I still haven't got to it,but the g5rv jr. is only $34.99 and covers 10 thru 40 meters.I here alot of people that talk bad about them,but on the other hand i here alot of people that use them and they sound great on my RX.
Now are you still a tech or have you upgraded? Good to here you have new 706,now you can reach the 147.150 pl123 repeater and talk to Reno :D
73,Stu
 
Actually it's an older 706 not an MKII or MKIIG so it only has 10 watts on 2 meters. I was kind of hoping to set up something to either talk to you on 2m ssb or 6 m ssb. On 6m the radio is 100 watts, so that might be better. Is your 6m antenna horizontal or verticle?

I am still a tech, I just ordered all the study materials for the general though. The next test here is in February so I should have plenty of time to be ready.
 
Crawlingtoy,ok cool you want to setup 6m sked.I will pm you my call with frequency and time or you hit me back with good time.
I have both vert & horz. for 2m and a 2 element yagi (horz) for 6m using yaesu ft-100D for rig.If we have no luck on ssb we can use a repeater that i know works.
73,Stu
 

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