Horizontal wire questions

[2RT307]

I'm trying to figure out the best solution for a horizontal wire in my back yard. I would like to be able to run 80-10 meters, but due to the yard size may be limited to 40-10 meters. The layout is not optimal. NO trees! I have to use the fence line for some of it, and the rest will be in some tall shrubs. I know it's not optimal. Tried using a loop on the roof, but I'm picking up too much interference from stuff in the attic.

An end fed antenna would probably work the best for me just because of the layout. However, a Windom "might" work, but I'd have to bend it in an L. The short part along the side of the yard, and the long part along the back of the yard. Will this work, or do the characteristics of the Windom not allow for that? I see on the SAL antenna page that you can bend an end fed, but I can't bend it "equally" either in V or U shape because of the yard layout. Any suggestions are appreciated!

73,
RT307

 

[W5LZ]

The hardest part about what you are trying to do is finding the room to put up a wire antenna. Keeping it as far from stuff -as possible- is the idea, but sometimes that 'possible' thingy isn't very much, right?
Something to keep in mind is that the length of whatever kind of antenna you can mannage is going to determine the lowest frequency you will be able to make it 'do'. If you want to go lower than whatever that length is normally used for, then count on doing things a bit differently. One solution to that is using a weirdly shaped 1/4 wave antenna and a very good ground system. 80 meters for instance would mean about 65 feet of wire. Make it go as high as possible then horizontally to some point that keeps the thing as high as possible. An inverted 'L', sort of. It doesn't have to be perfectly straight, snake it around to fit the room you have. The biggy with any sort of end fed wire like that is the ground system. Count on lot's of radials in/on the dirt, the more the better. You also need a tuner for thingys like that unless you get things exactly 'right' for one particular band (not that difficult). Making it a multi-bander is where the problems come in, the input impedance for that antenna 'moves' all over the place when you do that, and you gotta match it, right? Placing that 'tuner' at the feed point is a very nice thing to do! But, it's not so practical all the time.
- 'Doc

(Monday morning, not enough coffee, and I -get- to get ready for work. It's 56 degrees out side, I'm freezing. Fingers are numb. Good luck!)

 

[IMD262]

Put up as much wire as you can and force feed it with a tuner, it might not be the best solution but will put Q's in the log.

 

[w9cll]

Put up as much wire as you can and force feed it with a tuner, it might not be the best solution but will put Q's in the log.

Agreed

 

[2RT307]

Thanks for the input, guys. I was leaning toward the Windom simply because of the multi-band ability. the end fed 65 footer is probably the most do-able. I have two tuners, one is an LDG Z-100, and the other is a manual MFJ 989C MFJ-989C Antenna Tuner. I have plenty of wire that I purchased at Home Depot, and also a 4:1 balun from Balun Designs Balun Designs LLC - High quality baluns and ununs at reasonable prices. I always get the cart before the horse, but I'm hoping having an antenna up will push me to get my General ticket sooner.

73,
RT307

 

[W5LZ]

Don't waste a lot of time trying to make things 'perfect', it almost never happens for most people for any number of reasons (ain't got the room for one!). Making something -usable- is a biggy, no matter what 'shape' or height it turns out to be. How 'usable' will it be? Good question! Too bad there isn't a 'good' answer to it. Each and every installation is going to be different in some way/ability, that's normal. Do what you can and be glad you can get that. Wanna try to make it 'better'? Do it, but remember how it was so you have a 'fall-back' option.
- 'Doc