Next time you want to try something really different, try making one of these. It's called a 'CCD' or Controled Capacitance Distribution antenna. It's long, not easy to build, requires some parts, a tuner, and some ladder-line. It's not cheap, but you'll be suprised at what it can and will do.
First you'll have to do some research cuz I don't remember the formula for finding the numerous sections of wire required. Those sections vary in length according to the size and number of capacitors you happen to have (you'll have to buy them, no one keeps these things in their junk box).
The antenna is one full wave length long for the lowest band that you want to use. It will work on any band above it's design frequency, really. Height doesn't matter much, you can literally lay it on the ground (well, short bushes anyway).
The capacitors used are silver-nica. Those usually have a fairly high voltage rating which is required (about the same number of volts as the maximum power level you'll run). You'll also need to make a small insulator to mount the capacitors on. Depending on the number of capacitors used, there will be two sections of wire, or two sections more than the number of capacitors. And one center insulator. Half the capacitors and half the sections of wire go on each side of the center insulator. Wire, cap, wire, cap, etc, till you end with a wire section, each side.
The idea with this thing is that instead of one large current lobe, there are as many current lobes as there are capacitors. Each cap and wire section comprise a 'tuned circuit'. It's fed with parallel conductor feed line (ladder-line) through a tuner. The input impedance isn't ever going to be near 50 ohms, but don't worry about it.
I've made two of them. They were for 40 meters but could be used on anything from 40 meters on up. It honestly worked -very- well on 40 and as well as a dipole on the bands above 40 meters.
So why should you even go to the trouble? Because it beat the snot out of a 40 meter dipole and the CCD was only about 2 to 8 feet off the ground (laying on some hedges and one end thrown over a tree limb). Worked a 'VK' with it and you just can't get much further from here than that. This was when it was at 2 to 8 feet high remember.
Oh, it doesn't have to be laid in any particular 'shape', just so long as it isn't doubled back on, or crosses it's self.
Be ready to spend some money, the caps are not cheap. And there's a lot of work involved putting the thing together. It's written up in one of the ARRL's Antenna Compendiums, no idea which one now. Also used to be a commercially made one, but you really don't wanna do that!
Beats twiddling your thumbs...
- 'Doc
Found this reference;
http://www.ccdantennas.com/CCD/plans.aspx
Or the ARRL 'Antenna Compendium' #2.
First you'll have to do some research cuz I don't remember the formula for finding the numerous sections of wire required. Those sections vary in length according to the size and number of capacitors you happen to have (you'll have to buy them, no one keeps these things in their junk box).
The antenna is one full wave length long for the lowest band that you want to use. It will work on any band above it's design frequency, really. Height doesn't matter much, you can literally lay it on the ground (well, short bushes anyway).
The capacitors used are silver-nica. Those usually have a fairly high voltage rating which is required (about the same number of volts as the maximum power level you'll run). You'll also need to make a small insulator to mount the capacitors on. Depending on the number of capacitors used, there will be two sections of wire, or two sections more than the number of capacitors. And one center insulator. Half the capacitors and half the sections of wire go on each side of the center insulator. Wire, cap, wire, cap, etc, till you end with a wire section, each side.
The idea with this thing is that instead of one large current lobe, there are as many current lobes as there are capacitors. Each cap and wire section comprise a 'tuned circuit'. It's fed with parallel conductor feed line (ladder-line) through a tuner. The input impedance isn't ever going to be near 50 ohms, but don't worry about it.
I've made two of them. They were for 40 meters but could be used on anything from 40 meters on up. It honestly worked -very- well on 40 and as well as a dipole on the bands above 40 meters.
So why should you even go to the trouble? Because it beat the snot out of a 40 meter dipole and the CCD was only about 2 to 8 feet off the ground (laying on some hedges and one end thrown over a tree limb). Worked a 'VK' with it and you just can't get much further from here than that. This was when it was at 2 to 8 feet high remember.
Oh, it doesn't have to be laid in any particular 'shape', just so long as it isn't doubled back on, or crosses it's self.
Be ready to spend some money, the caps are not cheap. And there's a lot of work involved putting the thing together. It's written up in one of the ARRL's Antenna Compendiums, no idea which one now. Also used to be a commercially made one, but you really don't wanna do that!
Beats twiddling your thumbs...
- 'Doc
Found this reference;
http://www.ccdantennas.com/CCD/plans.aspx
Or the ARRL 'Antenna Compendium' #2.
