Sure, I can make a dipole… I know how, and I have. But i’m not in the mood. Plus, Alpha Delta makes some good dipoles.
I ordered an Alpha Delta DX-EE (40 through 10, shortened on 40). I also ordered a Max Gain Systems MK-6-HD
Once I get this put up and test it out, I imagine I’ll buy an Alpha Delta DX-CC (80 through 10, shortened on 80). The goal is to eventually have the DX-CC set up as an inverted-V strung N/S and have the DX-EE strung NW/SE as a flattop dipole.
A flattop would exhibit some additional gain upwards (good for more local) and an inverted-V would be more omnidirectional.
I’m excited because i am pretty sure I’ll have at least one decent dipole up by FD; although I’m really hoping that by then I’ll have both AD dipoles up in the air. I really want the ability to get on 80 during the QSO parties. The DX-CC isn’t a full length dipole on 80. It’s a compromise. But it beats trying to load up this POS G5RV I’ve got.
Should have the antenna and fiberglass mast Tuesday. then I’ll have to figure out the best place to put the mast and get it secured. It’ll need guyed if I push it all the way to 35′ to secure the dipole, likely at the 20-something foot level. I haven’t decided if I’ll find a way to mount it on my back deck (which is about 10 feet off the ground) or if I’ll mount it at ground level. If I mount it at ground level, secured right above 10 feet at the deck, and have the guys in place, it should have no problems withstanding the winds here. If I mount it on the deck, I’ll likely have to guy it in two places to keep it stable enough.
#1 by Mike on May 18, 2010 - 3:05 PM
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The Alpha Delta DX-EE and the Max Gain Systems MK-6-HD both arrived intact today. I won’t even be thinking about what to do with either one of them until at least this weekend. I’m too busy. I did open up the packaging for the dipole though. Looks like i’ll have to stretch out the antenna completely on the ground in order to route the various legs through the standoffs (which keep the various wires separated by a minimum distance). This looks straightforward.
Of course there is the issue of tuning it for what I prefer. I prefer areas within the first 100 khz of the bands (to cover CW and digital modes) and would just use a tuner to go up into the SSB portions.
I know that once I have the DX-CC, it will definitely be an inverted V oriented N/S (broadside E/W). But I’m undecided about how the DX-EE will be oriented. As it turns out, I think the location I had in mind won’t allow me to stretch out a flattop 40 foot long antenna. If that turns out to be the case, I may orient the DX-EE E/W (broadside N/S) as an inverted V as well. This would mean both dipoles would be supported by the fiberglass mast, with the DX-CC at the top and the DX-EE beneath it in the opposite direction.
One benefit to having both dipoles on the mast is that I’d use the dipoles themselves as rudimentary guy wires. This mast is 35 feet long pushed all the way up, but it’s light. Having it guyed at two levels using the dipoles as guys plus two additional dacron rope guys at each level should do the trick. Coaxes would run down the ouside of the mast and secured to the mast at intervals with wire ties most likely.
The tax data (including GIS info) for this plot say it is 100 feet wide and that the house is 70 feet wide. But it sure doesn’t look like it to my necked eye. I hope what I”m reading tells the truth, because I will need a minimum of 59 feet of ground distance for the DX-CC and a minimum of 28 feet of ground distance for the DX-EE. And I’ll need the full height of the mast to support the DX-CC high enough that the legs are adequately off the ground to be out of the way of people / animals.
My calculations show the following for the DX-CC
length: 82 feet (each leg 41 feet)
apex: minimum 29 feet from top to bottom assuming 90 degree inverted V
ground distance: minimum 59 feet
My calculations show the following for the DX-EE
length: 40 feet (each leg 20 feet)
apex: minimum 14 feet from top to bottom assuming 90 degree inverted V
ground distance: minimum 28 feet
So the plan is for the apex of the DX-CC to be at 35 feet and the apex of the DX-EE to be at least five feet lower. And regardless of where the apex of the DX-EE ends up, the second guying point for the dacron rope guys will be at 21 feet.