In reply to G8XYJ:
After a discussion with Walt (G3NYY) on the air, I started with a 40m dipole. he
said cut them to 33’ and you will be somewhere near!
That is 33 ft per leg, of course, for the 40m band.
You are right … I always cut my antennas for the CW end of the band.
Try a balun if you like, but I defy you to find any difference in the performance.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G6WRW:
I’ve been using the crimped bullet connectors for ages without problems either
and I’m still using my original dipole.
I never use connectors. They are inherently lossy. I just twist the bare ends of the wires together. It works a treat.
Being a Scot, I am also mindful of the saving in cost of unnecessary components!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G6WRW:
Carolyn
The criteria for my antennas:
- They have to be simple.
IMHO, you’ve hit the nail on the head, Carolyn.
It’s amazing (and very satisfying) at what can be achieved with a bit of wire out of the junk box, which is all I use for HF these days.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to G6WRW:
As for bands above 20m why do people persist with very low
horizontal dipoles?
The linked dipole can be used in vertical position too. You can take out the 30/40 m bands and it becomes about 10 m high linked vertical dipole. Also some compromise or sloped operation is possible. Or you can make L-bends to the ends of the dipole for a shorter “vertical”. Tuning will probably shift a little though.
73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL
In reply to thread:
There seems to be an aversion to the use of tuners in SOTA! I use two of them: for the FT817 I have built a Z-match using a toroid, it has balanced/unbalanced switching and a switched in inductor for Top Band and it weighs just 360 grams with its patch lead. For the FT857 I have a parallel tuner for a W3EDP antenna, with a switchable series tuning capacitor to improve flexibility, its a bit more beefy than the Z-match at 600 grams but it will handle 100 watts!
For those who object to the weight, if 600 grams is going to break your back you need either a better rucsac or to lose some weight, and as for the reputed losses of a tuner - well, they are too small to be noticeable on the air!
So what is the advantage of the tuners to offset the added weight and the reputed losses? Well, whether you use a doublet, an OCF dipole, a random wire or a W3EDP, you don’t need to stir from your operating position to change bands - and the change is done in seconds. It’s all right getting up to lower the antenna and change links if you are on a nice grassy summit, but stumbling over rocks and boulders on a rocky summit is a different matter, why add to the inconvenience and risk hazards such as sprained ankles?
Two pence, no change!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
if 600 grams is going to break your back
My entire LF antenna, feed, connectors, mount, endropes and a box to carry it all in only weighs 600g. With the vertical that becomes 850g to cover 60/40/30/20/17/15m. You’ve got 960g and nothing to actually radiate any signal yet!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G7MRV:
Dipole(30m)/coax,Radio,li-po,key,headphones,notepad,pencil,fishing rod,gps,maps,compass and the rucksack 2.4kg. It works and no contests or phone on 30m.
You can make a one band dipole and test it in 15 minutes.
73 Mike G0HIO
In reply to G0HIO:
You can make a one band dipole and test it in 15 minuets.
But a multi-band dipole will take 2 or 3 concertos to make and test!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
In reply to G8ADD:
if 600 grams is going to break your back
My entire LF antenna, feed, connectors, mount, endropes and a box to
carry it all in only weighs 600g. With the vertical that becomes 850g
to cover 60/40/30/20/17/15m. You’ve got 960g and nothing to actually
radiate any signal yet!Andy
MM0FMF
So what, Andy? My thermos of hot tea weighs a lot more than the tuner, come to think of it, so does the pullover that I carry in winter!
It isn’t a competition to see who carries the least weight, there is no prize for the lightest station, it isn’t like the serious backpackers that actually cut a bit off the handle of their toothbrush to save a few grams, its just a matter of carrying the gear that you fancy using! Getting paranoid about eliminating weight says more about your state of fitness than it does about the capabilities of your station!
See now, if I am happy to carry my FT857, bigger tuner and a 13 Ah SLAB up a hill, I am certainly going to think of a climb carrying the FT817 and the Z-match as a light-weight stroll!
Oh yes, and my carry gives me 160, 80, 60, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 - also 30 if I was into CW - and I can get from any one to any other of those bands without getting to my feet, I think that is worth 360 or 600 extra grams!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
those bands without getting to my feet, I think that is worth 360 or
600 extra grams!
ULA makes sense in longer trails in Alaska or Lapland. 700 - 800 g is the weight of the food for one day.
73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL
In reply to F5VGL:
We have a saying, Jaakko, “horses for courses”! 
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G3NYY:
I never use connectors. They are inherently lossy. I just twist the
bare ends of the wires together. It works a treat.
No losses there then?
73
Richard
G3CWI
In reply to G3NYY:
I use inline male and female RCA connectors for my linked inverted vee connections. http://tinyurl.com/7zo86bw
I solder the wire to both inside and outside contact.
Works fine for me - so far.
73
Peter VK3ZPF
http://vk3zpf.blogspot.com.au/
In reply to G3CWI:
I never use connectors. They are inherently lossy. I just twist
the
bare ends of the wires together. It works a treat.No losses there then?
73
Richard
G3CWI
Hook, line and sinker!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
Well, had great weather today, so rebuilt the link dipole, fresh crimps. All absolutely spot on now. Labelled up and ready to go. Tested on-air on three bands (10m and 12m dead today), contacts all around Europe with 5w, including a SES that was about to go off air, when i heard him, but though the rig was on 17m, the antenna was on 40m! Jumped to swap links, worked him, then realised i hadnt pushed the mast back up!
Looking forward to Scotland next week now
Mods - I think we’re done on this thread now, please close at your convenience
In reply to G7MRV:
Is the fat lady singing yet?
73
Brian GO8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
I can chortle a bit