Long Wire Aerial

[GW6NLO]

I have posted this on another forum about a week ago but the response wasn't great so may I please run it past you chaps :)

I am thinking of trying a long wire aerial on HF because, put simply, it seems a cheap option and I live in a ground floor rented place with limited space. Is there any sort of 'rule of thumb' as to the minimum length of a 'long wire' depending on the bands one is intending to work? Also what is the best way to feed such an aerial. I have an ATU with a simple terminal on the back for connecting a wire to but that would mean a radiating wire in the shack just trailing out of the window which I don't like the sound of :shock: I was thinking of at least feeding it with coax to outside the shack and earthing the braid at the point the centre feeds the wire. Also, due to limited space, the wire will have to go around the perimeter of a small garden, probably several times, so, I am just looking for ideas and comments please :)

cheers, Tim

[N2RJ]

I believe that a long wire should be at least a wavelength or longer than the band you want to work.

[w0aew]

NLO:

Your proposed solution is much like one of the antennas I use here. It's a random length of wire--perhaps 140 feet long or so--strung up across a couple of trees (one of which is on public property down the block). At the house, the wire is soldered to a piece of coax that runs into the house and is connected to the "wire" post on my matching unit.

The RF counterpoise is another random length of wire connected to the ground post of the matching unit and run outside. It hangs on a wooden fence for 60 to 70 feet.

The MFJ Versa Tuner matching unit can get the SWR below 1:5/1 from 160-10.

I use the antenna mostly on 160 and 80. Although it will emit RF on the other bands, I usually use a G5RV for 40-10 since it's there.

No trouble making contacts. Max power out is 20 watts with a TenTec Argonaut V.

[N2RJ]

As for RF in the shack, my diapole is fed with ladder line and the balun is inside. I have zero issues with RF in the shack, except a popped GFI which I replaced with a newer one which is more RF immune.

[m3jzt]

Why not try a loop antenna around the parameter of the fence,instead of a random wire bent into for sides, a continues loop may be more suitable,..? I my self have a limited garden in view to Hf antennas,All I use is the G5RV inverted,dog legged at each end,sort of like a bobtail in a V.works OK for me Ive contacted eastern Australia,North pole,Brazil,N America furthest so far being the VK2 Just on 10w.My garden only measures 44ft x 25ft.Centre point of the G5 is at 35ft and each leg is poled to 25ft.

Wayne M3JZT
http://www.setbb.com/m3jzt/index.php? Site owner

Why not try a loop antenna around the parameter of the fence,instead of a random wire bent into for sides, a continues loop may be more suitable,..? I my self have a limited garden in view to Hf antennas,All I use is the G5RV inverted,dog legged at each end,sort of like a bobtail in a V.works OK for me Ive contacted eastern Australia,North pole,Brazil,N America furthest so far being the VK2 Just on 10w.My garden only measures 44ft x 25ft.Centre point of the G5 is at 35ft and each leg is poled to 25ft.

Wayne M3JZT
http://www.setbb.com/m3jzt/index.php? Site owner

That forum is no good. There is no place for placing religion and politics and creating discontent and malice between the participants. I mean, no one knows who they should like and who they should dislike. They probably all like each other, oblivious to the evil thought others are thinking about them.

Oh wait. They do have that area.

Never mind.

[m3jzt]

Haha...welcome to the forum N9XR ;)

:idea: You got me thinking of a add on forum now...erm yeah,... :shock: ;)

Haha...welcome to the forum N9XR ;)

:idea: You got me thinking of a add on forum now...erm yeah,... :shock: ;)

You guys invade here, so we need to invade there.

Conquer and divide, and enjoy DX when appropriate.

[HUGH]

A local amateur uses 80m of wire in a double loop round his garden, it works well with only 10W and a low elevation. His soil conditions are probably relatively damp. Mine main aerial is 200ft end fed so that doesn't count.
I would always go for an L-match for a random single wire, it will match anything, and either a good earth or ground system or an untuned counterpoise.

If you go for a loop I'm not sure of the best way of feeding it.