[Antennas] Antenna for Local Use

Wed Mar 5 18:43:23 EST 2014

I have used for many years an 80 meter doublet fed with window (ie., ladder) line, and fed through a tuner capable of tuning ladder line.  Cut it for the 80 meter band.  For close in operation it does not need to be very high.  Mine is up 30 feet, for example, which is more than enough.  
Some tuners have an internal balun and posts for the two wires for window line.  If it is not possible to get the window line inside the house without boring a hole somewhere, put a 4:1  balun outside a window and feed coax inside to the tuner.  For example, the appropriate LDG or MFJ tuner will do the job.
But, be forewarned that this antenna will work around the world, ie., Amsterdam Island, for example, with 5 watts, when conditions are favorable.  That is on CW.  For SSB cut the doublet for the SSB end of 80 meters, although length is not critical at all.  I got the wire at Lowes, as well as the white plastic pipe to make the insulators.  Window line - 400 ohm - is available at HRO and many other suppliers.
The lower it is to the ground the better it will work close in, but then not as well for DX, which you may not want.  I am sure plans are shown in most of the ARRL Handbooks.  It will be quieter than a vertical, but perhaps not quite as quiet as a dedicated coax fed dipole, or fan dipole, for the desired bands.  Mine tunes pretty well from 80 meters to 10 meters, and even for a narrow segment of 160 meters.  Experiment with the length of the window line if the SWR is high on the bands of choice.
Pete, NO2D
Parker, CO.  
>________________________________
> From: Tom Bates <tlbates at lr.net>
>To: antennas at mailman.qth.net 
>Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2014 3:55 PM
>Subject: Re: [Antennas] Antenna for Local Use
>>>>>>What would folks recommend for an antenna for just chewing the rag with
>locals (up to a 50 mile radius). The vertical I now have is just too noisy.
>The primary interest is 80/40/15.
>>>How do you prefer to match it to the transmitter?
>>>Tom, AA1NZ
>>>>>>>>>>>Thomas L.  "Tom"  Bates
>New Hampshire Electric Motors, Inc.
>459 Province Road
>Laconia,  NH  03246
>(603) 524-3729    (800) 660-NHEM
>  tlbates at nheminc.com
>http://www.nheminc.com
>>>>>______________________________________________________________
>Antennas mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/antennas
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:Antennas at mailman.qth.net
>>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>>