40/80 dual band vertical dipole antenna update

Tempus fugit. I have not touched the antenna in the last week. I am still on vacation. The XYL is out visiting so I am enjoying being a bachelor again to the max. It feels good. No chores today. No housekeeping. Just me and my ham radio, my photography, my bicycle, my microwave, my wok and my TV. I get some exercise walking from the bedroom upstairs to the kitchen and shack downstairs. This is the good life.

However, I have touched the antenna project as I found some antenna wire and nylon guy ropes all balled up in a corner of the yard where my landscape engineer had secured it, so today I will add some more wire onto the antenna and see where we can go. The antenna analyzer is back home so that will be deployed too.

The antenna is tuned up just below 3.8 mhz with a 1:1 SWR, but the SWR on 40 is over 2 but under 3 at 7.135 mhz or so, totally unacceptable, since I never use antenna tuners. I have to remodel the antenna further to satisfy my requirements. The overall height of the vertical section has moved from 35 feet to 31.5 feet, and I now have some new dimensions for the 40 meter antenna. I have also replaced the small solenoid balun with the big one, and the feed line is as close to 185 feet as I can get without cutting any cable. I am out of PL-259s anyway. I have to check if the wireman is still open for business to restock.

I think I will get it on today, as long as there is no rain. I am still looking for Caribbean people who like rain, other than the Rastaman. I like it too, but not on the day I plan to work on my antennas, nor when they have an NCIS marathon on TV. The cable Tv here must be a dry-weather version. I don't think the new highway next to their high site has anything to do with it either.

I notice on eBay some 4-ft fiberglass masts that telescope to 44-ft, if they are still there by fall/winter I may just pick up a couple for my portable antenna project. The vertical section of the vertical dipole will then be made from wire and can hang off the mast. This will make the ideal light weight and ultimate portable antenna. So now I will have over 30-feet of aluminum tubing available for another antenna project.

I continue to research my flex radio and upgraded power sdr to 1.18.2 and I notice something that I have to enquire about, not complain. I also found some rather interesting flex radio info on YouTube. Talking about YouTube I have set up my channel there and still working on it, ham radio, fishing and photography are only the minor focus there.

I have also joined the young folks on FaceBook, and making sure that I do not get addicted. I contemplated starting a ham radio vertical antenna group there, but I feel that the facebook hams are somewhat different, I may be wrong, but it is just a gut feeling.

The sun is now up so I will check that the grass is dry, and after saying my "prayers" will see what joy today holds in store for me.

73

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