Hi, folks.
Here's one for all of you who have used a Windom antenna before.
I am interested in what anyone knows about the characteristics of a normal
Windom antenna, in relation to SWR readings.
As many of you know, I put a Windom up last week, and am now in the process
of testing it.
The Windom itself is approximately 125 feet long--80 feet to the south, and
45 feet to the north.
The center is fed with RG8U coax, and there is a 4 - 1 balun at the feed
point.
The antenna is up about 35 feet, both at the center which is attached to my
tower, and the legs which are attached to conveniently-located trees.
The antenna tunes on all bands from 80 through 10 meters, except for 30
meters, using the auto-tuner on the TS480.
I have already tried the antenna out on 80 meters, and have gotten very good
signal reports from participants in a Michigan state-wide net. My SWR's on
80 meters range from about 2.1 to 1 at the top, to about 2.5 to 1 at the
bottom of the band, with SWR's close to 1.1 to 1 a little above the center
of the band.
I did some checking earlier on 40 and 20 meters, and found my SWR's to be
less encouraging.
On 40 meters, my SWR's range from 3.1 to 1, to about 5.1 to 1.
On 20 meters, my SWR's are about 6 to 1 at the bottom of the band, and
around 2.1 to 1 at the top of the band.
These SWR's are disappointing to me, although the auto-tuner in the TS480
seems to tune the antenna fine at various frequencies throughout the 20 and
40 meter band.
Am I in trouble here, or is this typical of a Windom antenna like this?
Thanks, and 73 from Tom behler: KB8TYJ
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