Mike:

Thanks for the great G5RV tips!

I really appreciate your insights as usual!

Will keep you and everyone posted.

73 from Tom Behler; KB8TYJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Duke, K5XU" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 6:20 PM
Subject: About Your G5RV


> Tom,
> 
> The key with the G5RV, or any other more or less dipole, is to get at 
> least the center as far above ground as possible. This gets all of the 
> antenna, including the vertical section of ladder line, up in the air 
> where it can do more good. It also gets that ladder line further away 
> from your house, or from the neighbors, thus reducing local RF fields. 
> So, use the tallest tree you can access to hold the center, and weave 
> the ends around as necessary.
> 
> While the G5RV, Carolina Windom, ETC, will operate fine as an inverted 
> V, my experience is that the closer they are to being a flattop, the 
> better they will perform. But don't worry about that if you can only 
> go with an inverted V configuration. And, if the whole thing isn't 
> exactly a straight line, that's okay too.
> 
> Regarding the ballun, just wind about 10 turns of coax into a coil 
> with at least a 6 inch diameter. I am now seeing articles that say 
> don't let the first and last turn of the coil touch each other. This 
> coil of coax will keep the feedline isolated, and reduce its radiation 
> to a minimum, especially if the coil is near the connection to the 
> ladder line. But, it will work wherever it happens to be located.
> 
> It sounds to me as though your existing ground is quite sufficient for 
> just about anything you will be using at the campground.
> 
> Finally, I had to laugh when someone suggested making the legs of the 
> G5RV from coax. What a waste of good coax cable.
> 
> I ran a homemade double bazooka for 80 meters when I was a senior in 
> high school. I never was convinced that thing worked any better, or 
> was more broad than the #14 gage wire dipole that it replaced. Of 
> course, part of that may have been that I wasn't totally sure of what 
> I was doing when I built the bazooka.
> 
> 
> 
> Mike Duke, K5XU
> American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs
> 
> 
>