Yup, I think so, especially on 20 meters.

Am trying to see now if I can come up with a shorter coax run for the
antenna, while not having to venture back home.  May have some
possibilities, but am not sure yet.  Have the grand-kids here at the camp
site right now, so exxploration of that possibility may have to wait.

The antenna is supported with ropes and pulleys, so shouldn't be too hard to
get back down if needed.

Will just have to wait and see.

At least the antenna does tune well across 40 meters, and I was surprised by
that S58A contact on cw last night.

Tom Behler: KB8TYJ


-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Matthew Chao
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2015 7:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Interesting Problem With Alpha Delta DXCC Antenna Out Here At
The RV Camp Site

Hmmmm.  A big RF choke?--Matt, N1IBB.

At 09:16 PM 6/25/2015 -0400, you wrote:
>                Hello, again, all.
>
>
>
>Well, my Alpha Delta DX CC antenna is  finally up out here at the RV 
>camp site.
>
>
>
>It is up a good 30 feet in the trees, with the  center and ends being 
>at about the same height.
>
>
>
>I have done some preliminary testing of the antenna, and all looks 
>good, with one exception.
>
>
>
>Specifically, the antenna tunes with the TS480 internal auto-tuner 
>across the 10, 15, and 40-meter bands.  It even tunes across much of 80 
>meters, from about 3600 to about 3900 KHZ.
>
>
>
>However, I cannot get it to tune at all on 20 meters, once again, using 
>the
>TS480 internal auto tuner.  I even put my MFJ auto-tuner extender in 
>line, with no luck.
>
>
>
>This is a bit disappointing to me, since 20 meters is one of my 
>favorite field day operating bands.
>
>
>
>As I am scratching my head here to try to determine what might be going 
>on, I have two theories.  First, it has to be understood that I am 
>limited to keeping the antenna within my lot space, and have to work 
>with the available trees.  This means that the legs of the antenna are 
>probably only about at a 60-degree or so angle from the center.  In 
>other words, the antenna is kind of like a folded  dipole in some ways.  
>I wonder if this could be de-tuning the antenna on 20, although I'm not 
>sure why it also would not bbe de-tuning it on the other bands I mentioned.
>
>
>
>My second theory has to do with my coax feed line.  It turns out that I 
>probably have about 40 extra feet of coax that I have coiled up 
>underneath my station operating area.  I wonder too if this might have 
>something to do with the strange 20-meter behavior.
>
>
>
>Obviously, I'm happy that the antenna is usable on 10, 15, 40, and 80, 
>so I'm sure I'll have a good Field Day exxperience.  But, the 20-meter 
>problem does puzzle me.
>
>
>
>Does anyone have any thoughts, or suggestions that I might try to get 
>things working on 20 meters?
>
>
>
>Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>
>
>
>