Well-put, Ron. And I'm thankful that, even in these days of commercial
equipment, we can still experiment with antennas as much as time, space and
ability permit.
As for the G5RV, I must say that even though I knew it was a compromise
antenna going in, the results I've gotten from it have far exceeded my
expectations. I can't explain that but neither will I question. it. As we
all know, especially where RF is concerned, you never really know how it
will work until you try it, regardless of theory. 73. lou WA3MIX
Lou Kolb
Voice-over Artist:
Radio/TV Ads, Video narrations
Messages On-hold:
www.loukolb.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dr. Ronald E. Milliman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2015 12:25 PM
Subject: Re: Truths about the G5RV antenna
> Lou, Et Al,
>
> I am only the messenger and I am not criticizing you or anyone else who
> uses
> the G5RV antenna or anyone who defends it. I shared that information with
> our list members purely from an intellectual viewpoint. I agree that
> antenna
> that works and doesn't burn up your rig is better than no antenna at all.
> Believe me, I've tried and used some pretty crazy antennas in my days,
> e.g.
> bed springs, window screens, barbed-wire fences, among others, and they
> all
> worked to some extent. In fact, the barbed-wire fence worked extremely
> well!. However, I also burned one rig up as a result of the excessively
> high
> SWR when using one antenna.
>
> In my opinion, the most important component of a ham's set-up is his/her
> antenna, and I am constantly studying and experimenting with various
> antennas and antenna systems. I gave up trying to build transmitters,
> receivers, and transceivers, but the one component of my station that I
> can
> still research, experiment with, and build is the antenna. Everyone here
> on
> our list can build an antenna. Some really effective antennas are among
> the
> easiest to construct.
>
> Ron, K8HSY
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Lou Kolb
> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2015 11:09 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Truths about the G5RV antenna
>
> I certainly won't dispute anything "Ole Buck" or anyone else may say
> concerning the efficasy of the G5RV dipole. I use one here because, 1: it
> fits in to my available space. and 2: because it works on the bands I need
> it to, that is, 80, 60, 40 and 20 meters. and, as a bonus, it seems to
> work
> remarkably well on 12 meters too. I don't claim that it is the best of all
> possible antennas. However, having been lectured over the years by hams
> who
> are trying to set me straight, I refer back to my reasons for using it
> (see
> above). Nothing personal, Ron. I completely understand why you posted
> these
> findings. But my bottom line is that I'm on the air, every day, having fun
> in this great hobby. If not for the G5rv, its flaws not withstanding, I
> probably would not be. Lou WA3MIX Lou Kolb Voice-over Artist:
> Radio/TV Ads, Video narrations
> Messages On-hold:
> www.loukolb.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dr. Ronald E. Milliman" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2015 11:47 AM
> Subject: Truths about the G5RV antenna
>
>
>> There is considerable debate about the G5RV antenna, e.g. how well it
>> works; is it truly an all-band antenna, etc. In fact, we have had
>> similar exchanges right here on our Blind Hams's email list. In my
>> pursuit of the best antennas to erect in various situations, including
>> the current location of my new home in a highly restricted area, I
>> have studied the G5RV and in the process of my research, I found the
>> following information written by my good friend Buck over at Buxcomm.
>> If you don't know Buck, he is an old ex-marine.
>> He's pretty rough around the edges, as the expression goes, but old
>> Buck tells it the way it is with no BS. Here is what Buck says about
>> the G5RV antenna, which is pretty much the same thing that all other
>> really knowledgeable people say about the G5RV:
>>
>>
>>
>> *****
>>
>>
>>
>> ".About thirty years ago we ran several antenna range tests on the G5RV.
>> We
>> used a high-frequency,
>>
>> National Bureau of Standards (NBS) calibrated Potomac Instruments
>> FIM-41, field-intensity meter. The
>>
>> companion antenna was the HF NBS calibrated measurements dipole.
>>
>> The weather was clear, and the transmitting station was adjusted to
>> 100 watts, into an original G5RV
>>
>> antenna.
>>
>> The purpose for conducting these tests was because we had constructed
>> several G5RV antennas and the
>>
>> performance of each one was, at best, poor! Our findings were
>> despicable on the HF bands, with the
>>
>> exception of 20 meters.
>>
>> Sometime later we came across some of Mr Varney (G5RV) notes. In his
>> notes and description of his
>>
>> G5RV antenna, we learned that he had really designed the G5RV to be
>> used as a good 20 meter antenna,
>>
>> nothing more. Somehow over the years his antenna became (assumed to
>> be), an HF or multiband
>>
>> antenna. This assumption was so far from the truth and from Mr
>> Varney's original design.
>>
>> THE G5RV IS NOT A MULTI-BAND ANTENNA ! The only HAM band where it has
>> a zero
>> (0)
>>
>> current node IS at 14 MHz (20 meters).
>>
>> For several years, we've attempted to give notice to our friends and
>> customers that relate to the G5RV.
>>
>> Most of our findings have fallen on deaf ears, or to the G5RV users
>> who would not hear the truth.
>>
>> Any antenna, (non-resonant long-wire, included), can be tuned to
>> resonance on almost any HAM band.
>>
>> This is why many good manufacturers build and sell antenna tuners. You
>> can confirm this notion each
>>
>> time you use an HF mobile antenna.
>>
>> HERE NOW, IN HIS OWN WORDS:
>>
>> 312
>>
>> After several years, our findings are being realized by some of the
>> leading transceiver
>>
>> manufacturers. To support our findings, on page 8 of several YAESU
>> transceiver
>>
>> manuals, Yaesu engineers inserted a short paragraph that finally
>> put-to-rest these
>>
>> findings. The following text is an excerpt from one of those Yaesu
>> transceiver manuals
>>
>> "ANTENNA CONSIDERATIONS
>>
>> Every effort should be made to ensure that the impedance of the
>> antenna system be as close
>>
>> as possible to the specified 50-Ohm value. Note that the "G5RV" type
>> antenna does NOT
>>
>> provide a 50-Ohm impedance on all HF Amateur bands.
>>
>> Any antenna to be used with the FT-950 must be fed from the
>> transceiver with
>>
>>
>> 50 Ohm coaxial cable. Therefore, when using a "balanced" antenna such
>> as a dipole, remember
>>
>> that a balun or other matching/balancing device must be used to ensure
>> proper antenna
>>
>> performance. etc... "
>>
>> Excerpt from Page 8 FT-950 OPERATING MANUAL.
>>
>>
>>
>> We like to sell antennas, and we like to sell the G5RV (+), however,
>> it is our sincere objective to be
>>
>> completely above-board about this antenna. It is NOT an all-band HF
>> antenna."
>>
>>
>>
>> *****
>>
>>
>>
>> Dr. Ronald E. Milliman
>>
>> Retired Professor of Marketing
>
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