43 meter dipole

[flexoman61]

I don't have enough room for a sloper off peak of the house. However I have alot of trees in back yard and enough room for just about anything. The coax run back to the house would be close to 150'. Any problems with a coax run that long?

[ChrisSmolinski]

I don't have enough room for a sloper off peak of the house. However I have alot of trees in back yard and enough room for just about anything. The coax run back to the house would be close to 150'. Any problems with a coax run that long?

Not if you use relatively good coax. I'd avoid RG58 and friends, RG-6 has less than half the loss. And you can probably pick it up for less money, and get it locally. My sloped folded dipole is way in the back as well, the run is probably 100 ft. And the run to my beverage is about 150 ft.

[flexoman61]

Thanks a lot Chris, I like the idea of a folded dipole. That's the way I'm going to go. I looked up some reading material and came up with an article you wrote. Here is the link if anyone is interested, http://hfunderground.com/blog/?p=84

A few questions though before I start shopping for ladder line, baluns etc.

-What kind of wire are you using to attach Ladder Line to Balun? Probably doesn't matter much, but..(pic attached)
-Also, just out of curiosity, looking at images and reading up on folded dipoles the distance between the two elements is several inches instead of about the 1/4"
 distance between elements of Ladder line. It's working for you so I'm not overly concerned. (pic attached).

Ladder Line will probably have to be bought online.

This will keep me busy for a while!

[ChrisSmolinski]

Thanks a lot Chris, I like the idea of a folded dipole. That's the way I'm going to go. I looked up some reading material and came up with an article you wrote. Here is the link if anyone is interested, http://hfunderground.com/blog/?p=84

A few questions though before I start shopping for ladder line, baluns etc.

-What kind of wire are you using to attach Ladder Line to Balun? Probably doesn't matter much, but..(pic attached)
-Also, just out of curiosity, looking at images and reading up on folded dipoles the distance between the two elements is several inches instead of about the 1/4"
 distance between elements of Ladder line. It's working for you so I'm not overly concerned. (pic attached).

Ladder Line will probably have to be bought online.

This will keep me busy for a while!

I just used regular 300 ohm twinlead. I bought it from one of the online ham stores, I originally used TV twinlead but it was mechanically weak, and got destroyed by the first storm. So you want something rugged.

The wires connecting to the twinlead are just regular hookup wire, and came with the balun I used.

[JCMaxwell]

flexoman, this is the website i've been using in designing the one i'm gonna erect.

http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/wire/t2fd.html

[refmo]

Ladder Line will probably have to be bought online.

Speaking of ladder line, especially if you transmit with 1KW or more, you can use electric fence tubular insulators as spacers for do-it-yourself ladder line, along with 14AWG insulated wire.
The insulators are available at Tractor Supply Company for just a few bucks for a box of 200.

I have successfully used the method discussed at this website:

http://www.w1aex.com/owl/owl.html

[ChrisSmolinski]

flexoman, this is the website i've been using in designing the one i'm gonna erect.

http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/wire/t2fd.html

I had a T2FD for many years, it worked quite well. It finally came down after some storms. Well, most of it, parts are still stuck in a tree.  But yes, an excellent performer. Mine was 132 ft long, although probably not tilted as much as it should be, due to lack of a really tall tree.