New Wire Antenna

The great thing about amateur radio is you can experiment and learn from what works and what doesn’t. Currently I have two antennas, the Hustler 6BTV, which is a 24′ vertical antenna that tunes 6 bands (10-40M). The other antenna is a Alpha Delta DX-EE, which is a multi-band dipole, using inductor coils for 40M. The vertical is the only antenna currently connected using LMR400 to the FT-1000MP. Thankfully the filtering of the rig and the addition of the Alpha 76PA have allowed me to work weak stations I can hear, that would not have been the case prior to the addition of the linear.

But this entry is not about the linear or the rig, I am focusing on being able to receive/transmit better using a unique antenna. They say any random wire can be used as an antenna. I have no previous experience using a random wire since I have no trees in my backyard and the only vertical component is the roof line of our house. What I am considering (which has not been modeled on EZNEC) is a combination sloper/inverted vee antenna.

I have found some limited information on a few searches on Google and some discussion at QRZ.com and eHam. I want to set up what is essentially a simple dipole at the apex of the roof and run it down and out, hopefully achieving a 90-100 degree angle, to the corners of my fence in the backyard. Thus a sloping, inverted vee. Will it warm more than clouds? I am not sure. From what I have read it could have some limited success, based on a multitude of factors. The wire would be fed by ladder line (300 or 450 Ohm) possibly to an external tuner and then to the rig.

I have plans I drew up back in December, based off a similar discussion of KI6DCN on the QRZ Forums, who had plans of a similar nature. I will hopefully be able to model this antenna using EZNEC and see if the results would be acceptable and I should try to get up on the roof in my condition (when the XYL isn’t home) and run some wire.

Until that time I am going to raise the DX-EE today after work at about 18′ high and see what sort of luck I have working 20 and 40M mainly. If I recall, I had some great success receiving weak stations even at 18′ better than I did with the 24′ vertical. Over the course of the weekend, I did not play on the radio much, but I did have 4 SSB (voice) contacts. Three of those were from hams in Michigan, participating in their state QSO party, all of whom complemented me on my strong signal. That, thanks in part to the amp, which I had running at about 1100-1200w.

I also heard a weak station, W5AZO (Patty) from Richardson, Texas who was participating in the Spring Lites QSO Party. I responded to her CQ call and got a very good report from her. Neither of these contests I was involved in, but I enjoy these “quick” exchanges. At least I know things are working with the station and the linear is living up to its expectations. Not that I had any doubt after the work accomplished by N4UQ.