[WVDXA] The Further Antenna Adventures of W8TN

[Dave Heil]

W8TN - Clark wrote:
> Well, as a couple of you know, I busted my tail this week to try and get 
> up a 160-M Inverted "L" antenna for the CQ Contest this weekend. 

Clark,

It sounds as if all of the work in the cold paid off.  You and I were in 
one of the same pileups during the contest.  The WVU game and last 
night's Missouri-Kansas game held more attraction for me than a serious 
contest effort so I played a bit on 160, 40, 15 and yes, even 10m.

I recall your tower being 80-some feet tall.  If it was me, I'd make the 
antenna just slightly longer than a quarter wave, run it as far up the 
tower as is practical and run whatever was left out horizontally.  Mine 
has the vacuum variable in the system all of the time.

You want the vertical portion to do most of the radiating.  I have mine 
standing out from the tower base about six or seven feet and have made 
no effort to detune the tower at all.

I think you're already finding that the new antenna helps you climb the 
160m DXCC ladder rather quickly.

If you fellows wonder why you seldom hear me on the bands, it's 'cuz I'm 
listening to static on 160m, waiting for new DX.  Being out of the 
country for nearly 16 years didn't do much for my countries count.  I 
had 88 when I left Cincinnati.  I'm up to 140 and holding as of now.

Still nothing from the coal company other than the letter stating that 
they plan to be under or adjacent to my property within six to eighteen 
months.  The neighbor has seen the map of panels and claims the thing 
will be right under us.  He says it may take ten or eleven years for 
them to buy us out.  I'm more optimistic.  I think we might end up in 
the Oak Hill-Beckley area within a couple of years.  I just hate to 
think about taking antennas down and putting 'em back up.

73,

Dave K8MN