In latest instances I’ve been feeling the urge to start out experimenting with telescopic vertical whip antennas. Vertical whip antennas seem like considerably easier to setup than elevated dipoles. So, it looks like a worthwhile endeavor to experiment with.
Lately, I bought two Chameleons telescoping verticals whips: their 17’ model and the 25’ model, for experimental functions. I’m wanting ahead to attempting varied configurations, which can possible not be till subsequent spring or summer season as our climate right here within the Okanagan Valley of BC is beginning to present hints that winter is simply across the nook. So, for now I’ve one particular configuration thought in thoughts that I’ve been itching to strive: a 1/2 λ Coaxial Sleeve Telescopic Vertical Dipole. Nonetheless, this configuration is required to be elevated with a tall mast.
In a way, I suppose one may name this a Hybrid Telescopic Vertical Antenna as a result of the top-half of the antenna will probably be a normal 17’ telescopic vertical whip from Chameleon. And, as a substitute of typical radials, the bottom-half of the antenna will probably be utilizing the identical idea of a Coaxial Sleeve Vertical Dipole, tuned for the 20m band.
I gained’t take up an excessive amount of area on this report outlining the development particulars. I simply needed to see if this antenna idea has any viable potential for ongoing makes use of. That is the antenna I will probably be utilizing in the present day atop my 30’ carbon fiber telescopic mast.
Right here we go together with the occasions of the day.
At this time I will probably be trying to activate Vance Creek Ecological Reserve, CA-4252. The Vance Creek activation spot is positioned about 1.5 hours drive NE of Kelowna, BC, Canada. The entry highway into Vance Creek is a gravel forestry service highway (FSR), simply north of Lumby, BC. I would be the 2nd individual to ever activate this park, and the 1st to do it with CW.
We left house early with plans to make this one other full day of enjoying with POTA.
Having by no means been right here earlier than, we drove the size of the reserve in the hunt for a great spot and settled for a location simply within the far-end of the park boundary at round 16:00 UTC (09:00 PDT). We selected this location as a result of it is among the few areas to simply park off the roadway. Past the signal titled “Woodlot” is a forestry logging harvest space (exterior the park boundary).
There aren’t any park amenities right here, i.e. no parking tons, no tenting, no picnic tables, and no outhouses, and many others.; very like many of the areas I’ve been activating up to now 12 months.
Alexis, my spouse (VE7LXE) takes a brief stroll up and down the highway simply to get aware of the realm (we’ve by no means been right here earlier than). It’s September 19th 2024 and the mornings are getting fairly cool now, so we’re bundled up.
Time to unpack. The primary order of enterprise is to erect the antenna system. At this time, I’m utilizing the Chameleon CHA Porta Mount, Wheel Mount to assist my 30’ carbon fiber telescopic mast.
After putting in the wheel mount with mast inserted, the following step is to mount the Chameleon 17′ 3/8” threaded telescopic vertical whip to the highest of the mast.
Mainly, I made a mast-top adapter that holds a Firestick 3/8 to UHF adapter for mounting the 17’ telescopic vertical. That is the highest part of my hybrid vertical sleeve dipole. I took some images of this yesterday at house as I used to be testing and tuning the system for 20m operation.
I made the underside half of the coaxial sleeve dipole utilizing RG-8X (any dimension of fifty Ω coax will possible work).
Mainly, I used 23’ of left-over RG8X that I had left-over from different tasks for the underside half was of the coaxial sleeve dipole. I measured 17’ from one finish of the coax and wound it 13 turns by way of a #43 Honest-Ceremony 2.5” toroidal core. This units the size of the underside half of the ¼ λ dipole and acts as an RF choke to isolate the antenna from the remainder of the transmission line. Then I terminated the ends with Amphenol BNC connectors utilizing my BNC crimp instruments.
The BNC male connects to the enter of the 17’ telescopic whip and turns into the underside ¼ λ part of the coaxial sleeve vertical dipole.
Yesterday, I setup my 30’ carbon fiber mast and tripod within the again yard to verify the hybrid telescopic coaxial sleeve dipole tuning for the 20m band.
Primarily based on my earlier expertise with my experimental coaxial sleeve dipoles (made-up of all-coax) I do know that I want to supply some separation between the carbon fiber mast and the coaxial radiators that run parallel to the mast. Thus, the three’ plastic tubing close to the toroidal choke is used to carry the underside radiator away from the mast.
If I keep in mind accurately, my preliminary check confirmed that the antenna was resonant about ~500 kHz too excessive.
I painstakingly re-threaded the core down about 6” to elongate the dipole and decrease its resonant frequency.
This did the trick. It’s now tuned to the decrease finish of the 20m band. The bottom SWR is barely about 1.75:1. As properly, it appears to be considerably broadband and is thus usable throughout the entire 20m band as is. The KX3 ATU will assist with any remaining SWR points. I will probably be working multiband; so, the size tuning is barely primarily related to 20m band.
(I’m undecided but however the broad-banding could also be because of the remaining affect of the carbon fiber mast.
With that defined, time to get again to the Vance Creek activation.
The coaxial sleeve vertical dipole antenna is now erected.
One would possibly ask the query, why undergo the difficulty to make use of an antenna like this?
My reply may be:
- Why did the hen cross the highway? Properly, I don’t learn about chickens, however I’m simply plain curious to see the way it works.
- I’ve already tried an all-wire coaxial sleeve vertical dipole whose peak it restricted by the highest of my mast which is about 30’ or so (or a throw bag peak right into a tree). With the telescopic whip connected to the highest of the mast, I achieve a further 17’ of most peak. That additional peak might be helpful.
- Is it definitely worth the hassle? Does it work? I gained’t know till I do a number of outings and examine the outcomes over time.
There are such a lot of elements and variables that change from day-to-day, and site to location, with regards to radio propagation.
Okay, the whole lot is all set to start out calling CQ POTA.
As soon as once more, I’ll be working CW at 10W with the KX3 and 4.5 Ah Bioenno battery.
That is the place I’ll be sitting for the higher a part of the following 7 hours, aside from a brief stroll to stretch my legs and eat some lunch and snacks.
If I’m going to undergo all the difficulty to drive out right here within the boonies, I would as properly make it an entire day’s outing. I typically discover that when I begin working, I discover it exhausting to stop. You know the way it goes…. Only one extra contact, or only one extra band… perhaps the opposite band has opened again up…. It’s only one excuse after one other. 😊
So, how did I do (and the experimental antenna)?
Right here’s the play-by-play.
I begin calling CQ on the 20m bread & butter band and make my first contact at 16:46 UTC (09:46 PDT) with NE1D in Massachusetts. Each alerts are fairly weak, however nonetheless not unhealthy for a coast-to-coast QSO.
Usually, my objective is to make my first 10 QSO’s on 20m earlier than I transfer on up the bands.
I make my 10th contact at 17:39 UTC with K9IS n Wisconsin. Throughout this previous hour, I logged contacts from MA, ON, MN, NV, CO, CA and WI.
After getting stomped on once more on 20m, it’s time to maneuver on to 17m band.
My first contact on 17m is with NZ7Q in New Mexico at 18:13 UTC. Over the following 35 minutes, I log a complete of 10 contacts on 17m with NM, WV, NJ, IL, VA, CA, and OH. As soon as issues decelerate for some time, it’s time to maneuver up the bands once more.
So, let’s see who’s hanging out on 15m.
I get the sensation NZ7Q in NM is following me and offers me a great 579 report. Over a ten minute interval, I log 5 contacts on 15m with NM, LA, IN, OH, and IL. The higher bands generally tend to go cold and warm.
Time to maneuver on to 12m.
Starting at 20:54 I land KR4I in North Carolina. Shortly after that, I get stomped-on by CO8LY in Chile, so I QSY up 1. Shortly after, I land 3 extra in TX over the following 35 minutes with descent sign studies. However then the band goes quiet.
Something taking place on 10m in the present day? Useless. Nothing happing in the present day on 10.
As soon as I hand over on 10m, I work my manner again down the bands to see if propagation has modified in any respect.
On 12m, I land two extra contacts with Texas by way of WD5EEI and WB8QZM with robust sign studies. However after that both the band goes chilly, or no person is chasing. Propagation appears to be good to TX in the present day.
Again on 15m band.
Wow; 15m appears to have waken-up this afternoon. Starting with KG8CO in MI at 21:33, he provides me a 599 report. Over the following 35 minutes, I land 12 contacts by way of MI, TX, NY, IL, MA, ON, CA, and OK.
It’s simply after 22:10 and the UTC day is nearing its finish – I’m beginning to run out of time.
So again all the way down to 17m, I log 3 extra contacts with CO, GA, and MI with good sign studies.
One other fast shot at 20m.
Between 22:35 and 22:50 UTC I snag 8 extra 20m contacts by way of CA, NV, ND, UT, and WI. Propagation is a bit on the quick aspect, however I’m not complaining.
I get simply bored on 20m, so one thing tells me to present 15m one other shot.
NO WAY! Just one contact available right here at 21:31 UTC……… and it’s LU4HK in Cordoba, ARGENTINA! A weak sign report, however who’s complaining. My first POTA Argentina. Unusually sufficient, that was it for 15m band at the moment – what a fluke!
Solely 20 minutes left within the POTA UTC day. One final shot at 17m to see if there may be any magic there.
Between 23:42 and 23:56 I snag 6 extra contacts on 17m with SC, TX, FL, LA, and MI.
The bell rings and I’m completed for the day.
The grand tally is in.
59 contacts in complete for the day throughout 4-bands. And a bonus contact with Argentina on 15m!
The 59 contacts didn’t come straightforward. It took nearly 7 hours of pounding brass and band hopping. No magic right here, simply persistence. (Properly, perhaps there was some magic concerned in snagging Argentina – the bands work in mysterious methods) 😊
(Tip: Click on on the picture to enlarge the view.)
Time to move again house in Kelowna.
Thanks for studying.
(Hope I didn’t bore you an excessive amount of with the play-by-plays.)
Jeff (VE7EFF) and Alexis (VE7LXE)
Gear Checklist:
Elecraft KX3 with inner antenna tuner
Elecraft KXPD2 paddle
Chameleon CHA Porta Mount – Wheel Mount
Gigaparts Telescopic Mast, 34ft, Carbon Fiber
17m ½λ Coaxial Sleeve Slanted Vertical Dipole, house brew
N9SAB 20m ½λ Rugged Nano Dipole
1:1 Low Energy Balun/Choke for CMC/Noise Discount Gen II
Bioenno 4.5 Ah LiFePo4 battery
PowerFilm F15-600 10W 600ma 15.4V Foldable Photo voltaic panel
Powerwerx PWRbox Transportable Powe Field (no battery put in)
Dakota LiFePo4 Batteries (18Ah model changed by 20Ah model)
Helinox Desk One Laborious High
Helinox Velocity Stool
Helinox Sundown Chair
