Hi Gang,
I finally found a used HF-6V, and at $50 no less. And it has the 17/12 kit.
I initially have ground mounted it with 20 radials until I can finish the
tilt over mast that will be its final resting place. So far it tunes about
30kHz of 80M, indicitive of a very good ground system, most of 40, all of
30, 17, 12 and at least the low end of 10. Is seems to work as well on 40m
as the elevated 1/4 wave HB I took down. I used an MFJ analyzer at the
antenna to accomplish tuning.
Now for the troubles.
* it does not tune 20M anywhere with good SWR. Best I could do was about
4:1. Something is very wrong. There is a resonance point at about 15.5MHz
but I could not move that point to 14mHz.
* I plan on using the twinlead counterpoise scheme after the antenna is
elevated. I see that B-Nut has a kit for this, at $80. What EXACTLY is in
this kit, gold plated connectors? Are the radials prepped for hanging in
the air? Reinforced? Is a special connection point to the antenna included
to handle the stress? Is the kit worth the money?
I suppose I could make my own and thread some planar board line throught he
twin lead making a combination counterpoise/guy line. (aka counterguy?)
Intersting results:
* I worked a guy in FL on the G5RV on 14.060 after tuning up the B-Nut
antenna. He was S-8 on the Bnut, S-8 on the G5RV and S6-7 on the Xbeam.
Hmm...
* the tables turned two hours later when I tried to contact a G3. He was S7
on the Bnut and Beam and in the mud on the G5RV.
This is sure fun!
72, Mark N2VPK
Member of the Buffalo QRP Connection
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