Wet-noodle feedback:

[ROBFINDLAY]

I think I've decided I'm just going to go the wet-noodle route.  One long ass wire about 80 feet long 15 or 20 feet in the air sloping down to the ground feeding into one of these: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-941E

And hear what I can hear.  If i could find  nice solid used HF rig THAT would motivate me into getting my general ticket. Though I could just get my CW up to speed on the CW portion of 40 meters.

MAN! I wish 6M and 10M where open at the moment.

So anyway, anyone think I'd be able to hear anything on that setup?

[KB9CRY]

One long ass wire about 80 feet long 15 or 20 feet in the air sloping down to the ground feeding into one of these: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-941E

Yeck.  Random wire will need constant adjustment with the tuner (which is not weatherproof and must be in the shack) and then you'll need the proper RF counterpoise wire.  I think you'll have RFI issues, etc.  What happened to the inverted Vee dipole?  That'd be your best bet.


And 15-20 feet up is pretty low.  You'll only hear the really loud stations and hope they have good ears to hear your puny signals.


MAN! I wish 6M

Even with sunspots 6M is overrated; don't get too excited about this band.  It definitely will not be like 10M will be.

and 10M where open at the moment.

You gotta wait.  40/30/20/17 are the money bands and that's where you should concentrate your efforts.  A nice multi-band vertical would be what I'd do.

 

[VA3XQ]

I moved last fall and had to drop the tower and the 3 element beam. So I needed a quick fix and built this wire beam for 20 meters only.

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/0111035.pdf

This thing works amazingly well on 20 with one end up only 35 feet and set on a 45 degree angle. Flat right across the band so no tuner required. Very light using wood for the support. Just hoisted it up a tree.
jeff

[AA4PB]

So anyway, anyone think I'd be able to hear anything on that setup?
----------------------------------------------------
On 40M and 80M yes. On 10M not much.

[NR9R]

ROBFINDPLAY,

I read a few of your other posts and it is good to see you brainstorming about antennas. That is one of my favorite parts about the hobby. With the antennas you are proposing (long wire, inverted vee, delta loop), the cost and effort to put them together is so little that I suggest just trying them out. The tuner you are suggesting will work fine, in fact, it will be a key component to the multiband operation you are looking for with all of these antennas. If you go with the inverted V or delta loop then buy some ladderline (better yet, make some), but keep it from touching surrounding objects the best you can. The antenna tuner manual will tell you where to connect it.

To get back to your original question, yeah, you'll be able to hear lots of stuff. You will be able to work stations all over the US all day and at night I'm sure you'll hear some Europe on 40m once in a while. The tuner will be inside so you'll have to have it right next to the window or wherever the wire will be coming in from. Also, make sure you put a ground rod in right outside so that you can run a short heavy gauge wire to the tuner chassis.

I also suggest the ARRL Antenna Book. If you are not an ARRL member I think they will give you the book for free when you join.

I hope that you have been convinced by the other posts that the MFJ fiberglass mast is not going to work. The stronger 31' Jackite pole should work if you are only putting the wire on the 20 ft level (18 AWG - 22AWG wire will be fine with 100 watts by the way). I have two of these poles and a set of military surplus fiberglass masts. If you have the room to put up some guy wires then I would recommend one of these mast sets. You can get a 40 ft set off of ebay for like $50. You can order aluminum tubing from Texas Towers to make freestanding mast also, but that's another topic.

I realize that there are a handful of critics on the forum that can leave rather discouraging comments. If you would like to discuss this further feel free to email me directly.

asrick at gmail.com

73 and hope to hear you on the air.

Anthony
AA9OC

[KA0GKT]

Unfortunately, in the realm of antennas, 80' isn't "Big Ass" in the least.  Back about 25 years ago, I lived South of West Point, NE and had a long wire antenna 3900' long on old telephone poles about 20' in the air (the phone company burried the new wire and abandoned the old one in place since my landlord had paid for the wire back in the '20s when it was installed.

Yep, I had a 3/4-mile driveway with a long-wire along the side...but it certainly wasn't the biggest "Big-Ass" antenna around.

73 DE KAØGKT/7

--Steve