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Author Topic: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole  (Read 622 times)

M0AFJ

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #15 on: March 25, 2023, 08:21:58 AM »

I made my own ZS6BKW, at the end of the ladder line I fitted a 1:1 current balun and a short coax into the shack. As others have said it has a low SWR on  40, 20, 17 and 10, with an external ATU it works really well on 30 and 15M. For what it is as a cheap wire antenna its certainly a performer.
I’ve worked VK and ZL on 80M with it from G land. Give it a go, you’re not going to waste much money.

73, Tim M0AFJ
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VR2AX

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #16 on: March 25, 2023, 01:38:29 PM »

Hi
Try the  ZL4AI-N4GG ARRAY
outputs:
- on 14.225 MHZ  9.55 dBi at 18 deg and 3.65 dBi at 5 deg and
- on 7.15 MHz  4.9 dBi at 21 deg and -0.8 dBi at 5 deg,
above average ground.

Detailed can now be found from the following link:
https://www.qrz.com/db/zl4ai

The ZL4AI-N4GG array is a 4 vertical element phased array. It is a duel band version of the N4GG with which has been fully optimized for maximum DX out put at 10 deg on 20M and  40M.  Also has substantial output on 10M 12M, 15M and 17M.
It is a very quiet antenna on receive.
Out puts signals in 4 directions at once with a coverage of 180 degrees out of 360 degrees
Does not require a ground system and has a good out over sandy soil.
Uses 450 ohm feed-line and is 93% efficient with 87% radiated efficiency.

I couldn't find the right link but a nice tour nonetheless m.., gd, maybe a bit more detail.
73
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K6JH

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #17 on: March 25, 2023, 01:54:23 PM »


Regarding those useless clock batteries, they are also used in most of the current Japanese transceivers, being older the IC-7300 is the one singled out as having a failure… if radios need a clock (they don’t), then why not use a user replaceable CR2032, or similar coin cell, instead of a 1mAh surface mount lithium ion battery?


About the only use I can really see for the clock is to time stamp files written to the SD card. I can see where you might get screwed up if the dates aren’t at least sequential. If you don’t use the SD card then it doesn’t much matter.
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73
Jim K6JH

K0UA

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #18 on: March 25, 2023, 02:36:16 PM »

Congratulations also. Watch out for the 7300 it has a well documented time clock problem, even mentioned in the manual, if that kind of thing worries you.

The well documented time clock problem show up when the clock battery goes dead after about 6 years. In no way does it effect the operation of the radio, it just doesn't keep proper time on its clock display. There are many ways around that including manual resetting of the time when you turn the rig on, replace the stock solder in clock battery, or replace the stock clock battery with a battery holder for a CR 2032 common coin cell and replace the battery every 5 years or so easily. OR there is an Icom software program you run on your PC to set the 7300 clock every time the PC is booted up.  Ain't no thing to "watch out for".
One addendum to this is I made a mistake above in quoting the CR2032. The CR2032 is NOT rechargeable, you will need to use a ML2032 or an LIR 2032 RECHARGEABLE battery OR remove a diode on the circuit board from the charging circuitry . The original battery is rechargeable, but they have only been lasting about 5 or 6 years. Icom's mistake. So be it. they should have just used a CR2032 NON-rechargeable battery in the first place in a holder. But they didn't. They rarely ask me about design issues either  :(   Again this is no big deal or at least it is not a big deal for a skilled technician. I did watch a guy on yout-tube nearly butcher his radio on his video. Really cringeworthy. But he made it work. I will give him that. He had neither the tools or the experience, but he made it work. Why is it that all of these tools and knowledge seem to come together at the twilight  of your life instead of the dawn? Life is unfair :)
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73  James K0UA

VR2AX

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2023, 02:45:32 PM »

Actually the 'disclaimer' is in the subsequent IC-R8600 manual, section 10, which arguably does not contain full disclosure.
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N1EAB

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #20 on: March 26, 2023, 04:21:14 AM »

Lots of options for sure.  I'd prefer to stay away from a remote-tuner at the moment.   Any thoughts on the MyAntennas EFHW-7510?  Realizing the other antennas aren't geared to the voice portion of 80 meters I came across this option.  It is well reviewed on this site. 
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W1VT

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #21 on: March 26, 2023, 04:54:00 AM »

Yes, you may want to contact a manufacturer to get an EFHW optimized for the phone bands.
Normally the Phone harmonics quickly move out of the ham bands so clever engineering is needed to get something that works on all the phone bands without a tuner.
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WB6BYU

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #22 on: March 26, 2023, 08:35:04 AM »

A common solution for shifting the 80m
resonance up to 75m is to add a capacitor
in the center of the wire, typically 100 to
470pF or so.  Like this.

That can be applied to either an OCFD or EFHW.

Again, you have to pay attention to which bands
have a relatively low SWR, rather than assuming
you can force it to work on the others with a
tuner in the shack.  Some traditional dimensions
for OCFDs, for example, present a very high
impedance on 15m, and trying to force it can
damage the balun (depending on power level,
design, etc.).  There are ways around that, but
sometimes they just shift the problem to another
band instead.

Manufacturers often want to sell you a single
antenna by claiming it will work on all bands,
but you have to read the fine print.  In one
case, an antenna claimed to “work” on 80m
was measured to be 1% efficient on that band,
which might not meet your definition of “work”.
In some cases, the limitations may be acceptable
to your operating preferences, and other times
they wont be.

AC2RY

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Re: ZS6BKW G5RV or OCF Dipole
« Reply #23 on: March 28, 2023, 09:25:46 PM »

Hi all,

I’ve been a Technician for several years and recently bought an Anytone AT-6666 for use on 10 meters.  That got me bit by the DX bug so I upgraded my license to General.  I’m planning to pick up an IC-7300 transceiver (they’re on sale until the end of the month) but need some advise on a multi-band antenna.  I’m trying to decide between a ZS6BKW G5RV that will do 80-6 or an MFJ-2010/12 that will go 40-6.  Any insight as to why I would pick one over the other would be appreciated.  Space isn’t an issue and I think I can get the antenna about 35’ off the ground.  I do plan to add a vertical in the future.

Get ZS6BKW and also purchase AH-4 tuner. Have tuner directly connected to antenna. Then you can have up to 100 meters of coax and control cable to your transceiver. That setup will allow you to maximize antenna efficiency and flexibility with location of antenna. You may do even better if you put 1:1 current balun between AH-4 and window line from antenna. I had similar setup when I started as HAM and it was a great success that let me operate on all bands from 10 to 160M.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2023, 09:29:03 PM by AC2RY »
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