[bars] Measuring wire antennas

[William Smith]

I’m surprised it works at all without the cap, let us know how it does with the cap!

73, Willie N1JBJ

> On Sep 26, 2022, at 10:45 AM, Tim KC1RET <kc1ret.radio at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>  MANY thanks to all who replied privately to my original plea!
> 
> I go the thing (80m EFHW) up this weekend following the design on the OCFMasters website.  Well...  partial success.  Granted, I'm still waiting for the cap that goes across the primary at the 39:1 matching xformer/balun and that it is still very low, only about 8ft above the ground at the lowest point.
> 
> The SWR at a useful point in the band (measured at the choke) is OK on 80, 40 and 10, but really quite bad everywhere else.
> 
> The missing cap is due from Digikey today.  Stay tuned...  (pun intended)
> 
> 73,  Tim - KC1RET
> 
>> On 9/22/2022 23:59, Jim Idelson wrote:
>> The 'effective electrical length' of the wire is influenced by several parameters. One of them is the physical length. Others include the type of wire, the insulation and the height above ground. Hard to know what that little loop from the main wire to the balun will do. You don't actually know that electrical length for sure until you measure it with a signal applied from your antenna analyzer or transmitter.
>> 
>> So, here's the Pro Tip: Always make the initial cut on the long side - a good foot to eighteen inches. It's a whole lot easier to trim bits off than it is to add length of you cut it too short.
>> 
>> 73 Jim K1IR
>> 
>> On Thu, Sep 22, 2022, 8:59 AM Tim KC1RET <kc1ret.radio at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> OK, time for newbie question...
>>> 
>>> When measuring the length of a wire antenna element, such as an EFHW, do you include or ignore the bit from the end insulator to the terminal of the balun?
>>> 
>>> Yes, I know, it will only amount to 4-6 inches but I'd rather get it right from the start than have to add/trim later.
>>> 
>>> Thanks!
>>> 
>>> Tim - KC1RET
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