VK Logger Ham Radio Forum Archive

Greetings Antenna Guru's,

I've gone blank.

What are the multi-wire HF antennas called?

The ones that have 3 or more wires with spreaders - they look a bit like a horizontal wire ladder.

I've been racking my poor abused brain to no avail!

Thanks

I can only think of "fan" dipoles.

That's what I know them as. I made a three band (40/20/10) one with corflute as the spaces/spreaders just the other weekend. Works really well.

Are you possibly thinking of a "Curtain Array" ?

Cheers,
Dave.

Hi All,

Not a fan array.

A curtain array is a bit more complex.

A bit like:
Except the "array" would be horizontal (I never claimed to be an artist)

I have one. It was sold to me as a multi band dipole. It's in the back of the shed at the bottom of the stuff I don't use. It's a bit big to use as a dummy load which is what mine is good at.

Like this maybe

It's called a HF Multi-wire Broadband Dipole.
The antenna is a 3-wire terminated folded dipole designed for broadband operation in fixed stations.
It is available in multiple power levels up to 1 kW.
The antenna can be mounted horizontally between two support systems, or as an inverted “V” using a single central support mast.
They are made commercially by CODAN

Thanks All,

That looks like the beast.

If it has loads about 2/3 of the length either side it is a travelling wave dipole (broadband).

If it is a folded dipole with a load at the center it is a terminated dipole (broadband, not all that efficient)

Also made in W.A. by Bushcomm. See http://www.bushcomm.com.au/

The Bushcomm ones are the best.

Does anyone else think the coax bending radius in the picture at http://www.bushcomm.com.au/brochurelibr ... BA100C.pdf is a little tight given the datasheet at http://www.rfsworld.com/dataxpress/Data ... =RG58-50JF specifies 25mm?

While likely good for <2000km 20 - 100w communication where broadbandedness is the most important feature sought, I'd be wary about its use as a main antenna for the QRP or Foundation station at normal suburban amateur antenna heights (the quoted modelled 5dBi gain is based on 20m height).

These antennas are widely used in PNG and other parts of the Pacific for non-amateur communications 3-10MHZ where their broadband characteristic is ideal and distances are not huge. I can hear the health service stations in PNG using these antennas on 5MHZ quite easily from Townsville in the late afternoon and evening. They are also very robust, but quite heavy and need strong supports.

I used one as a ham antenna at my last QTH and it was disappointing. A simple 40m dipole gave better results and it was quite deaf on 20m and above. IMO a doublet or horizontal loop fed with 300 ohm line is a much better, and much cheaper, option and you can use a much lighter support.

73

Wayne VK4WDM