The "23' Vertical"

Now here is another of my pride-and-joys. This is a 23' vertical with a ground plane made up of wire fencing laid flat on the ground. The matching is accomplished by a SGC-230 Smartuner. A fraction of a second of RF is enough for the Smartuner to change bands. This arrangement works well for 10 - 40 meters. I have used it on 80 but it doesn't put out much of a signal. Plus I have even used it on 160m for one contact to Minnesota. Later I found the lead from the Smartuner to the antenna was charred.

I painted the antenna black to make it a little more stealth. Great idea til it snowed. Black really stands out against the snow.

Check out that hog-wire ground plane! Four radials of 3-foot fencing laid on the ground.

The base is from a Mosley RV4C which I bought new in 1970. Not bad, Mosley.

The ground connection showing a split bolt connector.

I have added a top hat to increase the radiation resistance. See Sevick, Building and Using Baluns and Ununs, p. 97. "A few short radials at the top are very effective."





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