Another title might be… “43 Foot Antenna, the Tilting.”
NOTE: UPDATE AT END OF THIS POST
We had a big blast of cold air come down from Canada last night. Temperatures reached the teens and winds peaked at 50 mph. No problem I thought… “My DX Engineering 43 Foot Vertical has been up in weather like this since 2008 and does exceptionally well.”
The morning was busy gathering up blown away things and mounting a search and rescue of my car cover. Often this car cover sweeps around the house so I walked out back.
My eyes scanned the back yard for the cover. HORROR! I looked up to see a not so vertical antenna against the December backdrop of a cornfield and morning sky. Figure 1 reveals my shock and awe moment…
Here are some details regarding the next, and probably last, phase of my 43 Foot DX Engineering vertical installation.
This post is very late. The actual date of the events within it are just before March 2009 in preparation for the Virginia QSO Party.
In the many posts within this site, it is no secret my examination of various vertical antenna solutions with comparison between BigIR and the 43 Foot products a big part of this. Check out all the 43 Foot posts on HHD here…
If you have been reading this web site you will recall I have paid much attention to the 43 foot antenna manufactured by DX Engineering and Zero Five Antennas.
After much simulation and trading the benefits against pitfalls, I purchased the DX Engineering 43 foot antenna kit with the balun.
However, a shiny aluminum antenna in the back yard would attract the kind attention I just don’t need. Research on the Internet reveals several solutions including:
Here is a step by step approach for an amateur radio vertical antenna mount using only a hole, gravel and a piece of plumbing pipe. Included is a story about know-it-all relatives.
We have looked at the 43 foot antenna available from DX Engineering and Zero Five alongside the BigIR product from SteppIR. In addition, the BigIR was simulated using the optional 80 meter coil.
Both antenna types approach the vertical HF antenna problem with unique solutions.
Continuing our NEC Shootout between the 43 foot vertical available from DX Engineering or Zero Five and the adjustable height BigIR antenna available from SteppIR antennas we now analyze them in the 40 meter band.
Continuing our NEC Shootout between the 43 foot vertical available from DX Engineering or Zero Five and the adjustable height BigIR antenna available from SteppIR antennas we now analyze them in the 20 meter band.
Continuing our NEC Shootout between the 43 foot vertical available from DX Engineering or Zero Five and the adjustable height BigIR antenna available from SteppIR antennas we now analyze them in the 15 meter band.
In a previous post we promised to analyze the merits of the 43 foot tall tuner-required antenna vs. the adjustable BigIR vertical from SteppIR. We did and here are the results.
Considering a vertical? Among all the dipoles, beams and other types of antennas, the lowly vertical has regained some popularity thanks, in part, to the BigIR SteppIR and, more recently, the 43 foot vertical offered by DX Engineering and Zero Five antennas.
Furthering the discussion of the 43 foot vertical antenna I wanted to report a concern I have with this antenna and the use of any relay based coax switch.
If you install a 43 foot vertical in your back yard, route the coax through a switch and handle the tuning inside your ham shack, you need to ensure you do not exceed the voltage or current limits of the relays in the switch.
The 43 foot vertical antenna is a popular height being promoted by several antenna manufacturers for 160 to 10 meters. Let’s see why and examine some advantages and pitfalls.
