A Beverage antenna in suburbia !!!???

[K3STX]

I am working on my DXCC for 80 meters (and just plain love 40 meters), and I am getting killed by the static/noise on my verticals. I have known for years about Beverage receiving antennas, but since they are usually LONG antennas for best performance (like 2 or 3 wavelengths long) I have never thought more than dreaming. As I read more I found that a one wavelength long Beverage for 40 meters (about 130 feet long) would not be too bad, and it would be half-wavelength on 80 meters. I thought what the hell and got a 9:1 transformer, a terminating resistor, and 130 feet of wire. I have mine supported along the wood fence between my yard and my neighbors, it is supported by fishing line (they don't know it is there), and is pointing just about the Europe, at 30 degrees. Hook it up to the rig and WOWIE WOW WOW!!! This baby actually WORKS and I live on a small suburban lot!! The noise is GONE, the signal strength of Europeans on 40 meters is the same as on my vertical but there is almost no static/noise. The signal/noise is GREAT! It is FANTASTIC on 40 meters and on 30 meters. There is good F/B, so the USA stations calling the DX are way down: on the vertical (or my dipole) they would blow my head off. On 80 meters it is also much much quieter than my dipole and I am hearing DX much better, but it is far from ideal. This weekend I will know better.

Just thought I would pass this along to those who say "I can never put up a Beverage". Mine is 40 yards long, 40 PACES!! Most of us have 40 paces to spare along a fence, for example. It is very broad, 3 dB beamwidth about 180 degrees, but it really works! If I had more room it would be even better, but one thing at a time.

Think about it, it is only wire and is only 6 feet off the ground.

paul

[AI4FR]

I have given some serious thought to doing the same thing or nearly so. It is great to read a success story as it is very motivational, thanks!!

[WA5KRP]

Congratulations - I love hearing stuff like that!


You be a ham, boy! http://smilies.jeeptalk.org/otn/realhappy/luxhello.gifhttp://smilies.jeeptalk.org/otn/realhappy/luxhello.gifhttp://smilies.jeeptalk.org/otn/realhappy/luxhello.gif


WA5KRP
Salute, Texas

[k7unz]

Another variation on the same theme.......the "snake" antenna.

Simply, RG-58 coax, an ODD number of 1/4 wavelengths long. #You can either short the far end, or connect a small 50 ohm resistor between center and shield at the far end. #Either way presents a 50 ohm load to the receiver.

Just throw it on the ground, stretch it out as best as you can, and connect to your receiver.

While there is some reduction in signal strength, noise is dramatically reduced. #Include a small antenna tuner, and you can peak it for best reception.

This antenna was mentioned in an article by Doug DeMaw (W1FB) in QST, April '88. #Have tried it, and it does work!

Jim/k7unz

[WF7I]

STX,

Did you make it into a loop or just along one side of the property? And do you have overhead powerlines, and if so, are you parallel or perpendicular to them?

I once ran a wire loop around the perimeter of my property, probably several hundred feet in length (didn't really measure it). I wound up with some induced AC voltage (on the order of maybe 1/4 of a volt) on the leads, presumably from the overhead power lines.

Glad it worked for you, and I may very well try the same thing myself.

[K3STX]

WF7I,

This is basically "straight", but there are two bends (each about 30 degrees), so it is about as straight as a really drunk person would walk if her were to walk a "straight line". It is fed at one end with CATV coax and hooked through a 9:1 transformer I picked up from DX Enginering for Beverage antennas. It is terminated using a 500 ohm resistor and grounded (I think 500 ohm). It is 6 feet off the ground, and yes, there are overhead power lines that are parallel to it for the first 30 feet of it's length. The noise blanker on the rig helps, but honestly I only have a single 1 foot ground rod currently!! (For the test). I will improve this.

A loop is a different beast. The advantage of the Beverage, in addition to the low noise, is the directional nature of the antenna. A F/B of 20 dB is not uncommon, and like I said stateside callers are REALLY down when I call DX on 40. The longer you make it, the more narrow the beamwidth. But my guy is only one wavelength long!!

UNZ,

I will look more into the Snake antenna. Might be nice for a second direction, but spending money for 200 feet of RG-59 to simply lie on the ground?!

paul

paul

[WA5KRP]

Quote[/b] (k7unz @ Oct. 28 2004,04:58)]This antenna was mentioned in an article by Doug DeMaw (W1FB) in QST, April '88. #Have tried it, and it does work!

Jim/k7unz
Check out the May, 88 QST. That snake antenna article by DeMaw was the annual April Fools joke.


http://www.tropicstar.com/newimages/tsl26.jpg



WA5KRP
Texas

[WB2WIK]

Yep, the "snake antenna" was indeed a joke. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Also, if you short the end of 1/4-wavelength of coaxial cable, that does not provide a 50 Ohm load back to the source: It provides an open-circuit (impedance of infinity, if the coax is really good and precisely trimmed to 1/4-WL, including velocity factor, at the frequency of use).

If you want to use an antenna laying on the ground, make it a single insulated wire, not coax. Much cheaper, and will work better.

WB2WIK/6

[K7FE]

Paul,
A good testimonial on your suburban Beverage Antenna.

To paraphrase what WIK said: #Beware of articles that appear in April issues or the joke will be on you.
Interesting articles like "Biasing up your antenna with radioactive pellets from smoke detectors glued to it to eliminate resistance" or "I loaded grandma's false teeth when she removed them at night and worked DXCC because they had gold fillings". #

That reminds me, when I was a kid I use to climb my fathers radio tower during the April snow storms in the Nevada desert, uphill both ways. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

73,
Terry, K7FE

[WF7I]

I remember reading one April Fool's QST that sucked me in. It was 2-3 years ago and something about an AGC circuit. I think it was saying something about rapidly varying the VFO automatically, thus getting a better S/N ratio or something! I emailed one of my co-workers about all the technical flaws of this article, and he wrote back, "hey dummy, look at the DATE of the article!" http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[WA5KRP]

Quote[/b] (K7FE @ Oct. 28 2004,13:46)]To paraphrase what WIK said: #Beware of articles that appear in April issues or the joke will be on you.
Hey.....I spotted the sucker bait! Lord only knows how many times I've gone for it.



WA5KRP
Texas

[k7unz]

Jeez....how can an April Folls joke still be claiming victim's 16 years later?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif (hi) Well, all I can say is that it DID work as described. You took a hit on signal levels, but the noise itself was way down too.....so on 80 meters at the time it did seem like an improvement of sorts. Live and learn, eh?

Jim/k7unz

[kl7aj]

Quote[/b] (K3STX @ Oct. 27 2004,20:37)]I am working on my DXCC for 80 meters (and just plain love 40 meters), and I am getting killed by the static/noise on my verticals. I have known for years about Beverage receiving antennas, but since they are usually LONG antennas for best performance (like 2 or 3 wavelengths long) I have never thought more than dreaming. As I read more I found that a one wavelength long Beverage for 40 meters (about 130 feet long) would not be too bad, and it would be half-wavelength on 80 meters. I thought what the hell and got a 9:1 transformer, a terminating resistor, and 130 feet of wire. I have mine supported along the wood fence between my yard and my neighbors, it is supported by fishing line (they don't know it is there), and is pointing just about the Europe, at 30 degrees. Hook it up to the rig and WOWIE WOW WOW!!! This baby actually WORKS and I live on a small suburban lot!! The noise is GONE, the signal strength of Europeans on 40 meters is the same as on my vertical but there is almost no static/noise. The signal/noise is GREAT! It is FANTASTIC on 40 meters and on 30 meters. There is good F/B, so the USA stations calling the DX are way down: on the vertical (or my dipole) they would blow my head off. On 80 meters it is also much much quieter than my dipole and I am hearing DX much better, but it is far from ideal. This weekend I will know better.

Just thought I would pass this along to those who say "I can never put up a Beverage". Mine is 40 yards long, 40 PACES!! Most of us have 40 paces to spare along a fence, for example. It is very broad, 3 dB beamwidth about 180 degrees, but it really works! If I had more room it would be even better, but one thing at a time.

Think about it, it is only wire and is only 6 feet off the ground.

paul
Excellent!

That just shows you what the "experts" know. Just remember, Amateurs built the ARK and Professionals built the Titanic!

Eric

[kl7aj]

Quote[/b] (k7unz @ Oct. 28 2004,14:02)]Jeez....how can an April Folls joke still be claiming victim's 16 years later?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif (hi) # Well, all I can say is that it DID work as described. #You took a hit on signal levels, but the noise itself was way down too.....so on 80 meters at the time it did seem like an improvement of sorts. #Live and learn, eh?

Jim/k7unz
Well, oddly enough, that April fool's article just happened to describe something that actually works...and works quite well. The snake antenna was described in military literature as a stealth antenna back in the thirties.


eric

[AG3Y]

Speaking of AVC circuits, I remember an April Fools article about hooking up your rig to a high gain antenna with a commutator/brush arrangement, and then whirling the antenna around at a fantastically rapid rate. The idea was that you would be putting out a seriously big signal, and that rotation speed would be faster than the AVC of the receiving station's . . . well, receiver ! Therefore, you would be putting out a big signal in all directions ! . . . . April Fool ! I wonder if anybody really tried it ? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[kg4kww]

K3STX -- can you post a pic of this antenna, I would like to see what it looks like. Why do you call it a Beverage Antenna? Is it made from a Beer Can?

Please explain.

[K3STX]

KWW,

I hope you are joking.

If not, PLEASE do not admit it!

paul

[K7KBN]

Here's an explanation of the term "Beverage" in "Beverage Antenna" (http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/wire/beverage/).

As far as beer cans being used for antennas, back in the day when beer cans were made of solderable steel, there were actual beer-can verticals. #As Terry, K7FE pointed out on another forum, the builder of such an antenna was required to ensure that the cans were empty before soldering them. #It's a thankless job, but somebody has to do it #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Terry and I were reminiscing about our high school days at Las Vegas High School when we CONSIDERED building beer can verticals, like the one described HERE (http://www.eh-antenna.com/library/DEMONSTRATION%204.pdf).

EDIT: Whoops! This was for an EH antenna, only TWO cans high. Hardly worth it http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[K3STX]

A brief update for those who asked. This antenna, while FAR from optimal, is fantastic for DXing and is currently beating out my 100 foot long dipole up 60 feet in picking out European DX on 80 meters. It is only about 120 feet long or so, but the QRN is so low with this antenna that I can hear the weak Europeans no problem.

Give it a try, it is easy. And it works GREAT on 40!

paul