Issue #5 - An Expensive 7-Band Dipole?

Please use this form for discussion of topics related to Issue 5 *link here". You can also toss in general feedback about the column or suggestions of new content down the road!

 

SWR is 1.8 at band edges on 80 meters? Do you have an explanation as to how that is accomplished because it is a halfwave dipole and that is not normal?

 

Hi Rick, I write about user experiences. That's what occurred for me with the Buckmaster, and if you read the eHam reviews (many 4 and 5 stars) I am not unusual. I'm not an antenna designer, so I have no idea how they pulled that off. But I was able to quite easily add 15M with the tuners discussed in Issue 4, and this gives me 8 band coverage from one dipole antenna! Still, I have no idea (other than dealer markup) how it ended up costing this much. That's where it gets knocked down a notch or two. Dave

 

Rick, here are some measurements which are fairly current, from another of the MANY 5 star reviews on eHam for this antenna. I post it here only because I got a worse SWR scenario than this poster, but it is still darn good:

3.750 = 1.28
7.020 = 1.58
14.328 = 1.24
18.118 = 1.24
24.940 = 1.55
28.944 = 1.12
50.868 = 1.13

 

"more omnidirectional" than a dipole does not right true.

 

Thanks Robert. Glad you caught that. I'm sure you recognized by the discussion that followed that it was supposed to be "The antenna is clearly more directional than the usual dipole", and it is now fixed. THANK YOU OM. Dave

 

Garbage. I don't see a $350 dipole being a good option for most hams who can make one for less than 1/3 of that price.
Plus, it, like all OCF antennas, has issues with common mode currents especially as power goes up.
Go read the reviews on eham for this antenna. It isn't a cure-all by any means.

 

Hey Joe, I see your latest project (on your QRZ page) deals with owning a manufactured wire antenna, an Alpha Delta DXCC antenna. I haven't tried that one yet, but I'll try to remember to snag one and put it into T&E. Clearly, you like your $200 antenna better than the Buckmaster. Why didn't you make your own Alpha Delta, Joe? Of course, before buying the Buckmaster to try out for Trials and Errors, I read the eHam reviews. They are overwhelmingly positive, with 89 reviews total, and way more than 70 are either four or five star comments. People are very happy with that antenna. I am sure there are people who like or dislike your antenna as well, Joe. By the way, I don't use terms like "cure all" or "ultimate" in my reviews. I avoid that, because we're speaking only about personal user experiences here and not making blanket statements. Of course, "Garbage" is pretty much a blanket statement, eh?

 

The alpha delta dxcc was a $25 hamfest special. Of course modified for the bands noted which basically means rebuilding it - modifying the loading coil for 60. Then change element lengths for 30 17 and 12 meters. Anyway. Good luck on the buckmaster. As WA7ARK notes, you might find the ZS6BKW works very well for multi band use.

keep us posted how that thing works when you run 400-500 watts.

you might try a simple 40M dipole for reference to compare the two.

my experience was similar to Mikes —. It got into everything. Especially 80 meters.

 

Thanks. My ham buddy has essentially the same setup but with the ZS6BKW. Since the installation I am now running legal limit with a Mercury Lux. No issues, but appreciate the warning. I'm a writer/reviewer, however, and building my own antenna and then reviewing it would make no sense. I have to use commercial products for my articles in the new QRZ column.

 

Issue #5 - An Expensive 7-Band Dipole?

What dipole are you complaining about? I did not see any link to it.

 

Hello, not complaining about anything. I'm a writer/reviewer for the brand new QRZ column, "Trials and Errors -- Ham Life with an Amateur" . . . you'll find it on the front page of QRZ, in the center, in the largest box on the page. Thanks for becoming a reader if you'd like. Regards, Dave

 

Thank you for the link to the article, which I just read, and it was well written.
It looks like the Buckmaster antenna is very well made! Much better than anything I am capable of building.

I am using an inverted L here. also not very high off the ground.

Best 73 Good DX and HNY 2023

 

Thanks and Holiday Blessings to you my friend, Dave

 

Dave:
Another well written article. Perhaps our wives are related...I share the same antenna restrictions. We live far out in the country on a 1.5 acre lot, but with a fantastic view of the valley below, there ain't no way in hell I'll ever be putting up a tower. And to be honest, I totally agree with her; I wouldn't want to spoil our view or diminish our house's "curb appeal" with some monstrosity of an aerial display. So I go the less obtrusive and harder to see wire route as well.

One thought for your locale: with so many shorter trees, could you put up some sort of elevated loop antenna? A thin enough wire stretched out into a delta or quad configuration 15 feet off the ground might not be easily seen, and draw minimal attention. Worth a try perhaps? Just spitballing.

Keep 'em coming...good reads so far.

Brando