SKCC 5123T----- FISTS 14979----- Flying Pigs 2331----- NAQCC 3610-----QRP ARCI 14176-----Polar Bear 257

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Converting 20 Meter Ground Plane to 40 Meters

I have been using a full size 20 meter ground plane. So I added a coil to tune 17 foot vertical wire to 40 meters. I also extended two elevated radials to be 1/4 wave for 40. I was able to work Dennis WD9DWE in North Vernon IL on 40. He was using his downspout antenna. I was testing this antenna in my back yard using the Ten Tec R4020. The ground plane is supported by military mast sections to the 20 foot level plus a 13 foot black widow pole on top. 

I guess you can call this a big brother to the Buddistick. The military mast with the tripod adapter is an easy setup. You can lean the whole affair over to make adjustments to the coil. The one thing you cannot say is that it is light weight.

I continue to enjoy the R4020. I worked KC8ZTJ John in MI and KA2MLH Bill in IL on 20 meters with the ground plane bypassing the coil.