Half Square Antenna
ken silverman
After reading the article in CQ last month about the antenna, it
go me thinking about the possibility for an alternative 40m
antenna for our next expedition.
I started modeling the antenna in a conventional way, with the
antenna fed against ground with a set of radials. I then modeled
it as the article described, with the feed point on the top of
one of the elements, with no radials.
Feed at top corner:
---->___________ ___________
| | | |
| | | |
| | | | Bottom Conventional
| | | |<--feed with radials
The radiation pattern and gain was the same, but the SWR was easy
to match with 50 coax with the feed point elevated as shown.
When fed against ground, the SWR is a few thousand ohms, and
requires an L/C matching network.
Does any one have any experience with the half square, with the
feed point in either position? Is this antenna a player when
used over a good ground (salt water)? What problems might I have
with the antenna?
The only time I used a set of bobtail curtains was the day I
spent with the PI4COM/PA6WPX group during 1994 WPX CW. They had
3 bobtails in a flat field by the river. The bobtails had great
directionality, but I had nothing to compare it to with regards
to foward gain.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks again for all your input, you're a great bunch of people!
Henry B. Smith
: Does anyone have any experience with a half square antenna?
:
: etc...
:
: Ken WM2C
: ken.si...@atlas.ccmail.airtouch.com
:
Ken,
I used a half square for years with very good results.
Mine was cut for 80 meters and feed at the bottom with 300 ohm twin
lead. One side of the twin lead went to the antenna and the other side
went to ground. I used a tuner, of course, in the shack.
It worked great on 160, 80 and 40 meters and I highly reccomend it.
Good luck,
Smitty, NA5k
--
Henry Smith (h...@crl.com)