Corlic Hill…….HF Vertical

I had posted last month on my first 2010 ‘visit’ to Corlic , one of my local hills. I decided that it would be an ideal time and place to try out my version of the ‘Rybakov’ vertical.

I have previously posted on the blog regarding using this at my home in my garden. This still has to be tested further but at least I know it’s capabilities radio wise.

The blog post ‘Corlic First Visit 2010’ is to be found earlier on this front page or in the ‘Oot’n’Aboot’ section.

Looking W from Corlic towards Dunrod Hill and the Cowal Hills

The vertical was simple enough to erect using even the basic guy cord, I must though get some ‘parachute’ cord or equivalent for more strength.

I had taken my ATU although a more portable QRP one would be handier. Has anyone got plans to make one, it must be simple LOL.

I switched on the FT 817 and proceeded to have a quick look through the HF bands, plenty of strong signals on 40m, 20m and 15m. I then went through each band and had a check of the SWR situation on the entire bands available on the FT 817. I was using a SLAb battery so I was getting 4-5 watts out put from the radio.

I checked

80m, I got the high SWR reading but it tuned in okay with the ATU.

60m, it was within acceptable limits

40m, as 60m

30m, as 60m

20m, I got the high SWR reading but once again, tuned in okay with the ATU.

17m, as 20m.

15m, low SWR.

12m, it was within acceptable limits.

10m, as 12m

I never bothered with 160m or 6m as I intend more to make a portable antenna for 6m working.

Rybakov Vertical

It was interesting how the results compared with the previous test in my garden. Corlic’s summit obviously was near in ‘free space’ compared to the garden in which the vertical was in close proximity of my house, 10ft away if I remember correctly.

I had noticed a OK1 (Czech Republic) station was ‘spotted’ on the SOTA website so I tuned up the antenna and made a call for him, I heard nothing back but ended up speaking with Steve, GM7 just on the N side of the hill. I had another check on the SOTA webpage and saw that two GM/MM stations were about to activate 60m( 5 mhz) on summits to the N and NE of me, I waited and eventually worked Barry on Geal Charn in the Cairngorms and slightly later, Allan , a MM1 station on Carn Mor Dearg.

I then listened around the HF bands to see what activity was happening. It was a pleasure listening to how much quieter the bands were outside the urban environment, the lack of any RFI etc.

I will at one point make a point of trying the vertical on a SOTA activation although I prefer VHF for my activations !!!!

I know this vertical antenna is a compromise antenna but it works better than if you had no antenna, my garden is an example, it measures 8m x 6m. I did this ‘experiment’ without adding a counterpoise wire. I normally fit an 20m Inverted Vee dipole in conjunction with an 7m pole but the vertical would give me extra bands to work. I’m not expecting miracles.

Techy part…

I used a 8m telescopic fibreglass pole

a 9:1 UnUn

and 7.4m of 1.5mm copper wire

Photos..

Click on each photo for full size