Magic Antenna - 160m Inverted L - MMANA on different frequencies.

Using the antenna tuner in my Yaesu FT450d I am able to successfully load it on 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10 and 6m.   The antenna works quite well in some cases better then the 1/4 verts  and I totall credit it sitting on a 120' tower ...its really a very steep gravel hill! 

40 Meters

Actual VSWR no tuner 3.6:1

Ran MMANA for resonance ....

8.3 MHz

7.1 MHz

SWR is 49:1 ,   in reality its 3.6:1 but the modelling software has it resoant not too much higher in freq.

On 30 M

Actual VSWR no tuner 3.1:1

The software models it at 18.7:1 at 10.1 MHz
















Ran MMANA for resonance but it found it around 19 MHz with a 50:1 VSWR..



On 20 M

Actual VSWR no tuner 2.1:1

The software models it at 17.2:1 at 10.1 MHz
















Ran MMANA for resonance but it found it around 15.1  MHz with a 3:1 VSWR..

On 17 M

Actual VSWR no tuner 2.1:1

The software models it at 4.1:1  at 18.1 MHz

On 15 M

Actual VSWR no tuner 1.5:1

The software models it at 6:1  at 21.1 MHz

On 10 M

Actual VSWR 28 no tuner 1.4:1

The software models it at  4.8 :1 at 28.0 MHz

On 6 M

Actual VSWR 50 no tuner 1.5:1

The software models it at  6.3 :1  at 50 MHz

MMANA Antenna Modeling - My 160m inverted L

Had some quiet time over the holidays so I have successfully used MMANA Software to model my 160m Inverted L.   I can see that there is a huge advantage to building ,  optimizing and using an Antenna before building the model.  MMANA is fantastic but finicky for the casual user,  More then anything its just takes a bit of familiarity to be successful at it. 

So  here is my antenna.  The radials all slope away with the exception of the one that runs along the X axis ....more or less straight North.   The radiating element more or less runs along this axis too!














In reality the radials have not been tuned each one is 45.7 m long.  The program was told to optimize for VSWR and below is the recommendations for the radials. 


















The vertical component or if you prefer radiator started at 45.7 m.  Took at least a meter off tuning the antenna so its really very close to 44.7 m.   

The optimized length is 44.48 m. 

Performance...optimized to the above dimensions...

The data was all done using free space.   The radials are at a around are around -30 degrees off  level all but one sloping away from the antenna.   The antenna is sitting at the apex of a gravel hill and is connected via 500' of LDF4. 

Here is the same antenna not optimized .....the real deal.  Each radial is 45.7 m and the radiator is close to 44.7 m. 

The VSWR is quite a bit different.  In reality its around 1.5 to 2.0 at 1.85 MHz but the program does not have 500' of LDF4 connected to the antenna!   So the numbers are close enough to the reality to believe the model,  That being said I will have to try tuning certain radials to optimize performance.

BELOW is the model built with the actual dimensions.....

At 1.85 MHz ...

At resonance ...

At 1.85 MHz

Here is where the antenna is actually resonant....

At 1.85 MHz

At resonance ...

I really did find this antenna to be resonant 100 KHz lower in frequency around 1.7 MHz.   I brought it much closer to 1.8 MHz taking a meter or so off the radiator but did not touch the radials.   It truly is quite dramatic what a difference the modem show in  SOME of the radials to get it to resonate at 1.8 MHz. 

Regardless of the resonance one thing that remains constant is the deep null at 90 and 270 degrees  10 to 15 db is HUGE!!!!!   Planning on playing around with the model moving the AZ of the radiator ....this is something I can do in the real world too but before I do anything I would like to try tuning 4 of the radials particularly the ones that run east west. 

Late fall antenna tweaking...

Wasn't real happy with a few of my antennas so I decided to attempt to improve the match. 

20m 1/4 Vert ...just behind the house. 

Took some length off the Vertical element SWR is now

Freq        VSWR
14.0          1:1
14.5          1:1
14.1          1:1
14.15        1:1
14.2          1:2
14.25        1.3
14.3          1.4

Super happy with that ,  worked an RU this morning CW.  Tried to work a guy in Bulgaria but wasn't successful switched to the 160m vert at the top of the hill and was successful. 

80m inverted L ( 1/4 vert ) 

Took a wee bit off this antenna too but its not nearly as broadband as the 20m antenna.  Suspect a tweak of the radials might help that out but its not happening until the snow goes which may be April.

Freq      VSWR
3.45        1.9:1
3.5          1.45:1
3.55        1.4:1
3.6          1.5:1
3.65        1.8:1
3.7          2.2:1

So yeah,  I am mostly CW and FT8 on 80m so its great there however go up and not so much.   Think I may try a low dipole cut to 3750 for SSB. 

160m inverted L ( 1/4 vert )

Same this goes took a foot off the vert radiator

Freq        VSWR
1.7            2.1 :1
1.75          1.4:1
1.8            1.4:1
1.85          1.7:1
1.9            2.1:1

Again great for CW and FT8 but not so much for SSB.   This is my " magic " antenna that loads up on 40,  30,  20,  17, 15,  12, 10, 6 meters with just the antenna tuner in the radio!     I have had success on 6m meteor scatter running 100 watts into this antenna.   A while back ( in the blog somewhere ) I compared the 20m 1/4 behind the house with the 160m L up the hill and the big guy performed better! 


Here is how the 160m loads ...no antenna tuner!

Freq   VSWR
80m NO WAY ,  does not work
40m    3.6:1
30m    3:1:1
20m    2:1:1
17m    2.1:1
15m    1.5:1
12m    1.6:1
10m ( 28 MHz ) 1.4:1
10m ( 29 MHz ) 2.1:1
6m    (50 MHz ) 1.5:1
6m    (51 MHZ ) 1.3:1
6m    ( 52 MHz ) 2.1:1

From 50.6 to 50.9 MHz its a dead flat 1:1 VSWR...go figure

I use the 160 antenna when work FT8 remotely ,   no antenna switching required and I can flip around between bands super easy. 

Diggin a Hole

Late 2019 project is underway trying to get my 6m Yagi to the top of the hill!

Step 1 - DIG a hole ,  a really big hole.     Its  glacial deposits ,  about a foot of topsoil and rocks then a sandy gravel ,  rock dirt and root mix.

Step 2 -  Drop tower sections in the hole

Step 3 - Put all the rocks back in the hole.

Step 4  - admire the result

The rocks are as good as setting it in concrete.  The tower below was put up 20 years ago.  I use it to discharge the hill to cut down on lightening damage ... it works!

6m Amp

Picked up a 6m 600W amp a year ago!  It was sold as working but didn't work and is in the process of being brought back to life by VE3RIP... me an HV don't get along.  

Below is the Amp...

Lightneing Maps and 6m

Had some local lightening out over Lake Huron.   It shows up on the spectrum as well as on lightening maps .  Its cool to correlate where the strike that I am observing with the radio.

Lightening Induced Sporadic E

Being heard in Oklahoma as a result of lightening induced sporadic E.  

Its not meteor scatter and its a very short lived path so I deduce that its probably lightening induced sporadic E.

Hat Trick

Thought this was unique ,  worked VK Land 3 consecutive times on 20, 30 and 40 meters all using the same antenna the 160m inverted L.

More Magic

Nothing quite like the 160 meter inverted L...once again my magic antenna. 

Been using 20 meter FT8 this morning.   The band is open towards the S. Pacifc and VK land ,  hit and miss but lots of good openings for a few minutes here and there,

Just worked ...

Used PSK reporter to see how my RX compares to others in NE NA....

I am not just a little bit higher in RX but 10-20 db better then most,  Clearly this antenna has great RX on 20m.   TX,  not so much but I get through,  my report to VK4FB was +8 ,  I got back -19...yeah propagation can go one way or the other better ,   so flicked. 

My Magic Antenna

The 160 meter inverted L is my go to antenna that continues to amaze me! 

It loads on all bands 160m thru 10m with the exception of 80m.   No antenna tuner is required on 6m ,  50.313 or 160m and I think 15m as well...cant quite remember.  No special antenna tuner required the FT450d built in tuner is good enough. 

 This evening I worked into VK land on 20m.  I checked to see how my receive compared to what others were reporting in this part of NA.   

My QTH circled in  red and the 2 blue circles are the only hams that received the VK station at a higher level then me! 

1 am est on 17m June 12 , 2019

Propagation at the winter and summer solstice is always interesting.

Just lit up 17m and got a big surprise by a report from the land down under....

Playing with WSPR again!

You know that there is something unique happening when your one of two stations in North America receiving a WSP on 20m from EX0AA  Kyrgyzstan. Is it just propagation ,  low noise or antenna?   Probably a little but of both.  Its not who hears your WSPR its all about who you can here now thats the real measure of your setup!

The antenna is a 160m inverted L located 500' from the house atop a 120' hill in a secluded rural area with next to ZERO man made QRN. 

01:14  EX0AA  7.040041  -23  0  MN72hu  2  PY1EME  GG76qt  14084  271  2019-04-23 01:22  EX0AA  7.040041  -24  0  MN72hu  2  PY1EME  GG76qt  14084  271  2019-04-23 01:34  EX0AA  7.040041  -26  0  MN72hu  2  PY1EME  GG76qt  14084  271  2019-04-23 01:16  EX0AA  7.040041  -25  0  MN72hu  2  PY1EME  GG76qt  14084  271  2019-04-23 01:32  EX0AA  7.040041  -26  0  MN72hu  2  PY1EME  GG76qt  14084  271  2019-04-23 01:20  EX0AA  7.040041  -25  0  MN72hu  2  PY1EME  GG76qt  14084  271  2019-04-23 01:32  EX0AA  14.097045  -24  0  MN72hu  2  N2HQI  FN13sa  10040  339  2019-04-23 01:58  EX0AA  14.097041  -27  0  MN72hu  2  VA3IMI  EN94og  10024  343  2019-04-23 01:44  EX0AA  14.097041  -25  0  MN72hu  2  VA3IMI  EN94og  10024  343  2019-04-23 01:46  EX0AA  7.040042  -14  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:28  EX0AA  7.040042  -17  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:56  EX0AA  7.040043  -20  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:40  EX0AA  7.040042  -15  1  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:58  EX0AA  7.040043  -17  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:50  EX0AA  7.040041  -17  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:38  EX0AA  7.040042  -17  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:52  EX0AA  7.040042  -20  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:26  EX0AA  7.040042  -15  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:20  EX0AA  7.040042  -15  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:44  EX0AA  7.040042  -14  0  MN72hu  2  EA8BFK  IL38bo  7781  291  2019-04-23 01:40  EX0AA  7.040059  -27  0  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:16  EX0AA  7.040059  -24  0  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:34  EX0AA  7.040058  -24  0  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:22  EX0AA  7.040059  -20  1  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:20  EX0AA  7.040058  -19  0  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:46  EX0AA  7.040058  -23  0  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:26  EX0AA  7.040058  -24  0  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:32  EX0AA  7.040058  -24  0  MN72hu  2  EA1IOW  IN83gj  6087  299  2019-04-23 01:56  EX0AA  7.040041  -23  0  MN72hu  2  F4ASK  IN96ij  5783  302  2019-04-23 01:52  EX0AA  7.040040  -26  0  MN72hu  2  F4ASK  IN96ij  5783  302  2019-04-23 01:58  EX0AA  7.040041  -25  0  MN72hu  2  F4ASK  IN96ij  5783  302  2019-04-23 01:28  EX0AA  7.040040  -26  0  MN72hu  2  F4ASK  IN96ij  5783  302  2019-04-23 01:38  EX0AA  7.040040  -28  1  MN72hu  2  F4ASK  IN96ij  5783  302  2019-04-23 01:46  EX0AA  7.040040  -26  0  MN72hu  2  F4ASK  IN96ij  5783  302  2019-04-23 01:26  EX0AA  7.040040  -22  1  MN72hu  2  F4ASK  IN96ij  5783  302  2019-04-23 01:58  EX0AA  7.040052  -26  0  MN72hu  2  F5OIH  JN06ci  5681  301  2019-04-23 02:02  EX0AA  7.040052  -25  0  MN72hu  2  F5OIH  JN06ci  5681  301  2019-04-23 01:46  EX0AA  7.040051  -30  0  MN72hu  2  F5OIH  JN06ci  5681  301  2019-04-23 01:26  EX0AA  7.040051  -27  0  MN72hu  2  F5OIH  JN06ci  5681  301  2019-04-23 01:28  EX0AA  7.040051  -27  0  MN72hu  2  F5OIH  JN06ci  5681  301  2019-04-23 01:20  EX0AA  7.040045  -28  0  MN72hu  2  F/G8DXZ  JN05  5670  300  2019-04-23 01:26  EX0AA  7.040044  -29  0  MN72hu  2  F/G8DXZ  JN05  5670  300  2019-04-23 01:28  EX0AA  7.040045  -29  0  MN72hu  2  F/G8DXZ  JN05  5670  300  2019-04-23 01:14  EX0AA  7.040045  -26  0  MN72hu  2  F/G8DXZ  JN05  5670  300  2019-04-23 01:22  EX0AA  7.040045  -27  0  MN72hu  2  F/G8DXZ  JN05  5670  300  2019-04-23 01:16  EX0AA  7.040045  -30  0  MN72hu  2  F/G8DXZ  JN05  5670  300  2019-04-23 01:22  EX0AA  7.040050  -25  0  MN72hu  2  G4MSA  IO90au  5625  307  2019-04-23 01:28  EX0AA  7.040050  -26  0  MN72hu  2  G4MSA  IO90au  5625  307  2019-04-23 01:58  EX0AA  7.040050  -29  0  MN72hu  2  G4MSA  IO90au  5625  307  2019-04-23 01:34  EX0AA  7.040050  -26  0  MN72hu  2  G4MSA  IO90au  5625  307


Last 8 hours....

Good Ears

When it comes to WSPR it all about what you hear not how you are heard.   Anyone can pump out allot of power into a so so antenna and be herd everywhere but if you really want to know how your station is working compare what you hear to others.

Below is a 10 min RX on 20 meters.  I arbitrarily choose a bunch of stations as a comparison

The antenna is my 160m inverted L on the top of the hill 500' from the Ham Shack.  There are 8 1/4 wave radials.     The vertical part of the antenna is 33' and the antenna runs North South. 

Thank you Radio World

 My  Yaesu FT450 packed it in a few months outside of the warranty.    Initially the front display dimmed and there was a hum in the audio and although it was still functional it was marginal.  The failure occurred after the house was coll for a week while I was on a Skiing Vacation.   I took the radio apart ,  checked connections and reseated and cleaned everything that I could but it didn't make any difference. 

 I contacted Radioworld for a referral to a repair depot and much to my surprise they do the repairs there!   Boxed it up and mailed it off to Toronto.  A week and a half later I hadn't heard anything and was going to follow up with them but I didn't have too ... the radio showed up in the mail.  Not hearing anything I figured I would open the box and there would be a notice " Beyond economical repair".  Much to my  surprise the note said " replaced voltage regulator ".   I was a little sheepish ,  shoudl have clued into the dull display top check the voltage!!!!    An even greater surprise was not being billed,  yeah they did it for free and even ate the shipping!   I have purchased many things from Radio World over the years ,  perhaps that weighed in or maybe it was that I was a few months out of warrenty who knows the bottom line is the radio is back up and I am FT8ing away again.



Thanks for the great service Radio World ...  Radioworld.