Catwalker

So, now that I've shown a preview of what's to come, on with the show, the antenna is taking shape, or unshape, as the pictures show:

So, here is the antenna coming back down, while it worked, I wasn't too happy with the performance and decided to add loading coils.



































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Well, I'm not quite done with the current project, but I'm almost there (I hope.)

So it's time to start thinking of the next one. (Gotta have SOMETHING on the go.)
Can you guess what it is/isn't?

No, these connectors are not accurate, but there weren't any proper 3 prong electrical
symbols in Kicad. :/

** Edit: Oops, those capacitors labeled as 4700 uf should be 4700 pf... **

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Winding the coils...

31 turns (21 feet) of  # 14 Solid.




















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Here are the mostly complete coil forms:




















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Assembling my loading coils into a kind of structural element. I know, looks weird, but, as Jeremy Brett used to say as Sherlock Holmes: Patience! All will be revealed!

Well, time to get back to this antenna and get it finished, finally.

The forms for the loading coils, with brass hardware:



















More later.

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So here is my next project (tied to the antenna and balun)

 These are coil forms. 3D printed, about 8 Inches long. Going to make some loading coils to (hopefully) move my apartment antenna down to 40 meters. Time to calculate, wind and solder.

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Well, I put the antenna up, it appears (if my calculations are correct) that the resonant frequency is sitting around 18 Mhz... Given my preferred band is usually 40 meters, that means there is a problem. The autotuner was able to get the SWR down to about 1.5:1, but I'd like to have it come down from something other than infinity (well, OK, a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the picture) I can use it as is, maybe try 15 during the day, or even 20. We'll see.

So here are a couple of shots of the complete 4:1 balun, one from the top, the other from the bottom showing the so239 connector and silicone calking (which looks messy) to plug the wire holes for the ground connection to the connector.

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Here is the antenna, made out of 2 inch vacpipe and tees for a built-in central vacuum system, vertical arms are about 6 foot long.





















Reports when I finally load it up. I think I may have to add a couple of loading coils to get to 40 meters.

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The mounting bracket for the balun...
















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