160 Meter Inverted L Length

In an instant that all changed.

160 meter inverted l length.

Another antenna added from the antenna plan is a 160 meter wavelength inverted l. Over the last 28 years i have tried many different 160 meter antennas. Top hat this part of the inverted l is approximately 75 feet in total length and is 60 feet above ground at the end point. In fact k2ff w5ue and our partner in crime john w4ii now k0xx had combined for a 2 finish worldwide in our category in the 2016 arrl 160m cw contest from glenn s qth on his newly installed l.

160 inverted l antenna by n4jte. The radiator is suspended at the point of the top hat portion of the antenna with a feed through insulator. To give ourselves a better grasp on inverted l s we will compare an l over an fcp with a better understood vertical over an fcp. Between watching unending law and order repeats and the xyl s lifetime movie sagas compounded by a dead 40 meter band here at night i became so totally bereft of late night activities that i got the bug to get back on 160 meters again with something that would fit in my backyard.

A 130 foot length of 12 gauge pvc covered stranded wire slopes up from the ground system to the 40 foot level of the 45 foot tall fiberglass flagpole about 60 feet of wire length and then proceeds about 70 feet toward the far back edge of my property. Even fewer have room for a dipole up at least half a wavelength above ground. Again my friends 160 meter inverted l was a 3 8th wave so in essence 200 feet not the 124 feet shown in this diagram. The total length of the vertical radiator is 50 feet.

An efficient 160 meter inverted l will have a feedpoint with a natural 20 35 ohm r where x 0. A true wave would be 132 5 feet in length i use the true and tested formula of 1005 freq in mhz length in feet 1005 1 900 mhz 529 feet which i multiplied that length by 3 8 s or 375 529 x 375 198 4 feet. In october 2012 i changed my 160 meter transmitting antenna to an inverted l with fcp folded counter poise. Our comparison l is an fcp at ten feet 3m with the vertical length a very average 55 feet 17m over the fcp setting the l s bend at 65 feet 20m.

And on a small lot that swr meter is very likely looking to a 160 antenna through an electrical quarter wave ish length of 50 ohm coax 60 80 100 feet or 20 25 30 meters. Coaxial inverted l for 160 meters by john n9lye few amateurs have room for full sized vertical antennas on 160 meters. For many years i used a simple wire inverted l and a tuner to get on top band just like many others before me. Glenn had recently installed a 160m inverted l at his qth in ocean springs and it was performing quite well.