Re: [IRCA] BOG (Beverage On the Ground) test today: mixed results (w/log)

[Nick Hall-Patch <nhp@xxxxxxxx>]

At 05:03 9/27/2009, you wrote:
>I tried out a BOG (Beverage On the Ground) on the MW BCB band for the
>first time today.  Here are some of the details and results.
>
>The nuts and bolts:  I used my Yaesu FT-897D, and a 500' spool of
>stranded 14 gauge green ground wire purchased (for $25) from Lowe's.
>I simply stripped the insulation from about an inch of one end of the
>wire, folded the stripped section in half, and inserted it into the center
>conductor hole in the SO-239.  


Hi Jim,

I suspect your BOG signal strengths and perhaps directivity might have benefited from using a matching transformer and perhaps a separate ground for the antenna from the receiver ground.

There are a number of references available, for example:

http://www.seed-solutions.com/gregordy/Amateur%20Radio/Experimentation/Beverage.htm (look at the "Basic Beverage Antenna" schematic as it shows the concept of using a separate ground; termination is optional)

http://www.isp.ca/ve3nh/rxant.htm   (although I wonder about the -61 material recommended here)

http://n1eu.com/topband/BeverageXfmrs.htm

and the detailed information on building them at http://www.dxing.info/equipment/

Commercial versions are available also, usually at premium prices. 

You didn't seem to have noise problems at that site, which a transformer and separate ground would be most useful in mitigating,  but it would be interesting to see whether signal strengths and directivity also improve.

best wishes,

Nick





*****************************
Nick Hall-Patch
Victoria, BC
Canada 

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