# OCF Dipole for portable use



## JEV

I need a 12-step program to curb this addiction to antenna building. Here's the latest arrow in the quiver for QRP portable operations. It's called a New Carolina Windom, and is another entry into the micro coax line of antennas that I've built. I made one 40m contact yesterday, 25 miles to the East of Washington DC before the monsoon came through (I guess I should look at weather before going portable), but will put it through its trials this morning while waiting for the water company to show up and swap meters for the "drive by" reading type.


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## ki0ho

Looking good there JEV.......but to the best of my knowlage there is no cure for the ant...bug bite!!!    just go with the flow and enjoy till ya finely burn out...or move on to a moreExpensive  ailment!!!!!!!!.....I went all the way to an 80 meter rotatable beam...phase shift vertical set up.....  Was going for a 160 phase rotatable vertical beam...........when Mom and the girls said I had to by food and cloths and heat for the house first!!!!!! and they inflicted sush PAIN that I gave up the Quest!!!!!  but from time to time I still dream about the gentelmans band and a BIG....Gorgous  shining  beam .....glissening in the sun!!!!!!!!............  one day


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## Snowtrac Nome

I keep thinking about a beam here too but with icing and wind I just can't find some thing that will work. there is a new one out that interest me called a hex beam a buddy of mine got one he has been having a blast on hf we will se how it works this winter.


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## JEV

DESIGN CHANGE....

I Hate ugly designs, which is what I created. Aside from the fact that the antenna performed exceedingly well (DX contacts into Belgium (2) and Ireland, and domestic contacts into FL, MI, AZ & TN yesterday on 5 watts), it's basically an ugly, open to the weather, ugly design. Plus, the antenna wire was THHN, and a real bitch to try to roll up.

Sooooo, I stopped at the surplus place and bought 100' of 20ga with with a more supple insulation coating that rolled up nicely. Wire problem solved. Then it was back to the bench where I wound a new 4:1 balun, and manipulated the wires to fit inside of 1/2" PVC pipe with 6-32 x 1/2" screws to attach the antenna wires to. Nice clean design that is easy on the eyes, and provides a weathertite, protective housing for the balun and feedline connections. Both end caps were filled with silicone to seal the eyebolt and coax holes before sealing the caps to the pipe. 

I took it outside and ran it up into a tree at 30', and made a few local contacts to confirm the connections were all solid and there were no shorts. Now I'm a happy camper with a better looking balun/center support unit.

Here is the balun before soldering on the feedline and packing it all in the pipe...





Here is the test setup to check out the balun with the MFJ-259B antenna analyzer, using a 200 ohm resistor to simulate the antenna impedance...





And the redesigned product...


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