Eureka- home base antenna

[W-U-B]

In the never ending quest for one antenna to cover HF+ 6m I have found it.

Moonraker GPA2500

With my ATU it tunes on all bands 160m-6m.

[26TM642]

A piece of wet string will tune up 160-6m with an ATU. If you're having to use an ATU and you're feeding it with co-ax, you're going to have really horrific losses in that co-ax. It is quite feasible to end up with 10% or less of the power going out of your set actually being radiated from the antenna which is real serious if you're a FL or IM licence holder.

Where is the other half of the antenna? Have you grounded the ATU well? If I were you, I'd not be touching the co-ax when you TX. If your ATU has a built in SWR meter, transmit a carrier on CW and put your hand near the ATU. If the SWR meter moves, the ATU has hot RF on it which can give you real serious RF burns and you need to get a RF grounding system sorted.

Any antenna needing an ATU is best fed with ladderline or by using a remote antenna coupler at the base of the antenna to minimise losses.

[dean_aberdare]

Don't want to dampen your enthusiasm but tuning is one thing, efficiency is another! I got an ATU that can tune a nail literally on top band but can I work anybody? I guess you know the answer Good Luck report back with results

[W-U-B]

I only put it up on Sat, I haven't had that much time to play with it, I used it on 20m 6m and top band yesterday and it's on a par with the G5RV in the picture

On 6m I am hearing stations that I just can't get on the G5

[JamesA]

Its a pretty big stick innit! Will have a look at the web site when i get a mo but i presume its along the same lines as the Comet all band vertical?

[W-U-B]

Its a pretty big stick innit!

Compared to my ickle 2m 70cm collinear it is.

I have seen the Comet up close and personal and TBH I can't tell the difference between the 2, both 23 odd ft high, both base loaded, in fact the only difference I could see is the Moonraker is over a ton cheaper