> In a message dated 07-08-97 JEFF EDMONSON wrote to ROB DENNIS:
 >  JE> A 'tassle' is just a chunk of wire around 4 to 6" in length, soldered
 >  JE> onto the existing dipole, at the distance from the feedpoint
 >  JE> calculated for 40m, to allow for resonation at 40m.
 >  JE> The result is a dual-band HF antenna that will not only work on
 >  JE> 75/80, but 40/15m as well.  (15m being the third harmonic of 7MHz)
 >      Are you saying this scheme WILL work?  If so, I can't argue
 >  with success, even though it doesn't appear likely!
I'm saying this antenna HAS worked.
Think of a trapped antenna, Fred - say one for 40/80m
If you're working 40m, the rest of the antenna isn't even seen on the other 
side of the trap.
There are also some antenna configurations that include what is basically 2 
sets of dipoles, from the same feedline - one cut for 7.075 or so, and the 
other for 7.250.  The lower freq dipole is held just under the higher freq 
(lower/longer) and they are parallel to each other.  Why not use just ONE 
wire, for the same effect, and let the current raise a little on the end, and 
have a maximum forward voltage at the end (resonant) point of the 'tassle'?
 >      I would think that current on both sides of the Tassle
 > would have to be
 > near-zero, for a voltage maximum to exist.  The remaining
 > quarter wave length
 > is still part of the antenna, so current at the far end would
 > have to be high.
 >   Since you can't have current flowing from the end of the
 > antenna wire, it
 > CAN'T be a current maximum, and must be a voltage maximum (or at
 > least a
 > relatively high voltage).
 >      This forces current high/voltage low at location of the
 > tassle, and
 > current low/voltage high at the feedpoint.  Such an antenna may
 > be resonant,
 > but I would expect feedpoint impedance to be quite high.
 >      If you want to operate with a single, simple antenna, why
 > not use this similar configuration:  A dipole as long as you can
 > fit on your property, fed with open-wire line, matched by a tuner
 > with balanced output.
It's been proven that open wire feed line is more effecient than coax for 
transferring the maximum amount of power, at HF freqs.
Another good thing about operating with an open wire tuner, is that depending 
on the band, some of the feedline becomes part of the antenna, with the 
impedance matching device between the transmitter and the antenna.
(I'm sorry, I just can't bring myself to call it a tuner when, as far as 
*I'M* concerned, the 'tuner' is the person who goes out and trims the antenna 
)
Antenna Tuner is a misnomer...  it no more tunes the antenna, than a computer 
adjusts the speed of the phone line.
   73 = Best Regards
   -Jeff KA5THB
   ka5thb@bigfoot.com
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