W1UJ 80 / 160 Meter FCP Project 2013
Updated MX! 25-Dec-2012
This is based on the Folded CounterPoise (FCP) Refinements by K2AV with all the information found here;
W0UCE / K2AV FCP Information Page
Amidon shipment arrived!
(2) T300A-2 cores and 25 feet #12 Teflon Tube
I may have miscalculated. FCP Docs suggest 7.5' of PTFE tube/wire for the 160m and 6'2" for 80m
7.5x2 = 15' and 6'2" x 2 = 12'4" So 27'4" would be needed....
Spacer testing using the NO3M / W7FG(sk) Type home-brew open wire line as spacers
It is 1/2" 'sprinkler hose'. Drilling a 1/16" hole is just large enough so the #12 is 'snug'
Used a 30' piece of bare wire stripped out of a piece of Romex (for testing)
Shack-Cat, 'Jings', Inspecting the WireMan shipment!
100' DoubleCoated #14 / 500' #12 bare / 20' Fiberglass tape
I am building a 2 element 160m array and a 2el 80m array.
The 2el 80m Christman fed array exists with 4 elevated radials per vert.
The initial phase is to replace one of the 80m GP with a FCP and replace the 2 elevated 160m radials with a FCP
The first pair of 7'6" wires in the Teflon, and taped about every 8"
10 turns done! It looks like there will be extra Teflon!
Done Wrapping 20 turns for the 160m! Looks like exactly 1' on either side is left over
Stuffed the remaining Teflon with #14 and was able to get a comfortable 15 turns required for the 80m version
Preparing the FCP spacers. Trying out the 1/2" Sprinkler tubing used in homebrew open wire line ZEPP. (20) 9" min long, and (20) 5" long
This is the stuff, I think <$50 for 100' at Home Depot
All of the pieces cut down, if they were <9" or <4.5" they were re-purposed.
Drilled (3) 1/16" "Reasonably precise" holes in the 9" and (2) in the 5" pieces. Poked a piece of scrap #12 wire through
The 1/16" drill is small enough to keep the wire snug
All done ready for wire! I want to build the 160m version first with SPTBDC coming up. Want to try a single piece of wire, no splices through the entire thing
Calculating the spacer materials...
17 and 17 So far... Not easy. There has to be a better way. Going to power through the original plan.
***K2AV commented that "You want as little dielectric as mechanically sound" And this number of spacers should be reduced***
I built (4) 17' complete section halves and assembled them outside. *Much Easier*
THE 160m FCP IS CONSTRUCTED! 12/23/2012 (not complete)
Transformer In the box. I would have liked to install the 500pf cap in here, but do not think it will fit.
Transformer Wired up
Going to try using the little tabs as strain relief for the wire. 12AWG THHN wire for pigtails- Tinned the ends
Sharpie'd
Clearly labeled and checked and double checked.
You can see the transformer to the right floating
W1UJ Precision matching and tuning.
Nice!
I CQ'd and sent test for a bit and everything was cold and happy. The amplifier liked it.
It is tied up at about 8' high now and fed with fresh new piece of LMR400 replica- (K3LR PL-259 installation)
Nice! The rig and LP-100a reads 2.59:1 @ 1801 - 1.99 @ 1814 - 1.28 @ 1844 - 1.97 @ 1865
***K2AV Commented that "The tightness of the curve means it's not lossy."
... It works ....
NB1U was DXing and pointed out 4O3A 'in the log' on 160m. This would be a new one for me, and perfect have a new one for the 1st QSO / FCP Inverted L
Ran out to the shack and turned on the amplifier, 3 minute wait............
80w, New FCP Vert, 2nd call... QSO with 4O3A for a new one! That is encouraging!
Here are the first QSOs logged;
12/25 0213z 4O3A 2nd Call 80w -Montenegro EU 4407 Miles
12/25 0221z UY0ZG Nick 1st call 80w -Ukraine EU 4524 Miles
12/25 0336z 6Y5WJ Josh 80w/Remote! Broke a pile!-Jamaica 1682 Miles
12/25 0440z UY5AR Alex - Used QRO (NO3M Beat me out!) -Ukraine EU 4524 Miles
12/25 0455z CQ'd for RBN, and W7EVC Hal in VA answered
12/25 0505z S53R Rob - Used QRO -Slovenia EU 4058 Miles
What a wonderful Christmas Gift!
LOTW (10 Days Delayed) Shows my 160m count at 66
Kodak moment for KE1LI....
