shortwave diople.

[Ricky]

i am makin a shortwave diople. now i dont have a lot of room. i was going to make it coiled. now my question. could i just ground the shield wire insted of making a another coil and wire to that side to and just run the center conductor to a wire and coil? thanks

[drdx]

If you do that then you're just relying on your ground system for the other half and it is not a dipole. Introducing a coil will work with some cut and try playing but it will not be as efficient. The beauty of a dipole is that the shield side makes up for it. A dipole for cb is only 9 foot on each side, max, and will tune shorter than that. If you're looking at those "shortwave" ones, they range in size based on the band they are designed for and some are quite long. For this band, they aren't so long and tuned come in at a total length of about 17 feet, and it doesn't have to be in a straight line. They can be in a V, an L, zig-zagged, and any other configuration you need to fit an area and can get tuned. Performance will vary but they do work. Where are you trying to put it? Maybe someone on here can offer alternatives. If it is local cb performance you're after, you'll want a vertical design, maybe not a dipole but a vertical to the center of the coax and 2 or more radials to the shield, or more known as a wire vertical.

-drdx

[Ricky]

top of my tower to my pool deck, at an angle. about 60 ft apart. i just want to listen 160 meters through 20.

['Doc]

If it's for listening only, the longer the better, especially for 160. One alternative would be just a wire from the radio, out the window, top of tower, to someplace else further away (longer). Receivers just aren't that 'picky' about impedance matching, etc, so I wouldn't worry about that much. For the lower frequencies, longer and higher is better. At higher frequencies that 'longer' can get sort of directional, but higher is still good'er. After that, it's just whatever you can manage. Now, that's just listening. Transmitting is a different ball game altogether. Have fun.
- 'Doc

[Ricky]

ok. thanks for the advice guys