I have just uploaded a dozen new photos showing the new 160m mobile
antenna I have made. There is a little info with each photo. Basically
this antenna is seven foot tall, centre loaded (ish) with a 5 foot
adjustable whip.

The antenna is thus almost ten feet tall on my evening
net frequency of 1.972 . On the DX window it is around twelve feet
tall.

The coil was made from about 115 feet of .75mm enamelled copper
wire. A friend made the stainless steel mount which has a 3/8
thread.This then goes onto a 3/8 to 259 convertor so the antenna will
fit on my single mag mount with an so239 fitting.

The antenna is made from approx 3/4 inch aluminium tube. (Ex tent
poles) The coil former is just a little larger than the aluminium. It
is plastic & as with the aluminium, was just lying around my garage,
waiting to be turned into an antenna. I use a five foot whip, which
allows me full coverage on 160m. A whip stud with allen key adjustable
grub screw was bought on the internet along with the enamelled copper
wire.

I'm currentley using a Kenwood TS480SAT for mobile ops. This is the
best mobile radio I have used so far. Great features, backlit keys & I
have the PF key assigned so that with one push I can read the swr. The
radio is grounded to the bulkhead of the car. I made this antenna with
the idea that I would be operating whilst stationary. I guess with the
right vehicle & a larger mount (triple mag-mount or other) & perhaps
some guying or a not so heavy duty antenna, then mobile operation would
be possible.

I have tried the antenna out from my favourite mobile DXL.
This is just South of my location & the seaside town of Hornsea East
Yorkshire. The mobile DXL can be seen on some of the photos. I'm real
close to the North Sea in a car park on a cliff top forty feet ASL.
I have so far made contacts to Norway, Denmark, Germany & Ireland,
as well as 150 mile plus contacts in England. Some of the "Regulars" I
have spoken with, tell me I'm not too far away from the signal I put
out from my base station.

Since December 2007 I have been using an "Inverted L Antenna" from
the base station. I find it works a bit better than the Helical I used
for 2 years, but mainly it is better on receive for "Inter G" contacts.
The Helical was always a great DX antenna. The Inverted L is 40 feet
vertical & 85 feet horizontal. I only squeezed it into my property by
zig-zagging the top wire.

If anyone has any photos of Homebrew Topband antennas, mobile or
base, please feel free to uploaded them into "Album 1" The New Photos
album.

I hope to catch you on Topband sometime. I operate on 1.972 most
evenings between 6.30pm & 7.30pm , but not always on Saturdays. I
sometimes operate on 1.933 a frequency where originally priority was
given to mobile stations. In the winter months I will be giving the new
mobile antenna a run out.

Regards to all,
73,
Phil. m0vey